We believe that honest, useful web hosting reviews can only come from real-world testing. We purchase hosting plans anonymously, deploy standard test environments, and measure performance over an extended period before writing a single word. This page explains exactly how we do that.
Scoring Criteria
Our overall score is a weighted average across six dimensions:
Performance & Speed
We measure Time to First Byte (TTFB), page load times under various load conditions, and PHP/server processing speed.
- TTFB from 5 global locations
- Load test with 10 and 50 concurrent users
- WordPress benchmark (WP Performance Tester)
Uptime & Reliability
We monitor every provider with external uptime checks every minute for a minimum of 90 days.
- 1-minute check intervals via independent monitors
- Penalty applied for <99.9% uptime
- Incident response time measured
Support Quality
We contact support teams multiple times during the review period with real technical questions.
- First response time (live chat & ticket)
- Accuracy of responses (verified answers)
- Availability outside business hours
Value for Money
We compare what you actually get for the price, including renewal rates and hidden fees.
- Renewal price (not intro price)
- Resources per dollar
- Free extras (SSL, migration, backups)
Features & Control Panel
We evaluate the control panel usability, available features and ease of setup.
- cPanel / custom panel UX
- 1-click installs, staging, backups
- DNS management & email tools
Security & Privacy
We check what security measures are in place and whether privacy features are available.
- Free SSL certificate included
- DDoS protection
- Jurisdiction & DMCA policy
Our Review Process
Anonymous Purchase
We sign up and pay for a hosting plan using our own funds, without informing the provider. This ensures we receive the same experience as any regular customer.
Environment Setup
We deploy a standardised WordPress installation and a static HTML benchmark site. We also configure uptime monitoring from five global probes immediately after account activation.
Performance Testing
We run a full suite of speed benchmarks from multiple global locations: TTFB, full page load, and load tests simulating 10 and 50 simultaneous users. Tests are repeated across three different times of day.
Support Evaluation
We submit at least three support requests during the review period – including at least one technical question and one billing question – and document response times and answer quality.
Extended Monitoring
We maintain uptime monitoring for a minimum of 90 days before publishing. This gives us a statistically meaningful dataset rather than a one-day snapshot.
Scoring & Writing
Data is aggregated into our weighted scoring model. A separate editor who was not involved in testing writes the review to avoid confirmation bias. Both are involved in the final edit.
Score Scale
| Score | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 – 10 | Excellent | Top-tier performance and reliability. We actively recommend this provider. |
| 7.5 – 8.9 | Good | Above-average provider with minor weaknesses. Worth considering. |
| 6.0 – 7.4 | Average | Acceptable for some use cases but notable trade-offs exist. |
| Below 6.0 | Poor | Significant issues found. We do not recommend this provider. |
Review Update Policy
All reviews are re-evaluated at least once per year. If a provider makes significant infrastructure changes, announces a new data centre, or changes its pricing model, we update the relevant sections earlier. The "Last updated" date is displayed on every review page. We also welcome corrections from readers – if you spot outdated information, let us know.