HostMetro Review
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HostMetro was founded in 2008 and quickly established itself as one of the only hosts in the industry with fixed rates, a title it still holds today. HostMetro offers shared hosting with core features, making it ideal for small businesses or individuals looking for streamlined service and a consistent, budget-friendly price.
HostMetro Price
Inexpensive pricing is a cornerstone of HostMetro’s company. Hosting rates start at just $2.95 per month for the standard plan, which is already lower than the introductory rates offered by half the hosts we’ve reviewed. But where HostMetro really stands out is its Price Lock Guarantee, which means you keep that $2.95 rate for the lifetime of the account, even if HostMetro changes their base pricing.
Your savings compound with HostMetro—the longer you host with them, the more money you save. HostMetro approaches web hosting like it’s a utility, which is a smart move considering the majority of businesses need a website long-term anyway. It’s a great choice for any small business planning to be operational longer than a year or two, basically the only viable option for set-it-and-forget-it sites, and a solid budget-friendly choice all-around.
HostMetro Performance
Considering HostMetro’s extremely low price-point and fixed rates, we expected poor marks on performance, but after extensive testing this simply isn’t the case. HostMetro guarantees 99% uptime, which they easily meet and consistently exceed. Their server speed is well within acceptable standards for shared hosting, even above average when compared to hosts like iPage or JustHost. Our WordPress website had an average load time of just 2.3 seconds, which is frankly incredible for a cheap shared host.
HostMetro Support
Independently-owned hosts trend towards more attentive and actually helpful support, and HostMetro is no exception here. They offer the standard trio of phone, chat, and email/ticket support 24/7, in addition to a knowledgebase for the DIY folks. Their reps seem to know their stuff and communicate with each other, so you won’t get stuck explaining the same issue to five people who can’t help you. They have a self-reported average response time of >1 hour for tickets, which held up against our test tickets—most received a response in less than 20 minutes, which is hard to beat unless you include managed hosting support services (usually starting around at least $30/month.)
HostMetro Usability
HostMetro’s plans are straightforward and simple, offering the core essential features, but cutting back on some of the “extras” you see included with other hosts (which also drives the cost up.) This actually works in their favor for usability—less clutter means you find the features you need front-and-center. HostMetro’s control panel is standardized, so you won’t be stuck with a clunky proprietary panel that makes moving between hosts a complicated nightmare. The same goes for their billing system and available website builders. WordPress is standard for a reason, and HostMetro’s choice to stick with the classics makes their hosting user-friendly and familiar.
HostMetro Features
HostMetro definitely leaves out some features that come included with other hosts—stuff like ad credits, Office 365, and phone services—but it still includes plenty of the important things like free 1-click WordPress and email. Features like SSL Certificates, SiteLock, and Site Stats come included with their higher-tier Super Max plan, and are offered as addons for the lower-tier Mega Max. So while you won’t get every single feature included automatically with every plan, you also won’t be paying for a bunch of features that—let’s face it—you probably won’t use.
Conclusion
Overall, RateMyHost recommends HostMetro for their ease-of-use, fantastic 24/7 support, and unmatched fixed-rate hosting prices. Their core hosting services combined with their fast and reliable servers makes HostMetro a solid and smart choice for any small business, freelancer, or hobbyist who needs a website.