HostBuddy

HostBuddy offers budget-friendly shared hosting, with no price increases at renewal - a notable advantage over many competitors. Their Basic plan starts at $1.95/month, making it one of the cheapest options for small websites.

Pricing is transparent, with no major hidden fees. However, domain registration ($12/year) and privacy protection ($8/year) are not included, adding to the overall cost. There's no aggressive upselling, but customers should review add-ons carefully.

HostBuddy provides a 60-day money-back guarantee, double the industry standard, giving users plenty of time to test the service risk-free.

HostBuddy provides customer support via live chat, email, and phone, ensuring multiple ways to get assistance. Live chat is the most efficient option, with close to no wait time and clear, to-the-point responses that directly address user queries. Email responses typically arrive within an hour.

One drawback is the lack of a detailed knowledge base or tutorials, meaning users must rely on direct support rather than self-service resources. However, for those who prefer immediate, real-time assistance, HostBuddy's strong live chat performance is a major advantage.

HostBuddy provides customer support in English.

Uptime

We perform thousands of uptime checks each day to ensure our reviews are accurate and reliable. The statistics below are based on the uptime checks we have performed in the last 30 days.

HostBuddy guarantees 99.9% uptime, which allows for up to 44 minutes of downtime per month. However, their terms do not specify whether compensation for downtime is monetary or in the form of service extensions, leaving it unclear how they handle prolonged outages.

Our monitoring has previously detected periods of extended downtime, but in the past few months, uptime has been a flawless 100%, according to our monitoring tool. While this is a strong indicator of improved reliability, we will continue tracking performance to ensure consistency over time.

Data Center Locations

• Netherlands
• United States

HostBuddy operates multiple data centers in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, and Amsterdam, providing solid coverage for North America and Europe. Choosing a closer data center can help improve latency and site performance for visitors in these regions.

However, HostBuddy does not have data centers in Asia or Australia, which may result in higher latency for users in those areas. Businesses targeting audiences in these regions should consider using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to optimize load times.

Storage

HostBuddy provides unlimited SSD storage, offering faster data retrieval and better reliability than traditional HDDs. However, strict Inode limits apply, which restrict the number of files a website can store. The Basic plan allows 10,000 files/folders, the Advance plan allows 50,000, and the Premium plan allows 100,000.

These limitations make HostBuddy better suited for small static websites rather than large WordPress installations that generate frequent file updates. As a site grows, users may need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan to accommodate more files.

Bandwidth

HostBuddy offers unmetered bandwidth on all shared hosting plans, meaning there are no fixed limits on data transfer. However, this does not mean unlimited usage without restrictions. Like most hosting providers, HostBuddy enforces a fair usage policy, which is designed to prevent any single user from consuming excessive resources that could impact server performance.

While there are no explicit overage charges, accounts with excessive bandwidth consumption may face throttling, restrictions, or be asked to upgrade to a more suitable plan. For most small to medium-sized websites, this should not be an issue, but high-traffic sites should consider scaling up if needed.

Migrating to HostBuddy

HostBuddy offers free website migration, making it an attractive choice for users switching from another hosting provider. This complimentary service helps eliminate migration costs, which some competitors charge for.

To request a migration, customers must submit a request through their HostBuddy account dashboard after signing up for a hosting plan. The support team handles the transfer, including files, databases, and configurations, aiming to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime.

Backups

HostBuddy provides free automated backups, but the frequency and retention period are not clearly stated in their documentation.

Backup restoration is self-service, allowing users to restore backups directly from the control panel without contacting support. However, those with frequently updated or data-sensitive websites should consider additional backup solutions to ensure more frequent data protection.

Email

HostBuddy includes unlimited email accounts with all shared hosting plans, supporting POP3, IMAP, and webmail access for flexible email management. However, mail storage is limited, with 1 GB for the Basic plan, 3 GB for the Advance plan, and 10 GB for the Premium plan.

There is a sending limit of 50 emails per hour per domain, and each email can have a maximum of 10 recipients, including CC and BCC. These restrictions may be limiting for businesses with high-volume email needs.

Security features such as spam filtering and antivirus protection are included, ensuring basic protection. While HostBuddy’s email service is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses, users with larger storage or sending requirements may need alternative solutions.

SSL Certificates

HostBuddy provides free SSL certificates through Letls Encrypt, which are included with all hosting plans at no extra cost. These certificates auto-renew, making it easy for users to maintain a secure website without manual intervention.

HostBuddy's website is easy to navigate, with a clean layout that clearly presents hosting plans, pricing, and features. However, instead of allowing users to purchase a plan directly, HostBuddy pushes new customers toward a free 60-day trial, requiring them to upgrade later. While this is a generous offer, some users may prefer the option to skip the trial and choose a paid plan upfront.

Managing hosting services is done through a custom-built control panel rather than the widely used cPanel. While functional and capable of handling routine tasks like website management, databases, and email configurations, it may have a learning curve for those accustomed to industry-standard panels.