Hostinger Review: What You Need To Know in 2024

A strong web presence is more important for businesses than ever.

With over 1.5 billion websites currently active according to Internet Live Stats, there’s a lot of competition out there.

You need to use every opportunity to get ahead.

So, choosing the right web hosting platform matters a great deal.

I’ve encountered this personally. I built a website. The design was great.

But the host left a lot to be desired.

This meant my site loaded super slowly and even had periods of downtime. All that’s not good for business.

So when I tried Hostinger for one of my websites, to tell you I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.

To help guide you along your path (and avoid my initial mistakes) I’ve put together this Hostinger review.

Here, I’m covering all things Hostinger and what makes the popular hosting provider tick.

Once you’re done reading, you’ll have everything you need to decide if it’s the perfect fit for your next website.

Hostinger Review: Key Takeaways

Community Reviews: What Do Real People Have to Say?

Before we get to the full review, we think it’s helpful to take a look at what other real people think about it.

To get a sense of the user experience, we turned to a Reddit thread titled Surely Hostinger Can’t Be That Bad.

This thread highlights both the positive and negative experiences that users have had with Hostinger.

One key takeaway from the discussion is that some users find Hostinger’s affordability and ease of use to be its biggest strengths.

Used Hostinger for a while and for a basic website it’s perfectly fine. Super cheap and very easy to use.

One commenter

However, some users also reported issues with slow loading times and reliability.

In another thread, a reviewer details a negative experience with Hostinger, citing slow loading times and unresponsive customer service.

The reviewer also expresses concerns about Hostinger allowing scammers and phishing sites to be hosted on their platform.

While other reviewers echo these issues, it’s important to note that Hostinger responds to the complaints in the thread.

They suggested that the reviewer’s plan might be insufficient for their needs and offered to investigate the situation further.

In another thread over on Quora, one user’s question about whether or not Hostinger was suitable for WordPress was answered with a resounding “yes,” stating the following:

“Yes, Hostinger is a good choice for hosting WordPress sites,” Varun Pratap Singh says, adding “Hostinger provides specialized WordPress hosting plans that are optimized for WordPress performance and security…”

Singh then notes these plans include features like, “…1-click WordPress installation, automatic updates, daily backups, and custom caching to improve website speed.”

Hostinger vs GoDaddy vs BlueHost: A Quick Comparison

Key Findings

• Hostinger offers the most competitive pricing and the most generous storage options, making it a great choice for those needing substantial resources on a budget. It’s also notable for its advanced AI site building tools and top-notch security. These factors are why Hostinger was ultimately our top choice.
• GoDaddy, with its wider range of data center locations, may provide better performance for a globally diverse audience. It’s known for its comprehensive customer support, including phone service, which may be a deciding factor for some.
• Bluehost excels with its user-friendly approach, making it ideal for beginners. It provides slightly less storage than Hostinger but offers a solid balance of features, performance, and support.

A Quick Look at the Hostinger Control Panel

Hostinger has something called the hPanel as its primary backend access. It offers a user-friendly control panel designed to simplify the management of your web hosting accounts.

Its straightforward layout lets people of all skill levels navigate and manage their hosting services with ease.

Here are a few features/aspects to note:

• Ease of use: hPanel has a clear modern interface, making it accessible even for those new to web hosting. The design focuses on user-friendliness and everything you need is just a few clicks away.
• Website and domain management: You can effortlessly manage your websites and domains from a centralized dashboard. This includes setting up new sites, migrating existing ones, and adjusting domain settings without needing extensive technical knowledge​​.
• Security and updates: hPanel provides extensive security features to protect websites from potential threats. This includes SSL certificates, spam protection, and regular software updates​.
• File management: The integrated File Manager in hPanel lets you upload, edit, and manage files directly through the control panel. This makes for easy website content updates without the need for additional FTP software​​.
• Database management: hPanel includes features to create and manage databases effortlessly. You can interact with your databases directly through the panel or use phpMyAdmin for more detailed management tasks​​.
• Email management: Setting up and managing email accounts is streamlined with hPanel, too. Create new email addresses, configure settings, and access emails from within the control panel​​.

Let’s now take a deeper dive into what Hostinger and hPanel have on offer.

Key Features of hPanel and Hostinger

Hostinger brings several features to the table.

Here’s a quick look of what’s on offer:

Let’s explore them now so you can make a more informed hosting choice.

eCommerce Support

Hostinger’s hPanel simplifies the setup and management of eCommerce sites, particularly through its seamless integration with WooCommerce.

This integration makes creating and scaling online stores much simpler than going it alone.

The hosting provider includes optimized settings to improve load times. This is a must for maintaining shopper engagement and boosting conversion rates.

The platform also supports other popular eCommerce platforms like PrestaShop and OpenCart.

This offers some flexibility depending on your preferences and what you need to run your store properly.

Security

Hostinger also emphasizes security across its services. It offers features like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and regular malware scanning.

The hPanel includes easy access to these security measures. You can quickly activate SSL, monitor for malware, and enhance defenses against various cyber threats.

Hostinger CDN supports IP and country blocking features to help mitigate threats more effectively.

AI Website Builder

Hostinger provides an AI-powered website builder accessible via hPanel, designed to simplify the process of creating and customizing websites.

Input basic information about your desired website and the AI will handle the initial design, layout, and content.

This feature is particularly beneficial for those who need a quick start and prefer not to fuss over the smaller design details.

The builder also comes with over 150 responsive templates. They cater to a wide range of industries and interests, from business to personal blogging.

Templates are modern and designed to be visually appealing, ensuring that your website will look professional and engaging from the start​

The builder comes with a drag and drop interface. It’s user-friendly and easy to use,m especially for those without coding expertise.

It also uses a smart grid so your designs will always be aligned perfectly.

The website builder makes it very simple to rearrange and customize elements and change colors and fonts as you see fit.

Desktop and mobile editing options are available for your convenience.

Backups

Backups are accessible via Hostinger’s hPanel. They allow you to maintain data integrity and perform a swift recovery in case of data loss.

You can access daily backups of your site’s files and databases, with options to perform manual backups when needed.

Email

Email management is another top feature available to you through the hPanel.

You can easily create and manage email accounts, with support for autoresponders and forwarding.

Hostinger also integrates its email services with advanced spam protection to ensure safer communications.

The email service itself includes advanced anti-spam measures and antivirus checks. Both help ensure that your email environment is safe from malware and phishing attacks.

It also includes SSL/TLS encryption to provide an additional layer of security.

Depending on the specific plan you choose, Hostinger offers generous email storage ranging from 10GB to 50GB.

Domains

You can register domain names from your dashboard. Just search for and purchase domain names from within the hPanel.

Hostinger offers a wide range of popular and niche top-level domains (TLDs) at competitive prices.

Key features include free WHOIS privacy protection with eligible domain registrations, instant setup, and full DNS management.

This service would be a solid choice for those looking to establish a professional online presence.

If you want support for various extensions and the ability to manage all aspects of domain registration and management in one place, this is an even better fit.

Storage

Also worth noting, Hostinger’s hosting plans come with generous storage options.

They start from 50GB and extend up to 200GB or more, depending on the plan.

This storage is SSD-based, ensuring fast access and retrieval times, a top priority for maintaining site performance​.

Performance Optimization

Hostinger’s efforts are focused on enhancing website speed and efficiency in several ways.

Key elements include a Content Delivery Network (CDN), which reduces page load times by minimizing the distance between the server and the visitor.

The use of LiteSpeed Cache for efficient server-side caching also plays a key role.

We’ll go into Hostinger’s performance in more depth later.

Easy Migration

Hostinger offers a comprehensive website migration service that’s free, fast, and handled by experts.

This helps to ensure a seamless transition to your new host.

The migration service is particularly beneficial if you’re looking to migrate multiple websites. Hostinger can handle the transfer of all your sites under a single plan at no extra cost.

Here’s what the migration process roughly looks like:

Migration Request

Start the migration process by navigating to the Websites section of the hPanel and selecting Migrate Website.

Hostinger’s team will then handle the heavy lifting, transferring your site’s files and databases.

Post-migration

After the migration is complete, point your domain to Hostinger to start hosting your site actively on their servers.

This change should only be made once the migration is fully confirmed to minimize any downtime or disruption.

Special Considerations

Not all websites are eligible for free migration.

Websites built with platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify, which do not allow full access to site files, might need to be manually recreated on Hostinger.

Built-in Scalability

Hostinger offers pretty extensive scalability features across its web hosting plans.

This is especially apparent in its cloud hosting plans.

They are designed to cater to businesses experiencing fluctuating traffic and those in need of scalable web resources.

The infrastructure of Hostinger’s cloud hosting allows for easy scaling up or down based on your website’s demands.

This helps to ensure that you only pay for the resources you use.

A few things worth noting:

• Flexible resource allocation: Hostinger’s cloud hosting plans provide a flexible environment where resources can be adjusted based on the real-time demands of your website. During traffic spikes, additional resources can be allocated instantly to handle the increase, ensuring smooth performance without any downtime.
• Managed WordPress hosting: Hostinger offers managed WordPress hosting optimized for performance with scalability in mind. These plans include automatic resource scaling to ensure that your site remains fast and responsive, even under heavy load.
• Cloud infrastructure: The backbone of Hostinger’s scalability is its cloud-based infrastructure. This allows for quick adjustments in hosting capabilities to match your growing site’s needs.

Customer Support

Hostinger’s customer support is known for its responsiveness and effectiveness.

Here are the key aspects of their support system:

24/7 Live Chat Support

When I reached out for answers to some questions, the support team was quick to respond and proved to be knowledgeable and capable.

This service is available directly through Hostinger’s website and is accessible to all users regardless of hosting plan.

Hostinger does not offer phone support at this time.

Multilingual Support

One standout feature of Hostinger’s customer support is its multilingual capabilities.

The support team caters to a global audience and can provide assistance in over 20 languages.

Comprehensive Knowledge Base

Hostinger provides an extensive knowledge base that includes detailed articles, guides, and tutorials.

These resources cover everything you need to know to get started. Designed to help you troubleshoot common issues, learn more about Hostinger’s services, and manage your hosting effectively.

Email and Ticket Support

In addition to live chat, Hostinger offers support through email and a ticketing system.

While the response times for these methods are generally longer than live chat, they are still reasonably fast, with most tickets being resolved within one business day.

Hosting Types Offered by Hostinger

Hostinger offers a variety of hosting types to meet different needs, ranging from personal blogs to large-scale businesses.

Here’s a brief overview:

• Shared hosting: This is the most cost-effective option, suitable for small to medium-sized websites. Multiple websites are hosted on the same server, sharing resources like bandwidth and storage. It’s an excellent choice for beginners and those with smaller websites​.
• VPS hosting: VPS hosting provides a dedicated slice of server resources. This option is great for websites that require more control and better performance than shared hosting can offer. It’s ideal for businesses experiencing growth and needing to accommodate more traffic without moving to a fully dedicated server​​.
• Game-focused VPS: Specifically tailored for gaming, this hosting includes features like high processing power and dedicated resources to handle the demands of online gaming.
• WordPress hosting: This type of managed hosting comes with features designed to enhance WordPress performance, such as one-click installations, automatic updates, and specialized support.
• Cloud hosting: Cloud hosting spreads your website’s resources across multiple servers, improving reliability and scalability. This is suitable for large-scale websites with fluctuating traffic, providing the flexibility to handle surges in website activity without downtime​​​​.
• Reseller hosting plans: These plans are designed for those who want to manage and sell hosting services under their own brand. It’s an excellent choice for web developers and designers who want to offer hosting as an additional service.

Each of these hosting types comes with different features and pricing plans to suit various needs and budgets.

What Makes Hostinger So Fast?

Hostinger’s impressive speed can be attributed to several key factors:

Advanced Storage Solutions

Hostinger uses NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) storage except on the cheapest Premium plan.

NVMe drives provide significantly faster data access and processing speeds compared to traditional SSDs.

This dramatically reduces load times and enhances overall website performance.

The Premium plan uses SSDs, which are still fast, just not quite as fast as NVMe.

Optimized Content Delivery

Hostinger’s commitment to lightning-fast browsing experiences is supported by the combination of its in-house CDN, ObjectCache, and LiteSpeed Web Server tech:

• In-house CDN: This network ensures that your website’s content is stored and delivered from global points of presence.
• ObjectCache: Enhances performance by storing the results of database queries in memory and reusing them for subsequent requests, minimizing the need to query the database repeatedly.
• LiteSpeed: Known for its high performance and low resource consumption, LiteSpeed enhances the speed and scalability of web applications.

Data Center Choices

Hostinger has multiple data centers across the globe.

This geographical diversity allows you to choose a server location closest to your primary audience.

This minimizes the distance data has to travel, which enhances your site’s response time and overall speed.

Unlimited Bandwidth

With unlimited bandwidth, Hostinger ensures that your website can handle peak traffic without slowdowns or interruptions.

This feature is particularly beneficial for sites that experience sudden surges in traffic.

Latest Technologies

Hostinger also makes use of the latest web technologies such as LiteSpeed and advanced PHP execution.

PHP execution improvements also contribute to reducing website load times​​.

Minimized Latency

To reduce latency, which is the time taken for data to travel from the server to the user, Hostinger uses technologies like SSDs and optimized routing.

This ensures data takes the shortest and fastest path to reach the user, to help minimize delays.

Regular Performance Optimization

Hostinger continually optimizes its infrastructure and codebase to enhance performance.

This includes regular updates and tweaks to ensure that they are using the most efficient methods for web delivery​​.

Hostinger Pros and Cons

Hostinger offers a mix of advantages and limitations, making it a compelling choice for some while potentially limiting for others.

Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons:

Pros

• Good customer service: Hostinger is recognized for providing responsive and friendly customer support. While support is primarily via live chat, it is available 24/7, and most users find the service knowledgeable and helpful in resolving issues​.
• Affordability: Competitive pricing makes it one of the most budget-friendly web hosts on the market. This is especially useful for startups and small businesses looking to establish an online presence at a lower cost.
• Reliable uptime: Hostinger guarantees 99.9% availability, ensuring that websites are consistently accessible. Some data centers even achieve 99.99% uptime, providing exceptional reliability​​.
• AI website builder included: The inclusion of an AI-powered website builder in Hostinger’s hosting plans adds value. This lets you create attractive and functional websites with minimal effort and little to no tech knowledge.
• Custom hPanel is easy to use: Hostinger’s custom hPanel offers a more intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies website and server management. It’s more accessible, including to those new to web hosting​​.

Cons

• No dedicated server plans: Hostinger does not offer dedicated servers. This may be a limitation for app developers, large businesses or rapidly growing websites that require their own server.
• Slower backend: Some people report the Hostinger dashboard can be slow, which might affect productivity.
• No phone support: The absence of phone support could be a drawback for those who prefer speaking directly with a technician. Hostinger’s support is confined to live chat and email, which may not be everybody’s idea of instant support.
• No cPanel: If you’re used to cPanel, adjusting to Hostinger’s custom hPanel might be challenging.

Hostinger Pricing

If you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at the primary pricing plans offered by Hostinger.

Hostinger offers a variety of hosting plans. They cater to different needs, ranging from basic shared hosting for beginners to more advanced options like VPS and cloud hosting for growing businesses.

Here’s a detailed overview of their main hosting plans:

Shared Hosting

• Premium: This plan supports up to 100 websites with 100GB SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth. It starts at $2.99/month, renewing at $7.99/month. It includes a free domain for one year, making it a cost-effective option for developers and medium-sized site owners​.
• Business: Designed for high-traffic sites, this plan provides 200GB SSD storage and supports around 100,000 monthly visitors. Starting at $3.99/month with a renewal price of $8.99/month, it includes daily backups and a free CDN to enhance site performance.

VPS Hosting

Hostinger’s VPS hosting is structured to support more demanding sites with dedicated resources.

• KVM 1: Includes 1 vCPU core, 4GB RAM, 50GB NVMe disk space, and 4TB bandwidth. This plan is priced at $4.99/month.
• KVM 2: Features 2 vCPU cores, 8GB RAM, 100GB NVMe disk space, and 8TB bandwidth, available for $6.99/month.
• KVM 4: Offers 4 vCPU cores, 16GB RAM, 200GB NVMe disk space, and 16TB bandwidth. It costs $10.49/month.
• KVM 8: The most robust plan with 8 vCPU cores, 32GB RAM, 400GB NVMe disk space, and 32TB bandwidth, priced at $19.99/month.

Each plan comes with weekly backups, a dedicated IP address, full root access, and a malware scanner to ensure security and flexibility for managing advanced hosting needs​.

Cloud Hosting

Hostinger provides three main cloud hosting plans designed to cater to different levels of needs, from small businesses to large enterprises.

• Cloud Startup: Starting at $9.99/month, this plan includes 200GB SSD storage, 3GB RAM, and 2 CPU cores. It’s well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses and includes a free SSL certificate and 24/7 support.
• Cloud Professional: Priced from $14.99/month, it offers 250GB SSD storage, 6GB RAM, and 4 CPU cores, catering to larger businesses or websites with moderate traffic.
• Cloud Enterprise: At $29.99/month, this top-tier plan provides 300GB SSD storage, 12GB RAM, and 6 CPU cores, designed for high traffic sites and large-scale operations.

These plans are ideal for users needing reliable uptime, seamless performance under varying loads, and substantial resource availability.

Email Hosting

Hostinger offers two primary business email plans designed to cater to different needs.

• Business Starter: This plan is priced at $1.59 per month and includes 10GB of email storage, 10 forwarding rules, and essential features such as antivirus checks and advanced anti-spam measures. It’s a suitable choice for those just starting out or small businesses that need reliable email services on a budget.
• Business Premium: At $3.99 per month, the Business Premium plan offers 50GB of email storage, 50 forwarding rules, and includes the same security features as the Starter plan but with increased storage.

How Do I Install WordPress?

Hostinger’s one-click WordPress installation allows you to get up and running quickly without dealing with complex configurations.

For a visual guide on how to install WordPress on Hostinger, watch the following video.

It provides step-by-step instructions that will help you through the installation process. It covers choosing your plan, navigating the hPanel to successfully launching your WordPress site.

Is Hostinger the Right Choice for You?

Hostinger is an impressive hosting solution that caters to a wide range of users.

Everybody – from beginners looking to start their first website to businesses requiring advanced cloud and VPS solutions – can find something of value here.

Its competitive pricing, user-friendly interface, and AI website builder make it an appealing choice.

The straightforward WordPress installation process makes it even more attractive for those looking to leverage the most popular content management system in the world.

All of that is to speak nothing of Hostinger’s performance optimization. It’s a speedy host that ensures your website will go live quickly and run smoothly.

If you’re considering Hostinger, don’t forget to use the coupon code ASTRAHOST at checkout.

It will grant you an additional 10% discount on top of any ongoing discounts, making it even more affordable to get started with your website.

Whether you’re setting up a personal blog, a business website, or an online store, Hostinger provides a solid foundation with great scalability options. We think it’s well worth a try!

Hostinger Review FAQs

Is Hostinger really good?

Yes, Hostinger is good. It’s generally well-regarded for its affordability, comprehensive set of features, and strong performance. Its WordPress hosting is especially affordable. It’s also praised for offering significant resources and optimizations at a lower price point compared to many competitors.

This makes it a good choice for those looking for budget-friendly web hosting without compromising on essential features​.

Can we trust Hostinger?

Hostinger is considered a trustworthy hosting provider. It offers good security measures, including SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and malware scanning. The provider has also built a reputation for reliable uptime and responsive customer support​​.

Is Hostinger a Ukrainian company?

No, Hostinger is not a Ukrainian company. It was originally founded in Lithuania and has since grown to serve a global customer base​​.

What is Hostinger best for?

Hostinger is best for people looking for affordable hosting solutions, particularly for WordPress sites. It provides a variety of hosting options, including shared, VPS, and cloud hosting. This makes it suitable for a wide range of needs from small personal blogs to more demanding business websites.

Can Hostinger be used as a Minecraft server?

Yes, Hostinger offers specific gaming plans useful for Minecraft. They are tailored to provide the resources and support you need to run a smooth and responsive Minecraft server.