5 Best Web Hosting and Domain Services that Accept Bitcoin 2019

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have taken the world by storm, and many website hosting services are joining the party. Still, the question remains: Are hosting companies that accept bitcoin any good, or do the benefits of cryptocurrencies come at the cost of quality?

Whether it’s because of government regulations or simply wanting to distance your private life from your web endeavors, purchasing website hosting with cryptocurrency allows you to maintain a higher degree of anonymity.

This all sounds very promising, but it’s important to realize that most big companies are still making their first steps in the bitcoin hosting market. It’s the smaller hosts that are leading the charge, and while some of them provide phenomenal hosting solutions, others are a recipe for disaster.

I tested the companies myself to help you avoid a potential tragedy. Read on and make sure you put your cryptocoins to good use.

What We Look For in the Best Web Hosting Companies that Accept Bitcoin

With each hosting company on this list, you can expect:

• Payment through a cryptocurrency payment platform – While some of these hosts allow you to manually transfer funds, it’s much easier to pay using a known crypto payment platform. Bitcoin is accepted by all, but most accept other cryptocoins as well.
• Reliable performance and uptime – I’m looking for quality hosting you can actually trust, with high, verified uptimes above 99.9% and fast performance. Take into consideration that real offshore hosting might be situated away from your target audience, which could affect their loading speed.
• Plenty of storage space and bandwidth – Your website needs these resources, no matter how you pay for it. This list does not contain flimsy 500 MB plans that will run out of space after one backup.
• Buying domain names with bitcoin – These hosts also let you purchase a domain name using cryptocurrencies, so nothing can be traced back to your account.
• Extra privacy features – With cryptocurrency, privacy is the name of the game. If your money trail is hidden, but all else is visible, you’re not getting much. The following companies have invested in additional ways to ensure your identity remains private.

All right, good things lie ahead. Hop a blockchain and let’s begin!

1. Hostinger – The Cheapest Hosting Company Around Now Accepts Bitcoin

I mentioned how some big companies are still feeling out the whole cryptocurrency situation, but Hostinger is already all in. It’s rocked the hosting boat before with its super cheap hosting plans, and it now accepts almost any form of payment, from credit cards to bitcoin.

Don’t let the low prices fool you. Independent benchmarks have consistently shown Hostinger beating out competitors that are way more expensive. Additionally, you’ll get 24/7 access to the company’s support service, available through live chat (once you’ve signed up).

Note that while some common features, like an SSL certificate, are missing from the basic plans, they can be purchased for a low, one-time fee.

• Pay using CoinPayments – Hostinger enables you to pay with bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. During checkout, you’ll be redirected to the platform’s page, just like with PayPal.
• Pay using BitDegree – Hostinger is one of the few companies accepting the cryptocoin BitDegree and does so through a manual blockchain transfer.
• 10 GB storage space and 100 GB bandwidth – The most basic shared plan has plenty of space for your needs. More advanced plans come with higher specifications, and powerhouse VPS (virtual private server) machines are also available.
• Domain privacy available for purchase – This feature will hide your domain registration details, making them unavailable to nosy parties running a Whois search on your domain.

2. Hostwinds – Performance-Wise, It’s the Best Hosting Bitcoin Can Buy

While Hostwinds is more expensive than Hostinger, it’s still well within what I’d consider affordable. It’s probably the best host on this list in terms of sheer power and performance and commits to a crazy 99.9999% uptime guarantee.

Shared hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate and unlimited storage, bandwidth, and databases. All hosting solutions can be paid for with cryptocoins, including special privacy features, like Hostwinds’ VPN service and advanced SSL certificates.

• CoinPayments – Hostwinds accepts a wide range of cryptocurrencies using CoinPayments, from the popular bitcoin and Ethereum to lesser-known coins like Digibyte, Qtum, and Dogecoin. Additionally, crypto payments can be refunded as account credit within 30 days of signup.
• Choose your data center – The company maintains three modern data centers, in Dallas and Seattle in the U.S. and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Choose the one closest to your target audience to enjoy the best speeds and availability.
• Windows hosting – Hostwinds is one of the only companies to offer both Windows hosting and bitcoin payment. You can opt for Windows on any VPS plan with the company, whether managed or unmanaged.
• Optional backups – A backup service is available for an additional monthly cost. The service works completely automatically, creating nightly copies of your website that can be restored if needed.

3. Namecheap – Donates to the Cause of Online Privacy and Offers Extra Features for Free

Namecheap, as the name implies, started out as an especially cheap registrar for domain names. It has since expanded its operation to include web hosting, from shared to VPS and dedicated servers, and it accepts bitcoin as a form of payment.

I’ve come to think of the company as “Good Guy Namecheap,” due to it being one of the few companies in the industry to truly champion online privacy. It donates to foundations fighting for users’ rights to privacy and has publicly taken a stance against government initiatives that intrude on them.

In addition, the company’s hosting services are not to be taken lightly. Performance is more than adequate, especially if your audience is located around the U.S. or the U.K., and all plans include great features like SSL and backup tools.

• Use cryptocurrency to fund your account balance – Instead of paying for the services with CoinPayments and waiting for payment authorization, use BitPay to fund your account balance. Payment can be made with either bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash.
• Free WhoisGuard – Namecheap provides Whois protection for no extra charge. Enable the option during checkout and your details will not be visible in the Whois database.
• Easy WordPress hosting – WordPress plans come with automatic installation, an SSL certificate, and a one-click backup feature.
• Secure SFTP access – Namecheap includes SFTP with its most basic plans, enabling you to keep your site-managing activities completely secure.

4. Bitcoin Web Hosting – A Strictly Crypto Hosting Company that Offers Extra Protection

These guys did not beat around the bush when naming their company. More than that, it’s not that the company also accepts bitcoin, it’s that it only accepts it, and a few other select cryptocurrencies. It doesn’t support credit cards, PayPal, or any “classic” payment method.

The hosting solutions, which include shared, VPS, and dedicated servers, are heavily geared toward customers who wish to remain unknown and unreachable. The company also offers an optional upgrade to hosting that’s safe from copyright lawsuits and surveillance.

The services are more costly than the others on this list, and resources are limited. Still, if this is the level of protection you’re looking for, few other hosts can compare. It’s a trustworthy and reliable web host according to our experts.

• Use CoinPayments to pay the invoice – After purchasing a hosting service, it won’t immediately activate. Instead, you’ll have to enter the invoice and pay through the CoinPayments link. Payment can be made with bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Ripple, and six other cryptocurrencies.
• Optional European hosting – The basic plans are hosted on U.S. servers, but users can opt for an “offshore” European data center, which is safe from DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) issues, the PRISM surveillance initiative, and the Patriot Act.
• Free SSL and dedicated IP – These two great features are not available on most of its shared hosting plans, but only on the most advanced one, Business.
• 45-day money-back guarantee – No hassle, no-questions-asked money-back policy. Available for the shared web hosting and reseller hosting plans.

5. Shinjiru – True Offshore Hosting with Powerful Privacy Protection

Offshore hosting is a funny term, because it kind of depends on which shore you’re standing on. What it really means is hosting that’s located “far away,” far from the first-world countries that are committed to copyright agreements and might violate your privacy because of it.

In Shinjiru’s case, this faraway shore can be Malaysia, Bulgaria, Singapore, and five other locations. The company operates state-of-the-art data centers in each country and offers shared, VPS, and dedicated solutions, all while maintaining excellent customer reviews.

Prices are surprisingly fair, and even the most basic shared option starts with 100 GB of storage space. While the company offers many protection features, they aren’t included with the basic shared plans. It’s the WordPress and Strongbolt offerings that are jam-packed with these great extras.

• Pay with CoinPayments – Use the platform to pay with bitcoin and Ethereum, or manually transfer bitcoin to the company’s bitcoin wallet. Manual transfer of bitcoin will result in a longer confirmation process and can’t be taken back.
• Uses LiteSpeed server technology – LiteSpeed is one of the newest and most efficient technologies in today’s market, though still not commonly used. Sites hosted with it can expect faster loading times and better overall performance.
• Strongbolt plans – These contain all the protections that the basic plans lack, including a hidden DNS (Domain Name System) and IP address, advanced DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) protection, and a security suite to defend your site against malware and hackers.
• 24/7 support – The company’s agents are available to assist around the clock, through phone, Skype, live chat, and support tickets.

Understand Your Privacy Needs, and Choose Your Bitcoin Host Accordingly

There are cons to paying with bitcoin, as your account won’t be activated immediately. Payment verification can take a few hours, or even longer, and because of the volatile nature of cryptocoins, who knows how much your refund will be worth – if you decide to ask for it.

And still, if privacy, anonymity, and supporting the crypto community are important to you, there aren’t many alternatives to bitcoin. No money trail will lead back to you, and with offshore hosting, you’ll be as protected as can be against government meddling.

While all the hosts on this list will serve you nicely, Hostinger will provide you with the best prices.

If you’re looking for bitcoin hosting that’s far away from prying eyes and can guarantee your complete privacy protection, Shinjiru would be your best bet.

Use the following table to quickly understand the differences: