U.S.-based host, HostDodge, first began in business back in 2011, but it pressed the pause button due to lack of demand for its services. In 2016, this vendor came back with a vengeance to build a fast-growing client base.
HostDodge offers Linux hosting solutions such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, reseller hosting, and dedicated server hosting. Its single data center in Kansas City houses SSD-based servers.
This Floridian host’s simple website is in English.
Features and Ease of Use
HostDodge offers three shared hosting tiers to fit the needs of both individuals and businesses. Its standard shared hosting features include:
- Guaranteed 99.9% uptime
- Up to unlimited disk space
- cPanel control panel
- Free SSL certificates
- Free .com domains
- Free website migration service
- Up to unlimited bandwidth
- CGI, Fast CGI, PHP 5, Ruby on Rails, Perl, and Python
- CPAN, cURL, GD Library, and ImageMagick
- SSH access and Cron job scheduling
You’ll see the word “free” a lot on the HostDodge website, and you get a good number of freebies to get you started, so let’s look at those freebies first. These include 118+ free scripts installations, free DV SSL certificates, free website transfer, and free .com domains.
The higher the package you choose, the more unlimited resources you get. Unlimited allowances apply to MySQL databases (with phpMyAdmin access), web space, traffic, and email accounts. This host is ideal for anyone who wants to host multiple websites that require high uptime.
From a usability perspective, all shared hosting packages include the latest version of the cPanel control panel plus a free site builder. The Cloudflare CDN assures faster page loading and more stability.
When comparing to other vendors who typically offer 300+ installation scripts, HostDodge’s one-click installer limits you to around 75 CMS and other applications including WordPress, Joomla, and Magento. Although this selection may seem limited, it might still suffice for your needs.
Pricing and Support
HostDodge offers highly competitive prices for the high uptime and good selection of features on offer. You can choose your contract length (monthly, semi-annual, or annual) and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee to mitigate the risk of making a major commitment. Payments can be made by PayPal, credit/debit card, and even Bitcoin.
Now let’s look at support provision. While you can easily view this provider’s status and uptime, I was disappointed to find that HostDodge’s knowledge base contains only one article. For one-to-one support, HostDodge offers 24/7/365 premium support via live chat, telephone, and ticket.
I received a response within just a few minutes when I fired off a few basic questions via live chat:
