To compare the best web hosts, we hosted the same WordPress website on each one and tested performance, customer service, and value for money. Check out the results here.
ServerCheap.NET is based in Chicago, U.S. Their aim is to sell 100% SSD virtual machines which are affordable. The company was founded in 2016 and the website is available in English.
Features and Ease of Use
ServerCheap.net only sells pure SSD and NVME storage with unmetered bandwidth. Here are the core features available with their plans:
- 100% uptime service level agreement
- Linux, BSD, and Windows operating systems
- Pure SSD drives in RAID configuration
- Unmetered bandwidth
- IPv4 and IPv6 support with reverse DNS
ServerCheap.NET owns its own servers, which are collocated in Coresite data center, Chicago. While the company doesn’t own the actual data center (which is always preferable), it does own the servers and the IPs, which is why it claims it can offer such affordable pricing.
The servers run on pure SSD (ten times faster disk read / write times than conventional HDD) and RAID configuration for superior performance and improved resiliency.
It’s impressive to see a 100% availability guarantee, however, there is actually no service level agreement on the website. I contacted support and was advised that while there is no SLA, the uptime for the last 30 days was 100%, and 99.9% for the last three months.
The features are all geared towards experts, so you won’t find any beginner-friendly tools. The value added features come in the form of an “Out-of-band HTML Console,” which allows you to have access to your server via the client area for emergencies and if you don’t want to use SSH access.
All plans come with full root access, so you can easily install, configure, and optimize your server. Other features include IPv4 and IPv6 Support with instant reverse DNS, which can be done via the client area, and a choice of Linux, BSD, and Windows operating systems.
What surprised me a little is that there are limited customization options. There are several base packages and although you can select your operating system, add one extra IP, and add cPanel / WHM, you can’t customize your plan at all. While not entirely convenient, you could contact the company directly to arrange for a fully custom option.
Getting set up is a slick process (like the whole website, in fact) and your new server will be deployed within minutes.
Pricing and Support
The prices are great. There truly is a plan and price point for everyone. In fact, some of the plans are so cheap, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were buying a shared hosting plan. SeverCheap.NET says that the prices are so cheap because it owns its own infrastructure. Whatever the reason, the pricing is great.
You can purchase plans for month, quarter, semi-annual, and annual terms. If you buy one year upfront, there’s a small discount on the price, although it’s not really significant. You are free to cancel or upgrade at anytime.
Customer service is limited to a website contact form for sales questions and for technical assistance, you are directed to login to the client only zone. If you like to research issues fist, there is an FAQ page and help documents on the website.
How much does ServerCheap.NET cost?
ServerCheap.NET offers plans from $3 to $50. The price depends on which type of hosting plan you choose. You can see the updated pricing table (updated weekly) below.
Which ServerCheap.NET plan should I get?
My recommendation is to start with a cheaper plan. You can always upgrade later on. ServerCheap.NET can help you with the migration to a more expensive plan. The increase in visitors many times takes longer than expected and you shouldn’t pay a lot of money until the need arises. Of course, your needs may vary, and you can consult with a hosting expert from ServerCheap.NET here.
How good is ServerCheap.NET’s customer support?
ServerCheap.NET is not ranked as one of our top web hosts. But that can also be a result of ServerCheap.NET being a small, under the radar, hosting provider. There are advantages to a small hosting company – as a customer, you are more important to them. You can also check out our comparison of the most popular web hosting services here.
