Web Hosting Warning

[wbottomley]

Whatever you do, do not purchase from Host Gator despite their awards and other jargon.

Here's why...

In 2010, I had a small VB board, Christmas Carolina, with less than 100 members which 15-20 were active at anytime. I came home one night to learn they had shut the forum down claiming too many resources are being used. I raised hell and pointed them to larger boards with the same type of hosting. They wouldn't budge, so I moved on and cancelled the account. All said and done.

Fast forward to 2013. I had forgotten about that episode when I signed up with them again only to find out my other account was still active but suspended. When I saw all of the trouble I had in 2010, I told them to close the new account and refund the charge. They closed the new account and refunded that amount but applied it to the suspended/over due account which was closed in 2011. Now, we're going back and forth over those charges. I filed a dispute with my credit card company and a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Lesson here, never conduct any type of business transaction with them. I don't recommend Host Gator for anything web related.

The review I've written is based on support tickets exchanged with Host Gator. Nothing is of personal opinion except the recommendation.

Better Business Bureau complaints. (http://www.bbb.org/houston/Business-Reviews/internet-web-hosting/hostgator-com-l-l-c-in-houston-tx-22011032/Complaints#breakdown)

[kingofkya]

Its accely quite common, especially with larger companny who pack as many as they can on a server. But it is normal practice to warn the customer, or shutdown only the offending script. Also having a chat room can cause manny problems as it makes constant requests.(if that applies) Sent you a pm with better webhost.

[rca]

Sorry you are having issues with them.

As a counter point I've been with them for a number of years and I'm happy with them. No business ties to them, I just use several of their services and have had very few issues. In fact none they have not addressed quickly and to my satisfaction.

[remoteutah]

I have had both good and bad experience with them. Their billing department has been bad every time!

[Adrien_t]

I have a number of websites on Host Gator and they have always gone out of their way to keep me happy. I am paying for a dedicated server though.

[kingofkya]

I am just going say this all webhosts big or small are equal to most people until, you start using your service. People using a few mb of bandwidth, to be honest its 99% of people on hosting, well never see a problem. However as soon as you get even a minimal active/dynamic site, well the relationship goes down the hole with larger/cheaper hosts. While the smaller guys can ether take your load no problem or contact you and try and resolve it. (When i say small I still mean they have at least a few dozen servers.)

Things you can look for to spot a good host.
In bissness for 5-10 years.
Don't see manny if any ads
Very few negative review.(bonus points if you see the host try to resolve it off there own site.)
(If you see more positive than negative, there ether spamming reviews or paying someone to write reviews)

You don't see cpannle aka: they spent the time to build there own hosting platform.
They charge more than $5 for basic hosting.

[Materdaddy]

I love my linode hosting! It's not for the feint of heart though.

[kingofkya]

I love my linode hosting! It's not for the feint of heart though.
Yeah that vps, and a whole other story:)

[tazguy]

I have a few websites running under a number of domains, hosted with GoDaddy since 2007ish. Haven't had any problems with their service...

[kingofkya]

I have a few websites running under a number of domains, hosted with GoDaddy since 2007ish. Haven't had any problems with their service...

OH NOES that about the worst one.

[tazguy]

OH NOES that about the worst one.

Perhaps I haven't had any troubles cause I have quite a few domains and websites with them. Not just a one time customer...

[budude]

I've been on GoDaddy for several years - never a problem, easy to install apps, easy to upgrade. If anything it's a bit pricey but as long as I don't have to worry about messing with things it's OK with me...

[dmcole]

I've been on GoDaddy for several years - never a problem, easy to install apps, easy to upgrade. If anything it's a bit pricey but as long as I don't have to worry about messing with things it's OK with me...

Interesting. I have had a mid-busy site on GD since 10/11 and users are always whining about response times. I've been threatening that when I get a free day or two (yeah, like that's going to happen), I'd look into VPS services elsewhere ...

\dmc

[Materdaddy]

OH NOES that about the worst one.

x2!!

[mndless]

Recently started with a new dedicated server with https://www.hostingsource.com/

pretty happy with them so far... support department has been pretty good and responsive...

$80.00 a month for a dedicated server is hard to beat...

[kingofkya]

Recently started with a new dedicated server with https://www.hostingsource.com/

pretty happy with them so far... support department has been pretty good and responsive...

$80.00 a month for a dedicated server is hard to beat...


Not really there is quite a few, if your fine with a core2 or older. Also if you can handle Linux without support.

http://www.serverpoint.com/en/dedicated-server/value-dedicated-servers.phtml
https://hivelocity.net/dedicated-servers/ (sometimes they have deals)
There is manny more too.

FYI: Hivelociy is in florida and serverpoint is in Las Vegas.


And of course the vps route $20-50 is just fine for most people to get there feet wet.

[milk86]

I use 1 & 1 and have been since about 2004 never an issue

[pmcpa]

I run a hosting co. (not saying here, we are small, this is not an ad)

It is AMAZING what people expect from us support wise with their cheep $4 plain.... I had one woman call up and asked where her site was.... turns out she expected us to build and maintain her site, from scratch, for the $4. I've had others call up and threaten to leave if we don't fix something in their code (not a server issue, html/php code issue within their site code). Most times we will help, when asked nicely. Other times we call their bluff.

And yes, Godaddy, BlueHost, & HostGator all work on SCALE... the more people they can cram into a cheep box, the more $ they make. We don't operate that way, most of the smaller hosts are the same way. Just make sure they aren't resellers for GD or HG, then your back in the same boat!

[kingofkya]

I run a hosting co. (not saying here, we are small, this is not an ad)

It is AMAZING what people expect from us support wise with their cheep $4 plain.... I had one woman call up and asked where her site was.... turns out she expected us to build and maintain her site, from scratch, for the $4. I've had others call up and threaten to leave if we don't fix something in their code (not a server issue, html/php code issue within their site code). Most times we will help, when asked nicely. Other times we call their bluff.

And yes, Godaddy, BlueHost, & HostGator all work on SCALE... the more people they can cram into a cheep box, the more $ they make. We don't operate that way, most of the smaller hosts are the same way. Just make sure they aren't resellers for GD or HG, then your back in the same boat!


So true, your not alone... (We fire those customers where I work.) And php code always a issue, a while back a few dozen sites got hacked from the clients wordpress not being up to date. And they expected it to be fixed for free... Sorry dosen't work that way. Or the latest fisco where a client installed a CSF firewall then complained our network was bad. (CSF is a rate limiting firewall) guess where the problem was.


Once we had a guy claim he was a "pro spammer" after we closed he server the second time for spam.


pmcpa I am sure you love the fraud that goes on too and those expensive charge backs.

So anyone wanting to get in to hosting just don't its a pain.

[pmcpa]

We are VERY tight on our orders.... We would rather reject an order then accept it and loose on the back end plus chargeback fee's

If the phone # area code, billing address, and order from IP aren't close, system will automatically red flag & challenge the order for a "click for customer service to call you NOW to verify your order"

[kingofkya]

We are VERY tight on our orders.... We would rather reject an order then accept it and loose on the back end plus chargeback fee's

If the phone # area code, billing address, and order from IP aren't close, system will automatically red flag & challenge the order for a "click for customer service to call you NOW to verify your order"

Yeah we do too (and a few other things) but being a bit bigger manny still get though, once you have a few thousand servers and a dozen 10gig uplinks things change:)

[pmcpa]

Yes, were not quite there yet! One day...

[mndless]

Not really there is quite a few, if your fine with a core2 or older. Also if you can handle Linux without support.

http://www.serverpoint.com/en/dedicated-server/value-dedicated-servers.phtml
https://hivelocity.net/dedicated-servers/ (sometimes they have deals)
There is manny more too.

FYI: Hivelociy is in florida and serverpoint is in Las Vegas.


And of course the vps route $20-50 is just fine for most people to get there feet wet.


well... thanks for that !! I was happier under my delusion that I had found a pretty good deal... us sheeple armed with a little information are ofter happier than being 'fully informed'... so... thanks a pant load for your enlightenment.... great.... ;)

I am happy with their support, they really are doing a great job working through the email and DNS issues... after what I have put these guys through, I won't be changing this year... even at half the price. Good support is well worth a few dollars... or more... ;)

[kingofkya]

Good support is well worth a few dollars... or more... ;)

Yes that is for sure, honestly that mainly what your paying for:) otherwise everyone would be collocating(putting your server in a datacenter/maintaining it)

[wbottomley]

Whatever you do, do not purchase from Host Gator despite their awards and other jargon.

Here's why...

In 2010, I had a small VB board, Christmas Carolina, with less than 100 members which 15-20 were active at anytime. I came home one night to learn they had shut the forum down claiming too many resources are being used. I raised hell and pointed them to larger boards with the same type of hosting. They wouldn't budge, so I moved on and cancelled the account. All said and done.

Fast forward to 2013. I had forgotten about that episode when I signed up with them again only to find out my other account was still active but suspended. When I saw all of the trouble I had in 2010, I told them to close the new account and refund the charge. They closed the new account and refunded that amount but applied it to the suspended/over due account which was closed in 2011. Now, we're going back and forth over those charges. I filed a dispute with my credit card company and a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Lesson here, never conduct any type of business transaction with them. I don't recommend Host Gator for anything web related.

The review I've written is based on support tickets exchanged with Host Gator. Nothing is of personal opinion except the recommendation.

Better Business Bureau complaints. (http://www.bbb.org/houston/Business-Reviews/internet-web-hosting/hostgator-com-l-l-c-in-houston-tx-22011032/Complaints#breakdown)


Update.... After raising hell with them, filing disputes with my credit card agency and better business bureau, I finally got all of my money back. It will be the last stinking penny they'll ever get.

[MindTrik]

I also have small hosting business. I will say this...THERE IS NO SUCH THING as "UNLIMITED"....don't buy the BS! With me, my customers have a phone number to call, where they can reach an ACTUAL person. I offer them personalized help when they need it, most of the time for free.....that's the difference between me and HG