VhostWeb is a Thai company touting themselves as a one-stop web hosting provider. They have hosting solutions for a wide range of clientele, from complete newbies who only want a simple website to large corporations in search of enterprise-grade solutions. They’ve been in operation since 1999 and currently host over a thousand clients on their servers.
Features and Ease of Use
With VhostWeb’s shared hosting service, you can opt for either Windows Server 2016 or Linux CentOS as your operating system. The Linux starter package gives you the following:
- 2GB storage
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 1 hosted domain
- Unlimited subdomains
- Unlimited emails
- MySQL and MariaDB
- Free one-click installer with hundreds of scripts
This package is definitely a nice option for those just starting out with website building, given that it comes with support for multiple scripting languages (PHP 5.3 – 7.0, Tomcat JSP, Python) and unlimited databases. This means you’ll be able to install loads of scripts to add functionality to your website without worrying about hitting the database limit. The free daily backups were also a nice touch, particularly for those planning on using WordPress.
VhostWeb favors Plesk Onyx over cPanel for their shared servers. For those new to Plesk, this lightweight and mobile-friendly option is far more flexible as a control panel compared to the resource-hungry cPanel. Not only can you install it on both Linux and Windows operating systems, but with Plesk Onyx it’s easy to configure role-based access across multiple devices. If you’ve installed WordPress on your website, you also have an advantage as Plesk automatically updates its WordPress toolkit with new features on a regular basis.
If you outgrow their shared servers, you also have the option of their VPS and dedicated server solutions. VhostWeb guarantees 99.9% uptime and offers SSL certification in all their packages.
Pricing and Support
I found VhostWeb’s packages a little more expensive than the market average, especially considering that they’re primarily marketing to a Thai audience. Even so, they’re still in the affordable range.
Their Linux shared hosting packages are cheaper than their Windows packages, which is understandable considering the difference in cost for the two operating systems. If you’re a beginner looking for a budget-friendly solution, I’d recommend you opt for their Linux packages – you likely won’t need the Microsoft-specific features.
Keep in mind that their shared hosting packages don’t seem to come with a free domain registration, so you’ll need to consider the cost of that separately. Also, it seems like they don’t offer a money-back guarantee or any free trials for their plans.
Support-wise, you can reach them via their Zendesk live chat, a Thai telephone number, fax, or tickets. They also have a decently-populated knowledge base that may answer some of your queries. VhostWeb is a Thai company targeting locals, so bear in mind that you’ll have to be able to communicate in Thai to speak with their support team.
