Web Wiz prides themselves on being an eco-friendly web hosting provider and has been providing services globally since 2001. They specialize in Windows hosting and are an excellent option for both beginners and experienced webmasters looking for reasonably-priced Windows hosting. This U.K.-based provider owns and operates their own Tier 2 data center located in Poole, a coastal town in Dorset, southern England.
Features and Ease of Use
Web Wiz offers Windows hosting services with solid features that include robust database support. Here’s a quick rundown of their basic features:
- SSD storage
- Most plans come with unmetered bandwidth
- Apps available via Microsoft Web App Gallery
- MySQL 5.7 databases on SSD servers
- Support for Microsoft Access
One thing I like about this provider is that your database storage is separate from your primary storage. If you need more storage, you can also get 500MB of extra storage for a fee. If you need robust MS Access support, this is an excellent option as they offer unlimited MS Access databases.
You also get a nice set of advanced features, including advanced protection for both your website and email accounts:
- Spam and antivirus protection for email
- Daily backups with additional encrypted copies stored off-site
- Firewall, Intrusion Protection Service, and website anti-virus protection
Each plan has numerous ASP and ASP.NET components installed, including AspPDF, ASP.NET AJAX, LINQ, and many more. A full list is available on the website. That said, two things I don’t like about these plans is that you don’t get a free domain registration and that you have to pay extra for SSL certificates.
If you’re a beginner, you’ll have a bit of a learning curve because they don’t offer a website builder. You can install WordPress and other apps using the Microsoft Web App Gallery though. Otherwise, they offer a hosting cPanel that you can use to manage your website.
Pricing and Support
Web Wiz offers four primary Windows web hosting plans. All plans have the features listed above with plan differences outlined as follows:
Basic | Standard | Advanced | Professional | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Domains Supported | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Domain Aliases | 1 | 10 | 25 | 50 |
Bandwith | 2GB | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
SSD Storage | 1GB | 5GB | 10GB | 15GB |
Emails | 1 | 25 | 100 | 250 |
SQL Server 2017 Databases | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
MySQL 5.7 Databases | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Except for the Basic plan, all plans offer a decent amount of storage relative to the number of domains you can host. If you have anything more than a super basic website, I recommend going with at least the Standard plan because it offers greater storage for a single website and unmetered bandwidth.
Pricing for this host is average compared to other Windows shared hosting services, and that pricing gets better the longer you sign up for. If you opt for an annual plan, you get 12 months for the price of 10. All plans come with a 30-day free trial. However, SSL certificates are not cheap: Basic and Standard users that need an SSL certificate should plan on paying the equivalent of a year’s hosting.
Web Wiz offers decent support via phone, tickets, and an active support forum. They don’t provide live chat support. There is a knowledge base, but it’s somewhat limited. The support forum seems to be your best bet for help outside of phone support as there are nearly 20,000 topics to search through – alternatively, you can start your own support thread.
How much does Web Wiz cost?
Web Wiz offers plans from $4 to $20. The price depends on which type of hosting plan you choose. You can see the updated pricing table (updated weekly) below.
Which Web Wiz plan should I get?
My recommendation is to start with a cheaper plan. You can always upgrade later on. Web Wiz 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 Web Wiz.
How good is Web Wiz’s customer support?
Web Wiz is not ranked as one of our top web hosts. But that can also be a result of Web Wiz 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.