The Web

I recently departed company with IONOS, after being a loyal customer for years. Here is why I left this hosting provider:

• Their SPAM blocking features in email were rubbish. They blocked people that I regularly email, yet didn’t block clearly SPAM and potentially harmful emails.
• Their WordPress websites were slow and full of bloatware.
• They started adding things (at a considerable cost) to my contract, without my permission or at least a discussion. For example, they added PHP Extended Support.
• They kept changing billing amounts and billing dates. This was making it impossible to keep track of my money and led to a couple occasions where they were paid late.
• Their prices had increased significantly without any explanation.
• The IONOS account was constantly trying to sell me products, often ones that I wasn’t interested in or weren’t relevant to me.
• The customer support agents didn’t always call back when they said they would.

Here’s why I choose fasthosts:

• They’re UK-based (although the Customer Support isn’t always).
• They offered a money back guarantee.
• They offered a reduced price initially, which is perfect when trying something new.
• They offered WordPress specific hosting.
• They focus on high performance, quick loading websites.
• They gave all the standard features I needed: email, access and the ability to upload my own files to the server, SSL certificates, daily back up/restore, etc.
• Their security and protection of my account is second to none.

I can’t lie, the transfer over wasn’t easy. After having a blog and a domain name for such a long time, challenges were to be expected, but at times it felt maddening and frustrating.

Fasthosts backend could be a little bit easier to use, for example I signed up to two additional contracts for email, before sussing out with the help of Customer Support that I already had email as part of my WordPress Hosting Package. It just wasn’t where I would have expected it to be (i.e. under email).

Fasthosts Customer Support have been brilliant at helping me with my teething problems transferring over. But they could enhance their offer to potential customers by offering a managed WordPress transfer.

Only time will tell is fasthosts turns out to be as good as I hope it is. But I’m more than happy at this moment with their service and products.

If you want to sign up to fasthosts use this link. In the interest of full disclosure I get credit on my account for everyone that signs up using this link, through a referral programme.

Blog soon,

Antony