Looking for a web host can feel overwhelming, and sometimes smaller players tend to get overlooked. HostRocket, while not the largest company, has a solid reputation of attentive customer service, top-of-the-line technology, and an internal drive to improve Web hosting.
Brief History of the company
Since 1999, HostRocket has been providing quality Web hosting with the goals of offering exceptional support, technology, availability, and value to their customers.
They are hosting more than 50,000 Web sites, as well as offering a variety of other serving needs. While they are smaller than some other Web hosts, they have a solid track record of growth and sustainability.
HostRocket is privately owned, completely debt-free, and strategically headquartered in Clifton Park, in New York’s Tech Valley. The company, founded by current CEO Brendan Brader and current CTO John Reyes, prides itself on working with dedicated, goal-oriented professionals.
Unlike many other hosting companies, HostRocket owns and operates its own datacenter, in a relatively calm-weather location with top-of-the-line networking, network security measures, and advanced electrical, cooling, and UPS battery and generator backup to ensure consistent uptime and service
Plans and Pricing
SSD Shared Hosting
One factor that sets HostRocket apart is their shared Web hosting plans, which all include SSD. Solid state drives are more stable than hard drives, with a greater durability and capacity for work.
There is less fragmentation, a smaller chance of damage, and, most importantly, much higher speeds — about 200 times faster, to be exact.
There are many Web hosting companies that offer SSD as an add-on, or charge extra for the SSD packages, but HostRocket has included it with each shared hosting package.
All shared packages come with cPanel, a 99.5 percent uptime guarantee, a money-back guarantee, unlimited sub-domains, databases and FTP accounts.
They also allow for unlimited POP3 and iMAP email accounts, auto responders, forwards, aliases, and mailing lists.
HostRocket offers four contract options: monthly contracts, which are the most expensive, semi-annually, annually, and biennially, which offers the greatest cost savings.
- SSD premium package starts at $9.98 per month for a biennial contract; if you choose to pay monthly, you’re looking at $14.98 per month. The package includes 5GB RAID storage, 200GB bandwidth, and one free domain name.
- SSD professional, the middle package, offers 20GB SSD RAID storage, 300GB bandwidth, and one free domain name, and reaches $19.98 for a monthly contract. Biennally, you’ll be looking at $13.98 each month.
- Their top package, SSD executive, also offers one free domain name, but puts 40GB of SSD RAID storage and 400GB of bandwidth behind the product. It’s got an $18.98 per month price tag for a biennial contract, and goes up to $24.98 per month in a monthly contract.
All shared plans offer a few different add-on services, including a dedicated IP address, 256bit SSL certificates, domain registrations and transfers, and remote backups.
Reseller VPS Hosting
In 1999, HostRocket started DotBlock, which operates as both a subsidiary and sister company of HostRocket.
The company provides independently sourced VPS hosting, and were early adopters of cloud based virtual private server hosting, which saves customers money by only charging them for the space they truly need.
DotBlock offers both fully managed or unmanaged hosting, and their sliding-scale makes it easy to find the price and size you need.
Unmanaged hosting starts at $9.95 per month for one block, which includes one core, 1GB of RAM, 20GB of SSD RAID storage and 500GB of bandwidth. Managed hosting for the same specifications costs $109.95 per month.
The scale tops at 24 blocks, with 12 cores, 24GB of RAM, 250GB of SSD RAID storage and unmetered bandwidth. Managed, this package costs $339.95 per month; unmanaged drops down to $$239.95 each month.
They offer 16 and 32 GB server options, with 12 cores and 24 cores, work with data centers in New York at HostRocket’s headquarters, Chicago, San Jose, and Amsterdam.
HostRocket offers redundant, scalable hosting, and both Windows and Linux hosting.
Adding a license for cPanel costs $14.95 each month, and includes the cPanel control panel, which is standard for the industry and both familiar and comfortable for experienced users and easy-to-use for new users.
It also includes the WebHost Manager control panel interface, rebranding solutions, and flexibility for you as the reseller.
Dedicated Hosting
HostRocket runs 8, 16, and 32GB Intel and Dual Intel Xeon Servers, giving customers greater flexibility and a better chance of finding exactly what they need.
All servers come with the option of 2x500GB hard disk drive or 2x120GB solid state drive, 100TB bandwidth, 100Mbit Uplink and Free RAID 1.
- The 16GB Intel E5-2620 starts at $119 each month, and includes 12 visible cores and 16GB memory
- The 32GB Intel E5-2620, which is $129 per month, is a customer favorite, with 12 visible cores and 32GB memory.
- The 16GB Dual Intel E5-2620 includes 24 visible cores and 16GB of memory for $159 per month.
- The 32GB Dual Intel E5-2620 also includes 24 visible cores, with 32GB memory, for $169 each month.
Each dedicated server customer can choose to add on a dedicated IP address, 256bit SSL certificate, domain registration and transfer, remote backup, and cPanel.
The also run specials that allow customers who choose an annual billing cycle to get a 50 percent discount for the lifetime of the dedicated server.
All dedicated servers have a 99.5 percent network uptime guarantee, one hour of free hardware replacement, Linux CentOS, and 24/7 tech support every single day.
Colocation
HostRocket, through DotBlock, is one of very few Web hosting companies to offer colocation from their New York-headquartered data center.
DotBlock includes battery backup, DDOs protection, generator and battery back, and non-stop staffing and support.
There are three separate packages: ¼ Rack, $149.98 a month, gets 10U secure cabinet; ½ Rack: for $249.98 each month, gets 21U secure cabinet; a full rack, with a 42U secure cabinet, costs $449.98 each month.
Colocation customers can choose their bandwidth, from 10Mbit x 10Mbit ($99 each month), 100 Mbit x 100 Mbit ($499 each month); and 1000 Mbit x 1000 Mbit ($1999 per month, and their 120V power, picking from 10 AMP ($199 per month), 20 AMP ($299 each month), and 30 AMP ($399 per month).
99.5% uptime (is actually a little less than many others)
HostRocket guarantees a 99.5 percent uptime. However, 99.9 percent is standard across the industry, and guaranteed by many other Web hosting companies.
This may seem like a small difference, but when a 99.9 percent up time means your Web site will be down 10 minutes or less each week, and 99.5 percent uptime means your Web site could be down more than an hour each week, you can see the importance of a higher-percentage up-time.
Lost uptime means lost Web visitors, which could result in less traffic and fewer sales.
They do offer credits, though, for customers who feel their site hasn’t met the guaranteed 99.5 percent uptime.
Server Performance
They offer several different servers for their different plans. All are Intel XEON servers, and HostRocket runs Linux CentOS. Their VPS servers, through DotBlock, also offer Windows hosting.
Great Support
While they don’t offer live chat or e-mail support, they are prompt and thorough when customers file claim tickets.
Over 250 App Integrations
From WordPress and Drupal to Zen Cart and Open Cart, HostRocket offers more than 250 apps that can be integrated into your Web site. They are easy to install and set up, and can help your site reach its full potential.
Money back guarantee
Within 30 days, HostRocket customers can cancel their accounts for a money-back guarantee. It’s not the longest in the industry, but not unheard of, either.
The guarantee covers hosting fees, not setup fees.
Some Negative Sides Too:
They Charge a Setup Fee of $29.99
- They Charge a Setup Fee of $29.99
- Expensive Domain Name Registration around $20
- Like most hosts, HostRocket offers one free domain name when you sign up. Unlike others, HostRocket charges $20 for each additional domain name — when many other sites charge $10 or less.
Pros and Cons in a while
Pros & Cons of HostRocket: This Review in a Nutshell
Pros
- HostRocket is honest in their advertising, allowing customers to see their specialties. They don’t brag about speed, unattainable uptimes, or other promises that might be difficult to keep.
- They are fast, with extremely consistent page loading times.
- They offer prompt customer service when customers submit tickets.
- The 250+ apps are incredibly easy to install and use.
Cons
- SSL certificates, domain registrations, and domain transfers are often included by most hosting companies. HostRocket not only charges, but their annual domain registration fee of $20 is much pricier than even the sites who charge.
- Customers are not thrilled by the lack of e-mail or live chat support, and limited phone support on the weekends.
- A 99.5 percent downtime is far below industry standards of 99.9 percent.
Final Verdict
Do I recommend? Yes, I do
Despite the higher prices, I think HostRocket provides outstanding support, and really cares about their customers.
The smaller size, and their own internal datacenter means customers get a higher quality of prompt, responsive support.
Host Rocket Web Hosting got into the act in 1999 like most of its peers. Its headquarters is at Clifton Park, New York. Brendan Brader and John Reyes are men behind the company. HostRocket has been successful for more than 15 years because of the time-sensitive initiatives they took over the years.
Besides, it is established at a place that is listed by Forbes as one of “The Top 20 Places to Do Business in America.” Naturally, HostRocket has positioned itself where it is strategically beneficial to do business. The results have been positive from the get go. I’ll shed more light on that as we move to the next section.
Host Rocket founders also initiated few sister concern companies around Host Rocket. For example, the owners founded DotBlock as a company to provide Virtual Private Server Services to their customers. That way, the interested parties will have a dedicated section (or rather a company) to have their own VPS services taken care of.
The company also provides VoIP services via ViaTalk which is another sister-concern of HostRocket. The VoIP initiative covers both business and residential scope of things.
The company’s USP is the dedicated customer support it offers through skilled personnel. No matter how small your glitch is, someone is always at hand to provide you with up close and personal assistance with your queries.
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