If you’re considering a hosting provider that offers a lot of features in their shared plans, has been around for a while, and doesn’t hide too many of its fees, HostRocket is one to look at. But it’s not perfect. Let’s dig into the details.
What Is HostRocket?
- HostRocket is a U.S. based web hosting company founded in 1999, with data centers in New York (Clifton Park) and another in New York/Chicago region. WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+2Top 10 Website Hosting+2
- They serve tens of thousands of websites. Website Planet+2Top 10 Website Hosting+2
- They offer a variety of hosting types: Shared hosting (SSD and non-SSD), Reseller hosting, VPS / Cloud VPS, and Dedicated Servers. Website Planet+3HostRocket+3NCM Online+3
Key Features & Strengths
These are what many users (and tests) point out as strong points for HostRocket.
| Feature | What You Get / Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Unlimited / “Lots of Unlimiteds” | Many shared plans include unlimited websites, unlimited email accounts, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited storage, etc. Website Planet+3NCM Online+3HostRocket+3 |
| Wide App Support & Softaculous Installer | Over 250 apps/scripts (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.) for easy one-click installs. WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+2NCM Online+2 |
| **Free Domain ** | Some plans include a free domain when you sign up. Website Planet+1 |
| Uptime Guarantee | They guarantee 99.5% uptime in their terms. If uptime drops below that, you can submit a ticket for review/credit. HostRocket Support+2WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+2 |
| Money-back Guarantee | They offer a 30-day refund period for users who are not satisfied. NCM Online+2WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+2 |
| Good Support & Knowledge Base | Ticket and phone support 24/7, with a decent knowledgebase. Reviews suggest support is reasonably prompt and helpful. WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+2NCM Online+2 |
Weaknesses and Things to Watch
Not everything is ideal with HostRocket. Here are the trade-offs you’ll want to be aware of.
| Drawback | Details |
|---|---|
| Cost Is Relatively High (Especially with Setup Fees for Short Terms) | The lowest monthly plans are pricier if you’re paying month-to-month or semi-annually. Also, there is a setup fee (≈ US$29.99) for billing cycles less than annual or biennial. NCM Online+2Website Planet+2 |
| Renewal & Add-On Costs | Some features you might expect “free” (like SSL certificates, domain registration, etc.) may cost extra. Domain registration yearly is often around $20. SSL certificates and dedicated IPs are additional. Top 10 Website Hosting+1 |
| Uptime Guarantee Is Only Fair | 99.5% is acceptable, but many modern hosts offer 99.9%+. So if high availability is critical (e-commerce, mission-critical sites), this may be a limitation. Top 10 Website Hosting+1 |
| No Live Chat (or Very Limited, Depending on Plan / Time) | Support channels are primarily ticket and phone. Live chat isn’t reliably available in some reviews. TechRadar+2Website Planet+2 |
| Speed / Response Time Varies | In many tests, speed is okay, but not always best-in-class. Loading times sometimes moderate depending on plan and location. WebsiteSetup – How to Make a Website+1 |
Hosting Plan & Pricing Snapshot
Here are what you typically get with their shared / SSD shared / reseller / dedicated plans, roughly speaking.
| Plan Type | Typical Entry Price | What Comes in Entry Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Around US$5.99/month (with longer billing / promo) for basic shared plan. HostRocket+2NCM Online+2 | |
| SSD Shared Hosting | More premium than basic shared: smaller SSD storage, possibly more bandwidth or speed depending on plan. Top 10 Website Hosting+1 | |
| Reseller / VPS | Prices increasing based on resources (RAM, CPU, SSD) and flexibility. Plans start low but grow. Website Planet+2Top 10 Website Hosting+2 | |
| Dedicated Servers | Their dedicated plans are quite robust: multiple cores (12-24 visible cores in some specs), large bandwidth (≈15 TB), choice of HDD or SSD or hybrid setups. HostRocket+1 |
Who HostRocket Is Best For
Here are the use-cases where HostRocket makes sense:
- Bloggers, small businesses, portfolios, or hobby sites that want lots of features (unlimited websites, storage, apps) and don’t mind paying a bit more for them.
- Users who prefer having room to grow: starting from shared, moving up to VPS or dedicated.
- Those who value a stable, mature hosting company (over 20 years in business), and who want U.S.-based data center(s).
- People who want a decent knowledge base and phone/ticket support and don’t require always-live chat or enterprise SLA levels.
Who Might Want Something Else
HostRocket may not be ideal if:
- You need top-tier uptime and performance guarantees (99.9%+, ultra fast response times).
- You’re very budget constrained and want the lowest monthly cost possible with minimal upfront setup fees.
- Your site’s visitors are heavily international and require edge servers / CDN infrastructure you might need to add link separately.
- You prefer very modern control panels / super streamlined dashboards — HostRocket uses cPanel etc., which is good but not cutting edge in every respect.
Final Verdict
HostRocket is a solid, dependable hosting provider offering a rich feature set, especially in shared hosting: unlimited websites, storage, apps, etc. It offers reasonable performance, a mature support system, and reliable uptime, though not the absolute fastest or cheapest.
If I were choosing a host for a growing blog or small business where “good enough speed + lots of features + U.S. data center” are more important than ultra-low cost or ultra-premium uptime, HostRocket would absolutely be on my shortlist. For high-traffic / mission-critical projects, I might consider someone slightly more “premium” for the performance guarantee, but HostRocket still remains quite competitive.