Below is our review for WestHost, Inc.. It is
based on our ten plus years of experience reviewing Web Hosts and Host
Finders. It is based on our
proven test procedures,
and on our
reader's reviews. This review is also based on the feedback we get
from our reader's comments, and emails as well as from the our
interaction with the business and Web developer/design communities in
the numerous online forums. Much of this review was conducted by a
non-paid independent panel of experienced Web developers that are very
good at what they do. We know that all of that combined makes our review
process different from anyone else's in this industry, but to top it off
it is important for you to know that unlike other review sites, we
Purchase the Web Hosting services we review. That's right. The
absolute BEST way to review Web Host services is by actually using those
services and comparing them to other Web Host services that have been
similarly tested with the same testing criteria. We do these tests
using an anonymous account so the Web Hosts will not treat us any
differently than any other customer. Our process is expensive, but it is
what we do because we want to be the best, and we want you to have the
best information possible.
Whether you agree with this review or not, if you have some experience
with WestHost, Inc. please let us know what your thoughts
are in the comments below, and by doing your own
your own review of WestHost, Inc..
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Here's a Tip for you: We have never accepted money to give a
company a better rating. Our reputation is more important than that.
However, even though the vast majority of the "top
10" review type sites you see in the search engines appear to be genuine, they
actually base their lists of "Top Hosting Companies" on the affiliate
rates (or other advertising revenue) they
receive from the companies they list. The Web Hosts they list may be
good but the rating method used is faulty.
In our opinion, you should NEVER trust those types of review and rating
sites.
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Editor's Note: A former WebHostMagazine.com Editors' Choice winner, WestHost is deserving of the praise it has received from not only our staff, but from many other sectors of our industry as well. WestHost has been one of the more reliable Unix Web Hosts for more than four years now. They offer feature-rich hosting solutions with lots of bandwidth and above average support. E-Commerce packages are also available.
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Web Host Review:
WestHost, Inc.
 This Review covers Unix Linux services
| Our Review Rating for WestHost, Inc.:
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Review Rating |
94 |
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| Individual Score Breakdown |
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| Support |
(0-20) |
18 |
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| Reliability |
(0-20) |
18 |
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| Features |
(0-15) |
14 |
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| Value |
(0-15) |
15 |
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| Network |
(0-15) |
15 |
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| Industry |
(0-15) |
14 |
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Overview:
WestHost has been in the hosting industry for almost eight years. They have a solid track record of more than 20,000 current sites. WestHost provides Unix based Budget and E-Commerce Hosting to their clients.
When last we reviewed WestHost (February of 2005) our Independent Review Panel was impressed with everything they had to offer and found no major problems, and is happy that they have maintained their track record in a recent re-look.
Each WestHost hosting plan includes a lot of monthly data transfer and features. Features include PHP, MySQL, Real Media, Macromedia Flash and Shockwave, SSI, CGI-BIN, Perl, Java, IP address, and more.
The features and monthly data transfer are very good by themselves, but what is even more impressive is that all shared hosting plans with WestHost are virtual private servers. Even the $6.95 a month plan is in a VPS configuration. What this means to the customer is your site is isolated from other sites that are hosted on the same server. If a site on your server crashes it only effects them. Also resources are divided up among the server accounts. Instead of sharing resources with others, you get your own dedicated amount.
WestHost offers above average 24/7 email support that is fairly speedy. Their support staff is knowledgeable and friendly. They combine that with Toll Free extended coverage of the phones to get a great score in Support.
WestHost has one of the most comprehensive Online Manuals we have seen. It contains several chapters on running every component of your hosting package, it also includes answers to simple questions and instructions.
WestHost also carries a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee, which includes everything, but Domain Name registration fees.
Verdict:
Westhost is good choice if you are looking for a stable Unix based host with feature rich plans, lots of bandwidth for the price and better than average support.
Pros:
Great industry track record • Better than average 24/7 Email support • Toll Free Phone Support • Excellent Online Manual • Solid 30-Day Money Back Guarantee • Lots of Bandwidth • Lots of Features
Cons:
No Major Problems
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In Their Words:
On Their Support
"So much of the hosting industry is centered around price, space, and bandwidth. Although you will generally not find lower prices or resources elsewhere, we feel it is much more important to offer a level of service that exceeds both industry standards, and the expectations of a wide range of clients with all levels of hosting knowledge. This is why at WestHost, you will be able to contact a world-class team of technicians and engineers offering REAL SUPPORT 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year via toll free phone, instant live chat and rapid-reply e-mail."
On Their Security
"Perimeter fencing, green field space, card access, biometric entries, and mantraps all work to prevent unauthorized access. Because access to our Data Center isn't only physical, we have provided an unparalleled level of security and protection to our network.
Our facilities support host-based virus protection, firewalls, real-time security alerting using intrusion detection scanners (IDS), and 24 hour monitoring from our Network Operations Center (NOC). Any potentially malicious activity can be curbed well before it happens."
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Comments From Customers & Forums:
WebHostingTalk
From koushibasaki
"I am using Westhost's old deluxe plan for 4 months now and I love it. I signed up for 2 years. I am hosting about 20 web sites here and one of my sites is receiving average 4000 unique visitors per day and the server is handling it well. 3/4 is static HTML and 1/4 dynamic (i.e. cgi and php). I am also developing new sites here using 3 Joomla! CMS, 1 postnuke CMS and 4 phpBB forums. I don't think the server could handle it once the traffic is picking up and that is why I intend to look for another VPS to supplement my VPS here. So far I have 3 in mind - Webintellects, Servint, & Spry.
One thing for sure is I will be with Westhost for a very long time as long as I can afford it and so far the price is the cheapest. For less than US$10 you can't find other VPS (AFAIK)."
SitePoint Forums
From mishi98
"I encouraged my last web design client to use WestHost and we are both happy that we did. Their service is great! I haven't heard of our site being down and it loads very fast. Their tech. support is the best I have used. When you send them a message they get back to you within a few hours. One time my message was answered in 5 minutes! Their web hosting prices are great! They deliver a great web hosting service for a good price. I was also impressed that they offer free MySQL accounts to users familier with SQL databases. For virtual serving I wouldn't go anywhere else. Check out our site which is hosted with them: http://www.optimum-financial.com"
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