Minefort is a dark horse of a game server hosting company. That’s because its initial focus is on how it provides free plans. It isn’t a perfect service which is why one of the best Minecraft server hosting providers is likely to be better suited for many needs, but for a quick hit, there’s appeal here.
Besides the free plan, there are premium options too. As the name suggests, Minefort exclusively caters for Minecraft players so others may prefer to use the best dedicated server hosting instead if you have bigger plans. Simpler than the best VPS hosting, here’s how we found Minefort for Minecraft server hosting.
Plans and pricing
Minefort offers five plans each named after a type of accommodation. The free plan is named Hut while there’s also Cottage, House, Mansion, and Fort. The free plan is only online when in use and goes into hibernation mode until you restart it. The others are all available 24/7.
There’s no insight into what CPUs are used for each server plan but you’re provided with the essentials -- RAM, max players, backup slots, and storage limits. The free plan starts things off with 10 player slots at most.
Unlike bigger hosts, Minefort doesn’t lead the way with suggestions or even with a sliding scale to adjust plans, but the basics are here. There’s also DDoS protection and support for all plans. The two priciest plans offer ‘Advanced’ and ‘Premium’ DDoS protection but again, details are pretty non-existent as to what that entails. Consider Minefort simple in both good and potentially frustrating ways for micro managers.
Ease of use
A screenshot of the Minefort control panel (Image credit: Future)
Signing up to Minefort takes mere moments. It leans heavily into its free offering so there’s no need to enter card details until you get to the upgrade screen. A clearly laid out control panel is instantly accessible. Head to appearances to get things personalized while there’s one-click plugin installation for many different mods.
It’s also possible to quickly add another admin, create backups, and connect via FTP. That goes for the free plan as well as paid servers too.
On the free plan, you'll need to remember that the server can go into hibernation mode easily when not in use. Also, while you can set up many free servers, only one can be actively online at any one time.
Still, Minefort offers much of what you need from a paid plan while never feeling like you miss out on much when pursuing the free plan too. This is a service that’s appropriate for anyone new to knowing how to set up a Minecraft server as well as more experienced admins.
Speed and experience
Minefort general server options (Image credit: Future)
Unlike other hosts, Minefort doesn’t explain where its servers are located. You can’t choose the location but a dig around confirms they’re based in Canada. That means if you’re based in Europe like me, ping can be a little higher than average. In my case, it was around 150ish which isn’t too awkward. Certainly not for something a little more forgiving (most of the time) like Minecraft.
The lack of location options feels more of an issue when paying for a plan than it does with the free plan. Your mileage will vary here as obviously, it’s good to have plenty of control when paying a lot, but less relevant on cheaper plans.
Understandably, performance similarly varies depending on what you’re paying. Scant details are provided regarding CPUs and RAM, but the basic free plan lives up to its name which means it’s best just for a few players and not too many mods. It only offers 1GB RAM which is pretty low for most Minecraft installs. Upgrade and you can change things up between 35 players right up to 200. As with other Minecraft server hosts, you get what you pay for.
Minefort has fairly limited support on the free plan with 24/7 access for paid plans. On a free plan, your main route of support is a chatbot until support is available or the knowledge base. The chatbot is reasonably helpful for basic queries while the FAQ also covers many commonly asked questions. There’s also a Discord – an increasingly popular way to solve queries fast by crowdsourcing help in some cases.
It’s not as feature rich as competitors and the lack of a YouTube channel is a missed opportunity. Still, if you know what you’re doing, you may not need support very often.
Final Verdict
Minefort’s strength is in its free offerings. It’s refreshing to find a seemingly catch-free way of enjoying a free server with a few friends. After all, you don’t even need to enter card details. That free server may not offer much power but it’s still sufficient for a quick few sessions with a couple of buddies.
Where it gets trickier to recommend is when it comes to its paid plans. The lack of location choice and the limited details about hardware won’t appeal to experienced server admins and understandably so. It’s well priced but competitors do a better job of explaining all before you commit to anything.
Because of that, Minefort is best suited for anyone who needs an inexpensive or free plan for a short period of time. Something to tide them over rather than if they have plans for a community-driven server.
There’s a place for that kind of service which is why Minefort is worth acknowledging and checking out. Just make sure to temper your expectations. If you know what you’re doing and what you need, there are better alternatives around.
Plesk has been around for a long time and is supported by many hosts. You also have the option to migrate to cPanel should you decide that Plesk isn’t for you. Plesk also supports a wide array of Linux and Windows operating systems, so you have a lot of options for installing it on various server setups.
Plesk has a straightforward and fair pricing model - you pay for how many websites you use. This makes it great for average web hosters who need the flexibility of Plesk and don’t plan on hosting tons of websites. It is also a good choice for web agencies who plan on hosting websites on behalf of their clients and want predictable pricing. If you plan on hosting lots of websites all for your own use, then cPanel or sPanel offer cheaper plans.
Ease of use
Plesk has the most cohesive user interface of all the admin panels, combining the server-side administration into the same user interface as the website management interface. This has benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, it’s nice to have the server management presented in a manner that is friendly to non-technical users, but at the same time, it feels a little frustrating to use if you are technical. There’s considerably less of the underlying technical details exposed to users, which is great if you’re worried about breaking things, but if you’re a tinkerer, then you might prefer the more raw experience that cPanel provides. Plesk not only works great on mobiles but even provides a dedicated mobile app so you can manage your websites on the go.
Support
Web server support
It supports a wide array of different web servers and languages. Apache is installed by default, with the option to install Nginx as a reverse proxy, which gives you the best of both worlds. Litespeed is supported, but there’s no support for the free alternative, OpenLitespeed, so expect additional costs.
Database support
Microsoft SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL are all supported, making Plesk a great choice for those who need more powerful database options.
Language support
Support programming languages include PHP, Javascript/Node, Perl, Ruby, Python, .NET. There’s even docker support via an official extension, which means effortless support for virtually any language and setup.
Backups
Plesk offers a pretty standard array of backup options with good support for remote backup providers. FTP, Amazon S3, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive are all supported.
Extensions and apps
Plesk has the most impressive extensibility out of any of the admin panels we’ve tried. Along with the usual one-click installers such as Softacolous, you can also install extensions to manage your social media, page speed, harden your WordPress installations - it really does have it all. There’s even a pretty powerful site builder included, meaning you can build your website with zero coding knowledge.
Security
Not only does Plesk come with the usual security software, but it also goes the extra mile to make them more user-friendly. We particularly like how user-friendly the web application firewall is, providing an extra layer of security against malicious requests without overly complicating it. Plesk includes both VirusTotal and Imunify for virus scans with an option for paid upgrades. Kernelcare and other paid security hardening services are available.
Final verdict
Plesk is truly leading the way with the admin panel. It has remained fresh and up-to-date, offering a lot of the latest and greatest software. Everything is easy to use and packaged in a way that isn’t intimidating to non-technical users. It would be nice to see better out-of-the-box performance optimisation, something that sPanel really excels at, but Plesk offers a more broad set of capabilities. It does an incredible job of being both extremely powerful and customisable, without being overwhelming for non-technical users. The bottom line is that if you want an admin panel that does everything and packages it up nicely into a very user-friendly package, then it might be worth splashing a bit more on Plesk.
Operating system support: AlmaLinux, CloudLinux, Rocky Linux and Ubuntu
Portability to different platforms
cPanel is probably one of the most popular admin panels, so it’s no surprise that it’s supported by many hosts. They also include migration tools to migrate between servers and even from a Plesk control panel. Since cPanel is so popular, most alternative admin panels have a migrato,r meaning that if you decide cPanel isn’t for you, you can still easily switch to other admin panels such as Plex or sPanel.
Instead of charging by website, cPanel offers unlimited websites and chargers based on the number of users you have. If you’re planning on hosting a lot of websites, but all for your own use, then it can make it slightly cheaper, although not as cheap as SPanel. However, if you plan on hosting just a few websites or having lots of user accounts, then it will be more expensive than the alternatives. Reselling is available for their plans starting at 46.99/mo, making it slightly cheaper than Plesk for reselling.
Ease of use
cPanel’s ease of use is a mixed bag. It has areas that can be a little daunting for new users, but once you’re familiar with it, it becomes pretty easy to work out where things are. There’s no mobile-specific app, but that’s not required since the web version works well on mobile. The server admin part of cPanel is a lot more daunting than the individual website management section, and the server admin part definitely feels like it would be daunting to non-technical users - although it is nice to have the additional flexibility you get from exposing the raw, technical, internals. The beauty of cPanel’s popularity is that there are plenty of tutorials and videos you can watch if you’re not quite sure how to do something.
Support
Web server support
Nginx is supported via free plugins and some command line dabbling, but we’d expect to see a server as popular as Nginx to be supported out of the box. Lightspeed is available but that is a commercial application and requires an eye-watering $25/month license. It would be nice to see support for the free alternative OpenLightSpeed, which is available in sPanel. Overall, cPanel doesn’t offer the breadth of web server support that Plesk does, and it doesn’t provide the performance-optimized web server support that sPanel offers. It does offer clustering, meaning you can join multiple servers together and split the load between them, but that’s quite an advanced feature and not something the vast majority of users will need.
Database support
Supports both MySQL/MariaDB out of the box. Postgres is supported but involves running a command line script, which, again, isn’t ideal for less-technical users - although once it’s installed, then the user interface has very good support for it.
Language support
Supports PHP, Java, and Ruby out of the box, with support for more if you’re willing to install and manage them yourself. We’d expect a mature admin panel such as cPanel to support many more languages.
Backups
Supports offsite backups. Has a good selection of remote backup providers: S3, BackBlaze, FTP, Google Drive, Rsync and WebDAV.
Extensions and apps
Supports Softaculous. It also has a number of paid extensions but nothing that isn’t supported by Plesk. It is very extensible if you’re willing to dabble with the command line, and there’s lots of documentation provided on how to tweak things, but really, an admin panel as mature and expensive as cPanel should have more click-and-play extensions to justify its cost.
Security
Clam AV virus scanner, which is a good virus scanner, with support for more advanced ones such as ImunifyAV (at a cost). 2 factor auth, which is good. Automatic updates are an additional $3/month. This includes ModSecurity as a web application firewall, which I personally trust over an AI solution.
Final verdict
Hosting has changed a lot in the last decade, with new performance-focused web servers, advanced databases and powerful new languages becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, cPanel has done little to keep up with these advances, supporting pretty much the same setup it has for the last decade or more. Whilst there is plenty of documentation covering how to install these newer alternatives, it’s really something that cPanel should be supporting out of the box by now. Given the increase in pricing cPanel has seen over the years, it costs just as much as considerably better alternatives such as Plesk. cPanel is historically a very popular and well-known admin panel, so it will be familiar to a lot of seasoned hosters and, despite its shortcomings, its familiarity is often enough to make it people’s go-to admin panel. The bottom line is: unless you already feel most comfortable in cPanel or you plan on reselling, there’s no real reason to choose it over sPanel or Plesk.
Operating system support: CentOS, Linux and Windows
Portability to different platforms
Whilst SPanel is a purpose-built admin panel by ScalaHosting, it is actually available as a standalone tool. It claims to support any virtual or private server and can even be managed by ScalaHosting on Digital Ocean, AWS, and, of course, ScalaHosting itself. The panel is cPanel compatible, which means migration to the platform should be easy, and if you need to migrate by hand, Scala also offers “unlimited migration.” Since it’s a fairly niche admin panel, not many other admin panels have automated importers, so in the rare case that you want to switch to another one, you may have a bit of extra work on your plate.
SPanel offers a no-nonsense pricing structure, which we really appreciate. Instead of holding back features for more expensive plans, it offers the kitchen sink, including unlimited websites, on all plans and instead charges per user. This makes it great if you’re looking for a budget-friendly control panel and have lots of websites to host, but primarily for your own use. Even for reselling, it works out slightly cheaper than the alternatives. However, reselling often demands a more flexible control panel to match customers’ varied demands, so we’d still recommend resellers splash slightly more money on a more mature control panel such as Plesk or cPanel. All plans also include 24/7 server management and support, which can be worth the monthly fee alone for those who need a little extra hand-holding.
Ease of use
When software is designed for both technical and non-technical users, there’s always a risk that an overly simplified user interface can limit the control you have over the underlying software. Thankfully, SPanel does a great job explaining the technical parts without removing any control. SPanel’s creators, ScalaHosting, have a wealth of experience dealing directly with hosting customers, and that really shines in their user interface. Whilst the user interface does work on mobile, it would be nice to have it optimized so there’s less zooming involved.
Support
Web server support
Supports the usual Apache but has a single-click setup for faster drop-in replacements like Lightspeed. It also supports nginx as a reverse proxy, meaning you can have the best of both worlds - using nginx’s lightning-fast performance for static files such as images and CSS files whilst retaining Apache’s flexibility. SPanel really stands out here. There are a lot of easy to setup options and a clear focus on PHP performance.
Database support
Currently, it only supports MySQL/MariaDB, which is enough to host a lot of the most popular apps (WordPress, Magento, Joomla, and Drupal, to name a few), but it would be great to see support for alternative databases such as Postgres, which is gaining in popularity due to the more powerful features they offer. Again, it’s clear that SPanel is laser-focused on traditional PHP & MySQL setups, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if that’s your preferred tech stack.
Language support
Supports PHP and nodejs/Javascript, which is pretty essential. Languages such as Python require manual setup.
Email support
Includes Spam Assasin which is a pretty standard anti-spam tool.
Backups
Every account gets automatic offsite backup.
Extensions and apps
Being an admin panel that is focused on being optimized, SPanel understandably doesn’t boast a huge range of extensions. Like most other panels, there’s support for Softaculous so you have a whole host of apps you can install, but if you’re looking for extensibility in the admin panel itself, then it might be worth looking into cPanel or Plesk.
Security
Automatically set up SPF, DKIM & DMARC for emails, which are special anti-spam records to help prevent your emails from ending up in other people’s spam boxes. It includes 2-factor authentication, which is essential for a high-value target like a server. Regular automatic updates are a welcome addition, even if it does increase the risk of another CrowdStrike debacle. Built-in Let’s Encrypt support means free and easy SSL certificates. It includes a built-in web firewall called SShiel, which uses “AI” to determine malicious visitors. This means potentially more malicious visitors blocked but opens up more scope for false positives.
Final verdict
SPanel is a welcome new player to the market. It clearly has a narrower focus than some of the more traditional admin panels like Plesk and cPanel, but that narrow focus allows it to offer a considerably more optimized experience. Performance has been greatly enhanced with SPanel, which provides very easy options to speed up your website, which is vital for potentially computing-hungry applications such as WooCommerce. It also comes with a fantastic support offering, borrowing expertise from SPanel’s hosting company, ScalaHosting. While you will sacrifice a bit of flexibility with a simpler admin panel like SPanel, if you want to host a standard PHP and MySQL/MariaDB application and you want it to be fast, then your best bet is SPanel. I'd recommend this to people who are hosting their own PHP & MySQL/MariaDB apps and care about performance. It could also be a good option for seasoned hosters who want something easy but aren't afraid to install system packages directly when they need something not supported out of the box.
With RSS.com having a stable 4.9 rating on all major review platforms, we put it to the test to see how it works.
For this RSS.com review, we began with the mindset of a complete beginner to see how easy the features are to use, how easy it is to set up and monetize our podcast, and how much it costs.
Our results? A “complete” podcast hosting provider with all the features you need to easily start and keep your podcast running within a few minutes.
Advantages of RSS.com (Pros)
Beginner’s Best Friend
If there is one thing I love about a podcasting hosting service, it's a clean UI. This, together with features that are not only easy to find but also use, makes setting up a podcast easier.
From uploading your audio file to the description, you can make your podcast live within a minute, even without any experience.
(Image credit: Rss.com)
Affordable Plans With Unlimited Uploads
With RSS.com, you get more for your money. Their plans start at just $11.99/month ($4.99/month for students and NGOs), offering unlimited episode hosting—a feature that many competitors, like Buzzsprout and Podbean, limit by capping upload hours. This means you can create and publish as many episodes as you want without worrying about hidden costs or overage fees, making RSS.com a cost-effective and scalable solution for podcasters of all levels.
Free Podcast Website
As soon as your podcast is live, your episode will be listed on your own website, which is desktop- and mobile-friendly. The website is free and has a media player embedded in it so your visitors can listen to your podcast directly on your site.
Automatic Distribution To Major Podcast Directories
RSS.com automatically distributes your episodes to the majority of its directories and offers guided options for the ones that don’t support automatic requests.
Easy Social Media Sharing
Easily share your podcast episodes across different social media platforms with a click of a button.
Who Is RSS.com For?
After thoroughly testing RSS.com, I found that it is good for beginners. If you’re completely new to the podcasting world, you don’t have to stress out where to start if you choose RSS.com. From signing up until you upload your podcast, the hosting provider will walk you through its visible option and easy-to-understand interface.
It also takes care of the majority of your tasks, like distribution, podcast website, etc., so you can focus on recording your podcast. All it takes is less than 2 minutes to have your podcast up and running.
Using RSS.com: Super Easy User Interface
One thing that stood out about RSS.com was its user interface.
The interface is clean, minimal, and clutter-free. The best part? There is zero learning curve, and the support bell is right at the top-right corner in case something gets difficult (but I doubt you’d find anything too confusing to understand).
If it’s your first podcast, RSS.com helps you navigate the entire process with the options visible on your screen.
After you’ve made your podcast live, the dashboard looks like this:
RSS.com interface
Think of this dashboard as your complete podcast ecosystem that allows you to access any episode/show and helps you create your public website for your show. It shows scheduled podcasts with their date. In the header, you can navigate through the analytics, distribution, monetization, and settings of your podcast, and it also shows scheduled podcasts and the date they’re due to go live.
You can publish new episodes or start a new podcast series from the dashboard.
When it comes to publishing your podcast, RSS.com allows you to either create a separate page (website link) or share a direct link through social media.
RSS.com (Image credit: Future)
You can check analytics and distribution at the click of a button, too. Overall, I’m quite impressed with RSS.com, which is extremely easy to use and understand for non-tech users.
Features Breakdown
1. Auto Transcription
When you upload your podcast, RSS.com gives you the option to generate a free transcript for your podcast. This powerful AI-powered feature supports 14 languages and generates SEO-friendly transcripts for your podcast for better accessibility.
2. Podroll
Love a show and want to share it with your audience? Pin up to 4 shows directly on your profile and let your listeners also tune into them. The feature is available in both plans.
3. Easy Scheduling & Publish URL
For people who love batch creation and busy individuals, you can schedule your episodes in advance. You also get a sharable public URL of your scheduled episode, allowing you to plan promotions and campaigns across social media ahead of the release.
RSS.com (Image credit: Rss.com)
4. Convert Audio to YouTube Video Podcasts
RSS.com uses PodViz to convert your audio podcast to automatically turn into engaging videos that you can share on YouTube. The video podcast contains dynamic visual elements and supports high resolution. Moreover, if you use chapters inside your audio podcast, they will be added atomically in your video, making it easier for your viewers to see them.
5. Embeddable Podcast Player
RSS.com offers a customizable podcast player that you can embed on your website to boost your podcast. This player is fully responsive across all devices, so even if your audience views your website on their mobile or desktop, they can still enjoy the experience.
Furthermore, you can even customize the color palette to meet your brand guidelines. For instance, I embedded my podcast in my blog post, and this is how it looks:
RSS.com (Image credit: Rss.com)
How to Get Started With RSS.com?
Once you set up your RSS account, use the steps below to make your podcast live!
Step 1: After signing up, your blank dashboard will appear. Click on “New Podcast.”
Step 2: Add your podcast title, description, and cover art. Next, set up your custom URL.
Add title (Image credit: Future)
Step 3: Add categories, primary categories, and author details. You’re all set with your podcast. It’s time to add episodes inside, and surprisingly, it’s easy too.
Step 4: Click on “New Episode” from your dashboard.
New episode on RSS.com (Image credit: Future)
Step 5: Add your audio file. Following this, fill in all the details of your episode.
Adding details of epsiode (Image credit: Future)
Step 6: Choose whether you want to publish the episode right away or want to schedule it later. You’ll be able to track the process either way.
Podcast Distribution
RSS.com makes podcast distribution easy with automatic to majority podcast directories. You can publish your episode in one place and let RSS.com take care of the rest.
For instance, once you upload your episode, head over to “Distribution” and click on “Submit now.”
RSS.com (Image credit: Future)
The submission usually takes up to an hour, but my first episode was submitted within 30 minutes.
RSS.com automatically submits your podcast on:
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Listen Notes
RSS.com Community
For other directories that don’t support automatic submissions, such as Apple Music, iHeartRadio, etc., RSS.com offers a complete guide on how to do it. You can automatically submit your podcast to these directories using the guided methods.
On the other hand, if you want to submit your podcast manually, you can directly copy the RSS feed.
Migration From Other Podcast Hosting to RSS.com
Migrating from one podcast host to another is tricky, but RSS has really made it easy, along with 6 months of free access.
All you need to do is enter your podcast name/RSS feed and submit your email. RSS.com will verify your email and import your show automatically. And the best part of migrating? Your shows will still be available despite being under migration, allowing your followers to not miss out on anything.
(Image credit: Future)
Note: To be eligible for a 6-month free offer for migrating, your show must have at least one episode, and it must be a minimum of 30 days old.
Monetization Options
RSS.com provides plenty of monetization options for your podcast, such as:
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions
Sponsorship opportunities
Donation and Funding
For sponsorships, you need a minimum of 1,000 downloads per month. RSS.com regularly partners with potential sponsors who might be interested in funding your show.
It’s important to note here that sponsorships are not guaranteed despite your meeting the eligibility criteria. The team will reach out when they find the right opportunity for you, and you can decide if you want to proceed with the same.
On the other hand, Apple subscriptions and donations are available for everyone, irrespective of the number of downloads.
RSS’ “Value 4 Value” stood out for me and caught my attention. Through its direct partnership with Alby, you can receive real-time payments in bitcoins through ‘bootstagram’ from your listeners.
Simply set up a free account on Alby, and you’ll be able to activate Value 4 Value monetization option.
Lastly, RSS.com is also releasing dynamic ad insertion for larger shows. However, there is still no update on the official release yet.
Analytics and Data By RSS.com
RSS.com has detailed analytics that you can see from your dashboard. The analytics gives you data for up to the last 180 days. You get data for:
Downloads
Listeners
Apps, Directories & Browsers (downloads by countries)
Data & analytics by RSS (Image credit: Future)
You also get a heatmap that showcases unique downloads by week and day.
The data and analytics are clearly displayed and are easy to read. Let’s say you’re a complete beginner. The analytics given by RSS.com will definitely not give you a tough time understanding how your episodes are performing, your audience demographics, etc.
RSS.com Pricing Plans & Options
The pricing and plans of RSS.com are extremely affordable and come with 30 days refund policy.
Compared to other podcast hosting providers that put limits on how much content you can upload in a month (upload hours), all the plans of RSS.com offer unlimited episodes, audio, and unlimited podcast shows (for the top-tier plan).
RSS.com comes with a free trial that lets you set up your account and publish one podcast episode. You don’t need to enter your card details to get the free version. Additionally, it even includes distribution for the first episode as a part of their free basic version.
For the paid versions, it comes with three plans:
Student & NGO at $4.99/month: Applicable only for students and NGO’s globally
All in One Podcasting at $11.99/month: Best For beginners and small businesses
Podcast Network at $18.75/month: Ideal for large businesses or podcasters to host multiple shows
Note: All prices are in USD and for the annual plan. The monthly plan is 25% higher.
RSS.com pricinng (Image credit: Future)
Free vs Paid Plan: Do You Really Need to Pay?
The free version of RSS.com sounds great if you’re just testing out the features of the hosting provider before committing to the paid plan. However, you’ll be able to upload only one episode on the free version, and this even restricts you from trying out its scheduled feature (if you’re hitting the publish button for your first one).
Our tip is to thoroughly use the free version to its best and explore all the available features. Once done, go with the monthly plan before committing to the annual one. Although you can cancel your plan anytime without being bound by contracts, we’d still want your money to fall into the right hands that align with your needs.
You can enter your query, and RSS will automatically show up all the related guides. If the DIY option doesn’t solve your issues, you can submit a ticket to the customer support team with a turnaround time of a few hours to business days, depending on the complexity.
However, I received a response within 23 minutes to my query since it was a short question.
RSS.com customer support response (Image credit: Future)
Final Verdict: Is RSS.com Worth It?
RSS.com is a value-for-money podcast hosting packed with all the necessary and stellar features you need to start your podcast. From having your custom podcast page to one-click distribution, it’s a great pick for anyone who is entirely new and wants to start a podcast without any technical know-how.
Podbean comes at an affordable price and includes all the necessary features you need from a podcast host. So, we decided to put it to the test and explore its features, value for money, customer support, migration process, etc.
For this Podbean review, we tested its basic version and researched other people’s experiences with the platform.
Find out our results and how well Podbean performed in our real-time podcast hosting test below!
Advantages of Podbean (Pros)
1. Easy to Use & Set up
Podbean is beginner-friendly, and setting up everything will take you less than 5 minutes (if you have your audio files ready). Even if you’re a complete novice in podcasting, you will find Podbean quite easy to begin with and host your first podcast.
2. Unlimited storage and bandwidth
Except for the free plan, all Podbean plans come with unlimited storage and bandwidth, meaning they can host an unlimited number of podcasts. And it will even cope with thousands of downloads without hampering your podcasts’ performance.
3. Free podcast recording app
Available on the App Store and Google Play Store, you can download the podcast recording app Podbean, which lets you record, edit, and publish your podcast right from your mobile device. Through the app, you can also invite guest speakers without needing to use your laptop.
4. Excellent monetization tools
Podbean is packed with powerful monetization tools without putting you under restrictions. You can earn money through subscriptions, sponsorships, advertisements, fan clubs, etc., via Podbean.
5. Budget-friendly
Podbean stands as our top pick when we speak about podcast hosting providers due to its value for money. The free plan lets you test out its features, and once you’re enjoying it, you can upgrade to the paid plan, which starts at $9/month.
Who is Podbean Right For?
Podbean is great for people looking for a budget podcast host and video podcasters.
The plan starts at $9/month and includes all the essential features you need from a podcast host. Within a fair price, you get AI-powered features, unlimited storage and bandwidth, advanced statistics, a blog to podcast, video to podcast, etc.
Similarly, certain plans are tailored for video podcasters, and you can easily record or convert your existing video to a podcast with a few clicks. You can also record a new video podcast and upload it on YouTube directly through Podbean.
Using Podbean (Interface)
Podbean has a clean and easy-to-understand user interface, making it easier to publish your episodes.
One-click import audio makes it easier to upload your audio without any learning curve.
User interface of Podbean (Image credit: Future)
Setting up your account and publishing your first episodes took us less than 2 minutes. Similarly, the dashboard comes with all the options to view your podcast, distribute, monetize, etc., at the sidebar.
Upon publishing your episode, you get a free custom landing page that you can share with your audience and even customize as per your branding colors.
Podbean interface (Image credit: Future)
Lastly, you can directly manage (install or deactivate) plugins at the click of a button through your dashboard.
Overall, we’d rate Podbean's interface as beginner-friendly, packed with all the necessary features that are easy to access.
Features Breakdown
Podbean AI
The Podbean AI turns your bad-quality audio into the highest quality automatically, but that’s not all it does. The AI-driven solution allows you to optimize, edit, and generate within a few clicks. Podbean AI will cut extra noise, remove filler words, and take care of the filtering.
On the other hand, it can automatically generate titles, notes, transcripts, etc.
Livestreaming & Live Podcasts
Start live streaming and conducting live podcasts where you control everything. Through this feature, you can directly interact with your audience by answering them live. Moreover, your audience can send you virtual gifts that you can monetize and also allow you to create a fan club for recurring revenue.
Convert blog posts into a podcast
Podbean lets you repurpose your blog posts into podcasts easily with the support of 150+ languages and 500+ different accents. You can choose the AI voice, and Podbean will automatically convert it into an audio format, boosting accessibility and repurposing. Note that you get a limited number of credits to use this feature, depending on the plan you pick.
YouTube Video To Podcast
If you already have YouTube videos, you can convert them into podcasts and upload them directly. This is actually great if you want to repurpose your videos for your listeners to hear on the go and diversify your revenue streams through podcasts.
How to Get Started With Podbean?
RSS.com's Super Easy User Interface
Once you’ve signed up with Podbean, you can use the following steps to make your episode live.
Step 1: Go to episodes and click on “Publish Episode.” Now, import your audio file or simply generate one from AI with Podbean.
Step 2: Once you import the audio file, add your title and description of the episode.
Using Podbean (Image credit: Future)
Step 3: Once you’re done, click on publish now.
Podcast Distribution With Podbean
Podbean helps you submit your episodes/podcasts to multiple directories, but the process isn’t entirely automatic. Whether you’re on the free plan or the paid one, your podcast will be automatically submitted to Podbean's own directory. However, for other directories, such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, etc., you need to manually submit them.
Podcast distribution (Image credit: Future)
Podbean offers a centralized dashboard to simplify submissions to major podcast directories. So, with one click, you can manually submit them.
Note that if you’re on the free plan, you won’t be able to submit your podcast to any directory (except Podbean’s own) unless you upgrade to the paid one.
While submission is one-click, the distribution feature could have been improved with automatic submissions, even for the free plan users. For example, BuzzSprout, its competitor, offers automatic submissions to all major directories, even for free users. In the same way, Podbean could use some fine-tuning here.
Migration from Other Podcast Hosting to Podbean
Step 1: Click on Import Existing Project
Step 2: Tap on Import Existing Podcast and enter your RSS feed URL.
Import existing podcast to podbean (Image credit: Future)
Step 3: Now, select your import option. Note that this process may take some time, depending on your existing podcast size.
Step 4: Once your import is completed, set 301 redirect. You can also customize the URL to fit your requirements.
set 301 redirect (Image credit: Future)
Step 5: Wait for the email, as RSS will update you as soon as the final import is done.
Note here: If you only have a couple of episodes, it’s faster to migrate to Podbean. For instance, we had one episode up, and it took us less than 5 minutes to migrate.
Monetization Options
Podbean has multiple monetization options to make podcasting an active revenue stream, such as:
Podcast Advertising
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Integration
Dynamic Ad Insertion
You can list your podcast on the Podbean marketplace and allow potential advertisers to find you. Further, you can also charge subscriptions to your readers to access your podcast through Apple podcasts subscription integration, making it easier to make extra money from your podcast directly.
Analytics & Data
Podbean offers quite detailed analytics into how your podcast is performing and also gives detailed insights into your listeners. You can find your analytics under the “statistics” tab on the left side of the dashboard.
Analytics (Image credit: Future)
Through analytics, you can also track your downloads up to the last 24 months. Other than that, you can get:
Where Your Audience Comes From
Downloads by Time of Day (GMT)
Download Sources
Most downloaded episodes
User Retention
Listeners data
Further, you can review the performance of episodes and compare performances from a set period. However, complete insight is only available to paid users. The free version can only have a small overview of their overall analytics.
Podbean Pricing & Plans
Podbean offers a range of pricing plans catering to different types of podcasters, from beginners to large networks.
The free plan offers basic features to test the podcast hosting service, but it comes with limited features. You only get 5 hours of total storage and 100GB monthly bandwidth with the free plan. You also don’t get access to directory submissions. So, if you’re serious about podcasting, you’ll have to upgrade to its paid plan.
Coming to its paid plan, they start at $9/month, offering unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth. It’s affordable and offers amazing features, including Podbean AI, blog posts to audio, videos to podcasts, etc.
If you’re working with both audio and video, the Unlimited Plus (at $29/month) is a great option that adds 20GB of monthly uploads, though it might feel a bit pricey for those who don’t need video.
Lastly, the Network plan, priced at $79/month, is great for large podcasters and packed with essential scaling features.
Overall, Podbean offers competitive pricing plans with unlimited storage. It’s great for anyone looking for an affordable yet robust podcast hosting provider.
Customer Support & Resources
Podbean has excellent customer support and resources and has positive feedback from people. One of its users also shared their experience (screenshot below), highlighting their prompt response, and we had a similar experience.
Customer support review via TrustRadius (Image credit: Future)
Whether you’re stuck somewhere and need a DIY solution or are starting your first podcast, you can join its dedicated Podcast Academy. This academy contains:
24 tutorials
8 webinars
57 events
18 interviews
And all of these are free to check out. You can also check out their separate 70+ articles for help.
Lastly, if DIY doesn’t work, you can raise a ticket with the customer support team, and the average turnaround time is 2-3 business days.
Verdict: Is Podbean Worth It?
Overall, Podbean is worth paying for people looking for an affordable yet feature-loaded podcast hosting provider. It’s especially an excellent option if you want to do video podcasts since it comes with a dedicated plan that offers the same.
You can try its free version to see if it aligns with your requirements before upgrading to the paid version.
PebbleHost has been around since 2017 and despite not often featuring among best Minecraft server hosting provider lists it is still a great host. It offers three different types of plan encompassing budget, premium, and extreme. Understandably, the prices vary wildly depending on what you choose here with the budget servers proving the highlight for those on a tight budget.
PebbleHost sticks to focusing on its Minecraft server hosting rather than including other games, but you can also sign up for VPS hosting or dedicated server hosting if you want more freedom. For gaming communities, there’s also Discord bot hosting. If you’re looking for the best dedicated server hosting, it could be worth checking out PebbleHost but in this review, we’ve focused on its dedicated Minecraft server hosting options. Here’s how we found the PebbleHost experience to be.
Plans and pricing
PebbleHost offers three tiers of Minecraft server plans. All its plans offer 24/7 customer support via Discord, a free MySQL database, full FTP access, unmetered storage, a free subdomain creator, unlimited slots, and global server locations. Where plans differ is in terms of the hardware involved.
The budget range uses older CPUs such as the Intel i9-9900k and Ryzen 5700X, and DDR4 memory. The premium range uses the Ryzen 7900 CPU and DDR5 memory, with the Extreme range using the same hardware but also offering dedicated CPU threads. The two pricier plans also provide a one-click Modpack installer and free automatic backups which are bordering on essential for any Minecraft server admin.
For all servers, you can use a sliding scale to increase the RAM involved, and whether you want any additional CPU threads for your server. The cheapest budget server offers just 1GB RAM but costs only $3 per quarter. A more mid-range option comes from the Premium server with 5GB RAM which is $11.25 per month. The cheapest Extreme server has 6GB of RAM and 3 threads and starts at $37.50.
PebbleHost offers a 72 hour refund policy which isn’t the longest but is fairly standard with other competitors like Shockbyte offering similar.
During the signup process, Advanced DDoS mitigation is added onto the price tag but you can unselect it. Another options include a dedicated IP, and additional MySQL databases. Whatever you decide, payment is possible via credit or debit card, Apple and Google Pay, as well as Paypal, FastSpring, and crypto currencies. Costs can ramp up (more on if it’s worth it later) but everything is laid out in a clear and obvious manner.
Ease of use
A screenshot of the PebbleHost control panel - running a low-end server. (Image credit: Future)
The sign up process with PebbleHost is straightforward and instantly offers up access with passwords for the client side of things and the control panel. During sign up, you’ve already picked what server type you want installed so that’s one step removed. All you really need to do is get the server started and operational.
On the control panel, there’s a list of options on the left hand side with easy ways to check out the file manager, set up your MySQL database, and add subusers which is great if you want to add admins or even a co-owner to your plan. The jar manager helps you switch between different versions like Paper, Vanilla, or Spigot.
For the most part, everything is clearly laid out so you won’t get confused. Opt for anything but the budget plan if you want a one click install for mod packs as well as automatic backups, and there’s even less work involved for you.
Adding another user/admin to PebbleHost. (Image credit: Future)
PebbleHost offers servers located in North America (Canada), Europe, and the UK. Premium server users also have the option of a server located in Australia or Singapore, as well as the US. When signing up, keep an eye on what’s available as some server locations sell out.
I used a server based in Europe, as am I, and saw a steady 30-35 ping. There was no downtime either which is always welcome news.
How well the server operates really does depend on the plan you choose. While $3 per quarter seems like a bargain for the cheapest plan, in reality, you won’t get far with it. Even with no one active on the server, half the RAM is allocated, and once someone logs on, the CPU usage soars. It’s best to invest a little into something that actually suits your needs.
That’s even more important if you plan on installing mods or plugins (and you should). Still, even at its most basic, PebbleHost demonstrates what it offers. Just make sure you opt for a Premium plan at minimum if you want to gather together friends with no hassle. Although, bear in mind that if you opt for one of the more expensive plans, it could work out cheaper to go elsewhere.
Support
PebbleHost has two main forms of support -- a ticketing system and a Discord server. The Discord server is reasonably active and useful for quick advice from both staff and experienced users. It can also prove useful if you need advice about mods or other community elements which PebbleHost isn’t equipped to advise on.
When using the ticket system, I received a response within less than 10 minutes. It was both friendly and informative. If you’re truly stuck, you can pay $10 per month for advanced Minecraft support so someone on the PebbleHost team will setup up to 30 Forge/Fabric mods, as well as setup many other key additions for your server.
Besides direct support, PebbleHost also has a knowledgebase which is helpful and incorporates some YouTube videos. PebbleHost is also transparent with uptime with its server status page breaking down every server and part of the company’s infrastructure. At time of writing, its 7-day average uptime is a very respectable 99.992%.
Final Verdict
PebbleHost’s speciality is offering well performing Minecraft servers for those looking for something cheap or mid-range. It gets a little expensive for the most premium/Extreme options which makes your decision a little harder. When it comes to the budget price point though, it’s hard to fault PebbleHost.
I was particularly impressed with how quick and efficient support was (without being cold or unfriendly), and how straightforward the PebbleHost Control Panel is to use. The addition of a Discord server is always useful too.
The sweet spot here is going for a PebbleHost Premium server. Anything pricier is a little too expensive for all but the most high-end user, and the budget option is a little too basic and slow. Stick with the Premium server and you can have a good quality Minecraft server set up in no time. The backup of speedy support will ease any worries newbies to being a server admin may have.
Behind every great website is a reliable host keeping things running smoothly. In this review, we’re diving deep into UltaHost, a fresh face in the hosting world that’s been turning heads.
Launched in 2018 by ScriptSun Ltd in Istanbul, UltaHost has quickly made a name for itself. The company offers a diverse range of services, including shared hosting, WordPress, VPS, dedicated servers, and even game, ecommerce, and social network hosting.
Unlike many competitors, UltaHost owns and operates its own data centers. This level of ownership often translates to faster performance, stronger security, and fewer headaches for you. With data centers spanning 15 countries across 5 continents, including the US, Canada, Germany, Japan, and India, it ensures faster loading times and reliable service for worldwide audiences.
We’ve taken UltaHost for a full spin - checking its speed, uptime, and giving their support team a good workout. And trust us, we know hosting inside and out. We’re here to give you the truth so you can decide if UltaHost is the right fit for you.
(Image credit: UltaHost)
Plans and pricing: What types of hosting does UltaHost offer?
Whether you're just starting out or managing a large-scale operation, UltaHost offers a variety of hosting plans to suit everyone. Their options - including shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and reseller hosting - are designed to meet any challenge you throw at them.
If you're ready to commit to a three-year plan, shared hosting starts as low as $2.99 per month. Alternatively, if you prefer the flexibility of a month-to-month subscription, you can get started for $5.99. It's a small price difference, but a solid entry-level deal if you're new to hosting.
The shared hosting plan comes with perks like unlimited bandwidth, free backups, a free domain transfer, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, the "Starter" plan only offers 30 GB of disk space, which can quickly become a bottleneck for sites with heavy media or rapid growth. As a result, you may need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan sooner than expected.
For those who need more control or power, UltaHost offers VPS hosting starting at $4.80 per month. This includes 1 CPU core, 1 GB of RAM, and 30 GB of NVMe SSD storage, providing dedicated resources for your site. Plus, managed server support and added security like firewalls and a dedicated IP to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely.
If you’re looking for even more control, dedicated servers start at $116.91 per month, providing a full server dedicated to your needs. With powerful specifications and the flexibility to handle high-demand applications, these servers are perfect for large-scale operations. UltaHost also offers virtual dedicated server (VDS) hosting, which offers similar benefits to dedicated servers but at a more affordable price point, starting at $37.50 per month.
While the initial pricing is budget-friendly, it’s worth noting that some plans renew at a higher rate. For instance, the shared hosting plan increases to $5.99 per month once the promotional period ends. Still, there are no major hidden costs, and the money-back guarantee allows you to test it out risk-free.
UltaHost offers a variety of payment options, including credit/debit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin, giving you plenty of flexibility. You can also choose from a range of control panels, including Hestia, CyberPanel, Plesk, and cPanel, with Hestia and CyberPanel available for free.
(Image credit: Future)
Ease of use: How user-friendly is UltaHost?
Starting out with UltaHost is a cinch - whether you’re launching your first site or managing a bustling online business, the entire process is designed to be as simple as possible.
(Image credit: Future)
Signing up with UltaHost is fast and hassle-free. Once you choose your hosting plan, you’ll either register a new domain or transfer an existing one. After that, just select your preferred payment plan, fill in a few personal details, and you’re all set. Once the payment is complete, one thing UltaHost excels at is simplicity - cPanel is included in all shared hosting plans, making management a breeze. If you're already familiar with cPanel, you’ll feel right at home. The intuitive dashboard lets you manage everything from emails to domains and databases. Want to set up a site or install apps? It's all just a couple of clicks away.
(Image credit: Future)
For VPS hosting users, UltaHost offers several control panels to choose from, including Hestia, CyberPanel, Plesk, and cPanel. Hestia and CyberPanel come at no extra cost, while Plesk and cPanel require a bit more investment. This flexibility lets you pick the control panel that best suits your skill level, whether you're a beginner or need advanced features.
If you're planning to use WordPress to create your site, you’re in for a treat. UltaHost offers automatic WordPress installations, complete with staging tools, plugins, and backup features. The platform also supports one-click installs for a variety of other apps and software. Need an ecommerce tool or a different content management system? Just click and go. This makes it easy to dive right into building your site without getting bogged down by setup tasks.
All shared hosting plans come with NVMe SSD storage, which means faster site load times, unlimited bandwidth, and free backups. Plus, you get antivirus protection to guard against DDoS attacks, and free backups keep your data safe, even if something goes wrong.
All in all, UltaHost nails user-friendliness. Quick sign-up, a simple control panel, and features like auto WordPress install and daily backups make hosting effortless. Even beginners will have an easy time getting their site online and running smoothly.
(Image credit: Future)
Speed and robustness: How fast and reliable is UltaHost?
If there’s one factor that can make or break your site, it’s speed. Thankfully, UltaHost doesn’t disappoint. With a 99.99% uptime guarantee, backed by tier-3 and tier-4 data centers, reliability is clearly a top priority. Using UptimeRobot for our tests, we found zero downtime. The tool pings your site every 5 minutes, and the fact that it recorded no issues speaks volumes about UltaHost's reliability.
But what about speed? UltaHost leverages NVMe SSD storage, which provides faster data retrieval compared to standard SSDs. This means your site loads quicker, even during traffic spikes. Plus, their built-in caching and use of HTTP/2 help reduce server load, further boosting speed. The WordPress-optimized servers also bring performance enhancements specifically tailored for WP sites.
In practice, this translates to a smooth user experience with fast loading times and zero interruptions. Whether you’re running a small blog or a high-traffic ecommerce site, UltaHost delivers. Simply put, UltaHost excels at both speed and reliability.
Security: How does UltaHost protect your data?
UltaHost is backed by a strong security suite, including firewalls and automated malware scans, providing solid protection for your site and data.
It utilizes a web application firewall (WAF) to detect and block potential threats before they can harm your site. This proactive layer of defense shields your site from common attacks like SQL injections and cross-site scripting. Plus, DDoS protection is included, safeguarding your site from malicious traffic spikes that could cause outages or slow performance.
However, security doesn’t stop at the firewall. UltaHost offers automatic malware scanning to detect and remove harmful code before it can spread. Additionally, two-factor authentication (2FA) for account logins provides an extra layer of security, protecting your admin credentials. This helps prevent unauthorized access and keeps your hosting account safe from hacking attempts.
In the case of a security breach or technical issue, daily backups ensure you can quickly restore your site to its previous state. UltaHost provides these backups at no extra cost, giving you peace of mind that your data is always safe. A free SSL certificate is also included with all plans, encrypting data exchanged between your site and visitors, which helps secure sensitive information like payment details and personal data.
UltaHost also includes advanced tools like BitNinja to monitor your server and block threats before they cause harm. Plus, there’s IP whitelisting for controlled access, allowing you to specify which IP addresses can connect to your server via SSH or SFTP. This feature is especially useful for developers who want to maintain tight control over server access.
(Image credit: UltaHost)
Support: What is UltaHost's support like?
With round-the-clock support, UltaHost ensures you’re never left stranded. You can choose from live chat, phone, email, or ticket options to get the help you need at any time.
The live chat was a highlight for us. We connected with an agent quickly, bypassing any automated hassle. The assistance was fairly prompt and helpful, but it was a bit annoying when the chat window disappeared after minimizing the browser.
For those who prefer phone support, UltaHost offers dedicated helplines in the US and Turkey. However, our attempt to reach them from outside these countries wasn’t successful.
Email support is another solid option, which is becoming less common among hosting providers. You can also submit a support ticket, which is ideal for more complex issues, as it keeps an ongoing conversation with an assigned agent until your problem is resolved.
For those who like to troubleshoot on their own, UltaHost’s well-stocked knowledge base is packed with FAQs, guides, and video tutorials. We found these video how-tos particularly useful - they’re well-made and simplify complicated topics.
The competition: What are the best alternatives to UltaHost?
When it comes to web hosting, there are several alternatives to UltaHost, each with its own strengths.
Bluehost is an excellent choice for WordPress users, with direct backing from WordPress.org and strong WordPress-focused tools. It excels in customer support and performance, but UltaHost holds an edge with its broader flexibility and free features. While Bluehost is a solid competitor, UltaHost offers better long-term value, especially with its transparent pricing and added flexibility beyond WordPress.
Hostinger is another budget-friendly option, but UltaHost takes the lead with more server location choices, giving users better control over performance. Hostinger’s pricing is attractive, but UltaHost delivers more consistent service and flexibility, making it the better choice for users who need a well-rounded hosting experience.
SiteGround is a superb option for business sites, offering robust performance and advanced tools. However, its pricing is higher than UltaHost’s, and while SiteGround excels in business hosting, UltaHost offers similar performance and better value.
Final verdict
For small to medium-sized sites, UltaHost delivers solid and cost-effective hosting solutions. With strong uptime, NVMe SSD storage, free malware scanning, and multiple server locations, it packs a punch for the price. The user-friendly dashboard is an added bonus, making it a superb choice for those new to hosting.
The limited disk space in shared hosting plans could be a challenge for bigger sites or those scaling quickly. Additionally, keep in mind that renewal prices rise after the initial term.
Still, UltaHost delivers great value, but if you want more space from the start, you might want to explore higher-tier plans or other providers.
FAQs
UltaHost FAQs Can UltaHost be trusted?
Yes, UltaHost is a trustworthy hosting provider. The company has built a solid reputation for delivering reliable, affordable hosting services with excellent customer support. It also offers features like free malware scans and a web application firewall (WAF) to help keep your site secure.
(Image credit: UltaHost)
Where are UltaHost's data centers?
UltaHost’s worldwide network of data centers should keep your site running smoothly, no matter where your audience is. With locations spread across the US (Seattle, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York), Canada (Toronto), Germany (Frankfurt), the UK (London), Turkey (Istanbul), Singapore, India (New Delhi), South Africa (Johannesburg), Japan (Tokyo), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Mexico (Mexico City), the UAE (Dubai), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), and the Netherlands (Amsterdam), you have plenty of options to choose from.
Thanks to its wide network of data centers, UltaHost guarantees fast and reliable performance with low latency, delivering a superb experience for your users no matter where they are.
Does UltaHost provide an uptime guarantee?
Yes, with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, UltaHost meets the industry standard. This means they’re committed to keeping your site online and accessible with minimal downtime. While no host can guarantee 100% uptime, UltaHost’s track record of solid performance and reliability makes it a trustworthy choice for keeping your site running smoothly.
Servers.com is a relatively new hosting provider, having only been founded in 2014 by a group of hosting industry veterans. However, with over 1,000 customers (most of whom are businesses of good standing) and 18 data centers worldwide, it has risen in popularity over the years.
The provider might not have a long list of products, unlike the competition, but it's a top choice if you're looking for dedicated servers with cloud benefits. It offers hybrid cloud-ready hosting solutions as well as computing, storage, and networking services to businesses of all sizes.
In this Servers.com review, I'll take a deeper look into the service's products, ease of use, performance, and customer support, as well as how it stacks up against the top dogs in the industry.
Plans and pricing
Dedicated server hosting, unlike shared hosting, is a single-user environment where the user does not need to share the server's resources. You can add as many websites as you want to your server and you will have root access to the physical server's resources, including CPU, RAM, storage, operating system, and bandwidth.
Servers.com offers high-performance dedicated servers with the flexibility of the cloud. There's a nifty Filter section where you can select from the many locations on offer (North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe), up to 24 drives and 1536 GB of RAM, and the currency of your choice.
The cheapest server "Dell R220" with Intel Xeon E3-1231v3, 2 drives, 32 GB of RAM, and 4 network adaptors is priced at a reasonable $104.90 a month. You also get disk management capabilities, various server management interfaces, 24/7 dedicated customer support, and direct access to your server via an out-of-band (OOB) management system.
Next up are Servers.com's dedicated cloud servers, which start at $4.97 per month for 1 GB of RAM, 1 vCPU, and 30 GB of SSD storage. You can go up to 64 GB of RAM, 16 vCPU, and 640 GB of SSD storage, which will then cost you $639.95 per month. With these cloud servers, you get 100% SSD storage, automatic backup for added redundancy, 40 GB of bandwidth, and OpenStack API support.
In addition to load balancing services and two types of private cloud, Servers.com also offers reliable cloud storage with support for backup tools such as Veeam, Duplicity, and Cloudberry. Plans start at $71.68 per month for 1 TB of storage and 1 TB of traffic usage. There's also a firewall service, starting at $49.70 per month for 1 instance and 1 TB of traffic usage, that will block all unwanted traffic and prevent data leaks. It's well worth noting that prices differ slightly depending on the location you choose.
Ease of use
Creating an account with Servers.com is a pretty straightforward process. Go to its Customer Portal and hit Join. Next, enter your email address, carefully read and agree to its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and then press Join again.
(Image credit: Servers.com)
Once you verify your email address—which you will have to do within 24 hours—create a strong password and press Proceed. The last step is to enter the necessary information regarding your account, such as account type, currency, full name, billing address, etc. Once done, click Save to create your account.
Servers.com's main dashboard, or the control panel, has a clean design, and all of the options (servers, firewalls, SSL certificates, account settings, etc.) are neatly arranged on the left-hand side menu. You can also configure anything you like from the control panel, including VMs, dedicated servers, and firewall, as well as perform DNS health checks in real time.
(Image credit: Servers.com)
In addition to automated daily backups, which you don't have to worry about first-hand, you also get a handful of nifty add-ons, such as servers troubleshooting tools and server health checks.
Plus, as a cloud provider, auto-scaling is one of the key benefits of Servers.com, and it doesn't disappoint when it comes to that. Scaling up or down happens on the fly, and you can automate the deployment and management of your VMS.
Speed and experience
Servers.com has a redundant network, i.e., all its servers (which are nicely spread across the USA, Netherlands, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Hong Kong) are connected to three different networks: the Internet, Servers.com's free GPN (Global Private Network), and an out-of-band management network.
Furthermore, its free global private network is protected on both logical and physical levels, so you can rest assured that you will enjoy fast and safe data transfers. What's more, GPN gives you the option to organize the interaction of your servers without having to use VPNs or any additional tunneling.
Although we don't have exact uptime numbers, Servers.com posts and continually updates the round-trip times to and from every single one of its servers.
Support
Servers.com has a comprehensive knowledge base with detailed and easy-to-understand guides on just about everything from how to set up an account to managing the service on Linux (or Windows) to details about its various products and services, including how they work.
(Image credit: Servers.com)
For instance, under "Windows administration," there are quick guides on how you can protect your account from brute-force lockout, connect to a Windows server, and provide Servers.com's tech support team with network diagnostic results. Even better, there's also a nifty search bar on the first page of the knowledge base, so you can quickly find what you need help with.
If the knowledge base isn't able to provide you with what you're looking for, you also have the option to reach out to Servers.com's agents via online chat, email (support@servers.com), or by creating a ticket. In my limited experience with the platform, I found the agents to be super helpful and quick with their responses—so much so that the absence of telephone support is barely an inconvenience.
The competition
InMotion Hosting currently sits at the top of our best dedicated server hosting guide, thanks to class-leading security—free SSL certificates, a custom firewall, DDoS protection, auto-updates, and heavily guarded data centers. Plus, all of these come included with the plan you choose, unlike with Servers.com, where services like firewall and load balancing cost extra.
However, InMotion dedicated hosting plans are only available for Linux, meaning Windows users will be better off with Servers.com. Very large-scale businesses will also like Servers.com better; where InMotion Hosting caps out at 512 GB of RAM (nothing to sniff at, by the way), Servers.com can go as high as 1.5 TB of RAM.
ScalaHosting, the best cloud hosting provider right now, is also a noteworthy Servers.com alternative. It offers a geo-redundant network, lots of customization options, a custom control panel, and anytime unconditional money-back guarantee. However, Servers.com is slightly better since it offers true auto-scaling, which ScalaHosting does not.
Final verdict
To conclude, Servers.com is a well-rounded option for medium- to large-scale businesses looking for dedicated or cloud servers with auto-scaling and geo-redundancy. The provider has a global private network that spans across three continents, ensuring reliability and good performance.
Servers.com is also easy to use and fairly priced, and its 24/7 customer support (as well as an in-depth knowledge base) will help you out on the fly and ensure a smooth experience. There are lots of plans to choose from, which can be confusing, but a 10-day money-back guarantee means that you can try Servers.com out without risking a single penny.
Shockbyte has been around since March 2013 and has grown from strength to strength in this time. Below, you'll find our full overview of how good Shockbyte is. Its mission statement has been to offer “premium services at unbeatable prices'' and it mostly meets those ambitious goals.
The Australian-based company is now one of the longest-running Minecraft server hosting providers. It's best known for its Minecraft offerings which is what we reviewed here, but it also provides servers for games like Project Zomboid, ARK: Survival Evolved, Rust, and many more.
It offers many server locations scattered around the world, including North America, Europe, and Asia, so there's something for everyone here. It also provides 24/7 customer support as standard, 100% uptime, full FTP access, and support for seemingly every mod you can think of. Shockbyte sounds pretty irresistible on paper. With an eye on whether it could be one of the best Minecraft hosting providers, here’s how we found the Shockbyte experience from setup to playing on the server.
Shockbyte has 12 different Minecraft-themed plans to choose from (Image credit: Shockbyte)
Plans and pricing
Shockbyte offers 12 different plans, plus a custom plan if you have specific needs. All the plans offer 24/7 customer support, 100% uptime, full FTP access, DDoS protection, and full mod support. Where plans differ is how much RAM they offer as well as the number of player slots. There’s good variety here with the option to upgrade any time as needed. To help customers know what to buy starting out, Shockbyte also has a few recommended plans for certain needs such as best for modding or the latest version.
The cheapest plan is the Dirt plan with 1GB RAM and 8 player slots at $4 per month. That ramps up to the Titan plan at $64 per month with 16GB of RAM and unlimited player slots with a 300 recommendation. Discounts are available for committing to quarterly, six monthly, or annual plans.
Such a discount means the Dirt plan drops to just $24 for the year which works out as excellent value for teaming up with your mates on a private server. All servers use NVMe SSDs with unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Deciding which plan to buy mostly comes down to how many players you expect to play at once and RAM considerations.
Shockbyte offers a 72 hour refund policy so there’s just enough time to test things out if you’ve made a mistake with your needs. Payment is accepted via credit or debit card along with PayPal and Paymentwall methods. While signing up, you can choose to add on a preferred location, purchase a dedicated IP, and arrange server management options, all for a fee. That means the price can increase a fair bit depending on what you need with features like a dedicated IP costing $5 per month while server management costs $15 per month. While the cost can ramp up, at least it’s fairly clearly laid out so you always know what you’re paying for and why.
(Image credit: Minecraft)
Ease of use
Starting out with a Minecraft server with Shockbyte is pretty speedy. Once you wrap up the purchasing process, you’re given two username/password combos. One is for the client side of things while the other is for the control panel. Access to the latter can then be shared with other users who you want to have control over things, although you’ll need to get in touch with support to get it set up.
The opening part of the control panel has you able to choose the server type you want. A near never ending choice of Bedrock or Java server types are available with recommendations highlighted.
On the left hand side is the more complex set of options as well as the best ways to monitor your server. Chat and console are fairly self explanatory with the latter a good way of dipping in to check all is well.
Dive into the Files section and that’s where things get a little more complicated. The Config Files section offers server settings such as if you want to set up whitelisting, change the game mode or difficulty, as well as disable or limit various settings. It’s clearly laid out with drop-down boxes allowing you to quickly change things. The responsiveness is fast with the majority of actions not requiring a server restart although Shockbyte recommends doing so once a day.
(Image credit: Shockbyte)
If you want to add any modpacks or plugins, the Shockbyte interface is simple to use. There are a lot of plugins to choose from while you can use full FTP access to add anything that hasn’t already been thought of. Again, adding from the plugin list is straightforward and takes moments. It’s all designed in a way that makes the process as simple as possible, even if you don’t have prior server admin experience.
For those users who do have more advanced experience, there’s an appropriately titled Advanced tab too. Here, you can set up commands, scheduled tasks, add additional ports, startup parameters and MySQL databases. It’s reasonably comprehensive stuff that means Shockbyte is fairly good at catering for both novice users that simply want the basics right up to those who know exactly what they’re doing.
You can set up your Minecraft server using Shockbyte's custom control panel (Image credit: Shockbyte)
Speed and experience
Shockbyte offers servers across Europe, North America, Singapore and Australia, with the latter two requiring an additional payment each month. The Minecraft server I used was based in Europe, much like myself, and I found the ping to be pretty reliable. A steady 30-35 ping meant no issues with lag and that continued while adding players to the server.
As promised by Shockbyte, there was no downtime either with the Minecraft server always ready to go. It’s a reliable force for regular players.
During my time playing on the server and gathering together some friends, the experience didn’t dip in quality. Daily restarts and not cramming the server with mods and plugins is sure to help here but as a general, standard Minecraft experience, it works well out of the virtual box. That’s also where the level of ease involved in adding or removing mods, as well as simply restarting the server certainly helps keep things ticking along healthily.
(Image credit: Minecraft)
Support
Support is two-fold with a ticketing system and extensive tutorials. The tutorials are the true standout here. It feels like there’s a YouTube video for literally everything you could possibly need while setting up a Minecraft server. A full playlist is available or you can dip in for individual queries. Each tutorial is clearly laid out and no longer than it has to be. Whether you simply need guidance on which server type to choose from or you want to set spawns, manage whitelists, or learn how scheduled tasks can benefit you, it’s covered here with no padded out filler.
It’s a truly useful resource with things backed up by a Knowledge Base which answers many queries, followed by direct support. When I contacted support by sending off a ticket, I was impressed to get a response within an hour. The follow up, however, took a fair while longer. Cynically, paying helps. It’s possible to pay $3 to bump your ticket to the front of the queue which feels a little unsavoury but on the other hand, Shockbyte is pretty cheap elsewhere.
Talking of payments, it’s also possible to pay $15 per month for the company to manage your server including controlling and setting up mods and plugins. With the many tutorials available, it’s hardly necessary for most people but it could be useful when starting out.
Shockyte's knowledgebase has plenty of helpful tutorials and the company's YouTube channel also provides a wealth of videos to help you get started (Image credit: Shockbyte)
Final verdict
Shockbyte is an excellent value way to snap up a Minecraft server that isn’t much hassle to set up and maintain. Ideally suited for novices but also anyone who wants to keep costs down, you can get straight on with setting up your Minecraft server pretty quickly, right down to installing some mods or plugins without having to delve too deeply.
Where things falter is a bit, is the added costs and occasional support quibbles. A little inconsistent with speed isn’t a dealbreaker for everyone when it comes to needing assistance from support and the YouTube videos certainly help, but if you run into a major problem, feeling obliged to pay an extra $3 will grate.
Similarly, added costs for features like a dedicated IP or server management are transparent but something to be aware of when totting up the actual price you’ll be paying.
Neither of these issues will affect everyone though and for the most part, Shockbyte works well. Its 100% uptime and speedy servers mean you and your mates will easily be able to join in at any time without any problems. It fits nicely into that ‘it just works’ mentality that everyone appreciates about technology. It also makes the process far more accessible than server management ever was in the past.
