How We Test
We sign up for every hosting plan we review using our own credit card. No affiliate-provided accounts, no trial periods — real subscriptions tested over 30+ days.
Scoring Criteria
Every product receives a score from 0 to 10 based on weighted criteria. Here is exactly how we calculate it.
Performance
We deploy identical WordPress sites and measure TTFB, page load times, and response under load using k6 stress tests. Uptime is monitored 24/7 via UptimeRobot.
Value
We compare renewal pricing (not just intro rates), included features, storage limits, and bandwidth caps. Hidden fees and upsells are documented.
Features
We evaluate control panels, one-click installers, staging environments, backup systems, email hosting, and developer tools like SSH access and Git integration.
Support
We contact support via live chat and ticket at different hours, timing response and measuring resolution quality. We test with real technical issues, not scripted questions.
Tools & Equipment
The tools we use to produce consistent, reproducible results.
- k6 load testing (50-500 concurrent users)
- UptimeRobot 24/7 monitoring (1-minute intervals)
- GTmetrix and WebPageTest for page speed
- Custom WordPress benchmark suite (WP-CLI + Query Monitor)
- Real WooCommerce store with 500 products
Independence Pledge
- No sponsored rankings. Our scores are never influenced by advertising or affiliate relationships.
- We buy everything ourselves. Products are purchased at retail price with our own funds. No vendor-supplied review units.
- Affiliate transparency. We earn commissions from some links. This funds our testing but never affects our scores. Full disclosure.
- Corrections policy. If we get something wrong, we update the article with a visible correction notice and date.
Update Cadence
Reviews are updated quarterly. Performance data is refreshed monthly. Pricing is verified before every publish.
Every article shows its publish date and last update date. If a review is more than 6 months old without an update, we flag it as potentially outdated.
Our Testing Team
The people behind the scores.
