Our Verdict: #1 for Free Hosting
Awardspace provides free web hosting for small websites that come with everything you need to get online quickly. You can also choose WordPress hosting or premium hosting services, including shared and VPS plans. Save up to 42% by clicking any of the special Awardspace discount links in this review.
Pros
- Offers 100% free hosting
- One-hour response time to support tickets on higher plans
- One-click WordPress install and automatic core updates
Cons
- Limited datacenter options
- Some hosting plans don’t come with free domain
Should You Host Your Site With Awardspace?
Looking for something specific? Jump to our most popular sections:- Expert review – read our thorough analysis by hosting specialist, Katie Horne
- Customer reviews – see what actual Awardspace customers have to say
- Hosting plans – compare Awardspace hosting plans
- FAQs – find answers to the most common questions about Awardspace
About Awardspace
Awardspace originally provided free HTML hosting, but in 2003, the company decided to offer free LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) hosting without requiring users to display banner ads. In 2005, the company began offering premium hosting plans. Awardspace featured three plans designed to meet the growing needs of existing customers for whom the free plan was no longer a fit.Hosting Plans
Awardspace’s free plan offer substantial hosting without advertisements.
- Shared Hosting and shared WordPress Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- VPS (Virtual Private Server) Cloud Hosting
- Reseller Hosting
Free Hosting
Most people will probably want to start with Awardspace’s free hosting plan. Not only is the price right, but this plan also gives you an opportunity to try out Awardspace, no strings attached. The free plan is plenty capable for those with one website. You’ll get 1 GB of disk space for all of your files. As long as your monthly traffic levels don’t exceed 5 GB, you won’t have any problems. You’ll also get 1 email account and 24/7 support in case you have any questions, comments, or concerns.Shared Hosting
If you want more perks than are available with the free plan, you may want to explore Awardspace’s low-cost shared hosting plans. These plans provide:- 10x faster network speed
- Unlimited disk space
- Extra email accounts
- Full Zacky app installer
- RAID backup
- Free SSL Certificate
- Extra development tools.
WordPress Hosting
All semi-dedicated web hosting plans come with unlimited disk space, no limits on bandwidth, and support for an unlimited number of domain names.
Semi-Dedicated Web Hosting
Most people will do just fine on a shared hosting plan, but for those with large websites that get high levels of traffic, Awardspace offers semi-dedicated hosting plans. All semi-dedicated web hosting plans come with unlimited disk space, no limits on bandwidth, and support for an unlimited number of domain names. You’ll be able to choose the database type you want (MySQL or PostgreSQL), and you’ll get fewer restrictions on the software-related changes you can make to your server. Awardspace features three semi-dedicated web hosting options from which you can choose, but at a glance, it might seem that they vary only in price. However, a deeper dive into the full features list shows that the plan you choose determines your max CPU and RAM usage and the number of database calls you’re allotted each hour. In short, the cheaper plans won’t be able to handle as much traffic as the more expensive options.VPS Cloud Hosting
If you want the freedom to fully control your hosting environment, and you need a plan that will support a large, highly-trafficked website, you might want to look into Awardspace’s VPS cloud hosting. You’ll also get a much more secure environment since you’re not sharing anything with others.
Awardspace offers three VPS Cloud hosting plans:
Starter | Pro | Advanced | |
---|---|---|---|
CPU Cores | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Memory | 1 GM | 2 GM | 4 gm |
Storage | 25 GB | 50 GB | 100 GB |
Bandwidth Speed | 50 mbits/sec | 100 mbits/sec | 100 mbits/sec |
Total Bandwidth | 2 TB | 4 TB | 8 TB |
All plans come with root access and a dedicated IP address. By default, the Debian operating system comes pre-installed, but you can choose from other options or install your own custom distribution.
Reseller Hosting
Awardspace offers free reseller hosting, allowing you to start a new hosting company or add web hosting to your existing portfolio of services. Awardspace gives you the wholesale price, and your profits are whatever you charge minus the wholesale price you pay.Control Panel
Awardspace includes a control panel with all hosting plans. It appears that this is a custom option created by Awardspace, but it offers pretty standard functionality. It includes account manager, orders, account closure, domain management, resource allocation and usage information, file management, email management, statistics (eg, Webalizer), and the Zacky installer.VPS Users Get a Choice
VPS users get a specialty control panel, though they are welcome to use the general version non-VPS users get as well.Performance and Uptime
Ultimately, the level of performance you see depends on the plan you choose, which is why many opt for a paid plan (however inexpensive), even if there is a free option available. Furthermore, all paid plans come with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.Datacenter
Awardspace’s datacenter is located in Sofia, Bulgaria, a country in southeastern Europe. With only one option, customers can’t choose where their site is hosted, but the datacenter itself comes with solid hardware and 24/7 monitoring to help prevent and respond immediately to issues.Customer Service and Technical Support
Ticket System and Support Team
However, if you don’t find an answer to your question in either of the self-help resources, then you can file a ticket requesting assistance (if you are a paying customer). Support is available 24/7. Awardspace guarantees that they’ll have a response for you within one hour. In terms of learning-related resources, Awardspace offers:Tutorials
- WordPress tutorials (eg, Create an E-Commerce Website with WordPress, WordPress SEO – The Essentials, and WordPress Feature Images)
- Video tutorials (eg, How to Add a Domain, How to Delete a Database, and How to Create an FTP Account)
- Blog posts (eg, How Much Does Web Hosting Cost for a Small Business).
Payments and Billing
For all their plans, Awardspace lists the cost per month. However, the company does not offer monthly billing. You must pay upfront for a one-year contract. Awardspace accepts most major credit cards, wire transfers, Bitcoin, and PayPal.30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, Awardspace offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel during this time period, you’ll receive a full refund, no questions asked.Alternatives to Awardspace
If Awardspace is not the hosting company for you, here are some alternatives you might consider:GoDaddy
GoDaddy sells pretty much anything you can think of when it comes to websites, domain names, and other tools related to the internet. If you want to work with a one-stop shop, GoDaddy is a good option. Few products are free, but GoDaddy offers a lot of inexpensive options.
SiteGround
Pros and Cons
Now that I’ve taken a closer look at the ins-and-outs of Awardspace, what are the highlights and lowlights of this host?Pros
- Offers 100% free hosting
- Paid hosting plans come with a 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Paid hosting plans come with a one-hour support response guarantee.
Cons
- Awardspace only owns one datacenter, so to handle requests for faraway visitors efficiently, you might need to invest in a CDN
- No dedicated hosting options
- No month-to-month billing options available, even for customers with premium plans (semi-dedicated, VPS hosting).
Is Low-Cost or Free Hosting Right for You?
Awardspace is not the best option for everybody. Nevertheless, their free hosting plan, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee, makes it possible for you to try it out before deciding.Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Awardspace located?
Can I really host my website for free?
What is free web hosting?
Does Awardspace provide a free domain name?
- The Web Pro Plus Plan
- The Max Pack Plus Plan
- All semi-dedicated plans