| InterServer standout features | |
| Performance | Solid and cost-effective hosting |
| Average load time | Approximately 1.4 seconds |
| Average response | Approximately 5 milliseconds |
| Free domain | No |
| SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) | Free SSL certificate from LetsEncrypt.org |
| One-click password | Yes |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, ticket, phone, and social media support. |
What Are the Pros and Cons of InterServer?
InterServer’s success is based on the fact that it offers a solid foundation for websites and businesses at a reasonable price, notably in terms of speed, security, and plan limitations. However, I found a few restrictions that might be a deal breaker for those needing premium customer service or the cost savings from a free domain. Before choosing your web hosting provider, consider interServer’s advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of InterServer
- Rapid response and load times: Through my tests, I was able to determine an average load time of 1.4 seconds and an average response time of 5 milliseconds.
- Plenty of hosting options: InterServer offers various options, including shared hosting, Cloud virtual private server (VPS) hosting, ASP.NET, and reseller plans. Discounted plans are available for educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: I liked that during the first 30 days, I could cancel my shared web hosting subscription with InterServer and get all my money back.
- Free migration service: InterServer moves a website hosted elsewhere onto its servers with little to no downtime and at no cost. Plus, it’s cleaned off any malware via InterServer’s Inter-Insurance product.
Cons of InterServer
- Lacking customer service: My interactions with InterServer’s customer care team showed that they often rely on scripted responses. This approach has its pros and cons, as it might provide illuminating answers or completely miss the question.
- No free domain name: Unlike many web hosting sites, InterServer doesn’t offer a one-year free domain with its hosting plans. New customers will get a discount on the first domain, which is better than nothing.
- Data centers exclusively in the U.S.: InterServer only has data centers in Secaucus, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, which might be a disadvantage if you have a worldwide audience.
InterServer may be the best web host for: Beginning bloggers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, website builders, and SMEs.
Various control panels
Depending on your preferred UI (user interface) and operating system, InterServer provides the opportunity to use four different control panels to conveniently administer and monitor your servers. These include cPanel, CloudLinux, Plesk, and DirectAdmin. The company focuses mostly on the latter, providing it for free with shared and VPS plans.
Free site builders
SitePad, InterServer’s free website editor, features over 300 templates, a one-click publisher, more than 40 widgets, and complete connectivity with cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, among others. I found it simple to move things around, make changes, and take advantage of available widgets.
Nonprofit and student hosting plans
Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status certified by the Internal Revenue Service are eligible for a free shared InterServer web hosting plan. It comes with the usual perks of the standard plans, such as 24/7 expert support, unlimited email accounts, space and bandwidth, and one-click install scripts. Students, on the other hand, get a free standard package for the first year when they sign up using their school’s email address.
Free site migration
InterServer’s free migration services make it easy to move a website from another host to its own with minimal downtime. No matter what control panel or account access you had on your former host, a team of expert individuals handles everything from start to finish.
99.9% uptime guarantee
InterServer guarantees 99.9% uptime with every hosting plan. As a result, visitors will be able to access your site with no more than 76 seconds of downtime every day.
Inter-proxy caching with CloudFlare CDN
Suppose the bulk of your site’s visitors are located outside the United States. In that case, you may benefit from InterServer’s free integration of a content delivery network (CDN) to improve page loading speeds.
Unlimited Ultra SSD storage and email accounts
All of InterServer’s web hosting plans, including the starter package, come with Ultra SSD storage and unlimited email addresses. The same hosting services include guaranteed delivery of non-spam and non-bulk emails, as well as compromised email detection and spam protection.
50% cap on server capacity
Because InterServer only uses half of the available server space, it will be able to handle the increased traffic to your sites without any noticeable slowdowns. This is important for handling spikes in traffic on your site as well as any other sites hosted on the same server.
Free SSL certificate
InterServer web hosting plans include a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate at no additional cost. This also guarantees that your site is secure and up to date with Google’s recommended security for optimal search engine optimization (SEO).
InterShield Security
Designed by InterServer, this security solution monitors thousands of servers and websites to identify assaults and duplicates protection measures across other servers to prevent attacks.
Apart from blocking web attacks, its primary role is to act as a:
- Automatic virus scanner
- Machine learning firewall
- In-House malware database
The one potential drawback to InterServer’s security is that apart from boost plans, the firm only does weekly backups. You’ll need to perform your regular backups for maximum protection.
Uptime and reliability
My research showed that InterServer’s 99.9% uptime guarantee is valid.
Site response times
The speed at which InterServer’s servers respond is much superior to what I would have expected from an inexpensive web host. Recent performance tests have shown that InterServer is among the quickest low-cost hosting options available. Using the Sucuri speed test tool, I analyzed the site’s responsiveness from various locales and found an average of 5 milliseconds.
SSL certificates
In all of their plans, InterServer provides a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate at no extra cost.
Weekly backups
When all else has failed, you can always rely on your backups. InterServer does weekly backups and saves each version for a month. I would still recommend more frequent manual ones, but the convenience of accessing them through the free Jetbackup app makes it a good service overall.
If you’d like automatic daily backups, you can always opt for one of the available boost plans.
InterShield and Inter-Insurance
The primary objective of InterShield is to respond to online attacks by monitoring thousands of servers and websites to detect attacks and replicate protective mechanisms across different servers.
If InterShield should fail, you still have Inter-Insurance as a superb backup. The web host guarantees that its technicians will fix any hacked, exploited, or otherwise compromised accounts and protect them from threats in the future. What I appreciate most is that they also provide this service for free to new migrating users in case their website is already infected.
InterServer’s customer service left me with mixed feelings. My experiences proved that the customer service personnel can handle any questions that come their way. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a positive customer service experience.
Support personnel were brief and sometimes paraphrased information from the website or other media that didn’t address my specific inquiry. I always managed to reach the final answer after a few exchanges. However, the process was significantly slower than what I experienced with competitors like Kinsta or Siteground.
The following is InterServer’s most recent update:
- Accepting crypto payments: InterServer hopped on the cryptocurrency bandwagon in September, adding it as one of the acceptable payment options.
Compare InterServer Web Hosting Alternatives
When it comes to functionality, dependability, and expertise, InterServer is among the top web hosting companies for novice bloggers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, website builders, and small and medium enterprises. Nonetheless, there are other reputable alternatives.
See how InterServer compares to other top-tier hosting companies the team here at Digital.com recommends:
Frequently Asked Questions About InterServer
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What are the best InterServer alternatives?
How I Rated InterServer
My assessment method considers the whole service quality picture. I compared InterServer’s features and functionality with those of other web hosts. I ran several tests myself and had a third-party provider perform a few more to ensure I had the most accurate information to share.
I evaluated all of InterServer’s hosting services, but certain details were given more attention than others. I focused mainly on the hosting provider’s speed and response times, reliability, trustworthiness, quality of customer care, and variety of hosting plans.
I found it easy to give InterServer’s web hosting services a high score of 4.1 out of 5 when assessing them as a whole. It has long specialized in providing a combination of low prices and high quality that other web hosting services sometimes have trouble matching. Even the cheapest hosting plan comes with many features, including 24/7 expert support, unlimited websites, email accounts, space and bandwidth, and one-click install scripts.
Lastly, I like that students can benefit from a free year of hosting while nonprofits have unlimited access to their standard shared plan.
