Introduction
In the crowded world of web hosting, making the right choice can be overwhelming. Hosting.com, previously known as A2 Hosting, has long been known for its developer-friendly tools, fast page loading speeds, and solid customer support. But does it still hold up today after the rebranding?
This in-depth review is crafted based on hundreds of Trustpilot reviews, firsthand user experiences, and technical insights — to help you decide whether Hosting.com is the right provider for your website or business needs.
Company Background
A2 Hosting was founded in 2001 and originally known for its speed-optimized hosting services. In recent years, the company has rebranded to Hosting.com, aiming to offer an expanded set of services with a refreshed identity. Despite the name change, many of the underlying features and services remain similar, but user experiences have started to shift — and not always in a good way.
Trustpilot Ratings: Snapshot
Let’s begin by taking a look at Hosting.com’s standing on Trustpilot:
- Average Rating: 3.4 out of 5 stars (as of 2025)
- Total Reviews: Over 1,900+
- Excellent (5-star): ~45%
- Bad (1-star): ~35%
This mixed distribution shows a clear divide between satisfied and deeply frustrated users. To understand why this is the case, we’ll analyze both the positive and negative aspects in detail.
Performance & Uptime
What Users Say
One of the top features A2 Hosting was known for — and Hosting.com still advertises — is blazing-fast site performance. Some users confirm this with actual stats from tools like GTmetrix and Pingdom, showing load times between 300ms to 800ms, which is quite impressive.
However, many recent reviewers on Trustpilot express concern over downtime and server errors. For example:
- “My site was down for 5 hours due to a server migration gone wrong. This wasn’t communicated in advance.”
- “Performance is decent when it works, but my site went down twice in a week. That’s not acceptable.”
Uptime Guarantee
Hosting.com claims a 99.9% uptime guarantee, but real-world user reports indicate this may not always be delivered. If your website must stay online without interruption, this might be a red flag.
Speed Optimization Features
Despite the mixed reviews, Hosting.com still provides strong technical features for developers and performance-focused users:
- Turbo Servers with LiteSpeed Cache
- SSD storage across all plans
- HTTP/3 & QUIC protocol support
- Pre-configured site caching
Some advanced users confirm these features help deliver exceptional speed. A user reported:
“After enabling LiteSpeed cache and optimizing my images, my blog loads in under 1 second. Performance-wise, I’m impressed.”
Customer Support
The Divide
Customer support is a major point of contention in the reviews.
- Positive reviews highlight knowledgeable agents who resolve issues quickly.
- “They walked me through a complex domain transfer. Very patient and helpful.”
- Negative reviews report slow response times, unhelpful answers, and ticket closures without resolution.
- “Took 48 hours to get a reply to a server crash. Unacceptable for my e-commerce store.”
Support Channels
Hosting.com provides:
- 24/7 Live Chat
- Ticketing System
- Phone Support
However, some users report that live chat is often offline or leads to long wait times.
Pricing & Value
Plan Types
Hosting.com offers several types of hosting:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Reseller Hosting
- Dedicated Servers
- WordPress Hosting
Price Points (as of mid-2025)
Plan Type | Starting Monthly Price |
---|---|
Shared Hosting | $2.99 – $10.99 |
VPS Hosting | $5.00 – $59.99 |
Dedicated | $105.00+ |
While the introductory prices are competitive, many reviewers warn about steep renewal rates:
“My plan went from $3.99/month to $10.99 after the first term. No prior notice. I felt trapped.”
This is a common issue with most hosting providers, but transparency is key — and Hosting.com seems to fall short here based on user reports.
Ease of Use
For beginners, Hosting.com offers an intuitive cPanel interface and one-click installers for WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. However, some users have experienced a cluttered dashboard and difficult billing management after the rebranding.
One user noted:
“After A2 became Hosting.com, the client portal became confusing. I couldn’t even find my billing history properly.”
Security Features
Security is often overlooked until a crisis hits. Hosting.com provides:
- Free SSL certificates
- Automatic daily backups (on higher-tier plans)
- DDoS protection
- Patchman malware protection (optional add-on)
However, customers report mixed results when recovering from hacked websites. Some users were offered paid solutions when free fixes should have sufficed.
Refund Policy & Money-Back Guarantee
Hosting.com offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is standard in the industry. But several reviewers claim they had difficulty securing refunds, citing poor communication and delays.
“I canceled on day 14 and was told I had to ‘wait until accounting approves it.’ It took 3 weeks to get my money.”
Pros and Cons Summary
Pros
✅ Fast website loading speeds (when optimized)
✅ Solid technical specs (Turbo servers, SSDs, HTTP/3)
✅ Developer-friendly tools (SSH access, staging environments)
✅ Global data centers for better performance
Cons
❌ Unreliable uptime according to several users
❌ Poor customer support in many cases
❌ Confusing dashboard and billing issues
❌ High renewal rates without clear notification
❌ Refund process is slow or frustrating
Common Trustpilot Complaints (with Examples)
Issue | % of Complaints (Est.) | Example |
---|---|---|
Poor Support Response | ~35% | “They closed my ticket without even reading it.” |
Downtime or Slow Websites | ~25% | “My business lost money due to a 6-hour outage.” |
Billing/Refund Confusion | ~20% | “Renewed my plan without consent. Took weeks to refund.” |
Control Panel Confusion | ~10% | “The new Hosting.com portal is messy.” |
Good Support / Performance | ~10% (positive cases) | “Once configured, the server is a beast. I’m happy.” |
Who Should Use Hosting.com?
Recommended For:
- Developers who need granular server access and control
- Speed-focused bloggers willing to optimize their site
- Agencies with technical knowledge to handle configurations
Not Ideal For:
- Total beginners who need handholding and reliable support
- Mission-critical websites (e.g., eCommerce) requiring guaranteed uptime
- Non-tech-savvy users who rely on guided setup
Final Verdict
Hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting) is a provider with potential — fast servers, solid technical tools, and a range of hosting types. But the rebranding appears to have introduced growing pains, especially around support quality, uptime reliability, and dashboard experience.
Many users on Trustpilot still trust the core infrastructure, but the customer experience has declined for a sizable portion of the user base. If you’re technically capable and willing to put in the work to configure your environment, you might enjoy Hosting.com.
However, if you’re looking for stress-free support and 100% reliability, it might be wise to consider alternatives.
Helpful Tip Before You Buy
- Test their live chat or phone support before purchasing — see how fast and helpful they are.
- Review all billing terms carefully and set reminders for renewals.
- Enable caching and speed optimization tools as soon as your site is live.