Awardspace Review: What Do Real Users Think Of Their Free Hosting?
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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 96% 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
Awardspace scores 3.5 out of five stars on 30+ customer reviews, with above-average marks for support, quality, features, and value.
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
Awardspace offers free, but comprehensive, web hosting services and a website builder.
You might think this is just a gimmick. But the free plan isn’t even their most popular option. Their shared premium hosting is. So Awardspace might be doing something right.
Follow along as I look at all of Adwardspace’s hosting plans and show you if it is a good choice for you. And if it isn’t, I’ve got some alternative hosts that might be better.
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.
Over the years, Awardspace has added multiple types of hosting to their product portfolio.
They also develop custom tools for their hosting customers, such as automatic CMS installers and custom control panels.
Today, the company serves over 2.5 million customers and boasts an overall uptime of 99.9%.
Hosting Plans
Awardspace’s free plan offer substantial hosting without advertisements.
In addition to the free hosting option, Awardspace offers:
Shared hosting and shared WordPress hosting
Semi-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, this plan 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.
On all but their entry-level plan, Awardspace offers free domain name registration for as long as you host with them.
If you want to host more than one website, you have to upgrade to a paid hosting plan. That said, even those with only one website will benefit from the features of shared hosting since Awardspace removes almost all caps on resource usage for their shared hosting users.
You can choose from 3 shared hosting plans. The option that is best for you depends on how many websites you want to host, as well as the number of monthly visits you’re expecting.
Regardless of which plan you choose, all shared hosting customers get a free SSL certificate to protect your site and improve your search engine rankings, as well as 24/7 customer support with a one-hour response time guarantee.
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.
Awardspace’s WordPress hosting plans are nearly identical (spec-wise) to their shared hosting plans. These plans do, however, come with a one-click WordPress installer, automatic WordPress core updates, and access to WordPress tutorials.
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.
Looking for a great hosting deal?
Get the best deal available on AwardSpace by using our new discount link . Includes a free domain, a website builder and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Awardspace Reviews by Our Community
Overall Rating from 32 Reviews by Awardspace Customers
| Support | |
|---|---|
| Quality | |
| Features | |
| Value |
Most Helpful Reviews
Tariqul Islam appz.ml
Aug 25, 2018
Tom Piper tom-piper.com
Feb 27, 2017
Let me start off by saying, if your on a budget, AwardSpace is the go to place for you. I’ve been with them for nearly a year now, and let me say, their pricing is fantastic! For only a few dollars you can get a years worth of hosting for Your Site, sounds good right?
Alright, the site loading speeds aren’t the fastest, and support isn’t as good as it can be, but for pure hosting they are great. Let me remind you again, instead of paying $5 monthly for hosting, you can get a years worth for $3 – looking for some Basic yet solid hosting, I really do recommend them. 🙂 I’m currently hosting two of my domains with them, along with unlimited subdomains and it does just what I want. I’m not in need of much power so it works great, I only host the occasional landing page or post.
Nelson Tinoco shuttlelaceibatoleon.com
Dec 16, 2016
I started with there free account, then there Basic plan and finally there Max pack plus. I paid 5 years in advance and do not regret it. I wish they had more user options but I understand from there point of view of security that they cannot activate certain features on shared hosting plans.
If they lower there prices for there vps service I will definitely stay with them after my plan expires. There tech support is excellent and they respond to your emails in less than an hour. Most issues have been me messing up or not understanding certain features but they are very pleasant and will walk you thru any issues you might have.
You get value for what you pay and there prices are fair. Uptime is 99% I have no complaints with there service. Give them a try.
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
Awardspace guarantees that they’ll have a response for you within one hour on paid plans.
If you run into any issues, the first place to start would be Awardspace’s robust FAQ page.
The FAQ features common issues with solutions.
These are organized by category, such as GDPR, Domain and Subdomain Management, and General Questions.
There’s also a knowledge base with more in-depth information.
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 website, 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.
000WebHost
000WebHost is another company offering 100% free web hosting. Unlike Awardspace, 000WebHost offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee (even to free users), and packages come with a free website builder and WordPress optimization
SiteGround
SiteGround isn’t free, but if you want a solid hosting provider that offers good service, this company is worth a look. I think their shared hosting plans are comparable to Awardspace’s, and I’ve heard good things from our readers that their customer service is excellent.
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).
Interested in AwardSpace?
Get the best deal available by using this discount link. Remember: you’ll get a free domain, a website builder and a 30-day money-back guarantee too.
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 30-day money-back guarantee, makes it possible for you to try it out before deciding.
Visit Awardspace.com now.
Edited by Frank Moraes.
Most Popular Awardspace Hosting Plans
| Free Shared Hosting | BASIC | WEB PRO PLUS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disk Space | 5GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bandwidth | 250MB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Price | $0 / mo (Billed as $2.99 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate. Usual price: – Get % off! | $2.99 / mo (Billed as $2.99 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate. Usual price: – Get % off! | $4.57 / mo (Billed as $2.99 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate. Usual price: – Get % off! |
| Visit Awardspace Now | Visit Awardspace Now | Visit Awardspace Now |
| Plan | Disk Space | Bandwidth | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAX PACK PLUS Shared | Unlimited | Unlimited | $5.83 / mo Visit Host Now |
| STARTER SEMI DEDICATED Shared | 30GB | 350GB | $14.99 / mo Visit Host Now |
| Starter VPS VPS | 15GB | 250GB | $16.50 / mo Visit Host Now |
| PRO SEMI DEDICATED Shared | 40GB | 700GB | $24.99 / mo Visit Host Now |
| Pro VPS VPS | 25GB | 500GB | $29.66 / mo Visit Host Now |
| ADVANCED SEMI DEDICATED Shared | 60GB | 1000GB | $35.99 / mo Visit Host Now |
| Advanced VPS VPS | 50GB | 1000GB | $58.29 / mo Visit Host Now |
DigitalOcean Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Awardspace provide a free domain name?
The following Awardspace plans come with a free domain name:
- The Web Pro Plus Plan
- The Max Pack Plus Plan
- All semi-dedicated plans
All other plans get a free subdomain (eg, example.awardspace.com) only.
- Can I use cPanel with Awardspace?No, Awardspace does not ship with a cPanel to manage your web hosting environment. The company provides their users with a control panel developed in-house.
- What is 000WebHost? Is it better than Awardspace?000WebHost is a competitor to Awardspace that offers customers a free web hosting option that’s comparable to what Awardspace offers. The plans are somewhat different (eg, they offer access to different website builders), but they are otherwise very similar.
- How do I install WordPress on my Awardspace?There are two ways to install WordPress onto your Awardspace hosting account. You can use the Zacky Installer, which will walk you through the WordPress installation process, or you can manually install WordPress by uploading the necessary files and setting up the required MySQL databases.
- Do they accept PayPal?Yes, Awardspace accepts PayPal.
- Does Awardspace offer a money-back guarantee?Yes, Awardspace offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you’re unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, simply cancel during this period and you’ll receive a full refund of all monies paid.
- Will Awardspace backup my website for free?Awardspace makes no mention of backups for users with the free plan, but the paid plans come with backups that occur at least weekly.
Most Popular Awardspace Alternatives
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I have been using awardspace for a long time. One major plus point that I will definitely mention is that they really have a good uptime record. Even with the free plan, the servers never went down.
They must have good backup plan and maintenance strategy. Awardspace doesn’t offer free SSL. But I think they could have integrated Let’s Encrypt’s free SSL for the users.
They could implement AutoSSL with Let’s Encrypt. They only offer paid SSL service, which is a bit expensive. Lots of features are disabled for the free users, i.e, .htaccess file generator, mod_rewrite, Firewall, Password protection, SSH manager etc.
One other issue is that they don’t use SSD for free/Basic plans. All of their plans have unlimited traffic and unlimited disk storage except the free plan. Control panel is highly customization which we don’t see often with other hosting providers.
Anyone can add widgets onto control panel. So, I would definitely suggest awardspace to both free and premium users.