Contabo In 2020: What Do Contabo Client Reviews Say?
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Our Verdict: #1 for Colocation
Contabo offers web hosting with dedicated servers, colocation, and VPS hosting plans. Their datacenters are located in Germany and they offer both Windows and Linux servers.
Use any of our special Contabo discount links on this page and get hosting starting at €2.99 per month.
Pros:
- One of few web hosts to offer colocation services
- Easy scaling
- Wide range of products
Cons:
- Can’t purchase domains without hosting
Read reviews from Contabo customers and, if they’re not right for you, check out our best web hosts page to find a good alternative.
Is Contabo the Perfect Host for Your Website?
Contabo is a web hosting provider that offers attractive packages and low prices. Along with its shared, VPS, dedicated, and colocation hosting services, Contabo focuses on meeting clients’ expectations with quality customer support.
In 2003, Michael Herpick and Michael Bölke founded a German-based web hosting company called Giga-International.
Since then, the company has grown to boast two data centers (one in Munich and one in Nuremberg) and has been rebranded as Contabo.
Following Contabo’s expansion with a second datacenter, it also provides colocation hosting. To find out more about what’s on offer, dig into our Contabo review below.
Services and Specializations
Contabo offers several hosting packages designed to meet the needs of websites both big and small.
Contabo Dedicated Servers
Contabo offers three dedicated server options from which you can choose.
Dedicated servers can be customized prior to ordering, with basic specifications listed on the order page. Both Linux and Windows operating systems are available with RAID storage as standard, and all users benefit from root access.
VPS Hosting
There are two types of VPS hosting: one type offers traditional hard disk with SSD boost, while the other offers SSD drives strictly. The conventional hard disk option gets you a lot of storage space at a budget-friendly price, and the SSD boost gets you faster read and write speeds.
You’ll also have to choose your specific plan, and the option that’s best for you depends on the amount of CPU cores, RAM, storage space, and bandwidth you need for your site.
What Do All Contabo VPS Plans Include?
Regardless of which disk storage option you choose, you can run either Linux or Windows on your VPS environment.
All plans come with:
- Root access
- Web interface reboot capability
- Access to OS installation and management
- VNC access
- 1 dedicated IP address
- DNS management
- Unlimited number of domains
Webspace Packages
Shared hosting is available from Contabo, under the name of webspace packages.
Disk space, MySQL databases, and email addresses are limited, but not to a degree that most clients should hit these limits.
Webspace packages also support the use of SSL certificates, PHP, WordPress, Joomla, Typo3, and Magento, and there’s a one-click installer featuring 300+ web applications. You’ll also receive protection against DDoS attacks.
Colocation Services
Contabo’s colocation services are an option for those who own their own servers but still need a physical location to host them.
By doing this, Contabo will be responsible for making sure that your server stays running – they secure the facility and confirm that it remains available and connected to the internet.
Colocation packages are scalable. Colocation plans can be tailored online, while cost and pricing terms are updated on the go. Users can even choose their billing structure for power at the point of order by:
- Fixed price per month for average usage
- Priced by kWh
- Priced per 16A outlet
Contabo Features
In addition to web hosting, Contabo offers the following website-related features.
Webmaster Features
Are you a webmaster or aspiring to be one? The following Contabo features will be of interest to you.
Domain Names
Contabo is a domain name registrar, so you can register a new domain name or transfer an existing domain name to the company (though you must be a Contabo customer to take advantage of the company’s domain name services). Currently, Contabo offers over 300 domain extensions.
All domains registered with Contabo come with a customer control panel that makes it simple for you to create and update your different DNS records with ease.
Security Features
To keep your site safe and secure, Contabo offers you the following security features.
Backups
Contabo offers a backup add-on that gives users the ability to save encrypted backups via FTP. There’s also another service, 100% Auto Backup, that provides automatic and regular backups for the entire contents of a web hosting account.
With this add-on, backups are taken daily, weekly, and monthly. In order to retrieve a backup, clients have to contact support to request the files.
There does not appear to be a free backup solution included with any plan.
Interested in Contabo?
Get a hosting plan at a discounted price by using this special link. This deal includes a free website builder.
Contabo Reviews by Our Community
Overall Rating from 5 Reviews by Contabo Customers
| Support | |
|---|---|
| Quality | |
| Features | |
| Value |
Most Helpful Reviews
Han Van kamerhurenamsterdam.net
May 28, 2018
chandra kant paxventure.com
May 20, 2018
Please please please avoid contabo just the money eater company. I have Worst experience with contabo. I am using contabo services after impressive advice and reviews of the user but i realized may be it was paid review.
I purchased VPS and after a month contabo start showing real face. VPS is down and since no chat option for support they will reply after 8-12 hrs. some times no any reply.
SO definately one can not wait for the reply. I just used to restart the vps. It started happening on daily basis i have to write email about the vps down and since no reply after restart they coming with story see vps is working why you restarted we do not have any logs and bla bla… Advice: please please please do not go for contabo.
AZAHAR AHMED azahar.in
Jan 23, 2018
At first, I used them for development projects; now I have live websites and projects hosted by them. Support via email can be a little slow, but I have never had an actual issue to report to them about the operation of my machines. I’ve never needed technical support from them because things Just work. 🙂
Infrastructure
Contabo offers lots of information about its infrastructure, so how firm does the company stand?
Where Are Contabo’s Datacenters Located?
Contabo won the German Data Center Award in both 2017 and 2018.
It has servers in two datacenters in Germany, which also serve as its headquarters and offices.
Contabo has been at its Munich datacenter since 2009. It provides 300 square meters of space, with a capacity for 4,000 Contabo servers.
Contabo also has its own datacenter in Nuremberg, which offers additional capacity for servers and the ability to offer colocation services to its clients.
The Nuremberg facility provides a 1,700 square meter data hall with the capacity for 10,000 servers, as well as 700 square meters dedicated to office space.
Hardware Security
These two facilities are geographically separate and benefit from different power suppliers, meaning that it’s less likely that a provider outage could take out both facilities at once.
Both have n+1 cooling and climate cabinets and make use of free cooling technology. They are carrier-neutral, with multiple fiber connections coming into the facility and multiple 10 Gigabit uplinks providing plenty of capacity.
Power is supplied via an on-site substation and is backed up with multiple uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Staff are present 24/7, and all sites are secured via:
- ID cards
- Alarms
- Security cameras
- Fire detection and suppression
- Individually lockable racks
Billing And Guarantees
It is good to know your data is left in safe hands – let’s see how Contabo fares with their backup and guarantee features in place.
Billing and Payment
Payment is accepted via bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, and Western Union. Payments can be initiated via the user control panel once you have your login details from Contabo.
Uptime Guarantee
Contabo does not appear to offer an uptime guarantee on its web hosting plans.
Support and Customer Service
Contabo provides telephone support from 8 am to 11 pm in its local time zone (UTC+2) 365 days a year. It also offers support via email, although it’s not specific about the opening and response times.
Self-Help Resources
For those who are interested in self-help resources, the company provides an online FAQ and free tutorials on server management.
The FAQ page is divided into the following categories:
- General Questions
- Web Hosting Package-Specific Questions
- Server-Specific Questions
- Colocation and Bandwidth-Specific Questions
- IPv6-Specific Questions
Tutorials
The tutorials are ideal for users who are new to managing their own server and will be useful for anyone who isn’t a trained system administrator. Those who are advanced users will still find these resources useful as a refresher.
The topics you’ll find include how to manage your server’s operating system updates, troubleshoot connection issues, configure additional IP addresses, and more.
Server Status
You can check the status of Contabo at any time by visiting http://contabo-status.com/.
Pros and Cons
Now that we have taken a close look at all that is offered by Contabo, what are the pros and cons of this web hosting company?
Pros
- Contabo offers a wide range of hosting plans that are capable of meeting the needs of a variety of users
- Easy up and down-scaling
- Contabo is one of the few web hosts that offers colocation services
Cons
- Domain name services are only available to those who have purchased web hosting services from Contabo
Interested in Contabo?
Get a hosting plan today at a discounted price by using this special link. This deal includes a free website builder.
Summary
Contabo is a professional host that has particular appeal for customers in Germany and central Europe. The fact that it owns and operates its own datacenters will be a plus for customers that want solid, long-term service and fast response to technical problems.
Although its facilities are staffed around the clock, it appears that support isn’t provided overnight, which is the one area we would highlight for improvement.
In all other respects, Contabo has a strong legacy and a comprehensive set of hosting plans.
If you’re interested in the products offered by Contabo, but the company isn’t the right one for you, you might consider some of the popular alternatives above.
Other Alternatives
The following hosts are worth considering as well:
- If you want premium web hosting options, and you also want managed services to help you with things like setup, configuration, and server system administration, consider Liquid Web. Liquid Web’s prices on VPS hosting and dedicated servers are more expensive than Contabo’s, but you get much more in terms of professional assistance.
- If you want a great entry-level host offering solid shared hosting plans, consider SiteGround. It isn’t the fastest host around, but SiteGround offers good customer service and fair pricing.
- For an option that’s in-between these two, consider A2 Hosting. The company offers a range of plans at all price points, and the features offered lie somewhere in between a wholly DIY option and a managed option. A2 Hosting is also one of the fastest shared hosting options around, and the customer support offered by the company is excellent.
Most Popular Contabo Hosting Plans
| Webspace M | Dedicated Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Disk Space | 50GB | 2TB |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Price | $3.35 / mo (Billed as $3.35 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! | $53.60 / mo (Billed as $3.35 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 Contabo Now | Visit Contabo Now |
Contabo Frequently Asked Questions
Most Popular Contabo Alternatives
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(Billed as $3.35 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.
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per month
(Billed as $3.35 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.
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Starts at:
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per month
(Billed as $3.35 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.
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I tried changing VPS and they left me in the cold without my websites asking to transfer 100 euro to one of their bank accounts before they would help while they promised all my websites would be back on the new server. horrible! it is strange because they have a good product. But that’s not enough.