InterServer Review 2024

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.

What we like about 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.

What fell flat

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

Compare InterServer Alternatives

InterServer is a fine host, but it may not be the best for you because of its poor support and lack of recent updates. Other providers offer more cutting-edge tech and stronger, more knowledgeable customer care agents at the same price point.

Check out our favorite web hosting providers or see how InterServer compares to some top contenders in the table below.

How We Reviewed 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 say InterServer’s a solid, trustworthy hosting company–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.

Learn more about our review methodology.