This site is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison features to consumers. To keep such resource 100% free for consumers, Consumer-Rankings.com receives advertising compensation from the companies listed on this page. Such compensation impacts the location and order in which such companies appear on this page.
In addition, the factors listed below
impact Our Ratings on this page.
PureHost Overview
An initial look at PureHost’s website reveals it to be professional, clean and easy to navigate. Just from the first look, it seems that business is the concern, which isn’t a bad thing, but it leaves the user with a sense of getting exactly and only what they are paying for with very little effort in presenting something to set it apart from similar services. In its simplicity, PureHost may have forgotten to look for something that will make it unique as compared to other hosting companies.
Ease of Use
Using the PureHost system is effortless. The website itself, as mentioned above, is flawlessly designed for maximum efficiency, making it very simple to see where certain functions and capabilities reside. There are a few links that go back to the home page when they clearly imply that they’ll provide extra information, but that doesn’t distract from the otherwise excellent design. The backend is a pretty standard layout that can be easily used and even contains a pretty respectable suite of advanced features for skilled webmasters.
Features
PureHost does attempt to showcase a few unique features, but they come off as poorly executed due to non-competitive pricing or lack of focus. There are three ShopSite plans that come with hosting – one for free and two for an additional monthly fee – but none are mentioned outside of of the features list, and it’s baffling why a more detailed look wouldn’t be offered. The same goes for the newsletter manager, which is incredibly useful and could be a great asset.
There is also an affiliate program that gives users bonuses for bringing in referrals. On one hand, this is an excellent idea, since it both shows confidence in their service and rewards customers when they get new sign ups. On the other hand, it feels like employing paying customers for advertising with no overhead. Beyond that, there is the standard suite of features, including a number of email addresses, free domain registration and a decent amount of storage and bandwidth.
Customer Support
The support at PureHost is excellent, and it’s very clear that the company has put a lot of work into training their people and building an effective team. It is possible to contact the company through phone, live chat or email. PureHost also totes a well-stocked Knowledgebase with helpful articles for common problems. The sales and support numbers are different, making it easier for people to reach support when they need it. PureHost’s support staff is available 24/7 and are among some of the most professional and knowledgeable around. There is a sense that they aren’t reading from scripts but actually know what they’re doing. Not to mention responses are quick at most times of the day and night, an obvious advantage when a user has a problem that needs to be solved immediately.
Pricing
This is the place where PureHost could be doing a lot more but doesn’t seem able to approach their own service properly. PureHost has one plan that comes with 2 GB of storage, 50GB of bandwidth, 200 mailboxes, unlimited email forwarding, 10 subdomains, and both Google and Bing credits. This also comes with ShopSite Starter, though if a user wants ShopSite Manager or ShopSite Pro, it will cost an additional $25 and $50 respectively. It also comes with a newsletter manager to make it easier to store opt-in emails and send out a regular blast to subscribers, which is a great thing for any business.
The problem becomes that the best features are hidden on the page and tough to find, which makes it difficult to reconcile a $19.95 monthly base price. For a business selling stuff online, the extra ShopSite upgrades may be worth it, but it all comes off as too expensive since unlimited storage and bandwidth can be gotten with the same ShopSite plan for a fraction of that price elsewhere. The hardware is quality and very quick, but not that much quicker to justify what’s being charged.
The Good
PureHost provides a number of great features and some that are truly unique and useful.
Customer service is excellent.
The Bad
It isn’t very good at showing why it stands out from similar hosting companies
And The Ugly
There isn’t a clear case to be made whether the value matches the price.