10 Worst Web Hosting Providers

There are so many web hosting providers out there, it can be very hard to decide which one to choose. Many of them have the same offerings for similar prices, so the best way to choose is to find reviews of the providers to see what other customers say. This is a list of the Web hosting providers you should avoid according to About.com Web Design / HTML customers. These have not been reviewed by About.com and if you disagree, please consider submitting your own review. Last updated March 23, 2011.

1. Hit Web Design

Hit Web Design is also known as Heritage Web. They offer web design services as well as web hosting. And I have yet to receive a review higher than 1-star. I have read comments like "a complete scam", "took my money and ran", and "they will say anything to make a sale." They are most definitely a hosting provider to avoid. Review Hit Web Design

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2. Webserve or WebServe Canada

WebServe Canada consistently gets 1 star reviews from customers. So far, 5 people have reviewed the service and none of them have found anything particularly good about them. Comments like "This host is toxic!" and "he hosting service they provided in the last 2 years is totally useless" and "Avoid this company at all costs" make me want to do exactly that - avoid at all costs. If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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3. OnSmart

OnSmart is another hosting provider that consistently gets 1 star reviews, so far from 3 people. They say things like "Under no circumstances should anyone be doing business with these folks, They seem to have disappeared" and "Our email is now down again for the 4th time, with absolutely NO RESPONSE from onsmart.net". Response to problems is a very important part of most hosting company reviews. In fact, in my own experience, I'm much more willing to forgive the company if they respond quickly - even if the problems happen somewhat frequently. If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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4. PowWeb

PowWeb got an average of 1.5 stars from 3 customer reviews. They aren't the best hosting provider out there, and they may have somewhat deceptive licenses that make it hard to cancel if you dislike their services. If you've had a different experience with PowWeb, why not submit your own review.

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5. IPower

Out of 9 reviews, IPower has received a 1.6 star rating, which is low for the number of reviews. In fact, I would have ranked it the worst, because so many people dislike it, but then I got a 5 star review, which brought it's overall ranking up slightly. This is not a good Web hosting choice, as the readers attest: "If you want to hate your host, and want HORRIBLE customer service, go with Ipower.com" and "Need assistance from iPower?? Grab a book and some valium. Its going to be a long trip to the abyss." The biggest problem seems to be their customer support. But then again it may be because things are breaking a lot, so people need to contact the unresponsive support. If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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6. StartLogic

StartLogic gets an average of 1.8 stars from 4 reviews. Customers report: "erratic page load times; web server and email server down for over 6 hours" and "The service that they provide is very bad. I signed up one day and left the next" and "Server security is flawed, P/W was compromised. Porn/virus placed on the server." Security on a Web hosting provider is very important. Except for colocation hosting, if a hosting provider has a security breach you should avoid them (colocation security may be handled by the individual clients and so may not reflect the security of the hosting service). If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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7. Heart Internet

Heart Internet got an average 2 stars from 3 reviews. It's not as bad as the above hosts, but still a service to avoid or evaluate with prejudice. Customers say: "The most awful customer service I have ever experienced. Avoid!!!" If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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8. MD WebHosting

MD WebHosting got an average of 3 stars from 2 reviews. This isn't a lot of reviews, but they seem to be fairly average in terms of support and services. They aren't the best hosting provider, but they might be okay for you. If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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9. vistaPages

vistaPages gets an average 3.1 stars from 5 customer reviews. While this is a fairly average rating, you should still think carefully before choosing this host. Some comments from customers "pound for pound you get the same anywhere else and I can't expect more for $5 per mo" and "Web servers often down, very slow response times on websites. Rude tech support." If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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10. Vodahost

Vodahost is another Web hosting provider that I would evaluate with prejudice. It's gotten an average of 3.5 stars from 5 reviews. And customers say: "No service. Fraudulent billing, Rude staff and emails. Billing department incompetant." If you've had a different experience, why not let us know.

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