03-17-2021, 01:20 PM
This has been a very interesting shared hosting account to review. I've had many years of experience with shared hosting accounts however this is the first time I've looked at a free cpanel hosting with softaculous with only 200 MB disk space and 200 MB bandwidth. What made me curious was to see how far the disk space and bandwidth would take me and this is how far I got with it until I hit limits on the disk space and I was no longer able to access the WP blog due to exceeding the 200 MB Bandwidth limit. A first for me for sure as by usual shared hosting spec standards, I'm a minimalist with using resources.
Here are the specs for the free Hostpoco Lifetime Hosting Account:
200MB Web Space
200MB Bandwidth
2 Email Accounts
2 Sub Domains
FREE Auto SSL
DDOS Protection
99.99% uptime
Softacolous Supported
Tier 1 Technical Support
Before I hit the bandwidth limit I did the following:
1. I wanted to give the cPanel that comes with the account a good workout. So instead of using Softaculous I installed the WordPress script manually by uploading the script with the File Manager. That went very well, however I noticed that it took much longer to upload than what my experience usually is with cpanel. Possibly because of it being monitored. This was clearly a sign of using a good chunck of bandwidth.
2. Next I noticed that although the specs say Auto SSL, the capability was there in cPanel with Let's Encrypt, but it was not enabled when the account was set up as my experience with cpanel accounts usually is. It was actually very easy though to do this by just clicking on the SSL tab in cPanel, and maybe two other clicks and the SSL was completed. The option for Wildcard was dimmed, however I could enable SSL for sub-domains and cpanel as well.
3. Next I created a mySQL database and noticed that the specs forgot to mention one is only allowed one mySQL database. It was a classic cpanel database with creating a user as well and connecting the database with the user. That went as fast as always and I don't think it used that much bandwidth.
4. Following this I was able to create the site the classic manual way with entering the URL of the primary domain and following the usual WP Blog Create steps. It went fast as usual and I doubt it used that much bandwidth.
5. Next I cleaned up the empty WordPress blog of its pages, posts and plugins. Then loaded the All in One WP Migration plugin as well as plug extension as well as the Classic Editor plugin. I don't think that took lots of bandwidth, as it went very fast as it usually does.
6. I then used the All in One WP Migration plugin to import an exting WordPress blog that I was going to edit down and create a new blog out of. I used it as a template. This must have taken a chunk of bandwidth as the import went much slower than it usually does in my experience. It was successfully imported though.
7. Next I edited the blog, deleted a bunch of pages and posts, edited the menu. Also updated all of the plugins in the imported blog. I then took a backup as well and that took longer than what is in my experience indicating it was eating away at bandwidth.
8. A little while after I went back to create two new blog posts. Then when I tried to make a backup of the site, as I usually do after a change like this, it hit the 200 MB disk space limit. I then remembered that when one downloads a backup, a copy is stored on the Website as well. Once I had deleted the backup, I was able to create a fresh download and updated backup again.
9. Next morning when I tried to get up the blog it came up with a notice that I had exceeded the bandwidth limit. So the above was the sum total of bandwidth and disk space it took to get to its limits.
So in retrospect this is indeed an entry level mini account meaning the expectation is to wet one's appetite for the next level of hosting, which I think is well worth it at only 1$ a month. The entry level mini account gave me ample opportunity to try the hosting out and all of it rocked - more about this later.
In the meanwhile, back to hitting the hard disk and bandwidth limits. If any one else is going to use the Free Lifetime Hosting to create a WP blog, here are some suggestions for saving on the resources.
1. Use Softaculous in cPanel to create the WP blog.
2. Uploading files, importing and exporting eat bandwidth and add disk space. Use this minimally.
3. You can only create one mySQL Database
4. Although you are allowed two free sub domains, I'd advise against using this option due to minimal resources.
5. Ditto e-mail accounts. I don't think there are enough resources for having a full all round hosting account.
I was very impressed with the all over service though. Imagine GENUINE cPanel like we know it in its best up to date form, together with an equally up to date Softaculous. But that is not the only gems I came across.
When one applies for the Free Lifetime Hosting, one has to open a client account first. The features in the client area of that account rock. Initially I was concerned as although I had received plenty of well written e-mails to confirm my application, the service application was stuck as "pending" in the Dashboard of my Account. It was very easy though to submit a ticket through the support options of the Client Account. Alternatively I could also have checked with "chat". HostPoco definitely gets a 10/10 for options for support. I went the ticket route. At the time I submitted the ticket I was wondering whether the fact that the service had not been activated yet had to do with the service not existing at all. But was impressed when I received a response to my ticket within a few hours. Turned out after a number of back and forth messages between HostPoco and me, HostPoco is a conservative and hands-on host. Although most of everything is automated as with all other hosts, they take a very careful approach to those who qualify for the free hosting account. Turned out that MasterPoco left a number of things out of the post where he advertised the Free Lifetime service. Such as a review that needs to be written. Once that had been straightened out however, to my surprise, but also great curiosity to try it out, I received this tiny quality free cpanel with softaculous hosting account. And a cpanel that turned out to be state of the art, up to date, real mcCoy product.
So far my account and service hasn't been down, except of course blocked due to hitting the bandwidth limit. So uptime sofar is 10/10. Support far exceeded my expectations. I for example checked in at HostPoco and used their chat (available to registered account users only), to ask them where they wanted a review published. It was a great experience with a real person instead of the feeling of dealing with an exhausted person who doesn't care. There were no gaps in time in between messages and I never had to wait in between. There are people who care at HostPoco for sure. I was provided with the following URL for the review. One of those review sites that vets the review before it is published:
https://hostadvice.com/hosting-company/h...o-reviews/
I also like Hostpoco’s knowledgebase with very useful articles about everything including a Demo for the free account. The person who set all of this up obviously is gifted with writing good materials as the e-mails of confirmation and information about the account and setup are all impeccably written with loads of info.
https://www.my.hostpoco.com/index.php?rp...eb-Hosting
So everything is true or exceeded my expectations. Uptime is genuine, pricing is genuine, it is genuinely user friendly with a state of the art cpanel and softaculous, support is more than excellent through their chat feature in addition to support through ticket. $1 for upgrading to unlimited hosting with Hostpoco would definitely be worth it for anyone considering a hosting account. More than worth it. I see it as a great deal! For now any way. But looks as though they've been around for a while now (since 2018)
These are the specs that come with the Hostpoco Shared Hosting Pro at 1$:
Double Domain Hosting
Unlimited Web Space
Unlimited Bandwidth
Unlimited Email Accounts
Unlimited Parked Domains
1 Addon Domains
4 MySQL Databases
Unlimited Sub Domains
FREE cPanel Control Panel
FREE PHP MyAdmin
FREE AwStats
FREE Auto SSL
FREE Virus Scanner
DDOS Protection
99.99% uptime
Softacolous Supported
Tier 2 Technical Support
Terms of Service (TOS)
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
Here are the specs for the free Hostpoco Lifetime Hosting Account:
200MB Web Space
200MB Bandwidth
2 Email Accounts
2 Sub Domains
FREE Auto SSL
DDOS Protection
99.99% uptime
Softacolous Supported
Tier 1 Technical Support
Before I hit the bandwidth limit I did the following:
1. I wanted to give the cPanel that comes with the account a good workout. So instead of using Softaculous I installed the WordPress script manually by uploading the script with the File Manager. That went very well, however I noticed that it took much longer to upload than what my experience usually is with cpanel. Possibly because of it being monitored. This was clearly a sign of using a good chunck of bandwidth.
2. Next I noticed that although the specs say Auto SSL, the capability was there in cPanel with Let's Encrypt, but it was not enabled when the account was set up as my experience with cpanel accounts usually is. It was actually very easy though to do this by just clicking on the SSL tab in cPanel, and maybe two other clicks and the SSL was completed. The option for Wildcard was dimmed, however I could enable SSL for sub-domains and cpanel as well.
3. Next I created a mySQL database and noticed that the specs forgot to mention one is only allowed one mySQL database. It was a classic cpanel database with creating a user as well and connecting the database with the user. That went as fast as always and I don't think it used that much bandwidth.
4. Following this I was able to create the site the classic manual way with entering the URL of the primary domain and following the usual WP Blog Create steps. It went fast as usual and I doubt it used that much bandwidth.
5. Next I cleaned up the empty WordPress blog of its pages, posts and plugins. Then loaded the All in One WP Migration plugin as well as plug extension as well as the Classic Editor plugin. I don't think that took lots of bandwidth, as it went very fast as it usually does.
6. I then used the All in One WP Migration plugin to import an exting WordPress blog that I was going to edit down and create a new blog out of. I used it as a template. This must have taken a chunk of bandwidth as the import went much slower than it usually does in my experience. It was successfully imported though.
7. Next I edited the blog, deleted a bunch of pages and posts, edited the menu. Also updated all of the plugins in the imported blog. I then took a backup as well and that took longer than what is in my experience indicating it was eating away at bandwidth.
8. A little while after I went back to create two new blog posts. Then when I tried to make a backup of the site, as I usually do after a change like this, it hit the 200 MB disk space limit. I then remembered that when one downloads a backup, a copy is stored on the Website as well. Once I had deleted the backup, I was able to create a fresh download and updated backup again.
9. Next morning when I tried to get up the blog it came up with a notice that I had exceeded the bandwidth limit. So the above was the sum total of bandwidth and disk space it took to get to its limits.
So in retrospect this is indeed an entry level mini account meaning the expectation is to wet one's appetite for the next level of hosting, which I think is well worth it at only 1$ a month. The entry level mini account gave me ample opportunity to try the hosting out and all of it rocked - more about this later.
In the meanwhile, back to hitting the hard disk and bandwidth limits. If any one else is going to use the Free Lifetime Hosting to create a WP blog, here are some suggestions for saving on the resources.
1. Use Softaculous in cPanel to create the WP blog.
2. Uploading files, importing and exporting eat bandwidth and add disk space. Use this minimally.
3. You can only create one mySQL Database
4. Although you are allowed two free sub domains, I'd advise against using this option due to minimal resources.
5. Ditto e-mail accounts. I don't think there are enough resources for having a full all round hosting account.
I was very impressed with the all over service though. Imagine GENUINE cPanel like we know it in its best up to date form, together with an equally up to date Softaculous. But that is not the only gems I came across.
When one applies for the Free Lifetime Hosting, one has to open a client account first. The features in the client area of that account rock. Initially I was concerned as although I had received plenty of well written e-mails to confirm my application, the service application was stuck as "pending" in the Dashboard of my Account. It was very easy though to submit a ticket through the support options of the Client Account. Alternatively I could also have checked with "chat". HostPoco definitely gets a 10/10 for options for support. I went the ticket route. At the time I submitted the ticket I was wondering whether the fact that the service had not been activated yet had to do with the service not existing at all. But was impressed when I received a response to my ticket within a few hours. Turned out after a number of back and forth messages between HostPoco and me, HostPoco is a conservative and hands-on host. Although most of everything is automated as with all other hosts, they take a very careful approach to those who qualify for the free hosting account. Turned out that MasterPoco left a number of things out of the post where he advertised the Free Lifetime service. Such as a review that needs to be written. Once that had been straightened out however, to my surprise, but also great curiosity to try it out, I received this tiny quality free cpanel with softaculous hosting account. And a cpanel that turned out to be state of the art, up to date, real mcCoy product.
So far my account and service hasn't been down, except of course blocked due to hitting the bandwidth limit. So uptime sofar is 10/10. Support far exceeded my expectations. I for example checked in at HostPoco and used their chat (available to registered account users only), to ask them where they wanted a review published. It was a great experience with a real person instead of the feeling of dealing with an exhausted person who doesn't care. There were no gaps in time in between messages and I never had to wait in between. There are people who care at HostPoco for sure. I was provided with the following URL for the review. One of those review sites that vets the review before it is published:
https://hostadvice.com/hosting-company/h...o-reviews/
I also like Hostpoco’s knowledgebase with very useful articles about everything including a Demo for the free account. The person who set all of this up obviously is gifted with writing good materials as the e-mails of confirmation and information about the account and setup are all impeccably written with loads of info.
https://www.my.hostpoco.com/index.php?rp...eb-Hosting
So everything is true or exceeded my expectations. Uptime is genuine, pricing is genuine, it is genuinely user friendly with a state of the art cpanel and softaculous, support is more than excellent through their chat feature in addition to support through ticket. $1 for upgrading to unlimited hosting with Hostpoco would definitely be worth it for anyone considering a hosting account. More than worth it. I see it as a great deal! For now any way. But looks as though they've been around for a while now (since 2018)
These are the specs that come with the Hostpoco Shared Hosting Pro at 1$:
Double Domain Hosting
Unlimited Web Space
Unlimited Bandwidth
Unlimited Email Accounts
Unlimited Parked Domains
1 Addon Domains
4 MySQL Databases
Unlimited Sub Domains
FREE cPanel Control Panel
FREE PHP MyAdmin
FREE AwStats
FREE Auto SSL
FREE Virus Scanner
DDOS Protection
99.99% uptime
Softacolous Supported
Tier 2 Technical Support
Terms of Service (TOS)
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)