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HostArmada Web Hosting

 & Gabriel Zamora Senior Writer, Software

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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HostArmada Web Hosting - HostArmada (Credit: HostArmada)
4.0 Excellent

The Bottom Line

Powered by NVMe-backed cloud hosting, HostArmada is a feature-rich web host with superb shared plans, an easy-to-use custom dashboard, and powerful site-building tools for bloggers and small businesses.

Pros & Cons

    • Excellent shared hosting plans
    • Speedy NVMe storage is included with all tiers
    • Useful custom dashboard
    • 24/7 tech support, with near-instant live chat response time
    • Free site migrations, daily backups, and malware scanning and removal
    • Lacks Windows servers
    • Cloud virtualization may not be suitable for some dedicated hosting purposes

HostArmada Specs

24/7 Customer Support
Cloud Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
Linux Servers
Reseller Hosting
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
WordPress Hosting

HostArmada is a fantastic web host for bloggers and small business owners seeking speed and security, without enterprise-class pricing. The cloud-based platform features NVMe drives across the board for faster performance and greater reliability than conventional servers, plus daily backups, malware removal, managed migrations, and 24/7 tech support—all terrific for growing businesses. HostArmada may lack Windows server support and has stricter storage and database size limits compared with rivals offering similar plans. Still, the service impressed me with its excellent share hosting packages that rank among the best I've seen in my years of testing. As a result, HostArmada joins HostGator as an Editors' Choice award winner for shared hosting.

Shared Hosting: Shrewd Pricing and NVMe Drives

Shared hosting is the most widely used hosting option. If you think of it in terms of a housing analogy, shared hosting places your site in a roommate situation with many other sites on a single server, so you split the server cost and the available resources (CPU, memory, storage, and network access). On the upside, it's the cheapest web hosting you can get. The downside? It's the least powerful.

(Credit: HostArmada/PCMag)

That said, HostArmada has three capable, Linux-powered shared hosting tiers. The entry-level plan, Start Dock (starting at $12.95 per month), is designed for a single site and provides 15GB of NVMe storage, two CPU cores, 2GB of RAM, and 15GB of monthly data transfers. Moving up the ladder, Web Warp (starting at $19.75 per month), supports unlimited websites and includes 30GB of NVMe storage, four CPU cores, 4GB of RAM, and 30GB of monthly data transfers. Finally, the Speed Reaper tier (starting at $23.05 per month) builds on Web Warp by leveraging speedy LiteSpeed web servers and provides 40GB of NVMe storage, six CPU cores, 6GB of RAM, and 40GB of monthly data transfers. Note that each shared plan can be purchased triennially, biannually, annually, or monthly, with savings for long commitments. Look out for sneaky web hosting fees, though.

I found HostArmada's plans impressive. In fact, it measures up well against HostGator, which shines with unlimited monthly data transfers across the board—ideal if you're working with large files. However, HostArmada bests it on price (it starts at $12.95 per month versus $17.59 per month) and fast NVMe storage with each plan (HostGator's only offers NVMe storage with its VPS and dedicated plans). Additionally, HostArmada is powered by a virtual cloud infrastructure with greater stability and faster data retrieval than conventional HDD and SSD servers.

VPS Hosting: Managed and Unmanaged Cloud Options

Virtual private server (VPS) hosting gives your site its own dedicated slice of a server's resources (though not as much as dedicated hosting; more on that in a bit). Once again using the housing analogy, think of VPS hosting as your own apartment in a building, with utilities that other tenants can't use. In other words, there's an isolated environment on the server that lets you run a wider range of applications than you could with shared hosting. Like its shared platforms, HostArmada’s VPS servers use cloud infrastructure, meaning your virtual server is hosted on a network of servers rather than a single machine, making it especially secure and reliable.

You can choose between HostArmada's Linux-powered, self-managed (also called unmanaged) VPS and its managed VPS. Self-managed plans don't include WHM/cPanel, meaning they are bare servers that you must configure and manage. This is an ideal solution for technically adept web admins who prioritize cost-effectiveness, absolute control, and performance. Managed VPS, on the other hand, means the server comes with a WHM/cPanel dashboard, and HostArmada's support handles server-side configuration and maintenance. This is ideal for novices who prefer a hands-off experience with helpful support (you can read about my interactions with HostArmada's customer service later in this review).

HostArmada has four self-managed VPS plans. Self-managed plans start at $9.89 per month and include 40GB of NVMe storage, one CPU core, 1GB of RAM, and 2TB of monthly data transfers. Its highest-tier plan, Ignition, features 320GB of NVMe storage, eight CPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 8TB of monthly data transfers for $50.88 per month.

(Credit: HostArmada/PCMag)

Managed VPS (which HostArmada confusingly refers to as Cloud VPS) is also available in four plans, which can be purchased monthly or quarterly. The entry-level web Shuttle plan (starting at $59.90 per month) features 50GB of NVMe storage, one CPU core, 2GB of RAM, and 2TB of monthly data transfers. The high-end Site Carrier tier (starting at $148.45 per month) has 320GB of NVMe storage, six CPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 8TB of monthly data transfers. Managed VPS plans include full root access and five cPanel accounts.

In examining their specs, I found HostArmada's VPS plans comparable to those of Hostwinds and Ionos, the Editors' Choice winners in the category. However, Hostwinds beats HostArmada by offering Linux and Windows server OS options, giving you more flexibility. Meanwhile, Ionos tops HostArmada with its wider plan ranges and prices–its VPS starts as low as $2 per month with a three-year term, which is a steal. It's the way to go if you want to move up from shared hosting without spending too much money.

Dedicated Hosting: Big Plans, Big Prices

A dedicated server gives you exclusive access to an entire server. This means all hardware resources—CPU, RAM, and storage—are 100% reserved for you. Unlike shared or VPS options, where resources are split, a dedicated server is like having a private home rather than just renting a room or apartment in a larger building.

HostArmada's dedicated options are managed cloud servers, unlike the bare-metal hardware previously described. Instead of a single physical server, HostArmada provides dedicated resources on a redundant cloud platform, meaning your data is synced across a high-speed SSD network. This delivers higher flexibility, scalability, and built-in redundancy than conventional dedicated servers. HostArmada has three dedicated server plans, all of which include managed support. And as with all dedicated servers, with great power comes great financial responsibility.

The "low end" Lift Off plan (starting at $163.90 per month) includes 160GB of NVMe storage, four AMD Epyc CPU cores, 8GB of RAM, and 5TB of monthly data transfers. Next up is Low Orbit (starting $229.90 per month), which features 320GB of NVMe storage, eight AMD Epyc CPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 6TB of monthly data transfers. The High Orbit plan (starting at $361.90 per month) has 640GB of NVMe storage, 16 AMD Epyc CPU cores, 32GB of RAM, and 7TB of monthly data transfers. Like its Cloud VPS plans, HostArmada lets you subscribe to a dedicated server on a monthly or quarterly basis.

These are very good plans, especially if you value redundancy. However, AccuWeb, our Editors' Choice for dedicated server hosting, tops HostArmada in a few areas. Firstly, AccuWeb offers Linux and Windows dedicated hosting, while HostArmada uses Linux exclusively. Secondly, AccuWeb is also much more customizable than HostArmada, with dozens of configurations, which I appreciate.

The last reason may be the most significant. HostArmada puts all its eggs in the virtual machine/virtualization basket, which may impede you from deploying Windows-specific applications, building custom hardware configurations, or running GPU-intensive tasks. AccuWeb, on the other hand, uses dedicated physical hardware, giving you full server control and the ability to custom-engineer security for unique compliance needs (like HIPAA).

WordPress Hosting: Shared Hosting With Plug-In Power

HostArmada's WordPress hosting options are identical to its shared hosting plans. The plans have different names (Launcher, Evolver, and Speed Reaper), but they are identical to the Start Dock, Web Warp, and Speed Reaper shared hosting packages, down to the features and pricing. WordPress hosting differs in that these plans come preinstalled with WordPress and are optimized for the CMS. I prefer these low-cost plans over HostArmada’s shared plans, as you can leverage WordPress's vast and useful theme and plug-in ecosystem.

When compared with Editors' Choice award-winning WordPress hosting choices like Bluehost and WP Engine, HostArmada finds a nice middle ground. Bluehost provides a more streamlined, beginner-friendly experience owing to its Wondersuite website creation tools. WP Engine is better suited for large, high-traffic businesses and agencies that need WordPress-specialized management. I like HostArmada's flexible WordPress hosting, but those two top dogs remain the WordPress hosting champs.

Reseller Hosting: Solid Plans for Starting a Business

If you want to turn selling web hosting into a business, many web hosting companies rent server resources to make that idea a reality. Enter reseller hosting. Essentially, you operate as a web hosting service without owning or managing the underlying physical server infrastructure.

(Credit: HostArmada/PCMag)

HostArmada offers four tiers of reseller hosting, providing a high-performance, white-label (no HostArmada branding) cloud environment for you to sell to clients. In a nice touch, all reseller plans use NVMe storage, LiteSpeed web servers, 30-day backups, free SSL certificates for all clients, malware scanning and removal, and firewalls for enhanced security. HostArmada sells these packages as monthly, semiannual, annual, and biannual cycles.

Plans start with the Sitedust package (starting at $29.65 per month per year), which includes 50GB of NVMe storage, 40 cPanel accounts, and 3GB of monthly data transfers. The highest tier, Site Nova (starting at $75.18 per month per year), has 200GB of NVMe storage, 150 cPanel accounts, and 12TB of monthly data.

In terms of specs, HostArmada is a high-quality reseller hosting server that sits just below Hostwinds, the category's Editors' Choice winner. While I dig HostArmada's LiteSpeed and NVMe storage combo, Hostwinds is a slightly better pick. It has unlimited storage and monthly data transfers, making scaling your business easier. Hostwinds also lets you sell everything in its catalog, including Windows VPS hosting, under the white-label reseller plans. It's a hair more flexible service.

Building a Website: Setup and cPanel

Building a site was simple in testing. HostArmada uses the industry-standard cPanel, which is integrated into an easy-to-read, custom dashboard. With it, I logged in to my hosting control panel, scrolled to the Software section, opened the Softaculous Apps installer, and found my target: WordPress. After choosing a domain, I installed the CMS and set my admin username.

While building my WordPress-powered test website, I appreciated that various plug-ins simplified server management tasks, including email management, domain and DNS configuration, and database administration. This streamlined approach lowers the technical barrier, making management more accessible to novices.

Cache Commander, another plug-in, let me manage and clear NGINX caching for my domains to improve website performance. And Ghost Commander worked with Ghost CMS as a one-click installer and management hub, allowing me to download Drupal, Joomla, Magento, PrestaShop, or other WordPress alternatives from the Softaculous store.

(Credit: HostArmada/PCMag)

The plug-ins are convenient but do not replace cPanel's core functionality. In fact, I see it as a "best of both worlds" approach. HostArmada doesn't reinvent the wheel with its proprietary backend; instead, it has a sleek, modernized dashboard with handy tools on top of cPanel. I didn't encounter a steep learning curve, which is common with DreamHost and other web hosts that use custom control panels.

Customer Support: Useful 24/7 Help

Support is available nearly instantly via 24/7 live chat, a ticket system, and phone support, so you can get help whenever a problem arises. I had no trouble contacting the team to correct some domain issues when setting up my account, and peppered the support team with questions about the many services and features during testing. Using HostArmada is a breeze, thanks to the ever-present support crew.

Dissatisfied with HostArmada? The host provides a 45-day money-back guarantee for reseller/shared/WordPress hosting services and a 7-day guarantee for VPS and dedicated servers.

Final Thoughts

HostArmada Web Hosting - HostArmada (Credit: HostArmada)

HostArmada Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Powered by NVMe-backed cloud hosting, HostArmada is a feature-rich web host with superb shared plans, an easy-to-use custom dashboard, and powerful site-building tools for bloggers and small businesses.

About Our Expert

Gabriel Zamora

Gabriel Zamora

Senior Writer, Software

In 2014, I began my career at PCMag as a freelancer. That blossomed into a full-time position in 2021, and I now review email marketing apps, mobile operating systems, web hosting services, streaming music platforms, and video games as a senior writer. I'm a graduate of Hunter College, a hard-core gamer, and an Apple enthusiast.

The Technology I Use

I play many video games in my spare time, especially on my gaming rig, which is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, and 16GB of RAM. The Nintendo Switch 2 also sees a lot of action thanks to its backward compatibility, but I'll also occasionally hop on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. 

I'm currently using an iPhone 15 Pro Max, coupled with the Apple AirPods Max that my brother gifted me for Christmas, to listen to music or podcasts on the go. That said, I always carry my iPad Mini with me. The tablet line has served as my faithful drawing canvas for years, and is the one piece of tech I upgrade whenever I can. Paired with an inexpensive Wacom Bamboo Duo stylus, I have a compact, reliable, and convenient doodling set to keep me busy during long commutes across the Big Apple.

Cooking is my dearest passion next to gaming, and I embrace any tech that makes modern cookery a little easier. I discovered the Paprika Recipe Manager during my stint as a chef at Google HQ and fell in love with its simple yet feature-packed toolset. It makes saving and editing online recipes a cinch, and having easy access to them on my phone is a tremendous convenience.

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