Top Web Hosting Companies, Acquisitions and Customer Service Reviews, 2024
Review the leading web hosting companies list for 2024, their recent acquisitions, and detailed customer service reviews. Stay informed on how these changes affect your hosting options.
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The Web Hosting Landscape Review for 2024
The web hosting industry has undergone significant consolidation over the past decade, with numerous acquisitions reshaping the landscape. Understanding these changes is helpful for web designers when choosing a reliable hosting provider.
This article highlights the top web hosting companies that have been acquired in the past 10 years, providing insights into their history, the entities that purchased them, and the impact of these acquisitions on the industry. Additionally, we will cover a number of notable independent hosting companies that have not been acquired.Most Recent Major Hosting Company Acquisitions
Endurance International Group (EIG) Acquisitions
EIG has been a significant player in the web hosting industry, acquiring numerous companies to expand its portfolio. Notable acquisitions include Bluehost, HostGator, and iPage. These acquisitions have allowed EIG to offer a wide range of hosting services, from budget-friendly options to more robust solutions for growing businesses.GoDaddy Acquisitions
GoDaddy, known for its aggressive marketing and extensive domain registration services, has also expanded its hosting capabilities through acquisitions. Key acquisitions include Media Temple, Host Europe Group, and Mad Mimi, enhancing GoDaddy’s ability to serve both small businesses and larger enterprises with high-performance hosting solutions.DigitalOcean’s Acquisition of Cloudways
In 2022, DigitalOcean acquired Cloudways, a managed cloud hosting platform. This acquisition allows DigitalOcean to offer more comprehensive cloud hosting solutions, catering to developers and businesses looking for scalable and efficient hosting options.Akamai’s Acquisition of Linode
In 2022, Akamai acquired Linode, a developer-focused cloud hosting provider. This acquisition aims to enhance Akamai’s edge computing capabilities and provide developers with more robust cloud hosting solutions.Table of Hosting Company Acquisitions and a Short List of Independent Hosts
This table also contains data on customer service reviews, specifically the number of 1 and 2-star reviews, to offer a more comprehensive view of customer satisfaction. Citations included at the end of this article as well.
Company Name | Website Address | Date Established | Date Sold | Company Who Purchased | Purchase Amount | General Comments | 1 and 2-Star Reviews |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Network Solutions | networksolutions.com | 1979 | 2011 | Web.com | $560 million | One of the oldest domain registrars and web hosting providers. | 43 |
1&1 Ionos | ionos.com | 1988 | N/A | N/A | N/A | One of the largest hosting companies. | 4,171 |
Liquid Web | liquidweb.com | 1997 | N/A | N/A | N/A | High-end hosting solutions. | 10 |
TVCNet | tvcnet.com | 1997 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Known for secure web hosting and WordPress management. | None Found |
Host Europe Group | hosteurope.com | 1997 | 2017 | GoDaddy | $1.79 billion | European hosting leader. | 447 |
Media Temple | mediatemple.net | 1998 | 2013 | GoDaddy | $94 million | High-performance hosting. | 16 |
iPage | ipage.com | 1998 | 2009 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Budget-friendly hosting. | 104 |
InterServer | interserver.net | 1999 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Affordable and reliable hosting. | 144 |
Web.com | web.com | 1999 | 2021 | Clearlake Capital Group | $2.2 billion | Major player in domain registration. | 3,827 |
Site5 | site5.com | 1999 | 2015 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Known for reseller hosting. | 8 |
Namecheap | namecheap.com | 2000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Popular for domain registration and hosting. | 1,420 |
InMotion Hosting | inmotionhosting.com | 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Employee-owned. | 5 |
A2 Hosting | a2hosting.com | 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Known for speed and performance. | 330 |
HostGator | hostgator.com | 2002 | 2012 | EIG | $225 million | Popular for shared hosting. | 720 |
Bluehost | bluehost.com | 2003 | 2011 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Known for WordPress hosting. | 2,000 |
Arvixe | arvixe.com | 2003 | 2014 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Offers a range of hosting services. | 99 |
Linode | linode.com | 2003 | 2022 | Akamai | $900 million | Developer-focused cloud hosting. | 20 |
A Small Orange | asmallorange.com | 2003 | 2012 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Boutique hosting provider. | None Found |
Hostinger | hostinger.com | 2004 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Affordable and reliable hosting. | 1,200 |
SiteGround | siteground.com | 2004 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Renowned for customer support. | 50 |
Pagely | pagely.com | 2006 | 2021 | GoDaddy | $100 million | Pioneered managed WordPress hosting. | None Found |
JustHost | justhost.com | 2008 | 2011 | EIG | $1.1 billion (EIG total) | Affordable hosting solutions. | 13 |
GreenGeeks | greengeeks.com | 2008 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Eco-friendly hosting. | 18 |
WP Engine | wpengine.com | 2010 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Managed WordPress hosting. | 25 |
Sucuri | sucuri.net | 2010 | 2017 | GoDaddy | Undisclosed | Website security and protection services. | 50 |
ManageWP | managewp.com | 2011 | 2016 | GoDaddy | $15 million | WordPress management tool. | None Found |
Cloudways | cloudways.com | 2012 | 2022 | DigitalOcean | $350 million | Managed cloud hosting platform. | 233 |
Flywheel | getflywheel.com | 2012 | 2019 | WP Engine | $150 million | Focuses on WordPress hosting. | 50 |
Kinsta | kinsta.com | 2013 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Premium WordPress hosting. | 10 |
Hosting Company Details
This section provides detailed information about each hosting company listed in the table above. It includes both companies that have been acquired and those that remain independent. Each entry provides a brief overview of the company, including its history, notable features, and customer service reviews.Network Solutions
- Website: networksolutions.com
- Date Established: 1979
- Date Sold: 2011
- Company Who Purchased: Web.com
- Purchase Amount: $560 million
- General Comments: One of the oldest domain registrars and web hosting providers.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 43 (Source: Trustpilot)
- Location: Herndon, Virginia, USA
1&1 Ionos
- Website: ionos.com
- Date Established: 1988
- General Comments: One of the largest hosting companies.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 4,171 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber)
- Location: Montabaur, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Liquid Web
- Website: liquidweb.com
- Date Established: 1997
- General Comments: High-end hosting solutions.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 10 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA
TVCNet
- Website: tvcnet.com
- Date Established: 1997
- General Comments: Known for secure web hosting and WordPress management.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: None Found
- Location: San Diego, California, USA
Host Europe Group
- Website: hosteurope.com
- Date Established: 1997
- Date Sold: 2017
- Company Who Purchased: GoDaddy
- Purchase Amount: $1.79 billion
- General Comments: European hosting leader.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 447 (Source: Trustpilot)
- Location: Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Media Temple
- Website: mediatemple.net
- Date Established: 1998
- Date Sold: 2013
- Company Who Purchased: GoDaddy
- Purchase Amount: $94 million
- General Comments: High-performance hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 16 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
iPage
- Website: ipage.com
- Date Established: 1998
- Date Sold: 2009
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Budget-friendly hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 104 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Burlington, Massachusetts, USA
InterServer
- Website: interserver.net
- Date Established: 1999
- General Comments: Affordable and reliable hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 144 (Source: Trustpilot, HostAdvice)
- Location: Secaucus, New Jersey, USA
Web.com
- Website: web.com
- Date Established: 1999
- Date Sold: 2021
- Company Who Purchased: Clearlake Capital Group
- Purchase Amount: $2.2 billion
- General Comments: Major player in domain registration.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 3,827 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Site5
- Website: site5.com
- Date Established: 1999
- Date Sold: 2015
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Known for reseller hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 8 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Namecheap
- Website: namecheap.com
- Date Established: 2000
- General Comments: Popular for domain registration and hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 1,420 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
InMotion Hosting
- Website: inmotionhosting.com
- Date Established: 2001
- General Comments: Employee-owned.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 5 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
A2 Hosting
- Website: a2hosting.com
- Date Established: 2001
- General Comments: Known for speed and performance.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 330 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
HostGator
- Website: hostgator.com
- Date Established: 2002
- Date Sold: 2012
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $225 million
- General Comments: Popular for shared hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 720 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Bluehost
- Website: bluehost.com
- Date Established: 2003
- Date Sold: 2011
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Known for WordPress hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 2,000 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Orem, Utah, USA
Arvixe
- Website: arvixe.com
- Date Established: 2003
- Date Sold: 2014
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Offers a range of hosting services.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 99 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Linode
- Website: linode.com
- Date Established: 2003
- Date Sold: 2022
- Company Who Purchased: Akamai
- Purchase Amount: $900 million
- General Comments: Developer-focused cloud hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 20 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
A Small Orange
- Website: asmallorange.com
- Date Established: 2003
- Date Sold: 2012
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Boutique hosting provider.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: None Found
- Location: Durham, North Carolina, USA
Hostinger
- Website: hostinger.com
- Date Established: 2004
- General Comments: Affordable and reliable hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 1,200 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Kaunas, Lithuania
SiteGround
- Website: siteground.com
- Date Established: 2004
- General Comments: Renowned for customer support.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 50 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Pagely
- Website: pagely.com
- Date Established: 2006
- Date Sold: 2021
- Company Who Purchased: GoDaddy
- Purchase Amount: $100 million
- General Comments: Pioneered managed WordPress hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: None Found
- Location: Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
JustHost
- Website: justhost.com
- Date Established: 2008
- Date Sold: 2011
- Company Who Purchased: EIG
- Purchase Amount: $1.1 billion (EIG total)
- General Comments: Affordable hosting solutions.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 13 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Orem, Utah, USA
GreenGeeks
- Website: greengeeks.com
- Date Established: 2008
- General Comments: Eco-friendly hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 18 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Agoura Hills, California, USA
WP Engine
- Website: wpengine.com
- Date Established: 2010
- General Comments: Managed WordPress hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 25 (Source: Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice)
- Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Cloudways
- Website: cloudways.com
- Date Established: 2012
- Date Sold: 2022
- Company Who Purchased: DigitalOcean
- Purchase Amount: $350 million
- General Comments: Managed cloud hosting platform.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 233 (Source: Trustpilot)
- Location: Mosta, Malta
Flywheel
- Website: getflywheel.com
- Date Established: 2012
- Date Sold: 2019
- Company Who Purchased: WP Engine
- Purchase Amount: $150 million
- General Comments: Focuses on WordPress hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 50 (Source: Trustpilot, HostAdvice)
- Location: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Kinsta
- Website: kinsta.com
- Date Established: 2013
- General Comments: Premium WordPress hosting.
- 1 or 2 Star Reviews: 10 (Source: Trustpilot)
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Impact of Acquisitions on the Industry
These acquisitions have significantly impacted the web hosting industry by:- Consolidation: The industry has seen a trend towards consolidation, with larger companies acquiring smaller ones to expand their market share and service offerings. This consolidation can lead to economies of scale, allowing larger companies to offer more competitive pricing and comprehensive service packages.
- Innovation: Acquisitions often bring together different technologies and expertise, leading to innovative hosting solutions and improved services for customers. For example, the acquisition of Cloudways by DigitalOcean has allowed for the integration of managed cloud hosting with scalable and more efficient cloud infrastructure.
- Competition: The consolidation has increased competition among the remaining independent hosting providers, driving them to enhance their services and customer support to remain competitive. This competition benefits customers as companies strive to offer better performance, reliability, and customer service.
- Market Dynamics: The market dynamics have shifted, with a few large players dominating the industry. This can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. On the positive side, larger companies can invest more in infrastructure and security. On the negative side, it can reduce the diversity of available options for customers.
In Summary
The past decade has been transformative for the web hosting industry, with numerous acquisitions reshaping the hosting landscape. These acquisitions have not only consolidated the market but also driven innovation and competition, ultimately benefiting customers with better and more diverse hosting options. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these changes influence the future of web hosting. For web designers, understanding these dynamics is crucial in making informed decisions about where to host their websites. Feel free to provide any additional information or preferences, and I’ll adjust the article accordingly.![2024 Web Hosting Landscape Analysis 2024 Web Hosting Landscape](https://blog.tvcnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-Web-Hosting-Landscape-2.png)
Citations
- Trustpilot. Network Solutions Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber. 1&1 Ionos Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Liquid Web Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot. Host Europe Group Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Media Temple Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. iPage Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. InterServer Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Web.com Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Site5 Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Namecheap Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. InMotion Hosting Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. A2 Hosting Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. HostGator Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Bluehost Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Arvixe Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Linode Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. Hostinger Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. SiteGround Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot. Sucuri Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. WP Engine Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot, Sitejabber, HostAdvice. GreenGeeks Reviews, Sitejabber Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot. Cloudways Reviews.
- Trustpilot, HostAdvice. Flywheel Reviews, HostAdvice Reviews.
- Trustpilot. Kinsta Reviews.