Hostnet Review 2026: Honest Opinion & Experience
Hostnet review: the established Dutch hosting veteran
Hostnet is one of the longest-running web hosting providers in the Netherlands. Since 1999, they have been offering hosting, domain names, and email to thousands of customers. In this comprehensive review, we examine whether Hostnet is still a good choice in today's hosting market.
About Hostnet
Hostnet is a Dutch hosting company with more than 25 years of experience. They focus mainly on SMBs and individuals looking for reliable hosting without technical complexity.
Key facts:
- Founded in 1999
- Fully Dutch company
- Focus on reliability and service
- Over 25 years of experience
- Phone support available
- 30-day money-back guarantee
The company has built a solid reputation over the years, especially in customer service. With a Trustpilot score of 4.7/5 based on more than 2,200 reviews, Hostnet is among the highest-rated providers in the Netherlands.
Packages and pricing
Hostnet offers four web hosting packages, each designed for different needs.
Lite - €4.99/month (promotional price)
The entry package for simple websites.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage | 25 GB SSD |
| Databases | 5 |
| Email accounts | 5 |
| SSL | Free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Backups | Automatic |
| Support | 7 days a week |
Regular price: €9.99/month
Suitable for: Personal websites, small blogs, starting entrepreneurs
Core - €4.99/month (promotional price)
A step up with more space and possibilities.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage | 50 GB SSD |
| Databases | 50 |
| Email accounts | 50 |
| SSL | Free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Backups | Automatic + manual |
| Support | 7 days a week |
Regular price: €13.99/month
Suitable for: Growing websites, small businesses, multiple email users
Boost - €4.99/month (promotional price) ⭐ Popular
The most chosen package with the best value for money.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage | 100 GB SSD |
| Databases | 75 |
| Email accounts | 100 |
| SSL | Free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Backups | Automatic + manual |
| Support | 7 days a week |
Regular price: €16.99/month
Suitable for: Business websites, small webshops, larger organizations
Power - €14.99/month (promotional price)
The most comprehensive package for demanding users.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage | 200 GB SSD |
| Databases | 100 |
| Email accounts | 200 |
| SSL | Free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Backups | Automatic + manual |
| Support | 7 days a week |
Regular price: €22.99/month
Suitable for: Large websites, high-traffic webshops, companies with many employees
Hostnet features
WordPress hosting
Hostnet offers special WordPress functionality:
- One-click WordPress installation
- Automatic WordPress updates (optional)
- Optimized server settings
- Staging environment (on higher packages)
Security
Hostnet takes security seriously:
- Free SSL: Let's Encrypt wildcard certificates
- Malware protection: Automatic scans and removal
- DDoS protection: Basic protection included
- Backups: Daily automatic backups
- SSH/SFTP: Secure access to your files
Email functionality
Email is a strong point of Hostnet:
- Professional email with your own domain name
- Webmail interface
- IMAP/POP3 and SMTP
- Spam and virus filtering
- Outlook and mobile synchronization
Technical specifications
- PHP versions: 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
- MySQL databases: Depends on package
- SSD storage: Fast solid-state drives
- Cronjobs: Scheduled tasks possible
- .htaccess: Full control
Strengths of Hostnet
1. Excellent customer service
This is where Hostnet truly excels. With a 4.7/5 on Trustpilot and thousands of positive reviews, the support is legendary:
- Phone support: Unlike many competitors, you can call Hostnet
- 7 days a week: Also available on weekends
- Dutch employees: No call center abroad
- Short wait times: Usually helped within minutes
- Proactive: Staff actively think along
Reviews show that customers are repeatedly surprised by the service. Staff go beyond solving the immediate problem and also give tips to save costs.
2. Long track record
With more than 25 years of experience, Hostnet is one of the oldest Dutch providers. This means:
- Proven reliability
- Stable infrastructure
- Experienced technical team
- No startup risks
3. Reliable uptime
Hostnet has a solid track record in terms of uptime. Although they don't communicate a specific percentage, users report little to no downtime.
4. Easy to use
Hostnet's control panel is clear and beginner-friendly:
- Clear menu structure
- One-click installers
- Well-documented knowledge base
- Video tutorials available
5. Flexible payment options
Hostnet offers various payment methods:
- iDEAL
- Credit card
- Direct debit
- PayPal
6. 30-day money-back guarantee
Not satisfied? You get your money back within 30 days, no questions asked.
7. Free SSL certificates
All packages include free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates, including wildcard support for subdomains.
Weaknesses of Hostnet
1. Higher prices than competitors
This is the main disadvantage of Hostnet. After the promotional period, you pay:
- Lite: €9.99/month
- Core: €13.99/month
- Boost: €16.99/month
- Power: €22.99/month
Compared to competitors like Vimexx or Antagonist, this is on the high side for comparable specifications.
2. No LiteSpeed servers
Unlike modern competitors, Hostnet doesn't use LiteSpeed web servers. This means:
- Less speed optimization for PHP
- No built-in LiteSpeed Cache
- Standard Apache/Nginx setup
For the average website, this makes little difference, but for high-performance sites, it's a disadvantage.
3. Limited Lite package
The cheapest package is quite limited:
- Only 5 databases
- Only 5 email accounts
- 25 GB storage
For serious projects, you need at least Core or Boost.
4. Less innovative
Hostnet focuses on reliability over innovation. As a result, they miss some modern features:
- No Redis caching
- No Node.js/Python support on shared hosting
- No Git deployment integration
5. Promotional price misleading
The prominent €4.99/month price only applies to the first period. The actual monthly price is 2-4x higher, which can cause surprises.
Customer service experience
Hostnet scores an impressive 4.7 on Trustpilot based on 2,261 reviews. This makes them one of the highest-rated hosting providers in the Netherlands.
What customers appreciate:
- Extremely fast response via chat and phone
- Knowledgeable staff who really help
- Proactive attitude and thinking along
- Personal approach
- Problems are thoroughly resolved
Criticism:
- Sometimes longer wait times during peak hours
- Occasionally difficulty with complex technical questions
- Cancellation procedure could be more streamlined
With 87% 5-star reviews, satisfaction is overwhelmingly positive.
Speed and performance
We tested Hostnet with a standard WordPress installation:
| Test | Result | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Time to First Byte (TTFB) | 220ms | Average |
| Homepage load time | 1.6 sec | Average |
| Largest Contentful Paint | 2.2 sec | Average |
| PageSpeed score (mobile) | 78/100 | Sufficient |
| PageSpeed score (desktop) | 88/100 | Good |
Hostnet's performance is solid but not exceptional. With good caching plugins, you can achieve decent results, but you miss the extra boost that LiteSpeed servers provide.
Comparison with competitors
| Provider | TTFB | PageSpeed |
|---|---|---|
| Hostnet | 220ms | 78/100 |
| Antagonist | 180ms | 85/100 |
| TransIP | 195ms | 82/100 |
| Vimexx | 210ms | 80/100 |
Hostnet scores slightly lower on pure speed, but the difference is not noticeable for most websites.
Control panel and ease of use
Hostnet uses its own control panel specifically designed for their services:
Advantages:
- Clear and intuitive
- Dutch interface
- Well integrated with all Hostnet services
- Simple domain and email management
- One-click installers for popular CMSs
Disadvantages:
- Different from standard cPanel/Plesk
- Some advanced options limited
- Less flexibility for developers
For the average user, Hostnet's control panel is fine. Developers who want full control may prefer a standard cPanel.
Who is Hostnet suitable for?
Ideal for:
- Non-technical users: Excellent support helps you through any problem
- Businesses that value service: Phone support and personal attention
- Those seeking reliability: 25+ years of experience speaks for itself
- Beginners: Easy to use, good documentation
- Dutch customers: Fully Dutch-language service
Less suitable for:
- Budget-conscious users: Relatively expensive after promotional period
- Developers: Missing modern features like Node.js, Redis, Git
- Performance enthusiasts: No LiteSpeed, less optimization
- Large webshops: VPS or dedicated better for high-traffic
Alternatives to Hostnet
| Provider | Starting price | USP | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransIP | €4.99/month | Own platform | Read review |
| Antagonist | €5.55/month | LiteSpeed + Redis | Read review |
| Vimexx | €2.99/month | Budget friendly | Read review |
| Versio | €3.95/month | Cheap | Read review |
Also check our comprehensive comparison to see providers side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hostnet reliable?
Yes, very. With 25+ years of experience and a 4.7/5 Trustpilot score, Hostnet is one of the most reliable providers in the Netherlands.
Can I contact Hostnet by phone?
Yes, Hostnet offers phone support, which is unique in the Dutch hosting market. You can reach them 7 days a week.
What does Hostnet cost after the promotional period?
Regular prices range from €9.99/month (Lite) to €22.99/month (Power). Expect a doubling to quadrupling compared to the promotional price.
Does Hostnet offer WordPress hosting?
Yes, all packages support WordPress with one-click installation. There are no separate WordPress-specific packages, but standard hosting works fine.
Is Hostnet suitable for webshops?
Yes, for small to medium webshops, the Boost and Power packages are suitable. For large webshops with heavy traffic, a VPS is recommended.
Does Hostnet have a money-back guarantee?
Yes, 30 days money-back guarantee. You can cancel your subscription without giving a reason.
How does Hostnet compare to Antagonist?
Hostnet excels in service and reliability, while Antagonist focuses on speed and modern features. Hostnet is more expensive but has phone support. See our comparison.
Our verdict
Hostnet earns an 8.0/10. It's an excellent choice for those who value customer service above all else and are willing to pay a bit more for it.
Strengths summarized:
- Legendary customer service with phone support
- 25+ years of proven reliability
- Easy to use for beginners
- Fully Dutch support
Key considerations:
- Higher prices than competitors after promotional period
- Missing modern features like LiteSpeed and Redis
- Less suitable for developers
The premium you pay for Hostnet is mainly an investment in peace of mind and service. If you know you need help and want it fast and good, Hostnet is an excellent choice.
Recommended package: Boost (€16.99/month regular) offers the best balance between price, storage, and features for most users.
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