The HostScope Score
Every host gets a score out of 10, weighted like this:
Long-term value (intro + renewal math)35%
Features & limits (storage, sites, backups)25%
Support quality (channels, hours, reputation)20%
Ease of use (panel, onboarding, WordPress setup)10%
Refund terms (length, conditions)10%
What we actually do
- Read the fine print. Renewal rates, storage caps, backup policies, refund conditions — the stuff buried in terms pages.
- Do the 3-year math. Intro price × term + renewal × remainder. The number most review sites won't print.
- Check the reputation record. Support responsiveness and reliability from long-running user reports, not launch-day reviews.
- Re-check monthly. Prices and plans change; scores move when they do. Every page carries its last-updated date.
Our limits (honestly)
We're a young publication. Our scores are research-based ratings, not lab measurements — yet. We're building toward continuous uptime monitoring and standardized speed tests, and we'll publish the raw data when it's live. Until then, we won't invent numbers we didn't measure.
Money & independence
Scores can't be bought — currently only InterServer is an affiliate partner, and affiliate status never enters the scoring formula. Full affiliate disclosure →