Researching and comparing the different packages offered by the various virtual private server (VPS) hosting companies reveals a tendency towards rigidity in the options and features that are presented; HostWinds offers some of the most flexible plans in the web hosting industry. Founded just two short years ago in 2010, the company has a wide range of virtual private server plans that stretch from individual to enterprise. With eight options to choose from, budget-minded consumers will be able to get their most out of their monthly hosting fee with HostWinds, paying only for the technologies and server features that they’re most likely to use.

Eight Virtual Private Server (VPS) Plans to Choose From

The web hosting industry is one of delicate balance, with some companies offering too few plans and some offering far too many for the average user to choose between. At HostWinds, the company almost takes flexibility too far by offering eight distinct virtual private server (VPS) hosting plans to its customers. It can be confusing for novice users and, while it’s good for buying features and meeting budgetary demands, there are surely better ways of offering flexible hosting options. That being said, there are still a number of customers who will appreciate this broad approach to pricing.

The company’s plans start at $17.75 per month for a hosting plan that HostWinds simply calls “Level 1.” This package is comes with 25GB of disk space and a 1.25GHz CPU. It offers dedicated memory of 384MB to consumers, while permitting so-called burstable memory of 768MB during intense server situations. Refreshingly, monthly data transfer is unlimited with this and every server at HostWinds.

The middle-of-the-road plan at HostWinds, called Level 4, is a good bit more powerful than the entry-level plan the company offers to its customers. With this plan, dedicated memory is vastly increased to 1.5GB and it’s burstable to a full 2GB. Processor speed is increased to 5GHz, while hard disk space is moved up to 80GB for buyers of this plan. Data transfer is again unlimited, and customers will find themselves shelling out $42.75 per month for access to this more robust configuration.

At $92.75 per month, the company’s highest-end virtual private server (VPS) package is one of the most powerful on the market. Unlimited data transfer is combined with 175GB of disk space, access to 10GHz of CPU processing speed, and 4GB of dedicated RAM. The virtual private server (VPS) memory in this instance is burstable to a whopping 6GB, making it perfect for demanding web applications and enterprise customers.

Every virtual private server (VPS) hosted with HostWinds offers free, instant setup. This is actually not as common as one might think, and it increases the value of the company’s eight virtual private server (VPS) hosting plans. Additionally, every server gets free 24-hour monitoring and software updates provided by the company’ technicians. It’s the hands-off approach that many consumers are looking for when they choose a server product with companies like HostWinds.

Three Guarantees of Customer Satisfaction

First and foremost, HostWinds offers a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee to all of its virtual private server (VPS) customers as well as purchasers of its other hosting technologies. The company offers a prorated refund for any downtime a customer incurs when that amount exceeds 43.8 minutes in one month. The process is not automatic, however, and affected customers will need to contact the company to arrange for the discount on their next bill.

HostWinds also offers virtual private server (VPS) customers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and, if any customer is not satisfied, they’re entitled to contact the company’s CEO to air their grievances. This is paired with a 60-day money-back guarantee for new customers; those new virtual private server (VPS) clients who have simply found that HostWinds does not meet their needs can opt to take their business elsewhere and the company will provide a full refund of both months’ hosting charges to the disgruntled customer.

Customer Service and Support

HostWinds offers its virtual private server (VPS) clients an online account administration tool that gives them access to billing and account feature controls, as well as a system for filing support tickets that can be ranked according to priority. This self-service system is relatively standard among web hosts and it keeps the companies active customer support channels free for those with major concerns.

And those customers who do require more intense support can contact the company via two 24-hour options: a toll-free customer service hotline and a live chat solution available to both new and existing HostWinds customers on the website. HostWinds representatives regularly post to Twitter and Facebook pages owned by the company; a discussion forum is provided to customers to interact among themselves and provide crowd sourced support.

A Strong Virtual Private Server (VPS) Host

HostWinds might lack user-friendliness when it comes to its vast selection of eight virtual private server (VPS) pricing packages, but the company has a robust set of customer satisfaction guarantees and a great customer service department. That more than makes up for the initial buying process, and dedicated server customers should consider a HostWinds virtual private server (VPS) to be a smart, user-friendly choice overall.

HostWinds.com’s Dedicated Server Review