iPage Review and Test Results


Editor, NCMOnline.com

Summary

spacer. Ranking: 4.5 stars.
spacer. Cheapest Hosting Plan: (1-year term renewal)* $9.49 per month
spacer. Current Coupon Code ($1.99 Hosting): LOWESTPRICE
spacer. Company Founded: 1995
spacer. Domains Hosted: 1,000,000+
spacer. 24×7 Phone Support: Yes
spacer. Money-Back Guarantee: Anytime
spacer. BBB Rating: A+
spacer. Website: http://www.ipage.com/

*Price above based on 1-year term before application of coupon code/introductory discount. While you may pay less for the first year of hosting, unless otherwise indicated, the pricing displayed on this page is the 1-year term renewal rate. Star ratings based on a 0.5 minimum to 5 star maximum scale. Why you can trust this iPage review. >

The Bottom Line

RECOMMENDED

Having previously used iPage for hosting, we were not surprised by the performance of their all-in-one Essential Plan. In addition to the general excellence of its features, we found our iPage hosted test site to be faster than average and ultra-reliable, producing a perfect 100% score in our uptime testing.

As far as any negative aspects are concerned, we did have one minor issue with their checkout process, and we are not especially fond of the MOJO Marketplace WordPress installation process.

That being said, iPage remains an excellent shared hosting choice and has earned the NCM Online designation of RECOMMENDED.

Visit iPage >>

Rating

Price: 2.5 stars.
Ease-of-Use: 3.5 stars.
Disk Space: 5 stars.
Bandwidth: 5 stars.
Speed: 4 stars.
Uptime: 5 stars.
Support: 5 stars.
BBB Rating: 5 stars.
Guarantee: 5 stars.
Satisfaction: 4 stars.
TOTAL: 4.5 stars.

Review

Screenshot of iPage homepage. Click image to visit site.
HOSTING PLANS

Unlike most other hosts who offer a number of low-cost shared hosting plans, iPage offers a single affordably-priced shared hosting option: the Essential Plan. It provides a number of unlimited features including: disk space, bandwidth, e-mail accounts, MySQL databases, and hosted domains. The SiteLock Security Suite, a well-stocked scripts and applications library, a point-and-click site builder, your choice of shopping carts as well as an online store are all provided free of charge.

Screenshot of iPage Welcome-e-mail. Click to enlarge.

iPage “welcome” e-mail. Click to enlarge.

The Essential Plan also features 24/7 US-based phone chat and e-mail support. On average, support calls are answered in 2 minutes or less. The Essential Plan is backed by iPage’s anytime money-back guarantee. If you are unhappy with the hosting services provided, they will refund the balance remaining on your hosting term. This is especially valuable if you opt for one of heavily discounted longer term plans.

PURCHASE PROCESS

While the 2-step checkout process is fast, we do take issue with the fact that two optional services are automatically added to the shopping cart (Advanced Site Protection/Performance Accelerator and Automated Backups). We unchecked these two options and completed our sign-up using the PayPal payment option.

SETUP

Six minutes after the PayPal receipt arrived in our Inbox, we received the iPage “Welcome” e-mail (screenshot below right). We are pleased to report that it provided all of the information required — including DNS (nameserver) settings — to upload our NCM Test Site quickly and easily.

iPage provides the vDeck 4 control panel for its shared hosting accounts (screenshot below right). While not as popular as the cPanel control panel, we have found vDeck to be the best comparable alternative. It is well-designed and easy to use. It does not include quite all of the same advanced features as cPanel, but it certainly includes everything you will need to set up your website and e-mail accounts without difficulty.

Screenshot of iPage vDeck 4 control panel. Click to enlarge.

iPage vDeck 4 control panel. Click to enlarge.

Installing WordPress on iPage shared accounts is accomplished by using the included MOJO Marketplace installer. While we prefer the advertising-free Fantastico Deluxe and Softaculous script installers, MOJO Marketplace handles the task without difficulty.

TESTING

Once the NCM Test Site was up and running, the next step was to set up Dotcom Monitor testing. We are pleased to report that we were not disappointed by either the iPage speed or uptime test results.

All website hosting services reviewed by NCM Online are purchased and subjected to our 10-day test for uptime and speed. iPage speed and uptime testing began on April 18th, 2014 and concluded on April 27th, 2014.

While not the fastest shared hosting provider reviewed to date, iPage recorded very good page load speeds. Site speed was fastest when accessed from the New York testing location with an NCM test page load time of only 0.7885 seconds. As has been the result of all NCM page-load tests to date, site speed was slowest when accessed from Asia. iPage recorded a comparably good average of 1.7682 seconds to load our test site when accessed from the Hong Kong testing location.

Screenshot of iPage Speed Test Results Chart 4/18/14–4/27/14. Click to enlarge.

iPage Speed Test Results Chart. Click to enlarge.

Overall, iPage recorded a very good average speed of 1.3455 seconds to load our test site from 13 locations worldwide, and an above average 1.1705 seconds from 7 U.S. locations. See screenshot right.

Tested for uptime every 15 minutes over 10 days, the iPage reliability results proved to be even better than the page-load speed results. See uptime test results chart below right. The server produced a nothing-less-than-perfect reliability score of 100%.

Screenshot of iPage Uptime Test Results Chart 4/18/14–4/27/14. Click to enlarge.

iPage Uptime Test Results Chart. Click to enlarge.

AN EIG COMPANY

iPage is part of the Endurance International Group (EIG), a NASDAQ-traded company with holdings that include a number of brands in the low-cost web hosting space. These include: A Small Orange, Bluehost, Dotster, FatCow, HostGator, IPOWER, Netfirms, and StartLogic.

Unfortunately, EIG has developed something of a reputation in the hosting industry for buying good hosts and applying cost-cutting measures that result in a diminished hosting experience for end-users. While we find that to be true in certain instances — HostGator, FatCow, and Bluehost immediately come to mind — NCM Online cannot afford the luxury of such generalizations.

Each host we review begins with a blank slate. We purchase their cheapest available, WordPress-capable plan; test them for speed and uptime; and report the results — along with the details of our hosting experience from a user’s perspective. We apply the same metrics and rating system to all the hosts we review.

While most EIG hosts have not fared well in our rankings, a few have. iPage is one of those hosts.

Pros

  • A+ BBB rating
  • Affordable cost
  • Unlimited disk space
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Unlimited e-mail accounts
  • Unlimited domains hosted
  • Unlimited MySQL databases
  • Free SiteLock security suite
  • Free point and click site builder
  • Free online store with choice of shopping cart
  • PayPal payment option
  • US-based, 24/7 phone, chat and e-mail support
  • Anytime money-back guarantee
  • Above-average page load speeds
  • 100% uptime test result

Cons

  • Although it is not difficult to use, we are not particularly fond of the MOJO Marketplace WordPress installer
  • Two optional items automatically added to shopping cart during checkout process

Conclusion

There is a lot to like about iPage’s all-in-one Essential Plan. In addition to providing excellent features, it performed admirably in our testing. If you are considering purchasing affordable shared hosting services, iPage certainly merits your consideration.

iPage has earned 4.5 stars and is recommended by NCM Online.

Pricing and Features

Cheap website hosting company price comparisons based on 1-year term list price before coupon/promo codes or limited time/introductory offer discounts. These are the renewal rates for the second year of hosting. To ensure that you receive the most affordable iPage pricing possible, please visit our Web Hosting Coupon Codes page for current discounts and special offers before making any purchases.

Plan iPage Hosting
Disk Space Unlimited
Transfer / Bandwidth Unlimited
Domains Allowed Unlimited
MySQL Databases Unlimited
Designing Building Site
Drag and Drop Site Builder (6 Pages) Free
Template-Based Site Builder Checkmark.
Personalized Domain Name ($14.99 Value) 1 Year
Blog Setup Wizard Checkmark.
Photo Gallery Setup Wizard Checkmark.
Google Custom Search Engine Checkmark.
Hosting Utilities Settings
FileManager Checkmark.
FTP Manager Checkmark.
Secure FTP Checkmark.
Custom Error Pages Checkmark.
URL Redirect Service Checkmark.
MIME Types Checkmark.
Power Plugins
Content Management Systems (Joomla!, Drupal, Mambo, e107) Checkmark.
Blogs (WordPress, PixelPost, b2evolution) Checkmark.
Photo Galleries (Gallery2, Coppermine, ZenPhoto) Checkmark.
Forums (Gbook, phpBB, SMF) Checkmark.
Supported Software Scripts
PERL Support Checkmark.
Server Side Includes Checkmark.
Website Backup Software Checkmark.
Multimedia Features
Real Audio Video Support Checkmark.
Flash Support Checkmark.
Macromedia Shockwave Checkmark.
MIDI File Support Checkmark.
Selling Online
Free Online Store Checkmark.
Choice of Shopping Cart Checkmark.
PayPal Integration Checkmark.
World-Class Technology Checkmark.
ShopSite Shopping Cart Checkmark.
osCommerce Shopping Cart Checkmark.
AgoraCart Shopping Cart Checkmark.
Shared SSL Checkmark.
World-Class Technology
Web Hosting Control Panel Checkmark.
Enhanced Security Suite (A $100 Value) Checkmark.
24×7 Network Monitoring Checkmark.
High Performance Load Balanced Servers Checkmark.
Visitor Statistics/Site Traffic Reporting Checkmark.
Multiple Gigabit Fiberoptic Connections of Diverse Backbones Checkmark.
Two Data Center Locations Checkmark.
Cisco Routers Using BGP4 Protocol Checkmark.
NetApp Snapshot Data Backups Checkmark.
UPS Power Backup, Diesel Backup Generator Checkmark.
Bandwidth Disk Usage Monitor Checkmark.
Access Logs Checkmark.
Error Logs Checkmark.
Marketing Site
Access to Online Marketing Guides Checkmark.
$100 Google AdWords Offer Checkmark.
$25 Credit for Yahoo!/Bing Sponsored Search Checkmark.
$50 Credit for Facebook Advertising Checkmark.
Free Yellowpages.com Listing Checkmark.
Free Toll-Free Phone Number (US Only) Checkmark.
Sending Receiving Email
Email Addresses Unlimited
WebMail (Checking Mail Online) Checkmark.
Email Forwarding Checkmark.
Autoresponders Checkmark.
Customizable Spam Filters Checkmark.
Virus Checking Checkmark.
POP3/IMAP Email Accounts Unlimited
Customer Support
Extensive Online Help Center and Ticketing System Checkmark.
Step-by-Step Tutorials for Using Account Checkmark.
Anytime Money-Back Guarantee Checkmark.
24×7 Phone, Chat and Email Support Checkmark.
Calls Answered in About a Minute, on Average Checkmark.
Rigorous QA Testing of Staff Checkmark.
Price per Month* $9.49

*Prices based on 1-year term before the application of coupon/promo codes and introductory/limited-time offer discounts. While you may pay less for the first year of hosting, the prices displayed on this page are the 1-year term renewal rates.

Company Information

Founded nearly twenty years ago, iPage has since been providing professional webhosting services. They have helped create all types of websites for personal, corporate, non-profit, and social use. Tools such as software, blogging applications, access to writing with HTML, and online site builders have helped many website owners achiever their goals. Useful features such as Dreamweaver and Expressions have also enabled countless customers build the website they wanted.

Screenshot of iPage homepage. Click image to visit site.

iPage uses two data centers with over 2400 sq. ft. of space in Boston, Massachusetts. Thousands of servers are used with storage of multiple Petabytes run with A/C and D/C N+1 power. They are protected with around the clock security and run with identical network equipment and architecture. The network operations center (NOC) is completely secure with equipment to detect and eliminate security breaches as soon as possible. The system is protected with database lockdowns, firewalls, pooled structure, and encryption practices. They have a dedicated and skilled management team that ensures the security of the equipment and also utilize a SiteLock security suite.

The pooled server creates a stable network structure as any server on the network could potentially access any website’s files. Any machine can access a customer’s data with the network-attached storage the firm utilized. The machines are identically paired to ensure seamless compensation if one fails. Disk failure is prevented with a backup of every unit to other storage units with exact copies of the data. The result is less downtime and faster loading for the customer’s websites as the quickest machine will serve. The network is also made up of redundant routers using BGP through multiple providers to gain worldwide access. Following analysis by load balancers, website data is managed by premium servers. The servers can be customized and specialized as they are split into separate application pools including incoming mail, web, FTP, and more. Dependable and quick services result from the increased density per box. The pools are spread out over a few racks meaning the dysfunction of one will not interrupt service.

One of the most valuable features that iPage emphasizes is their e-mail service which is fast with premium spam filters, always has the newest version of AtMail, uses Exchange hosting for bigger organizations, offers unrestricted forwards, and has mailboxes with unlimited capacity. These services are essential for a fully functional, efficient website as some of the most important to foster communication for organizations.

iPage maintains its responsibilities to its environment by purchasing RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) to reduce its carbon footprint. They go beyond their required responsibility by buying two RECs for each KWH of energy consumed- compensating for the energy usage by 200%. This is equal to planting trees covering 244 acres. Wind energy powers all the data centers, offices, and servers used. iPage Green Certificates and iPage Green Badges are available for all of their customer’s websites. These efforts prove iPage is not only a reliable and advanced webhosting service, but also a responsible firm that customers can depend on.

iPage The Endurance International Group, Inc. 10 Corporate Dr Suite 300 Burlington, MA 01803 877-472-4399 602-716-5396 Fax 781-998-8277 iPage Website iPage on Twitter iPage on Facebook iPage on Google+

How to Install WordPress

This video tutorial demonstrates the installation of WordPress on an iPage shared hosting account using the vDeck 4 control panel and the Mojo Marketplace applications installer.



Bullet green large.Visit http://www.ipage.com/

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