Home » Pros and Cons About JustHost: Read Before You Buy

Pros and Cons About JustHost: Read Before You Buy

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8.0 Out Of 10

What is JustHost?

JustHost is a web host brand that Newfold Digital, formerly Endurance International, owns. Although they offer a wide range of Linux-based web hosting solutions from shared to VPS hosting, their primary focus is on marketing their shared hosting option (which most website owners want/need).

Their data center is located near Provo, Utah and has (what appears) the same facilities that their sister brand Bluehost . JustHost offers email and other complementary services, just like most web hosts.

JustHost is used by a client of mine in marketing. I tried them out while looking for a home to host a WordPress-based side business.

Here is my JustHost Hosting Review – based on my experience as both a customer and consultant to one.

JustHost Pricing

* Prices per month for a 36 month subscription

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JustHost Alternatives

Here’s how JustHost compares to the top web hosts I have used as a consultant or customer.

Bluehost Review

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Hostinger Review

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HostGator Review

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The Best Web Hosting

JustHost vs. Bluehost

JustHost, Bluehost, and Bluehost are sister brands that Newfold Digital owns. They also share the same data center, just like HostMonster.

Both offer the exact same plan structure. While JustHost offers deeper discounts, Bluehost seems to be a better choice.

Bluehost invests heavily in its backend and design. Bluehost also offers more service upgrade options and is a well-known brand in the industry. Bluehost is my preference over JustHost.

JustHost vs. GoDaddy

GoDaddy has become the industry’s brand in the domain and hosting business. They are the brand that many people associate with the domain & hosting industry, thanks to their Super Bowl ads and large offline campaigns. Even though GoDaddy has made many improvements since 2013, the service still offers many of the same benefits and cons as JustHost. JustHost does not offer a large discount if you already use GoDaddy .

JustHost offers a cleaner backend and better overall experience.

JustHost vs. HostGator

Bluehost is not far behind HostGator, but it’s a well-known name in the hosting industry.

Newfold Digital also owns them, making them a sister brand to JustHost. They have a better plan value structure than Bluehost.

HostGator also has data centers in Houston, TX and a mirror in Utah.

Based on price and performance, I would choose HostGator to replace JustHost.

JustHost vs. iPage

iPage is JustHost’s last sister company that I will mention.

They didn’t do well in my review. They’re fine like JustHost but they also seem to be a brand Newfold has forgotten about. They operate out of Burlington, MA from mediocre performance.

iPage offers deep discounts and can lock you in for as long as 3 years if you need core hosting features. I recommend iPage but would likely choose JustHost over them.

JustHost vs.

InMotion hosting is one the fastest-growing and largest independent (i.e. owned by employees and not large corporate holding companies) hosting companies. This site uses InMotion’s VPS server. Although they do not offer deep discounts or monthly payments like JustHost, InMotion offers a better product with better performance.

I recommend checking out InMotion hosting.

JustHost Pros

There are many JustHost reviews available online. Most of them include user-generated reviews that are based on personal experience and anecdotes. This is fine, but I prefer a different approach. There is no “best” web hosting. I have stated this in my best host reviews. Based on your needs, budget, experience, and expertise, the “best” web host is the one that will work best for you. These are the advantages (pros) of JustHost.

Clean, Simple cPanel Backend

Creating a website is a daunting task if it’s your first time. The actual process of setting up a website should be easy and straightforward. You want to be able to easily change settings, pay your bill, and do the things you need.

And even if you have done websites/email/scripts before, you still want a straightforward way to do what you need to do.

JustHost uses the cPanel backend for its hosting accounts. cPanel is an industry standard, so you can find plenty of information and guides online. It is also simple and straightforward.

JustHost allows users to integrate their billing and profile settings into cPanel. This helps avoid cluttering up the site with ads and upsells. This is the backend.

The backend of the service is what you will see when you sign up. This allows you to jump right into your project with no intermediate screens. You will see the most popular options right in front of you, with information about your server on the side.

Many providers use proprietary backends (DreamHost or GoDaddy hosting), or clutter up the site with upsells and ads (iPage). JustHost’s simple backend has a huge advantage.

Simple App Install

Their app installation process is similar to JustHost’s clean, simple backend. They use MOJO Marketplace to install their app. Endurance International is the template and theme provider.

Although there are a few upsells and ads, the one-click WordPress installation process is simple and very useful.

JustHost offers a wide range of scripts and apps because they use MOJO Marketplace. All apps and scripts come with MOJO ads. However, they are easy to install.

Although not a major advantage, it is a significant pro over other hosting companies.

Deep Discounting

JustHost’s pricing and actual plans are a problem (which I’ll address in the cons section). They do offer deep discounts for their first year on all products.

JustHost offers discounts on their Basic plan to help you get started and save some money in the first year.

These numbers are a bit more contextualized than they seem (i.e., what you actually get). If you’re only starting one website over the course of a year, however, their deep discounts can be an advantage.

Cons of JustHost

JustHost is not perfect. There are many JustHost complaints on the Internet. Some of these complaints are valid, while others are purely anecdotal. These are the larger picture disadvantages and cons that I discovered while using JustHost to host.

Value & Long-Term Pricing

It can be difficult to compare pricing between different hosting providers. Many offer multiple plans with different pricing and bonuses.

JustHost is no different. They actually offer three shared hosting plans, Basic, Plus, or Choice Plus. They start at $11.99/mo, and go up to $35.99/mo when renewal time (but please see the “Deep Discounting” section). You can also upgrade servers with the “Pro” package.

To help you determine exactly what you are getting for your pricing, I break down features into two groups: “core hosting features” & “bonus features”.

When you sign up to website hosting, core hosting features are what you’re really paying for. It includes the “3 Ds” –

• Domains – How many domains can you point & host from your server?
• Disk space: How many websites can you allow to live on your server?
• Databases/Email Accounts – How many apps or pieces are there in website software (e.g. WordPress)?

I would also add email addresses to this group if you use your server for email.

The bonus features are anything the hosting company offers to make your plan more valuable. These may or may not be of any use to you. Don’t count them unless they are going to be used.

JustHost plans look exactly the same as Bluehost’s old plans which they launched in 2015. While they are very strict about feature caps, their prices are comparable to other providers that offer unmetered features. JustHost’s core hosting features have very low caps. You don’t get as many email accounts or domains per plan than your competitors. Their pricing is a low value because of the low caps.

JustHost isn’t necessarily a “bad deal “… if you just need one website with a few files then their plans will work fine. Even then, there are better deals available at other providers.

Their sister brand HostGator offers more features at lower prices. A single website plan is available that is significantly cheaper than JustHost and has lower renewal rates. HostGator offers a single website plan that you can visit . Even Bluehost updated their plans to offer a better value.

Independent brands such as Web Hosting hub (Review), that target the small and starter market, offer more apps, better web builders and better pricing than JustHost.

JustHost’s plans may be good, but they have a major disadvantage. You will get better value elsewhere.

Brand and Business Update

No one wants to purchase a product that a large company has neglected or not invested fully in, even though the product is excellent.

Consider the apartment block that the landlord neglects and doesn’t maintain instead of remodeling or upgrading. Or the car that is still in good condition but the owner hasn’t spent money on upgrades.

JustHost feels like a brand Newfold Digital is gradually upgrading, but not focusing on. While Bluehost, HostGator get new designs and services, JustHost receives a redesign and copy/paste plans by HostMonster & Bluehost.

It’s not necessarily that identical services and a plain design are bad. It is a sign of how much management and owners care for the company.

JustHost’s brand and business look are a disadvantage compared to Bluehost or other sister brands such as InMotion and A2 Hosting, especially when compared to independent competitors like SiteGround and InMotion.

Customer Knowledge Base & Support

Customer service and support can be difficult to evaluate, as I have mentioned in previous reviews. Because of the nature of customer service experiences, it can be difficult to determine if a company is providing good or poor customer service.

Instead of trying to determine if someone had a good or bad experience, I prefer to examine how well a company invests in customer support infrastructure and how they handle public support.

JustHost offers support through multiple channels but their investment in things such as their Knowledgebase, forums and onboarding process is inadequate.

Although I will not say that they have poor customer service, most issues can be resolved quickly. JustHost is far behind other providers who invest in customer support infrastructure.

Performance is average

You are not only paying hosting companies for a space for your website, but you also expect them to deliver your website quickly to anyone who types in your domain.

Your website’s speed is affected by many factors. Website speed is affected by many factors, including the type of website and how many images you use.

A 1988 Ford Escort has never been able to win a Formula One race. A slow hosting service will not allow you to win speed contests, no matter how optimized your website is.

Without behind-the scenes access, it’s difficult to accurately judge server speed. However, the Time To Last Byte (TTFB ) can be used as a guideline for how efficient a company’s servers are.

Time to First Byte refers to the speed at which the server transmits the first bit of information back to a browser, after it has been requested.

They didn’t perform well when I tested JustHost on my new website.

TTFB can be considered a trend, but it is important to remember that it is not a new phenomenon. Good hosts can have bad days so I tested again the next morning.

Although you can see some improvements in the Repeat View, it is still not very good.

They still don’t perform as expected after being retested several times.

JustHost is a good choice for small sites, but they don’t offer strong performance, especially when compared to direct competition.

Conclusion

Is JustHost a reliable web host?

JustHost hosting was, in my opinion, a copy of their sister brand Bluehost.

The deep discounts they offer for the first term are attractive and competitive. Their service is simple and their backend is clear.

JustHost’s current plans and pricing

If you’re looking for a shared hosting company that offers affordable pricing, better long-term pricing and better products, I recommend Web Hosting Hub.

HostGator also offers single-site plans at a fraction of the cost. You can also pay monthly.

You might be more confused than ever, then read my best web hosting guide.