When looking for a reliable web hosting company in Kenya, you might have come across Hostpoa, a webhost that offers an array of services including domain registration, web hosting, and web design.
In this review, we’ll delve into the features, pricing, pros, and cons of Hostpoa to help you make an informed decision about your web hosting needs.
Hostpoa was established in 2015 as a subsidiary of deepAfrica Limited, a prominent web hosting company in Kenya. With a focus on catering to the low-end market, Hostpoa aims to provide affordable and dependable hosting solutions to individuals and businesses.
The company’s offerings include domain registration, web hosting, and web design services. Hostpoa has gained attention for its commitment to customer support, its unique payment methods, and its comprehensive hosting packages.
Table of Contents
Services Offered by Hostpoa
1. Shared Web Hosting:
Shared web hosting is a budget-friendly option to consider when you’re looking to launch a website without a hefty investment. This type of hosting involves placing your website on a server alongside numerous other sites, allowing you to share server resources and reduce your hosting costs.
While it provides an economical solution for hosting, shared web hosting may not offer high performance. One significant downside is that if the other sites sharing your server experience crashes or sudden traffic surges, it could potentially slow down or disrupt your own site’s performance.
Hostpoa offers a range of shared hosting plans to suit various needs and budgets. Each plan includes a free .co.ke or .com domain, free SSL certificates, and weekly backups to enhance the security and reliability of hosted websites.
- Advance Plan:
Priced at Ksh 3,480 per year, this plan provides 30 GB disk space and unlimited bandwidth. - Business Plan:
For Ksh 4,640 per year, users get 50 GB disk space and unlimited bandwidth. - Premium Plan:
Priced at Ksh 5,800 per year, this plan offers 100 GB disk space and unlimited bandwidth. - Corporate Plan:
For Ksh 10440 per year, users enjoy 200 GB disk space and unlimited bandwidth.
2. Virtual Private Servers (VPS):
VPS web hosting operates similarly to shared hosting, where multiple websites coexist on a single server. However, the key distinction lies in the allocation of resources.
VPS hosting provides a higher amount of resources for each website. With significantly fewer sites per server, each website remains isolated from its fellow server occupants.
Hostpoa also provides VPS hosting, which offers greater control and resources for more demanding websites. The VPS plans come with root access, dedicated IP, and SSD storage.
- VPS 1:
This plan costs Ksh 3,480 per month and includes 2 GB RAM, 1 CPU core, and 40 GB disk space. - VPS 2:
Priced at Ksh 5,220 per month, this plan features 4 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, and 80 GB disk space. - VPS 3:
For Ksh 6,960 per month, users get 8 GB RAM, 4 CPU cores, and 160 GB disk space.
3. Dedicated Web Hosting
Dedicated web hosting is like having your own private and supercharged server for your website. Unlike shared or VPS hosting, where many websites use the same resources, dedicated hosting means all the server power is just for your site.
This is perfect if you’re expecting lots of visitors to your site, ensuring it stays speedy and responsive even during heavy traffic.
Unfortunately, Hostpoa doesn’t provide Dedicated web hosting as part of their package.
4. Web Design Services:
Hostpoa offers comprehensive web design packages, each including a domain name, hosting, SSL certificate, and SEO optimization.
The packages cater to different requirements and budgets:
- Deal Poa Package:
At Ksh 9,998, you get a one-page website with basic features. - Duma Package:
Priced at Ksh 32,480, this package offers a five-page website with advanced features. - Simba Package:
For Ksh 41,528, users can enjoy a ten-page website with premium features. - Tembo Package:
Priced at Ksh 82,000, this package provides a custom website with unlimited features.
How do I pay for Hostpoa services?
- You can pay for Hostpoa services using M-PESA, which is a popular mobile money transfer service in Kenya. M-PESA allows you to send and receive money, pay bills, and buy goods and services using your mobile phone.
- To pay for Hostpoa services using M-PESA, you need to follow these steps :
- Go to your M-PESA menu on your phone and select Lipa na M-PESA.
- Select Pay Bill and enter the business number 4071000
- Enter the account number deepAfrica followed by the invoice number. For example, deepAfrica1234.
- Enter the amount you want to pay and confirm the details.
- Enter your M-PESA PIN and press OK.
- You will receive a confirmation message from M-PESA and Hostpoa.
How do I Contact Hostpoa?
- Address: 10th Floor Office Number 13, Development House, (00200), Nairobi, Kenya.
- Phone: +254 720 502 500
- Email: support@hostpoa.co.ke
- Website: hostpoa.co.ke
Where Hostpoa Stands out
- Competitive Pricing: Hostpoa offers some of the most affordable prices for domain registration and web hosting in Kenya. Their pricing often surpasses that of competitors like Truehost and Webhost Kenya.
- Unique Free Hosting Option: Hostpoa stands out by offering free web hosting services to IT students, web designers, small businesses, and digital marketers willing to use a .io.ke domain, at just Ksh 500.
- Security and Reliability: Free SSL certificates and weekly backups provided with all hosting plans enhance the security and reliability of hosted websites.
- 24/7 Customer Support: Hostpoa boasts a friendly and helpful 24/7 customer support team to assist users with any issues.
- M-PESA Payment: Hostpoa accepts payments via M-PESA, a widely used mobile money transfer service in Kenya, making transactions convenient for local customers.
Where Hostpoa Could Improve
- No Reseller Hosting: Hostpoa does not offer reseller hosting, a service some competitors provide, allowing customers to create and sell their own hosting plans.
- Lack of Website Builder: Unlike certain competitors, Hostpoa does not offer a website builder tool, which could be beneficial for those without coding skills.
Hostpoa Alternatives
If Hostpoa doesn’t sound like a good fit, here are three other web hosts that offer reliable performance affordable hosting packages.
1. Creative Kigen Cloud:
Creative Kigen Cloud is a prominent web hosting company in Kenya, known for its innovative solutions and reliable services in the domain industry. Established in 2021, Creative Kigen Cloud has quickly gained recognition for its commitment to providing quality domain, web hosting and web development services.
Where Creative Kigen Cloud stands Out
- Wide range of TLDs available for registration
- Free SSL Certificates: Similar to Hostpoa for enhanced website security.
- Competitive pricing for both new registrations and renewals
- Multiple payment options for added convenience
- Responsive customer support through email and live chat
- Intuitive user interface suitable for both beginners and experienced users
Where Creative Kigen Cloud Could Improve
- No Call Support
2. Truehost Kenya:
Truehost Kenya is another reputable web hosting company in the Kenyan market. They offer a range of hosting services including shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and domain registration. Truehost is known for its competitive pricing and feature-rich plans.
Where Truehost stands Out
- Affordable Hosting: Truehost offers competitive pricing on its hosting plans, making it a budget-friendly option.
- Diverse Hosting Options: They provide a variety of hosting services, from shared hosting to dedicated servers, catering to different levels of website needs.
- Free SSL Certificates: Similar to Hostpoa, Truehost offers free SSL certificates for enhanced website security.
- Local Payment Options: Truehost accepts payments through M-PESA, making it convenient for Kenyan users.
Where Truehost Could Improve
- Pricing Variation: While their base prices might be competitive, additional features and resources could lead to higher costs.
3. Sasahost:
Sasahost is a Kenyan web hosting provider that focuses on offering hosting solutions tailored to local businesses. They provide services such as domain registration, shared hosting, VPS hosting, and reseller hosting. Sasahost is known for its customer-centric approach and personalized support.
Where Sasahost stands Out
- Local Expertise: Sasahost specializes in understanding the needs of Kenyan businesses and tailoring their services accordingly.
- Hosting Variety: They offer a range of hosting options, from shared to VPS hosting, giving you flexibility in choosing the right plan.
- Reseller Hosting: Unlike Hostpoa, Sasahost provides reseller hosting, allowing you to start your own hosting business.
- Responsive Support: Sasahost is praised for its prompt and helpful customer support.
Where Sasahost Could Improve
- Pricing: Some users might find Sasahost’s pricing slightly higher compared to other providers.
4. Kenya Web Experts:
Kenya Web Experts is a well-established web hosting company in Kenya offering domain registration, shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. They have been in the industry for a considerable time and are known for their reliability and hosting expertise.
Where Kenya Web Experts stands Out
- Hosting Expertise: With years of experience, Kenya Web Experts brings a strong history of hosting services and technical know-how.
- Various Hosting Plans: They offer a variety of hosting plans to cater to different website needs.
- Local Data Center: Kenya Web Experts has its own data center in Kenya, which could lead to better local performance for hosted websites.
- Customer Support: Their customer support team is generally responsive and knowledgeable.
Where Kenya Web Experts Could Improve
- Pricing Structure: Some users might find the pricing structure slightly complex due to various add-ons and options.
As you consider alternatives to Hostpoa, remember that the right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical requirements. All of these alternatives have their own strengths and limitations.
It’s recommended to thoroughly research each provider, compare their features, pricing, and customer reviews to determine which one aligns best with your goals for website hosting.
Final verdict on Hostpoa
Hostpoa presents a compelling option for individuals and businesses seeking cost-effective and reliable web hosting services in Kenya.
With its competitive pricing, unique free hosting option, emphasis on security and support, and user-friendly M-PESA payment system, Hostpoa addresses the needs of the local market effectively.
However, the lack of reseller hosting and website builder tools may be limitations for certain users. Before making your decision, carefully assess your requirements and compare them with Hostpoa’s offerings and competitors in the market.
