Dotster Review
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Dotster.com doesn’t hide the fact that it is a domain registrar at heart. However, like most domain registrars, it has realized that the domain business is an intensively competitive, low margin commodity business. Also like most domain registrars, Dotster has entered into the equally competitive, equally commoditized, but far more profitable web hosting business.
Dotster Plans
Dotster’s space and bandwidth allocations for its shared plans are moderately competitive, but the plans do require a closer look. Those used to normal cPanel oversellers will notice a difference in Dotster’s plans: the company limits the number of email addresses and mailbox sizes. For heavy email users, this can be a serious problem. They also limit FTP accounts, databases, domains, and the like. It’s important to consider what extra features your web site will require before choosing a host like Dotster.
In addition to its standard plans, Dotster offers VPS hosting running on both Linux and Windows platforms. Email hosting is also offered and some plans come with and even focus around a SiteBuilder that makes it easy to create a simple web site.
Dotster adopts the standard industry practice of encouraging customers to pay in advance. They allow pre-payment of up to five years in advance, representing a 30% savings over the yearly plan. Comparatively, though, the savings that Dotster offers for paying so far in advance are relatively insignificant. This also means that you don’t have to pay too much extra if you want to signup for a shorter period of time.
As the plans get more expensive, the payment schedule gets more flexible. The most expensive plan (which is $25.95 a month when paid monthly) allows you to pay monthly, quarterly, yearly, every two years, every three years, and every five years.
Dotster uses a custom control panel. From the control panel, you can manage essentially every aspect of your account (including domain names). The control panel is surprisingly intuitive and offers all of the expected features. Email, FTP accounts, databases, etc. can all be managed as expected from Dotster’s custom control panel.
Testing Dotster
Upon testing, FTP speeds seemed to be reasonable and comparative to those of other hosts. The control panel loaded quickly and without errors.
Support at Dotster does not seem to be a top priority or a competitive differentiator; it seems to be more of an after thought. The company has an extensive knowledge base and provides support via a helpdesk, live chat, and the telephone. However, live chat and telephone support are only offered on weekdays during normal business hours. I sent a simple request to the company’s support team at 2:15 PM on a Sunday and received a reply Monday night at 8:03 PM. When it takes more than 24 hours to receive an email response, that does cause concern.
Pros: Intuitive control panel
Cons: limited availability for live chat and telephone support, plans designed to severely limit features that are unlimited with most hosts
Bottomline: Dotster’s plans are obviously targeted at a type of customer who only wants to create a simple web site. Those requiring serious features and capabilities should look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Dotster Review by: Douglas Hanna
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June 30th, 2008
Any Dotster users out there? What say you?
August 9th, 2008
We’ve been using Dotster for more than two years and are very satisfied. We’re a small organization without huge traffic, and we’ve mostly been able to take care of our needs with the control panels and explanations provided. Only one-two phone calls needed over the time. Occasionally we are having problems with email being blocked by providers due to “spam reputations” which we’re trying to find out about; that’s the biggest challenge at this point.
September 24th, 2008
I think the advantage with going through Dotster is the variety of products and services they offer to small and medium sized businesses. Getting a bargain basement domain or hosting plan is nice, but getting a full suite of online marketing, SSL certs, domain tools, and other services to get your business website up and running is better in the long run when you’re searching for the right company to help you set up a larger website or blog.
December 5th, 2008
Dotster sucks
December 30th, 2008
I have been a subscriber to the top level VPS package for 3 years now. Normally, we never need support, but when it is necessary, it is generally non-existant.
Last night our VPS went offline, and we immediately reported it via the phone support. After 12 hours, I contacted them again and was told that it would probably be another 24 to 48 hours. No explanation, other than “thats our policy”. I have numerous customers, with many domains. These are all businesses who have no website (read online stores) and no email for their employees. Not acceptable for a business. I cannot give better service than my supplier, and in this case my supplier is not giving adequate service. I simply need to move to a new supplier.
January 12th, 2009
Dotster is evil.
I am switching all my registered clients away from Dotster. One client’s domain expired, and as such, they replaced the client’s site with a MENU OF COMPETITORS ADS. Not a temporary page for a day, right into competitor ads. That is abhorrent. Low beyond low. To me that is another form of cybersquatting.
My client renewed with them — hoops to jump through since it was registered through another hosting company — for five years. Hours later and their site is still serving up competitors ads.
Avoid Dotster at ALL costs.
April 12th, 2009
i’m with dotster - it’s a sunday - all my sites are down for no reason, no one to talk to…
i think the only hosting i hadn’t had any issues with is bluehost. I’d stay away from dotster - they are indifferent…and are’nt there to help (their support is a sad joke - you got half-witted buffoons trained at exhausting upset clients with idiotic suggestions).stay away from dotster hosting! I know i will from now on.
April 13th, 2009
funny to see many people have same problems with dotster. i see 2 last comments are form yesterday - this will make it the third in 2 days. i think something is wrong with them - my site is down and only there instead of my site - a dotster page saying “site is missing index file” - that is not true as i have it. they just have my site go down for no reason - i try and try anmd try to contact the support via emails and i also called them on the telephone, but they do’nt care about my site. they say bla bla bla, and still my site is down and no one tells me why, or what i should do. they are terrible terrible in every way. i told them that i will take my site to a different company - but they no care. terrible business - it must be going down, oterwise i can’t imagine how they can be so rude and careless. if are even a little smart, read this: STAY AWAY FROM DOTSTER HOSTING. wish someone would tell me that 2 months ago
June 30th, 2009
I had a frustrating experience with Dotster. I bought an Ultra hosting plan with 200GB storage, 2TB transfer, and unlimited domains and email.
I had hoped for the amount of money I was spending that it would at least be reliable. Unfortunately, I suffered regular outages and aggravated customers.
I called customer support and endured long delays. Even after I finally got a rep, he told me it was a problem with Dotster’s vendor and there was nothing he could do.
I would not recommend Dotster hosting