HostDuel Blog
Expert guides, comparisons, and tips to help you choose the perfect web hosting for your needs.
What You Can't Run on Cheap Shared Hosting (and What to Use Instead)
Discord bots, Node.js, Python scripts, WebSockets — cheap shared hosting kills them all. Here's why shared hosting can't run anything that stays on, and exactly what to host it on instead.
10Web Reviews 2026: What Trustpilot (4.6) and G2 Really Say
10Web pairs AI website building with managed WordPress on Google Cloud and holds a 4.6 Trustpilot — but the no-refund policy and visit limits catch people out. Here's the breakdown.
A2 Hosting Is Now Hosting.com: What Changed and Where Users Are Going
A2 Hosting rebranded to Hosting.com after a merger. Here's what actually changed — pricing, plan restrictions, performance reports — and the best alternatives if you're leaving.
Dedicated Server vs VPS vs 'Dedicated VM': What You're Actually Buying
Some hosts sell 'dedicated servers' that are really virtual machines. Here's how to tell dedicated from VPS from a dedicated-branded VM — and how to verify what you got.
Best DigitalOcean Alternatives in 2026 (Cheaper, Managed, or Both)
Leaving DigitalOcean for price, support, or a managed experience? Here are the best alternatives by need — Vultr, Linode, Hetzner, Kamatera, and managed options — with real pricing.
Best Laravel Hosting in 2026 (And Why Shared Hosting Isn't It)
What to host a Laravel app on — Forge + VPS, Cloudways, or a PaaS — plus the honest answer to 'does Pantheon support Laravel?' and why cheap shared hosting struggles with Laravel.
Bluehost Not Sending WordPress Emails? Why It Happens and How to Fix It
Contact form and WordPress notification emails silently failing on Bluehost? Here's why shared hosts block or throttle server mail — and the transactional-SMTP fix that actually works.
Bluehost Reviews 2026: What Trustpilot, G2 and the BBB Really Say
Bluehost has 27,000+ Trustpilot reviews but a much lower G2 score and isn't BBB accredited. Here's what the ratings reveal — and the renewal and billing numbers reviews miss.
ChemiCloud Reviews 2026: What Trustpilot (4.9) and G2 Really Say
ChemiCloud has one of the highest Trustpilot ratings in hosting (4.9) despite being a smaller name. Here's what's behind the love, the catches, and who it's right for.
Contabo Reviews 2026: What Trustpilot and the Ratings Really Say
Contabo offers the cheapest specs-per-dollar in hosting and a 4.5 Trustpilot — but the support and reliability complaints are real. Here's the honest rating breakdown.
Flywheel Reviews 2026: What Trustpilot (4.4) and G2 Really Say
Flywheel is a designer-favorite managed WordPress host with a 4.4 Trustpilot and 4.5 G2 — but it's owned by WP Engine and skips some features. Here's the honest breakdown.
Hetzner Reviews 2026: Why Trustpilot (3.5) and G2 (4.5) Disagree
Hetzner is the price-performance king with a 4.5 G2 score — but only 3.5 on Trustpilot. Here's what's behind the split, and who Hetzner is genuinely right for.