Hostwinds vs TMDHosting: Complete 2026 Comparison
Hostwinds and TMDHosting are both shared hosting providers, but they suit different priorities. Across our 7-category breakdown, TMDHosting comes out ahead, winning 4 of them — including Support, WordPress and Developers.
Data last updated June 2026
Overall Winner
TMDHosting
- Wins in 4 of 7 categories
- Top in: Best Support, Best for WordPress, Best for Developers
- 4.0/5 overall rating
Hostwinds vs TMDHosting: Overview
On entry pricing, Hostwinds is the cheaper option at $4.54/mo versus $9.52/mo for TMDHosting. Renewal tells the real story: Hostwinds marks prices up about 10% at renewal versus roughly 25% for TMDHosting, making it the better long-term value. TMDHosting also gives you a longer 60-day money-back window to test risk-free.
Hostwinds's standout is 99 — a natural fit for developer wanting customizable VPS with transparent pricing and strong uptime guarantee. TMDHosting, by contrast, leans on solid all-around hosting with 60-day money-back guarantee, green hosting, and BBB A+ rating, ideal for user wanting reliable, solid hosting without extremes - good performance, support, and features across the board.
Category Winners
Hostwinds
$4.54/mo vs $9.52/mo
Hostwinds
Lower renewal markup (10% vs 25%)
Hostwinds
99.9999% uptime, 4.0/5 rating
TMDHosting
Live chat, Phone, 24/7
TMDHosting
Optimized, Staging, WooCommerce, LiteSpeed
TMDHosting
SSH, Git, Staging, Node.js
TMDHosting
Higher ease of use score (8.5/10)
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Essential Info | ||
| Hosting Type | Shared Hosting | Shared Hosting |
| Monthly Price | $4.54/mo | $9.52/mo |
| Renewal Price | $4.99 | $11.90 |
| Renewal Markup | 10% | 25% |
| Overall Rating | 4.0/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9999% | 99.9% |
| Trustpilot Rating | 2.9/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 716 | 1,532 |
| Free SSL | ||
| Free Domain | ||
| Free Migration | ||
| Pricing Details | ||
| First Year Cost | $54.48 | $114.24 |
| Second Year Cost | $59.88 | $142.80 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 3 days | 60 days |
| Setup Fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly Billing | ||
| Minimum Contract | 1 months | 1 months |
| Technical Specs | ||
| Storage | Unlimited | 50 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD | SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Max Websites | 1 | 1 |
| Max Databases | Unlimited | 5 |
| PHP Versions | 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 | 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 |
| SSH Access | ||
| Git Deployment | ||
| Staging Environment | ||
| Cron Jobs | ||
| Redis Available | ||
| Programming Languages | ||
| Node.js Support | ||
| Python Support | ||
| Ruby Support | ||
| WordPress Features | ||
| WordPress Optimized | ||
| WordPress Auto-Install | ||
| WordPress Auto-Updates | ||
| WordPress Staging | ||
| WooCommerce Optimized | ||
| LiteSpeed Cache | ||
| Object Caching | ||
| WP Multisite | ||
| WP-CLI Access | ||
| Security | ||
| DDoS Protection | ||
| DDoS Protection Level | Enterprise-level DDoS protection included | DDoS protection included |
| Malware Scanning | ||
| Malware Removal | ||
| Firewall Included | ||
| Backup Frequency | Nightly (automated) | None |
| Backup Retention | — | 0 days |
| Backup Restore Fee | Free | Free |
| On-Demand Backup | ||
| Two-Factor Auth | ||
| Wildcard SSL | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Support | ||
| Support Channels | Live Chat, Phone, Ticket, Knowledge Base | Live Chat, Ticket, Phone, Knowledge Base |
| Live Chat | ||
| Live Chat Hours | 24/7/365 | 24/7 |
| Phone Support | ||
| Phone Support Hours | 24/7/365 | 24/7 |
| Ticket Support | ||
| Priority Support | ||
| Support Languages | English | English |
| Knowledge Base Quality | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Avg Support Wait | — | 15 min |
| Email Accounts | ||
| Email Account Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mailbox Size | — | 0.25 GB |
| Webmail Access | ||
| Spam Filter | ||
| Email Forwarding | ||
| Performance | ||
| CDN Included | ||
| CDN Provider | — | Cloudflare CDN |
| Server Locations | Seattle, WA (US), Dallas, TX (US), Amsterdam (Netherlands) | Phoenix (US), Chicago (US), Amsterdam (Netherlands), London (UK), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Tokyo (Japan) |
| Server Location Count | 3 | 7 |
| Choose Server Location | ||
| HTTP/2 Support | ||
| Brotli Compression | — | |
| Uptime SLA Credit | ||
| Platform Support | ||
| Drupal Support | ||
| Joomla Support | ||
| Magento Support | ||
| Laravel Support | ||
| Django Support | ||
| Next.js Support | ||
| Rails Support | ||
| Static Site Support | ||
| Control Panel | ||
| cPanel Included | ||
| Control Panel | cPanel | cPanel |
| Softaculous | ||
| Website Builder | ||
| Builder Name | Weebly | Starter Website Builder |
| Migration | ||
| Migration Websites Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Migration Turnaround | 3 days | 2 days |
| Paid Migration Cost | Free | Free |
| Migration Quality | 4.0/10 | — |
| Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| PCI Compliant | ||
| HIPAA Compliant | ||
| Data Center Certs | SOC 2 | SOC 2, ISO 27001 |
| Ratings | ||
| Value for Money | 4.0/10 | 3.5/10 |
| Performance Rating | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Support Quality | 4.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Security Rating | 3.5/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Features Rating | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Transparency Rating | 4.5/10 | 3.5/10 |
| Suitability Scores | ||
| For Bloggers | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For E-commerce | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Agencies | 4.0/10 | 3.0/10 |
| For Developers | 5.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Beginners | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Enterprise | 3.0/10 | 2.0/10 |
| Policies | ||
| Bandwidth Overage | Unlimited within fair use; excessive use may require upgrade | Unlimited bandwidth; fair use policy |
| Storage Overage | Unlimited within fair use; must upgrade for excessive use | Fair use; upgrade may be required |
| Adult Content Allowed | ||
| Gambling Sites Allowed | ||
| Crypto Sites Allowed | ||
| Reseller Hosting | ||
| White Label | ||
| API Access | ||
| Company Info | ||
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Parent Company | HostPapa (acquired April 2026; previously independent, founded by Peter Holden) | Independent (privately held) |
| Green Hosting | — | |
| Instant Activation | ||
| Managed WordPress | ||
| Managed WP Available | ||
| Pricing Model | — | — |
| Monthly Visit Limit | — | — |
| Visit Overage Cost | — | — |
| PHP Workers | — | — |
| Plugin Restrictions | — | — |
| Dev Environment | — | — |
| Dev Env Name | — | — |
| Regional Info | ||
| Best Countries | United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada | United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Netherlands |
| Local Currencies | USD | USD |
| Support Languages | English | English |
| Data Sovereignty | GDPR | GDPR |
| External Ratings | ||
| G2 Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| Advanced Technical | ||
| Inode Limit | — | 250,000 |
| Max DB Size | — | — |
| Max Upload Size | — | 128 MB |
| Database Type | MySQL/MariaDB | MySQL/MariaDB |
| Elasticsearch | ||
| Image Optimization | — | |
| PHP Switching | ||
| Subdomains | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| FTP Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Additional Pricing | ||
| Free Domain Duration | — | 12 months |
| Money Back Exclusions | 3-day money-back guarantee only; Short refund window; Domain fees non-refundable | Domain registration fees non-refundable |
| Payment Methods | Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency | Credit Card, PayPal |
| Auto Renewal Default | ||
| Domain Privacy Included | ||
| Domain Privacy Cost | — | — |
| SSL Provider | Let's Encrypt (auto-renewed) | Let's Encrypt (auto-renewing) |
| Dedicated IP Cost | $3/mo | $2.5/mo |
| Additional Support | ||
| Phone Support Countries | United States | United States |
| Priority Support Cost | — | — |
| Community Forum | ||
| Support Outsourced | ||
| Object Cache Type | — | Memcached |
| Business & Affiliate | ||
| Affiliate Program | ||
| Commission Type | Per sale (tiered) | Per sale |
| Commission Amount | $65 (1-6 sales), $85 (7-12), $100 (13-19), $135 (19+); $25 for unmanaged only; 60-day cookie; $100 minimum payout | Up to $150 per sale |
| Additional Policies | ||
| File Hosting Allowed | ||
| Proxy/VPN Allowed | ||
| Bandwidth Overage Cost | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Account Suspension Policy | Violation of ToS; non-payment; resource abuse; illegal content | Violation of ToS; excessive resource usage |
| Malware Removal Cost | — | $0.00 |
| Downloadable Backups | ||
| Additional Platforms | ||
| PrestaShop | ||
| Ghost | ||
| Shopify Migration | ||
| Wix Migration | ||
| Squarespace Migration | ||
| Webflow Export | ||
| Editorial Info | ||
| Best For | Developers wanting highly customizable VPS options; Users who value transparent upfront pricing; Adult content websites (rare among hosts); Businesses needing 24/7 US-based phone support; Users wanting both managed and unmanaged options; PC Magazine readers who trust their Editors' Choice | Users wanting solid all-around hosting; WordPress users needing reliable performance; Those wanting 60-day money-back guarantee; Users preferring green hosting; Small businesses wanting good support |
| Avoid If | Need longer money-back guarantee; Require many global server locations; Want included CDN; Need free domain; Prefer all-inclusive pricing; Concerned about mixed Trustpilot reviews; Want staging environments | Want LiteSpeed performance; Need enterprise compliance; Price-sensitive after first term; Had issues with cloud hosting transition |
| Known Issues | Only 3-day money-back guarantee (extremely short); Low Trustpilot rating (2.9) despite good G2 rating; No free domain included; No staging environment; Limited to 3 data center locations; No CDN included; Renewal prices higher than promo; Some users report billing issues | Renewal pricing significantly higher; No LiteSpeed (uses Nginx/Apache); Some cloud hosting migration issues reported; Cancellation/refund concerns noted; Doesn't lead in any specific area |
| Unique Selling Point | 99.9999% uptime guarantee with transparent pricing and adult content hosting allowed | Solid all-around hosting with 60-day money-back guarantee, green hosting, and BBB A+ rating |
| Ideal Customer | Developer wanting customizable VPS with transparent pricing and strong uptime guarantee | User wanting reliable, solid hosting without extremes - good performance, support, and features across the board |
| Best Alternative To | InMotion Hosting | A2 Hosting |
| Primary Competitors | InMotion Hosting, A2 Hosting, Liquid Web | HostArmada, A2 Hosting, FastComet, SiteGround |
We strive for accuracy, but pricing and features change frequently. Some data may be outdated. Report an error and we'll update it promptly.
Our Verdict
Choose Hostwinds if you...
- Want to save money ($4.54/mo vs $9.52/mo)
- Prefer more predictable renewal pricing
- Need enterprise-grade features
Choose TMDHosting if you...
- Require 24/7 live chat support
- Want LiteSpeed caching for WordPress
- Need staging environments
- Are new to web hosting
- Want more server locations (7 available)
Hostwinds vs TMDHosting: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hostwinds cheaper than TMDHosting?
Yes — Hostwinds is cheaper, starting at $4.54/mo compared with $9.52/mo for TMDHosting. Factor in renewals too: Hostwinds marks up about 10% after the first term.
Which is better for WordPress, Hostwinds or TMDHosting?
TMDHosting is the stronger WordPress host thanks to WordPress-optimized servers, LiteSpeed caching, staging and WooCommerce tuning. If WordPress or WooCommerce is your main workload, it's the safer pick.
Does Hostwinds or TMDHosting have better uptime?
Hostwinds edges out TMDHosting on performance with a 99.9999% uptime guarantee and a 4.0/5 overall rating. For uptime-sensitive sites, it's the more dependable choice.
Which has better customer support, Hostwinds or TMDHosting?
TMDHosting has the edge on support offering 24/7 live chat, phone support and ticket support.
Is Hostwinds or TMDHosting better for beginners?
TMDHosting is friendlier for beginners, scoring higher on ease of use in our assessment. New users will generally find it quicker to get started.
Should I choose Hostwinds or TMDHosting?
For most users, TMDHosting is the better overall choice, winning 4 of our 7 categories (notably Support, WordPress and Developers). That said, the right host depends on your specific needs — check the category breakdown above for the factors that matter to you.