How we research and write

ArdentSupport earns revenue through affiliate commissions when readers purchase hosting through our links. This revenue funds the site and the testing behind it — but it never determines what we recommend.

Affiliate rates are not visible to writers or reviewers during the rating process. No provider can pay to be featured, improve its score, or avoid a negative finding. Providers can submit corrections to factual errors, but cannot alter scores or editorial opinions.

We purchase hosting accounts with our own funds (or receive standard trial access under the same conditions available to any member of the public). Sponsored test environments are not used.

Each review tests the following, measured over a minimum of 30 days:

• Uptime — monitored every minute from three global locations
• Time to first byte — tested from the US, Europe, and Asia
• Support — multiple tickets opened at varied times, including nights and weekends
• Setup — how long it takes to go from signup to a running WordPress site
• Control panel — ease of common tasks (SSL, PHP version, email accounts)
• Value — price vs. comparable plans at other providers

Providers are scored across five dimensions, each rated from 0 to 5:

• Speed — TTFB and page load performance
• Uptime — measured availability over the test period
• Support — response time, accuracy, and helpfulness
• Value — features per dollar vs. the market
• Overall features — breadth and quality of hosting tools

The overall rating is the arithmetic mean of all five dimensions. All dimensions are weighted equally. We do not apply weights that would benefit higher-margin affiliates.

Hosting is not a static product. Prices change, features appear and disappear, support quality fluctuates. We re-test and update reviews on a rolling 12-month cycle, or sooner if we receive credible reports of significant changes.

All reviews display the date they were last tested. Outdated reviews are clearly marked as under review until a new test cycle is complete.

If a provider believes a factual claim in a review is incorrect, they can submit a correction request via our contact form. We review all requests and correct genuine errors promptly. Corrections are noted inline on the affected review. We do not remove negative findings unless they are factually wrong.

Any sponsored article, paid placement, or advertorial is clearly labelled "Sponsored" at the top of the page. Sponsored content is produced separately from our review editorial process and does not influence ratings or recommendations elsewhere on the site.

As of June 2026, ArdentSupport does not publish sponsored reviews. All reviews on this site are independently produced.

All writers and testers are required to disclose conflicts of interest before working on a review. Anyone who has a financial relationship with a provider — employment, consulting, or equity — may not review that provider.