We built the hosting comparison site we wished existed when we started our own websites.
Every time we needed to choose a web host, we encountered the same problem: every "Best Web Hosting" article recommended Bluehost. Every. Single. One.
Then we discovered why: Bluehost pays $65-$150 per referral. Suddenly, the unanimous recommendations made sense—they weren't about quality, they were about commission.
We built SideBySide Hosting to be the comparison site we wished existed: one that shows real renewal prices, exposes ownership structures, and prioritizes your interests over affiliate payouts.
The web hosting review industry is fundamentally broken. Major review sites earn more from a single Bluehost referral than Bluehost earns providing hosting. When commissions exceed product value, whose interests do you think they serve?
Add in the fact that 80+ hosting "brands" are owned by the same company (Newfold Digital), and comparison shopping becomes theater. You're choosing between different logos, not different services.
We believe you deserve better. You deserve to see the renewal prices before you sign up, to know who owns what, and to read reviews that aren't bought and paid for.
The principles that guide everything we publish
We show renewal prices, ownership structures, and even affiliate commission rates. If it affects your decision, you should know it.
Real uptime stats. Actual speed tests. Documented price increases. We back claims with evidence, not marketing speak.
Reddit users say "avoid EIG brands" while review sites give them 5 stars. We weight real user sentiment over PR-approved testimonials.
We recommend hosts based on value, not commission. Sometimes that means recommending hosts that pay us less—or nothing at all.
How we evaluate and rank web hosting providers
We calculate 3-year total cost including renewal prices, not just the promotional rate. A host advertising $2.95/mo that renews at $12.99/mo isn't cheap—it's deceptive.
Every review identifies the corporate parent company. If Bluehost and HostGator share the same owner (they do), that context matters for your comparison.
We use third-party monitoring tools to verify uptime and speed claims. Marketing says 99.99% uptime—reality is often different.
We analyze Reddit, Trustpilot, and hosting forums for real user experiences. Paid testimonials tell one story; anonymous forum posts tell another.
We publish what affiliates earn from each host. When you know Bluehost pays $150 per referral, you can judge reviews with appropriate skepticism.
Compare hosts with real costs, real data, and no hidden agendas.
Compare Web Hosts →