EasyCGI Review
A singular focus on Windows hosting.
What We Say
EasyCGI focuses solely on Windows hosting, and there is something
to be said for specialization. Many hosts have tacked Windows hosting
on to their Unix-focused business and it seems about as natural as
square wheels on a car. EasyCGI doesn't suffer from this failing as
Windows is where they started and have stayed. Their deep
understanding of Windows hosting and the related tools and issues
makes for unparalleled service and support.
I'll have to admit a bias here. I am not a Windows guy. At all.
It took some impressive Windows tricks by some friends of mine to
convince me that Windows had something reasonable to offer the hosting
world. I now understand the appeal of some of the Windows development
tools, especially for people who have already put in the effort to
learn them. If you are looking for a Windows host, EasyCGI is hard to
beat.
Shared Hosting
Their shared plans follow the familiar tiered pattern, albeit with
somewhat confusing names. Their basic plan (called "Advanced")
provides what most sites will need and their intermedite and top tier
plans ("Advanced X2" and "Advanced X4") kick things up further for the
power users. Recently EasyCGI increased their storage and transfer
allowances on all plans, and the new numbers are much more
competitive.
Their custom control panel is simple to navigate and provides easy
access to all the featured you'd need. As a Windows host, they of
course include ASP, ASP.Net, and Access. In the higher level plans,
you can also get MS Index Server, and even SQL
Server. Physically, they use high end Xeon servers, with secure
offsite backups, and power backup to keep your site up and
running.
By the way, while you may see other reviews saying that EasyCGI
supports ColdFusion, this is unfortunately no longer the case. Their
official statement is: "Due to the lack of demand for the product, we
are no longer supporting ColdFusion on new accounts."
| Plan Name |
Storage |
Transfer |
Emails |
Price |
Features |
| Advanced |
350 GB |
3,500 GB |
500 |
$7.96 $1.99 |
Windows 2000, Access, unlimited
datasources, 50 MySQL databases, ASP, ASP.Net, Persits ASPUpload, ASPJpeg and
ASPEmail, PHP, Perl. |
| Advanced X2 |
500 GB |
5,000 GB |
1,000 |
$15.96 |
Same as basic, plus an additional 50 MySQL databases, Frontpage extensions,
Index server, and WebTrends reports. |
| Advanced X4 |
750 GB |
7,500 GB |
unlimited |
$21.96 |
Same as intermediate, plus SQL Server and unlimited MySQL databases. |
Support
It is easy to look at hosting as a commodity business, but support
is where a good host shines and a bad host takes it on the nose.
EasyCGI falls into the former category and provides a broad gamut of
support channels. Many hosts provide email and ticketing support, but
the proper measure of these is the speed of response and EasyCGI keep
the response time nice and short. The also include a community forum,
as a lot of the top tier hosts are doing. Impressively, however, they
top this off with 24-hour toll-free phone support; a nice surprise
compared to most of their competitors.
Special!
I should also mention that EasyCGI is currently running a special just for my readers here. $1.99 for the first three months of their Advanced package. Tallies up to almost 20% savings for the first year of an excellent host.
What the Reviewers Say
- "If you want to host on Windows, EasyCGI really has no peer." — Top Web Hosting Reviews
- "If you need a Windows host they are ideal." — Web Hosting Reviewer
- "One of the best Windows web hosting plans." — HostWhere
- "Well-know for providing excellent customer service and support." — Cheap Web Hosting Services
What They Say
- Company History
- Our management team founded Easy CGI after running a successful
regional Internet Service Provider since 1994, giving us over 10 years
of real world experience in the industry. Since it's inception in
1998, Easy CGI has grown into a globally competitive Web Hosting
Provider. With an ability to overcome fierce industry competition as a
start up company, Easy CGI has demonstrated that it has the ability to
provide the kind of reliable hosting services that our customers
demand.
- World Class Web Hosting Services
- Easy CGI has custom developed an infinitely expandable shared web
hosting platform which allows for complete flexibility. This strengthens
our ability to offer new features and cutting edge technology upon
availability. Our control panel allows the customer to administer
every aspect of their account at any time, from any location. Easy
CGI's three tiers of shared Web hosting solutions make the Company's
services suitable for a wide range of individuals and companies
looking to host websites ranging from simple to complex. The result is
superior flexibility and increased self-reliance over all account
features.
Many hosting companies outsource their technology needs or keep their
servers in a remote location. At Easy CGI we maintain our own Data
Center located in the same facility as our corporate
headquarters. Extensive system monitoring allows our support staff to
quickly assess and resolve problems that may occur.
- Easy CGI Support Staff
- The Internet and Web Hosting industries are built on relatively
new technologies that are still constantly changing. A Web Hosting
company must have the experience and knowledge to help its customers
through the process without creating confusion. Our highly
knowledgeable staff is trained with this in mind. We provide quick
resolutions to technical problems, allowing the customer to focus on
more important aspects of their business.
- The Easy CGI Advantage
- Easy CGI strives to be on the leading edge of the Web hosting
industry through superior technology, competitive pricing, and
excellent customer service. Becoming an industry leader through
maintaining steady customer and revenue growth, while continuing to
provide excellent service, is Easy CGI's vision for the future. With
thousands of hosting companies to choose from, it's no easy task to
pick a company that provides the best service and support. Easy CGI
has is committed to making your web hosting experience the best it can
be. Don't take our word for it, see for yourself.
Go to EasyCGI
www.easycgi.com