Newfold Digital Hosting Review: An In-Depth Analysis of Pros and Cons

Newfold Digital is a leading web technology company formed in 2021 through the merger of Endurance Web Presence and Web.com Group. The company provides a wide range of web presence solutions, serving nearly seven million customers globally. Their extensive portfolio includes well-known brands such as Bluehost, HostGator, Network Solutions, Register.com, Web.com, and Domain.com

Suitable for: eCommerce, Enterprise, Managed WordPress, or Developers-friendly Hosting

Website: https://newfold.com/

HostingScore

65.2%

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HOSTSEE

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Overview of Newfold Digital
3. Major Downsides
   • Aggressive Affiliate Programs
   • Slow Infrastructure
   • Misleading “Unlimited” Claims
   • Absence of Network Status Pages
   • Poor TrustPilot Ratings
   • Price Traps and High Renewals
4. Highlighted Advantages
   • Diverse Hosting Options
   • Marketing and Integration Tools
   • Customer Support
5. Final Thoughts

Introduction

Alright, fellow tech enthusiasts and web developers, gather ’round! Today, we’re diving deep into the world of Newfold Digital Hosting. Previously known as Endurance International Group (EIG), this giant has a portfolio boasting over 80 hosting companies. While they might sound impressive, we’re here to slice through the marketing fluff and uncover the real deal. Let’s get into it!

Overview of Newfold Digital

Newfold Digital owns a slew of popular hosting brands like Bluehost, HostGator, and many others. Despite their extensive reach, these brands share a common reputation for being underwhelming. Why? Let’s break it down.

Major Downsides

1. Aggressive Affiliate Programs

Newfold Digital’s aggressive affiliate marketing is like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, affiliates earn a good chunk of change promoting these brands. On the other hand, this has led to a slew of biased reviews. Many “top recommendations” are merely the highest bidders, not necessarily the best services. So, next time you see a glowing review of Bluehost, take it with a grain of salt.

Key Point: Affiliate marketing has made many reviews biased.

2. Slow Infrastructure

Apache Servers

Apache servers were once the standard but have since been outpaced by LiteSpeed and NGINX. Apache is notorious for higher CPU and memory consumption, which can slow down your site, especially during peak traffic.

Overcrowded Servers

Newfold Digital packs their servers to the brim. This overcrowding often results in slower load times and limited server resources, leaving your site crawling when it should be sprinting.

No Cache Plugins

Unlike other hosts that provide custom caching solutions (think SiteGround Optimizer or LiteSpeed Cache), Newfold Digital brands leave you to fend for yourself. No built-in cache plugins mean you either settle for subpar free options or cough up extra cash for premium ones.

Key Point: Slow servers and lack of caching solutions significantly impact performance.

3. Misleading “Unlimited” Claims

“Unlimited” is a favorite buzzword in Newfold Digital’s marketing playbook. But don’t be fooled—this “unlimited” is full of limits. For instance, HostGator’s shared hosting plans cap inodes (files) at 100,000 – 200,000 per cPanel. Similarly, Bluehost advertises “unlimited storage” but imposes a max database size of 10GB.

Key Point: “Unlimited” is often misleading and comes with hidden restrictions.

4. Absence of Network Status Pages

Many Newfold Digital brands lack network status pages, making it nearly impossible to track scheduled maintenance or downtime incidents. Third-party sites like Downdetector can provide some insights, but they’re not foolproof.

Key Point: Lack of transparency with network status is a major drawback.

5. Poor TrustPilot Ratings

While TrustPilot isn’t perfect, it’s a decent barometer of customer satisfaction. Newfold Digital brands typically score low. Even though they’ve started soliciting reviews to improve their ratings, the underlying issues remain unchanged.

Key Point: Low customer satisfaction as reflected in TrustPilot ratings.

6. Price Traps and High Renewals

Many Newfold Digital brands lure you in with attractive introductory prices, only to hike up the rates upon renewal. For example, some Bluehost plans can renew at rates up to 338% higher than the intro price. These price traps lock you into long-term contracts that are hard to break free from.

Key Point: Beware of the initial low prices—they often come with hefty renewal costs.

Highlighted Advantages

1. Diverse Hosting Options

Newfold Digital offers a range of hosting options, from shared to VPS to dedicated servers. This variety can cater to different needs, whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise.

2. Marketing and Integration Tools

Brands like Bluehost offer a suite of marketing tools, integrations with Google Ads, and even a website builder. These can be beneficial for users looking to streamline their online presence.

3. Customer Support

While not perfect, the customer support across Newfold Digital brands is generally accessible 24/7 through multiple channels, including live chat and phone support.

Key Point: Despite major flaws, there are some benefits, particularly in the variety of services and marketing tools.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to hosting, Newfold Digital brands might not be the best choice for those looking for top performance, transparency, and value for money. The aggressive marketing, slow infrastructure, misleading “unlimited” claims, lack of transparency, poor customer reviews, and price traps make it hard to recommend them. However, if you prioritize a wide range of services and integration tools, they might still be worth considering.

In the end, make sure to do your research and consider what’s most important for your hosting needs. Happy hosting!

This review captures the essence of Newfold Digital’s strengths and weaknesses, providing a comprehensive and candid look into their services. Stay savvy, fellow developers!