About Us & Who We Are
We make hosting offers transparent and comparable through independent tests, real experiences and a clear view of what providers promise.
This is HOSTtest
HOSTtest was founded in Germany in 2006 and is today one of the largest hosting comparison platforms in Europe. Here you will find in-depth test reports, compare more than 400 providers with over 12,629 offers and can draw on 13,681 reviews. (as of September 2026)
Our Web Host of the Year election, in which the community honours its favourites, has been held annually since 2015. What began in Germany in 2006 is today also present in Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain – each with a focus on the local hosting market. In the most recent election in 2025, 22,057 users cast their vote.
But what happens when your website suddenly goes offline, loading times keep getting slower or your SSL certificate expires – and you do not notice? That is why we launched HOSTtest Plus in April 2026.
The industry's biggest names trust us
and many more
hosttest Plus – monitoring that never sleeps
Since April 2026, hosttest has been more than a comparison platform. With hosttest Plus you monitor up to 50 websites and servers – free of charge and permanently. If something goes down, you find out immediately by email, SMS or phone call. On top of that come SSL and DNS checks, status pages and a price alert that tells you when your plan is available for less.
Servers in Europe. Free forever.
Start hosttest Plus for freeOur current statistics
* Since April 2026
The stress test for hosting promises
Our mission: We put hosting promises to the test – independently, transparently and using real data and experiences.
The team behind hosttest
Two people, one goal: making hosting comparable.
Marco Keul
Founder of hosttestFounder of hosttest. Marco started his own business at 17 and built several online projects from the year 2000 onwards. That is when he saw how hard it is to pick the right hosting provider out of the crowd – so in 2006 he founded hosttest.
More about Marco
Christopher Prüfer
Web hosting expertWeb hosting expert and self-employed IT systems specialist. Chris has been supporting Marco at hosttest for over 10 years, bringing experience from his own web projects and from leading web hosting companies – the basis for our critical reviews.
More about ChristopherWhy you can trust hosttest
Our story
From an idea in a student flat to a platform in five countries.
An idea becomes a platform
Marco Keul founds hosttest while still a student – with one goal: to make the hosting market in the DACH region transparent and comparable.
The first 100 web hosts
In the very first year, more than 100 web hosts are listed on the platform.
Around 300 providers
With around 300 listed providers, hosttest is one of the leading hosting comparison platforms in German-speaking countries.
Web Host of the Year launches
The first Web Host of the Year election takes place. Since then, users have cast more than 132,420 votes to decide the best providers of the year.
In-depth web hosting reviews
We launch our in-depth reviews: web hosting offers are no longer just compared, but tested by us in detail.
Reviews for VPS and dedicated servers
Two years later, in-depth reviews for VPS and dedicated servers follow.
hosttest launches in Austria
With a dedicated country edition for Austria, we show providers and prices for the Austrian market.
www.hosttest.atSwitzerland follows
A few months later the Swiss edition goes live – with prices in francs and Swiss providers.
www.hosttest.chOur YouTube channel launches
Since 2025, hosttest has also been available as video: on our YouTube channel we put providers through practical tests, explain hosting basics and follow the Web Host of the Year election.
Go to the YouTube channelFirst step beyond the DACH region
With the British edition, hosttest launches in English for the first time.
www.hosttest.co.ukhosttest Plus
We launch hosttest Plus: free website and server monitoring with up to 50 monitors, SMS and voice alerts on downtime, plus SSL and DNS checks. Servers in Europe, no credit card required.
Discover hosttest Plushosttest in Spanish
With the Spanish edition, hosttest appears in another language for the first time.
www.hosttest.esHow Do We Finance Ourselves?
Through advertising, paid provider memberships and – with individual providers – a commission when you book there. What that does not change: our test verdict and our users' reviews.
How You Can Support Us
If you would like to support us, we would love to hear your feedback – it helps us make our portal even better. Just get in touch via our contact form. You can also write reviews about your own experiences and take part in our annual Web Host of the Year election.
Social Engagement
As a web portal, we also bear social responsibility. We have therefore been supporting Doctors Without Borders for several years, because not all people are fortunate enough to live on the sunny side of life. They need our help and deserve our commitment. That's why we decided to regularly conduct fundraising campaigns on our portal that benefit others.
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