Overview

MidPhase is an American web hosting company that is located in Utah but also has offices in England, Ukraine, London and Lviv. It was founded in 1998 and has continued to see steady growth and prosperity, becoming one of the fastest growing firms in the industry.

This web host boasts more than 120,000 clients and over 200 employees under its wings. It’s privately owned and is reported to be debt free and therefore very stable financially. You will be impressed by its attractive offerings such as domain registration, SSL certificates, shared hosting, VPS and dedicated server. MidPhase has a reputation offering cheap and simple web hosting making it ideal for people on low budget.

Since 2007, this company has been under the ownership of UK2 group which owns a variety of different brands. Its motto is to offer top quality support and service to its clients. It focuses mainly on shared hosting services and is therefore a great choice for budget-conscious beginners looking for a solid host.

If your decision is determined by price alone, then you may have found the ideal place to begin at MidPhase. Below we dive into its plans, overall features, strengths & weaknesses and explore the frequently asked questions about MidPhase. Thereafter, you can decide if this is going to be the right choice for your needs.

MidPhase Features

Performance and Speed

Gone are the days when using the internet required patience; nowadays, it’s all about instant gratification. Woe unto you if your site can’t provide that. This plus the fact that Google uses page load speed in its ranking algorithms should be more than enough incentive to invest in improved speeds. Unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do to boost your site’s loading speed while the rest is up to your hosting service provider. For this reason, it’s essential to invest in a host with not only excellent hardware performance but also above average speed counts.

Over the last 20 years MidPhase has been perfecting the art of hosting, and if the numbers are anything to go by with, they seem to have unearthed the secret to exceptional performance and speed. Let’s take a look at the various features that the firm has invested in to ensure their continued success:

Enterprise Solid State Drives (SSD) Storage Solution

SSDs are slowly taking over the storage drive market, but they remain relatively expensive compared to their counterparts HDDs. For this reason, few hosting firms have actually adopted the tech. MidPhase recognizes the over five-fold speed improvement in I/O response time that comes with using SSDs. The firm is equipping all servers on their network with SSDs even on their low-end shared hosting plans.

Intel Xeon E-series Processors

MidPhase relies on the latest server-based processors from Intel the Xeon E-series. What this means for your business is that you get faster multi-core processing power at no additional cost. The firm ensures that the chip stays under optimal operating conditions thanks to their state-of-the-art data center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This data center utilizes danced canopy cold row cooling technology.

Colocation

Colocation means merely having your server installed on a third-party’s rack. MidPhase provides colocation on their main datacenter and its partners allowing you to specify the location of your server from the following cities: Salt Lake City, Utah, London, UK and Lviv, Ukraine. With such an option, you can have your server hosted in a datacenter closest to your target population thus cutting down on the response time.

200Gbit Capacity

While 200Gbit might sound fictional, that’s just how much MidPhase has invested in their data center network infrastructure. Therefore, having your site hosted on their platform not only ensures that each request for your site gets handled in real time but also provides the much-needed bandwidth for transferring all sorts of data to and from your server at full speeds. The 200Gbit network is based on Cisco platform and utilizes Cisco rack switches keeping every server on top performance. The uplink connection is provided by multiple network carriers thus providing unsurpassed reliability.

99.9% Uptime Guarantee

Over the last 20 years since its inception, MidPhase has cultivated a culture of reliability that only gets better with each passing year. The firm is so confident in their hardware and software infrastructure that they are offering a 99.9% uptime guarantee across all of their hosting packages. To further sweeten the deal the company insists that there’s no fine print when it comes to the guarantee. However, the SLA does specify to what extent the uptime guarantee actually applies so go ahead and take a look at it before filing for a refund.

Security Features

Hosting security is extremely crucial. These days, there are unethical systems eager to use your website for their ads and emails for spamming. As a result, you need a web host that can keep your data safe from frauds. Here are some of the security features you get with MidPhase hosting:

ModSecurity

This is an open source Web Application firewall engine that’s mainly designed for Apache web-server with the aim of protecting websites from being served from the same server. The ModSecurity engine can monitor HTTP traffic in real-time and detect known weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This tool is an effective way to detect any web-based malware using the Google Safe Browsing API. It also combats DDoS attacks and HTTP based flooding. Besides, it blocks all SQL injections attacks and cross-site scripting. The great thing with ModSecurity is it offers easy configuration giving web owners enough control.

SSL Certificates

Having an https bar on your site shows that your site is secure. Nowadays, Google is favoring https sites by helping them rank higher than sites without it. In fact, browsers like Google Chrome warn visitors trying to access sites that lack an SSL certificate by labeling a site “non-secure”. The good news is most web hosts offer basic SSLs for free, because it is easy to integrate. Unfortunately, MidPhase does not offer users with SSL and you need to sign up for a “business” plan to get it for free. For commercial sites, having this tool ensures that your customer data stays protected.

SiteLock

MidPhase aims to button up any holes in security on your server using SiteLock security tool. It acts as a service that notifies you of any malware that has been injected on your site’s server. Although this service comes separately with MidPhase, you will achieve more security by having it on your site. So far, security has not been a problem with this company. SiteLock packages start from basic plan, then the premium plan and the Enterprise plan.

SpamAssasin

MidPhase offers Spam Assasin tool to stop spam from entering you email. This tool is available on all shared server packages and you can activate it in the control panel. Should you not find it, you can reach the support for assistance. SpamAssasin does a pretty job at blocking junk and spam be you can also try a superior option called spamalizer at a fee.

Automatic Backups

Most people are yet to appreciate the importance of having an online backup for their site. Having ready backup creates an automatic recovery plan for your data in case everyday threats to your computer such as fire, theft and cyber-attacks.

With MidPhase hosting, your data is safe because the firm provides automated backup along with their hosting services. Your files are automatically backed up each night and made available to customers in case need arises.

You can access data through the cPanel where you get several backup options. The first option is full backup which includes files email, account information and MySQL databases. This backup often takes many hours depending on the size of your website. You also get Home Directory backup option which includes all files located in your home directory (account).

The most important backup you can do is MySQL backup. MySQL databases are critical especially with data-base driven applications e.g. mailing list, blog, forum, etc. In case of any disasters, MidPhase will automatically restore your site to the previous state.

MidPhase Control Panel

Having an all-purpose control panel goes a long way into simplifying your web management activities. For this reason, MidPhase is offering the famous cPanel as the default control panel on their hosting platform. cPanel has been around for a while and has managed to accumulate some great features along the way. This coupled with its simplified interface, and tabbed view makes it the best control panel software in the market.

Let’s take a look at some of these features:

Email Management

Use the cPanel email tab to keep track of your business’s communication. This tool allows you to create mail accounts, autoresponders, and forwarders. The same option contains the necessary spam filter configuration options allowing you to filter out junk mail and access the most important mail first. You can also use the tool to deploy mass email campaigns and keep track of their delivery.

Billing Information

cPanel offers a centralized billing tab where you can manage your subscriptions and review your billing history. The tab is also useful if you want to update your billing information or cancel ongoing automated payments.

Apps Galore

Along the way, you might require to add more functionality to your website. This tab grants you access to hundreds of add-ons and plugins ranging from e-commerce apps to guestbooks and even scripts. This tab also serves as the app manager whereby you can uninstall your custom addons hustle free.

Cronjobs

Cronjobs is a time-based activity automation tool. Essentially it allows you to automate specific tasks around your site which would otherwise require you to run them manually. With cronjobs, you can set these tasks to run automatically and even specify if you want them to run when your site is idle to avoid impacting the performance of other aspects of the site.

Customer Support

With MidPhase, customer support is available on a 24/7 basis which is important as your site can develop issues any time of the day and night. MidPhase ensures around-the-clock customer support so you do not have to worry about getting the help you need any time. Besides, their US-based representatives will help you solve any issues regarding the platform because they all go through training.

You can reach them through a variety of options including email, ticket system or the live chat. As for email and ticket, their polite representatives respond within minutes. You can also reach them through phone in case you need direct answers. When we tried their live chat, their agents were able to answer our concern quickly and comprehensively.

Regarding social media interaction, this company is very active on Google+, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Knowledgebase

Before reaching their customer support staff, you can visit the MidPhase support center where you find a helpful knowledgebase that provides quick answers. This section has answers to the most common problems users may face. Additionally, they regularly update the knowledgebase and add any new content needed.

At the time of reviewing this host, we found it brimming with fresh and useful content to help users properly understand their services and other functions. If you prefer a more visual approach when learning various procedures, this firm provides flash-based tutorials. MidPhase has a troubleshooter which lets you know the problem so that you can search the keyword on the search box.

Apart from the knowledgebase, they also feature a blog which is not only helpful when learning information about the company but also offers informative articles about developing your website. They also have a server status page where they include any news and updates.

30-day Money Back Guarantee

As is typical with most web hosts, MidPhase offers a money-back guarantee when you sign up with them. The 30-day money back guarantee allows you to cancel a hosting plan in case you are dissatisfied with their services. If you decide to cancel the plan within the first 30 days, they’ll give back your money. No questions asked.

Note that the guarantee applies to sign up fees. Other services and add-ons that are not covered include upgrades to hosting services, SSL certificates, and domain registration and transfer. In addition, dedicated plans are not eligible for the money back guarantee so be sure to check the fine print before signing up with them. If you wish to cancel the account after the 30 day have passed, MidPhase will not offer the refunds.

Ecommerce Features

MidPhase ensures easy integration of ecommerce features in their plans. If you are planning to install Woocommerce and WordPress to help you when installing a store, then MidPhase could be the right deal. This company lets you have an ecommerce store quickly even if you are a beginner and begin accepting credit card payments. The MidPhase ecommerce platform offers a lot of great features at a bargain compared to others like Shopify. In case you need SSL certificates to bolster your site’s security, you can get quality SSL from MidPhase.

MidPhase Extras

Free Dedicated IP Address

Depending on your hosting package MidPhase is offering a free dedicated IP address. The address is granted upon request and comes in handy when you want to direct high-volume web traffic to your site.

Free Stats2 Web Analytics

The best way to monitor your site’s performance is by utilizing up to date stats. MidPhase is, therefore, offering a free copy of Stats2 web analytics on their VPS packages. This handy tool allows you to keep track of various metrics to make informed decisions which are backed by credible data.

Free SSL

MidPhase offers free SSL keys on select hosting packages. This is a significant boost as they will provide additional encryption security for your site and the visitors connecting to it.

Free Website Builder

With access to hundreds of professional themes and templates, MidPhase is making it not only possible to create a professional website in a few minutes but also completely free. The drag and drop design make it easy to use the tool even without any prior programming knowledge.

Strengths and Weakness of MidPhase Hosting

Strengths

Based on customer reviews and our own findings, this company is overall commendable. Whichever way you go, there are a few advantages to hosting with Midphase.

Reliable customer service

MidPhase has a professional customer support team that is available 24/7. You can get help at any time in case you experience problems with your site. The customer support team can be accessed via the ticket system, email or through live chat. The representatives are quick to answer with the response taking a few minutes. They also strive to give detailed answers to the customers when they respond.

MidPhase offers the knowledge base to the clients where the frequently asked questions are answered in detail. Tutorial is available for those clients who prefer visual in learning how to approach various procedures. For quick and more pressing issues, you can speak to the customer service through a phone call availed the US residents and international numbers for people outside the US.

30 day money back policy

So, if you purchase a hosting plan with MidPhase, and you decide to cancel the account before 30 days lapses, you will get your money back. No questions asked. The refund, however, does not apply for domain registration and transfer, any upgrades to hosting service and SSL certificates. Add-ons and other services will not be covered in the policy.

Take note that the policy is not eligible for dedicated plans or after the days are over and only applies to initial sign-ups.

Excellent uptime

The company guarantees fast and reliable uptime for both their network and servers. The company also reimburses 5% for every hour a client’s site experiences a downtime up to 100% reimbursement.

MidPhase host three very reliable and well-staffed data centers in the US. These data centers have been built focusing mostly on web hosting reliability and security ensuring that your site is up and running at all times.

Free Site Migration

If you feel that your current web host does not meet your needs, MidPhase web host will help you migrate and transfer your site free of any charge. While most hosts provide the same services for free, there a few who charge a high fee for migration of your site.

Fair pricing

MidPhase is currently among the cheapest web hosting in the market. They offer a variety of hosting packages with which are relatively cheap. Although the 36-month subscription provides the best pricing option, the one and two-year plans are also affordable. Also, the shared hosting plan comes with a free domain and tons of other special features. This a great place to start if you are a beginner or on a tight budget.

Weaknesses

No host is perfect and MidPhase is no exception. Here are the downfalls you can expect from this web host.

MidPhase Web load time

Slow page loading time is a major concern among MidPhase customers, with speed slower than average. For beginners, this may not be a major concern. However, if you are using your site for commercial purposes where your site heavily relies on load time for factors such as search rankings, usability, and conversions, you might need to consider a web host with faster load speed.

Cumbersome control panel for newbies

Their control panel is a little too long and complicated for first-time users. Experienced web admins might find some features great but at the same time overwhelmed the newbies until they get accustomed to the layout. However, they do provide a guide on how to use this tool.

Complain about customer support

Although a majority of MidPhase customers get assisted when they face problems with the host, some have complained that it took longer than expected. There are also complains about the response time of their support.

MidPhase FAQs

Where are the data centers located?

The main data center is located in Lindon, Utah. The primary center is a 3-tier with redundant power sources to ensure excellent performance. It undergoes on-site monitoring and has technical security staff to ensure servers keep running all the time.

How is their customer support?

MidPhase offers a wide range of customer support options in case of any problems with their hosting services. To begin with, there are online help resources such as the knowledgebase which offers helpful content. In case you need to learn about the company, you can visit their blog where you also access helpful articles.

If you need direct support, the company has a US-based support that’s available anytime. Support is available via ticket, email and live chat. You can also use their free telephone line for US residents or an international numbers for people outside the US. Their plans come with support response time guarantee. They are also active on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

What Control Panel does MidPhase offer?

MidPhase offers cPanel for all its Linux-based plans. The cPanel is easier to use and is preferred by a majority of web hosting customers. Besides, most reputable web hosts use it. In case you’re not familiar with using the cPanel, MidPhase offers an easy-to-understand demo on their website.

Do I get a website builder?

Yes. MidPhase offers a free site builder with numerous themes and templates to design your site. The platform allows you to create a professional website easily and quickly. It comes with the drag and drop interface which makes it easy even for novices.

Does the company offer a cancellation policy?

For all its shared hosting plans, MidPhase provides a 30-day money back guarantee. The refund applies to all signup fees minus the domain fees. Other additional services like SSL certificates are not included. Note that you need to issue a 14 day notice before the end of their term before they renew the account. In addition, the web host retains the right to cancel a customer’s account in case of vulgar language to support staff.

Does MidPhase offer unlimited disk space and bandwidth?

Yes. Their shared plans offer unlimited resources. However, it means that shared server customers are limited to 10 GB database and inode counts of 200,000. Note that if you do above these limits, they’ll request you to upgrade to a higher plan.

Do they provide uptime guarantee?

Yes. They offer a 99.9% guarantee which is per the industry standards. The guarantee compensates customers the monthly uptime drop below 99.9%. As you’d expect, the guarantee does not apply to downtime that occurs during scheduled server maintenance. In case of any claims regarding less downtime, your credit will be rolled over to the next month. This company offers a server status page on their site where customers and non-customers can access at any time.

What security features do they provide?

MidPhase uses ModSecurity firewall which monitors your networks for any threats. Additionally, they provide SSL certificates for free to ensure customer information is safe. Midphase offers SiteLock services to help fight malware and prevent DDoS attacks. The platform also provides a spam tool to keep your inbox free of junk and spam. In case of any malicious codes, there is an antivirus protection.

Does MidPhase offer free migration assistance?

Yes. In case your current web host does not meet your needs, you can easily contact midphase for free transfer of your site from your old web host. This is a sweet deal considering that some companies charge a fee for the same service.

Are there any discounts?

Yes. MidPhase offers regular promotions and standards discounts especially for longer contracts. You may pay more upfront to enjoy the discounts.

Can I register my domain with MidPhase?

Yes. This company offers domain registration services for a variety of TLDs.

What are MidPhase alternatives?

You may not be satisfied with this company for various reasons such as support, pricing and other reasons. In case you find MidPhase a bit pricey for what you need, you may try HostGator for cheap web hosting packages. Apart from offering better pricing value, HostGator provides a top-notch customer support. Another alternative is WP Engine if you own a WordPress site. The platform not only offers great features for WordPress but also provides an amazing support. You may also consider JustHost for cheaper prices, free domain for life and anytime money back guarantee.