Pricing and Features
If you’re looking for a comprehensive service that can get you started on a dedicated server without breaking the bank, then give THC Servers’ packages a look. Since forming in 2006, the company has quickly made a name for itself thanks to the affordability and value of its hosting services — and its dedicated hosting plans are no exception. THC Servers has dedicated hosting plans that cater to the needs of both typical users and larger-scale, more resource-intensive enterprises. There are four “best value” packages pegged at lower price points, and two “best configuration” packages that carry the highest possible specifications the company can deliver.
Best Value Packages
For “best value” packages, you’re looking at prices in the range of $99.95 to $199.95; on average, these are lower than most providers’ plans with comparable specifications. At $99.95 per month, for example, the THC-KS-4 plan already gives you a quad-core Intel i5 processor running at 3.1 GHz, a good 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, 100 Mbps of bandwidth, and free DDoS protection. That’s not a bad deal, especially considering how some providers charge extra fees for basic server security. The THC-32-1 plan, at $149.95, gets you improvements across the board: a quad-core Intel Xeon E3 processor, a considerable 32 GB of RAM, 2 TB of storage with a redundant structure via RAID software, 250 Mbps of bandwidth, and DDoS protection.
The RAM, storage space, bandwidth and DDoS protection hold steady for the other two “best value” packages. This means your extra $30, for the THC-32-2’s monthly rate of $179.95, nets you increases in processing power (quad-core Intel Xeon CPU at 3.4 GHz). The highest tier, THC-32-3 at $199.95 per month, keeps the same 3.4 GHz quad-core CPU, but shifts you to a hardware RAID configuration, meaning you have two 2 TB SATA drives in a redundant array. None of the “best value” packages come with a dedicated IP address, but you can get as many as you like by adding $2 per IP at checkout.
Best Configuration Packages
For the “best configuration” packages, you can choose between THC-HOST-32 ($259.95 per month) or THC-HOST-64 ($349.95 per month). The former gets you a hexa-core AMD Opteron CPU, 32 GB of RAM, 2 TB of storage in a hardware RAID array, unlimited bandwidth, free DDoS protection and 1 dedicated IP address. The latter, meanwhile, bumps up your processing power and RAM to an octa-core AMD Opteron CPU and a total of 64 GB, respectively.
Save Money with Special Offers
Recently, THC has also come up with a “Special Offer” line, which features 6 packages ranging in price from $99.95 to $179.95 per month. The big new offerings here are the higher processor core counts and the options for SSD storage. At $99.95, for example, you can get an octa-core Intel Xeon CPU at 2.6 GHz, 32 GB of RAM, and 500 GB of SSD storage in a hardware RAID array. The $149.95 plan carries the same specifications but bumps processing power up to 3.33 GHz. Meanwhile, the $179.95 plan ratchets that up to a 12-core Intel Xeon CPU setup with 64 GB of RAM. Other packages in the plan have similar gradients of processing power and RAM, but with 2 TB SATA drives for storage instead. All of these packages come with unlimited bandwidth, 1 dedicated IP address, and free DDoS protection as well.
OS, Software, and Service Add-Ons
Unlike other providers, THC doesn’t give you the option to modify each package’s specific hardware. However, you can elect to install an operating system and control panel software. For OS, you can select among different Linux flavors free of charge: THC supports versions of CentOS, Archlinux, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, FreeBSD, Mandriva, Slackware, Gentoo, or VMWare. You can also opt for RedHat or different editions of Windows Server 2008, but each of this will cost you an additional $40 per month. Control panel software, meanwhile, is available only for servers running CentOS, Fedora, or FreeBSD; cPanel and WHM will cost you $40 per month as well. You can also avail of 1-click installs for applications like WordPress and Joomla, for additional fees.
THC also offers basic server maintenance services, such as daily backups and port monitoring, as well as free boot, shutdown, or reboot of servers. The company claims a 99.99% uptime guarantee, though close inspection of their Terms of Service shows that they only posit legal accountability for a 99% uptime. Similarly, be careful about the unlimited bandwidth claim: 1 Gbps is a lot, but if you somehow exceed that, the penalty is immediate suspension of your account.
The company has a general 30-day guarantee, but this is cut down to 7 days for dedicated server plans. Billing is easier here than with most other providers, though, as THC supports a variety of payment options: there’s the typical credit card, but you can also pay via Perfect Money, PayPal, and even Bitcoin. The company offers monthly billing as a default, though you can opt for semiannual or annual payment schemes that come with some discounts.
Customer Support
THC Servers have a comprehensive support center and knowledge base, as well as a support team exclusively for dedicated server users. They are available 24/7 via email, the company’s ticket system, phone, or live chat.
What's the Verdict on THC Servers?
THC Servers Dedicated Hosting Review – Conclusion
If you’d like to dip your toes into the world of dedicated server hosting without paying exorbitant fees, then THC Servers might be a good fit for you. The company offers decent pre-configured server packages at affordable prices. You can also take your pick from a variety of operating systems; unlike many other providers, THC has recently started offering Windows as a choice alongside the more common Linux. There are higher-end plans that can also cater to the needs of more resource-intensive or higher-traffic operations, but where THC really shines is in its low-cost and mid-range lines. For users on a budget, THC Servers are a good choice.
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