TL;DR
While Malaysian-breed company Serverfreak is great, looking beyond Malaysian shores for the best hosting around doesn’t mean stiffer fees. Often, you’ll find more competitive rates, even in USD. Top choices like ScalaHosting, Hostinger, and TMD Hosting bring the benefit of international standards and SOPs.
Note: While our HostScore ratings provide a general overview of host performance, there are other factors you should consider for your specific needs. Our top hosting picks address this by offering tailored suggestions for different requirements, as demonstrated in this article.
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting has a full range of products including Cloud and VPS hosting with its in-house built control panel, sPanel. The “Anytime Unconditional Money-back Guarantee” offered by the company transforms their offers into an irresistible proposition, particularly for those eager to experiment with their services without any financial risk.
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ScalaHosting Pros
- Outstanding hosting uptime and speed performance
- Affordable pricing
- Anytime unconditional Money-back Guarantee
- Automated backup with 7 restore points
- Generous offer in server resources – Even the lowest shared plan gets unmetered bandwidth and unlimited emails
- NVMe SSD storage for all shared hosting plans
- Innovative technology – SPanel, SShield, SWordPress
ScalaHosting Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
Hostinger
Hostinger
Hostinger has swiftly risen from its humble beginnings in 2004 to become a globally recognized web hosting powerhouse, known for its affordable, user-friendly services and innovative technologies like the proprietary hPanel. With a commitment to excellence and a rapidly expanding team, Hostinger continues to redefine the web hosting landscape, making it easier for users around the world to establish their online presence.
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Hostinger Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Nine different data centers in four continents
- Good spread of hosting plans
- User-friendly control panel (hPanel)
- Wide range of payment options accepted
- Git environment available on shared hosting
- Additional 7% discount with coupon code “HOSTSCORE”
Hostinger Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Does not support Windows hosting
TMDHosting
TMDHosting
TMDHosting is a full-service host and offer the gamut of hosting types ranging from shared all the way to dedicated servers. Plans are reasonably priced and come with significant value-added features. The company operates from data centers in five continents including South America and Africa, which is not often seen in market.
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TMDHosting Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Choice of global data centres in six continents
- Easy-to-use centralized dashboard
- Free white glove migration
- Host unlimited websites in Business or Enterprise plans
- Outstanding customer support
- Reinforced DDoS protection for all shared hosting accounts
TMDHosting Cons
- Lowest shared plan does not support automatic backup
- Free domain has no privacy protection
- Price increase during the renewal
Fastcomet
Fastcomet
While the brand may not be globally recognized, Fastcomet comes up aces when considering performance. It tacks along sterling support to bring it up to par with the best in the industry. If reliability is what you seek, look no further.
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Fastcomet Pros
- High-speed and reliable hosting
- Decent range of hosting plans
- Comprehensive support
- Excellent reputation
Fastcomet Cons
- Limited features on lower-priced plans
Kinsta
Kinsta
Specializing in a very specific niche of web hosting can be an extremely challenging thing to do but Kinsta has managed to succeed. The company offers users the unique opportunity to opt for extremely powerful web hosting that is designed around a single platform – WordPress.
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Kinsta Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Choice of 30+ server locations
- Optimized for best WordPress site performance
- Plans auto-scale during visitor spikes
- Specialized WordPress support staff
- Highly developer-friendly
Kinsta Cons
- Expensive
- No email hosting
- No shared hosting
- Does not support cron jobs
- Some WordPress plugins banned
WP Engine
WP Engine
WP Engine is one of those hosts which has forsaken all and chosen to focus their entire business on WordPress hosting only. They offer Cloud-based managed WordPress hosting which is powerful, slightly justifying their rather hefty price tag. Aside from that, two core benefits stand out here – their in-house built caching system, knwon as EverCahce, and specialized WordPress support staff.
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WP Engine Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Round-the-clock WordPress-specialized support
- Developer-friendly environment
- Genesis framework and StudioPress themes included
- Choice of 20+ server locations in four continents
WP Engine Cons
- Email hosting services not included
- Only WordPress plans available
- Bandwidth and some server resources are highly limited
- No white-glove site migration
Digital Ocean
Digital Ocean
Cloud hosting can be a little daunting for many people in the first place, but Digital Ocean has made that doubly so with the liberal use of self-developed technical jargon. For layman unfamiliar with the company, start by exploring “Droplets” – their unique term for “cloud hosting solution”. That said, Digital Ocean is a highly modular and scalable environment with many advanced, developer-friendly features. Everything here is priced independently, so you’re really paying for only what you need.
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Digital Ocean Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Competitive and flexible pricing model
- Choice of 15 distributed data centers
- Highly configurable virtual machines
- Built-in alert system for resource thresholds or critical issues
Digital Ocean Cons
- Charges apply for automated backups
- Unencrypted backups
- Only suitable for advanced users
- Less user-friendly for team operations
GreenGeeks
GreenGeeks
With their eco-friendly vision GreenGeeks has positioned themselves in a unique spot to offer hosting that some companies have bylaws mandating them to take advantage of – green hosting. Combined with above-average performance and a good spread of supporting technologies, they are an attractive option for many.
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GreenGeeks Pros
- Returns 3x power consumed with renewable energy credits
- Affordable pricing
- Free daily backup for all shared hosting plans
- All plans support Perl, Python and Git
- Free website migration assistance
- Root access, control panel and cPanel/WHM included in reseller hosting plans
GreenGeeks Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Slightly lacklustre customer service
- Non refundable setup fees
Verpex
Verpex
As a newcomer in the hosting industry, Verpex shows promise with feature-rich, affordable plans and solid customer support. Sadly, however, their premium hosting plans fall short in value compared to top-tier providers.
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Verpex Pros
- Budget-friendly shared and VPS hosting plans
- 45-day money back guarantee
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Unlimited free site migrations
- Choice of 12 distributed data centers across five continents
Verpex Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
HostArmada
HostArmada
HostArmada offers some excellent features for shared plans and does so at very low prices. This is true even for their renewal rates which don’t spike horribly after your term is up. The company also offers full range solutions, users who wish to scale up get to choose from a wide range of VPS and dedicated hosting offers. More importantly, HostArmada ensures powerful security in all shared hosting plans, incorporating WAF, DDoS protection, and automatic malware scanning, fortifying their commitment to customer safety and satisfaction.
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HostScore
HostArmada Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Daily remote backup included
- Host unlimited websites in mid-to-high shared hosting account
- 45-day money back guarantee
- Free malware scan & web applications firewall (WAF) in all shared hosting plans
HostArmada Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Lack server speed features in lower shared hosting plans
Popular Malaysian Host to Avoid
Web hosting as a whole is a very wide industry and where pearls exist, so too do swine. You will find that most web hosts will put up a fairly professional front. However, once you’ve signed up, things will go downhill pretty quickly.
One strong example of this is Shinjiru, a web host that has plans specifically catering to the Malaysian market. On paper it all sounds good – local data center, all the right specs, and local currency.
When it comes to performance though, Shinjiru falls pretty flat. I hosted a number of sites with them for a couple of years and it was a horrific experience. The only reason I didn’t move away from them more quickly was that the sites I ran there were basically just burner sites for testing.
Now some of you may think it was due to the way I set up my sites, bad design, and so on. Let me show you something:
At the time I hosted with Shinjiru I was getting response times of over 4,000 ms (as you can see from the image, it occasionally stretched to an unbelievable high of 20,680ms). Once I shifted out, response times dropped to around 400ms.
I had spoken to the support staff at Shinjiru multiple times about the matter and received many responses. Almost all of them were on the gist of “our servers are fine, you need to upgrade your plan.”
If you have any other choice, avoid this hosting company like the plague.
Which Web Host is Right for Malaysian Websites?
Web hosting for Malaysia is at the moment something that is quite pivotal. As the country advances in digitization, it is quickly becoming a top regional competitor to neighbors like Singapore and Thailand. This applies to both service and infrastructure.
For those who actually live in the country or somewhere in the surrounding, it can also be difficult to look past the strong marketing of local web hosting companies. Hosting providers like Exabytes are especially aggressive in their quest for market share.
However, unless you have specific reasons to opt for a local web host, you will find that casting your net wider can reveal much better choices. HostScore actively keeps track of how well the servers of key web hosting providers perform and oftentimes, local hosting just isn’t worth it here.
Localization at What Cost?
Perhaps the biggest reason that many who decide to host locally have is pricing. There is a mindset that because local web hosting companies are charging in Malaysian Ringgit, they are bound to be cheaper than their US-dollar competitors.
This, however, isn’t really true.
There have always been a large number of web hosts around the world that offer varying costs of entry. For example, Hostinger, where you can get shared hosting for as little as $2.99/mo on an entry level plan. In contrast, the cheapest business hosting at Shinjiru starts at around $7.00/mo.
The problems with hosting locally don’t even end there. There are many other factors which need to be taken into account as well (we’ll discuss these further on). Suffice to say, if price is your biggest consideration, hosting locally isn’t always the ideal solution.
What Else to Look for in a Web Hosting Provider for Malaysia?
Unless there is a specific reason why you need your data to stay in Malaysia, there is only one other real reason to do so. The Malaysian government is offering to subsidize local companies that host locally as part of their efforts to support local players.
Perhaps the biggest appeal for digitization is the increased capacity to serve an international client base. This means perhaps working out of your comfort zone and looking at international service providers as well.
Once you do that you’ll find that in many cases, you will be able to get not just better speeds but sometimes even see advantages in features and support. All of this at rates comparable to local service providers or in some cases – cheaper.
In Conclusion
While Malaysia governments may be looking for ways to boost local economies, the Internet doesn’t quite work that way. Placing greater focus on performance and other factors will likely matter more. After all – Google doesn’t care where your data is, as long as your site is fast.
About Malaysia
Malaysia, established in September 16, 1963, is a Southeast Asian country comprised the territories of the Malay Peninsula, the island of Singapore, and the island of Borneo today. In August 1965 Singapore seceded from the federation and became an independent republic. Malaysia’s population in 2020 is estimated at 32.7 million with Selangor as the most poplous state (source).
Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, is home to the iconic, 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers. Other major cities include Petaling Jaya (Selangor), George Town (Penang), and Johor Bahru (Johor).
Web Hosting Buyers FAQs
What makes a good web host?
Performance, security, customer support, and cost are the four main factors to consider when it comes to choosing a web host. Server response speed, reliability, scalability, backup and recovery capability, and website migration support are some key consideration factors.
What are the different web hosting types available in market?
Technically, there are four main types of web hosting: Shared, VPS, Cloud, and Dedicated Hosting. As user needs have evolved, hosting companies have adjusted their offers to meet specific user needs. Some common specialized hosting plans available in today’s market such as: Managed WordPress , WooCommerce, and Minecraft Hosting.
Which type of web hosting plan is right for me?
If you are unsure about your website requirements, it’s recommended to start with an affordable shared hosting plan. If you have outgrown your hosting, you can always upgrade to a higher plan, such as VPS or cloud hosting, later with same provider.
How do I choose the right web hosting provider?
Choosing the right web hosting provider depends on several factors, including: Performance requirements, server security, scalability, customer support, and budget. To learn more, please read our choose-a-host guide.
Can I switch web hosting providers later?
Yes, it is possible to switch web hosting providers if you find that your current provider does not meet your needs or if you find a better deal elsewhere. The process typically involves purchasing a new hosting plan, transferring your website’s files and database to the new server, and updating your domain’s DNS settings to point to the new host. Most reputable hosting providers offer migration services to assist with this process.
What is a domain name, and do I get one with my web hosting service?
A domain name is the address that people use to access your website on the internet, such as “www.example.com.” Many web hosting providers offer a free domain name registration as part of their hosting packages for the first year. After the first year, you will need to renew your domain registration annually at the market rate.
What is data transfer and storage space in web hosting?
Storage space is the amount of server space available to store your web files. Data transfer, is the amount of data allowed to be transferred between your hosting account and users.
