123 Reg Review 2023: How Does It Stack Up to Alternatives?

Last Updated on   May 19 2023,
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⏳ In a hurry? Here’s your 123 Reg review snapshot:

Summary

123Reg is a UK-based web hosting and domain registration company that provides businesses and individuals with a range of web hosting services, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. The company offers a range of features, including a website builder, 24/7 support, and a range of tools and integrations to help businesses and individuals create and manage their websites. 123Reg also provides a range of domain registration services, including the ability to register and manage a wide range of top-level domains (TLDs). With its focus on affordability, ease of use, and reliability, 123Reg is a popular choice for businesses and individuals looking for a comprehensive and affordable web hosting solution.

Overall
87%
87%
  • Ease of Use - 89%
    89%
  • Features - 85%
    85%
  • Performance - 86%
    86%
  • Help & Support - 85%
    85%
  • Pricing - 90%
    90%

Pros

  • Excellent for sites located within the UK and the European Union
  • Reasonable rates for domain registration
  • Easy to use website builder

Cons

  • Customer service is sketchy for those outside the UK
  • Features tend to be limited even for higher-tier subscriptions
  • Can cost you more than you expect for extra features

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Introduction to our 123 Reg Review:

In our comprehensive 123 Reg review, we judge the hosting service on ease of use, functionality, readiness for the all-crucial ecommerce scene, as well as pricing.

With the diverse variety of site builders and hosting services currently available online, we think that putting up a website ought to be as easy as 1-2-3. So, when a site hosting service actually does have the name 123Reg, it would be quick to assume that getting started with it and working with it is going to be stress-free, right?

Let's take a deeper look into this hosting service's features, 123 Reg prices, 123 Reg promo codes, and 123 Reg discount codes.


Ease of Use:

To start this 123 Reg review, let’s look at 123Reg’s battle slogan: superfast, super-reliable hosting built to handle even the mightiest of websites. Now those are fighting words!

Since 123 Reg prices are reasonable, 123Reg is considered an entry-level hosting service. It is one that is easy enough – and priced low enough – for even novices to use.

But granted that it’s fairly easy to set up, its UI is also one of the easiest to navigate in the market thanks to its icon-driven cPanel for managing one’s site.

Visit 123-reg.co.uk


Features:

Aside from its key hosting services, what features do we point out in this 123 Reg review?

For starters, 123Reg also offers its own basic site building platform as well as an intuitive dashboard. For the most part, its primary features are those attached to its personas as a site host and domain registry.

123 Reg Domain Reviews:

For this 123 Reg review, we have to say that options are somewhat limited when it comes to the number of domain names you can have. Starter subscriptions only entitle users to a single domain.

Meanwhile, the Pro allows for two, while Ultimate gives you three.

123 Reg Email Review Rating:

Depending on your web hosting subscription, email addresses range from two (Starter), three (Pro), and five (Ultimate.) While it also has dedicated email hosting separate from its web hosting packages, in this 123 Reg review, we’re a bit iffy about them. Most service providers are upfront when it comes to the number of email addresses available for a given package.

123 Reg Review of Databases:

With the Starter package, you get 25 1GB databases; the other two subscription plans offer an unlimited number. This is well within current industry standards and not a bad deal given the 123 Reg prices of each package.

Note in this 123 Reg web hosting review, however, that 123Reg databases are MySQL-centric; setting up was fairly challenging for us when we tried it out, and we needed to enlist the assistance of someone who was more clued in with regard to MySQL than we were.

123 Reg Review of Applications:

In this 123 Reg hosting review, 123Reg boasts of over 125 applications with which users can build and manage their websites. The current roster includes a whole host of solutions for analytics management, ecommerce, online community building and interaction, online marketing and advertising, as well as photo and video galleries for those who plan to add rich content or streaming to their sites.

WordPress:

For those using WordPress, essentially the gold standard for blogging, 123Reg offers managed hosting plans where the platform can be used for single and multiple website packages. While these are considerably cheaper than the standard 123Reg hosting packages, they offer a number of features, including a content delivery network (CDN), automated backups, and a regular malware scan for optimal protection. However, note that SEO tools – a critical addition to the site creator/manager’s toolkit – are not available for those on the most basic subscription.

Site Staging:

Staging your site prior to deployment is one of the fundamental aspects of site creation. But, sadly, in this 123 Reg review, this is not an option available for 123Reg users. This is unless they’re on a WordPress subscription package. Even then, staging is only available for users on the Standard, Pro, and Ultimate WordPress plans.

123 Reg Website Builder Review:

If you’re considering 123Reg as an all-in-one hosting solution with its own builder, you’re in luck. In our 123 Reg website builder review, the hosting service’s proprietary site building platform delivers a satisfactory performance and comes with a variety of features that make it completely distinct from other providers.

123 Reg eCommerce Review and SSL certificate:

Ecommerce features are included in 123Reg’s Website Builder subscription packages. Along with productivity apps like Zoom and feedback widgets powered by Yelp, provisions are given for analytics, stock and inventory management, shipping and logistics, as well as taxation.

An SSL certificate is automatically included in Website Builder subscriptions, as well as the WordPress-specific subscriptions. However, when it comes to webhosting-only subscriptions, the feature is only included for those on the Pro and Ultimate subscription tiers.

123 Reg Review of Security and Backups:

123Reg offers its proprietary SiteLock malware scan with almost all of its subscription package. The automated tool ensures the protection of users’ websites on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the stipulations of the package they purchased.

We wish we could say the same thing for automated data backups. Unfortunately, data backup is only offered for those on 123Reg’s WordPress subscription packages.

See more 123 Reg features


Performance:

Server Locations:

Most of 123Reg’s data servers are located within the European Union, while its email hosting servers are located in Leeds.

123 Reg Review of Speed Results:

123Reg-hosted sites load within a respectable 1.2 second timeframe.

123 Reg Review of Average Uptime, Bandwidth, and Webspace limits/Storage:

Unfortunately, 123Reg falls short when it comes to uptime. 123Reg’s record for uptime stands at only 99.75% as of Q1-2021. Not bad, but it needs to step up its game.

In contrast, both bandwidth and storage are unlimited across all hosting plans.


Support and Resources:

In this 123 Reg review, we’re not too happy with 123Reg’s technical support. Online technical support is only available within UK business hours, causing more than a bit of bother for customers outside the UK and Northern Ireland. Also, their knowledge base could be updated more frequently: some of the solutions offered online feel a bit outdated.

See more 123 Reg support features


123 Reg Prices:

For what can be understood as the most important part of this 123 Reg review – what are 123 Reg prices like?

123Reg offers a number of subscription packages depending on your specific needs. Note that, especially in the case of VPS and WordPress hosting, some features may or may not come as standard with your package.

Note that, because 123Reg is a UK-specific site hosting service, prices given are in British pounds sterling (GBP).

Free Plan:

123Reg offers what it calls its free one-page starter legacy package for those who want a landing page rather than a full website. Note that site owners need to update the page within a three-month period to prevent the suspension of their accounts.

Shared Web Hosting:

  • Standard – GBP 3.99 monthly for the first year; comes with 1 domain, 2 mailboxes, and 25 databases;
  • Pro  – GBP 5.99 monthly for the first year; comes with 2 domains, three mailboxes, and unlimited databases;
  • Ultimate – GBP 7.49 monthly for the first year; comes with three domains, five mailboxes, and unlimited databases
123-reg-shared-plans
123-reg-shared-plans

Cloud Hosting:

Cloud hosting is offered under 123Reg’s Premium Hosting line and will set users back by GBP 29.99 to 47.99. Features include catch-all emails, unlimited storage and bandwidth, and one-click Linux apps.

premium-plans
123-reg-premium-plans

WordPress Hosting:

123Reg’s WordPress-specific services already include a malware scan and automated backups with all packages;

  • Starter – GBP 1.99 monthly for the first year; comes with SSL certificate, one mailbox, 30GB storage, and CDN;
  • Standard  – GBP 4.99 monthly for the first year; comes with SSL certificate, two mailboxes, 75GB storage, SEO tools, and site staging;
  • Pro – GBP 8.99 monthly for the first year; comes with SSL certificate, three mailboxes, unlimited storage, SEO tools, and site staging;
  • Ultimate  – GBP 19.99 monthly for the first year; comes with SSL certificate, five mailboxes, unlimited storage, SEO tools, WooCommerce plugin, 75 premium extensions, and site staging.
wordpress-plans-single-website
123-reg-wordpress-plans-single-website

 

wordpress-plans-multiple-websites
123-reg-wordpress-plans-multiple-websites

VPS Hosting:

VPS hosting is what 123Reg offers those who want to create a strong and dynamic web presence for a fraction of the price. Packages include:

  • L  – GBP 18.99 monthly, inclusive of 1 CPU, 1GB RAM, and 70GB storage;
  • XL – GBP 29.99 monthly, inclusive of 2 CPUs, 2GB RAM, and 100GB storage;
  • XXL – GBP 44.99 monthly, inclusive of 3 CPUs, 3GB RAM, and 150GB storage
vps-plans
123-reg-vps-plans

Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:

Unfortunately, 123Reg is not a try-before-you-buy hosting service. You need to commit to a subscription from the get-go.

The service offers a 30-day money back guarantee for almost all of its services. However, the terms page states that no refunds are not given in the event that one cancels on a domain.

Be sure to use a 123 Reg promo code or 123 Reg discount code through the link below to lower 123 Reg prices.

>>Check out the latest 123 Reg prices and promo codes<<


Conclusion and Recommendations to our 123 Reg Review:

While 123Reg offers some of the most affordable hosting and site building packages in the industry, the lack of features and the insular nature of its technical support may cause potential users to back away a bit and consider a more inclusive hosting or site building solution.

What is it best for?

Definitely a reasonable choice for small businesses or individual site developers working in the UK.

What is it not best for?

This might be a challenging host to work with for businesses operating outside the United Kingdom.

123 Reg Alternatives:

For those aiming to reach a more global audience, we recommend the following 123 Reg Alternatives:

Ranking Key Features Price (Basic Plan) My View
1. Bluehost 50GB storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain 1st year, free SSL certificate $2.95/month Check Pricing Best for beginners and WordPress websites
2. SiteGround 10GB Web Space, ~10,000 Visits Monthly, Unmetered Traffic, Free WP Installation, Free WP Migrator, Free SSL, Free Email, Daily Backup, Free CDN, Managed WordPress, Unlimited Databases, 100% renewable energy match $3.99/month Check Pricing Best for WordPress websites and features excellent customer support
3. DreamHost Fast SSD storage, free domain, automatic WordPress updates, free SSL certificate $2.49/month Check Pricing Best for non-profits as it offers a free plan for them
4. A2 Hosting Unlimited SSD Space & Transfer, Free & Easy Site Migration, Free Automatic Backups, Anytime Money Back Guarantee $2.99/month Check Pricing Best for speed with their turbo servers
5. HostGator Unmetered bandwidth & disk space, free domain, free SSL certificate $2.75/month Check Pricing Best for small businesses and startups
6. WPX Hosting High-speed, custom CDN, unlimited site migrations, unlimited SSLs, 24/7 fast-response support $20.83/month Check Pricing Best for those seeking high-speed hosting and excellent customer support
7. Kinsta Google Cloud Platform, 24 global locations, next-generation infrastructure, free migrations, 24/7 support $30/month Check Pricing Best for those wanting Google Cloud hosting and multiple global locations
8. Nexcess Auto-scaling, automatic plugin updates, automatic backups, 24/7 support $19/month Check Pricing Best for eCommerce with its auto-scaling feature
9. LiquidWeb Fully managed, dedicated IP, DDoS protection, 24/7 support $19/month Check Pricing Best for fully-managed hosting and those needing a dedicated IP
10. Scala Hosting Free domain, SSD powered, free website migration, 24/7 support $3.95/month Check Pricing Best for those looking for a free domain and SSD powered hosting

123 Reg Review Final word:

123Reg is a reasonably priced and relatively stable hosting service, especially for those in the UK, but we still recommend that users shop around for hybrid solutions (site builder + host) or stand-alone hosting services that are in keeping with their specific requirements.

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FAQs:

Can I use 123Reg even if I’m not in the UK?

Yes, but if you run into technical issues, this can be a bit of a challenge as customer service is only available within UK business hours.

How much storage and bandwidth can I get with my 123Reg subscription?

It would have to depend on the type of subscription. For the most part, unlimited bandwidth and storage are already included in most of the standard packages, save for Starter plans.


That’s all for now:

Thanks for reading our 123 Reg review and don’t forget to keep an eye out for our ever-growing blog of review and comparison articles. Check out related reliable web hosting, website builder, and eCommerce platform review and comparison articles such as;

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