FatCow is a web hosting provider known for its quirky branding and commitment to simplicity. Founded in 1998, FatCow aims to serve small businesses and personal users with budget-friendly, eco-friendly, and user-friendly hosting solutions. This review covers FatCow’s hosting performance, key features, customer support, and its affiliate program.
Hosting Features and Performance
FatCow offers a single shared hosting plan, aptly named “The Original FatCow Plan,” which includes unlimited disk space, bandwidth, domains, and email accounts. It’s designed to be straightforward and hassle-free, which makes it ideal for beginners and small businesses.
Key Hosting Features:
- Free domain name for the first year
- Free website builder
- 1-click WordPress installer
- Free SSL certificate
- Unlimited email accounts
In terms of performance, FatCow’s uptime is generally reliable, hovering around the industry standard of 99.9%. However, page load speeds can vary and may not be ideal for websites requiring high performance or fast response times. For users needing more power, FatCow also offers VPS and dedicated server options, though these come at a significantly higher price point.
Eco-Friendly Hosting
A standout feature of FatCow is its commitment to green energy. The company offsets 100% of its data center energy usage with wind energy credits, making it an eco-conscious choice for environmentally aware users.
Customer Support
FatCow provides 24/7 customer support via phone, chat, and email. While the support team is friendly and helpful, response times can sometimes be slower than competitors. The knowledge base is well-organized and covers common hosting topics and troubleshooting guides.
FatCow Affiliate Program
FatCow runs a competitive affiliate program through the CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) platform. Affiliates earn $100 per qualified referral, making it one of the more generous payouts in the shared hosting space.
Key Affiliate Details:
- $100 commission per sale
- 60-day cookie duration
- Easy-to-use marketing tools
- Monthly payouts via CJ Affiliate
This program is particularly appealing to bloggers, website designers, and digital marketers looking to monetize their content with a trusted hosting service.
Final Verdict
FatCow is a solid choice for beginners and small businesses seeking budget-friendly, eco-conscious web hosting. While performance isn’t top-tier, the ease of use and generous affiliate program add strong value. If you're looking for straightforward hosting with a humorous twist, FatCow may be worth considering.