BlueHost and HostMonster continue to be solid in the top three, with HostMonster actually grabbing number 1 this month. More impressive though is JustHost’s continued rise, now up to number 2. While JustHost may not be the ideal host for everyone, their price is a strong draw. DreamHost, last month’s top host, is back to number 4, while waning stalwart midPhase pushed back up to number 5.

What is more interesting, if somewhat inexplicable, if HostGator’s continued decline. An excellent host in its prime is tumbling without any clear cause. Price may be part of it, but DreamHost is the same price and is not suffering similarly. Ah, well, perhaps March will make this clearer.

Until then, be careful out there and happy hosting!

DreamHost bounced back to the top, but the siblings BlueHost and HostMonster held on nicely to numbers 2 and 3. JustHost has snuck ahead of HostGator again, suggesting that price is perhaps a more dominating factor in these trying economic times. In the lower half of the top ten, we have a bit more movement, with Yahoo tanking down to 10 and midPhase moving back to 6, but it remains to be seen if either is indicative of a longer trend.

I should acknowledge that this list is terribly late. The tardiness is somewhat due to the wretched weather here in Pittsburgh (and another 8 inches is due before tomorrow night), but also me allowing myself to take my eye off the ball. My apologies.

Happy Hosting, folks. Stay warm.

BlueHost seems to have overcome the pre-holiday blahs that dumped it down to sixth place in November. HostGator and HostMonster (BlueHost’s alter ego) slid in just behind it, with DreamHost sliding several of spots to fourth. For the first time in a number of months, the top four hosts make some sense. JustHost stayed in the top five because it is cheap and not bad.

On the downside, midPhase and its sister site ANHosting slid further down the list. Ever since the UK2 buyout, their reputation for decent service and support has been crumbling away and the word of mouth is hurting them. I still think they are better than any of Endurance’s cavalcade of offerings, but new hosting customers may not agree.

It’s a new year and 2010 is off to a blustery start here in Pittsburgh. Happy hosting and bundle up.

DreamHost makes a comeback! HostGator moves back above JustHost where it damn well belongs! BlueHost tanks for some unfathomable reason given that its sister-site HostMonster stayed strong at number two! Yahoo inexplicably shoots up to the top five!

Enough histrionics. A lot of shuffling about this month. I personally blame a combination of sugar/insulin shock from Halloween that wore off just in time to be replaced by the Turkey-Tryptophan post-Thanksgiving coma. Maybe that was just at our house. In any case, there’s a lot more hosting (and other web) stuff coming to the site this month as my wife is holding me to my promise to post more. If nothing else, look for an article later this week about one of the biggest secrets in web hosting.

Until then, happy Hosting!