Krystal
Independent UK host on cPanel with B Corp certification and a 60-day money-back guarantee
Quick Overview
| Company | Krystal Hosting Ltd |
|---|---|
| Category | Web Hosting |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2002 |
| EU Presence | United Kingdom (outside the EU, covered by an EU adequacy decision) |
| Data Location | Krystal lists data centres in the United Kingdom (Netwise East, Telehouse North London), Amsterdam, New Jersey and Phoenix; the shared hosting pages read do not state which site a plan uses |
| Open Source | No |
| Compliance | ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, Certified B Corp since 2023 |
| Pricing | Amethyst GBP 7, Ruby GBP 11, Emerald GBP 19, Sapphire GBP 37, Diamond GBP 67 and Tanzanite GBP 97 per month on monthly billing, VAT included; annual plans save 16% and two-year plans 25% |
| Free Option | 60-day money-back guarantee, domain costs excluded |
| Replaces | GoDaddy, Bluehost |
Detailed Review
Krystal is a British web host, founded in 2002, that describes itself as the UK's largest independent hosting company.
Krystal sells six shared hosting plans named after gemstones, all on cPanel with NVMe storage: Amethyst for one site with 10 GB, Ruby for five sites with 25 GB, Emerald with unlimited sites and storage, and Sapphire, Diamond and Tanzanite with progressively more CPU and RAM. Krystal takes daily backup snapshots on Amethyst and Ruby and four-hourly snapshots on the higher plans. Krystal support is UK-based and reachable by ticket, live chat and phone.
Krystal is the trading name of Krystal Hosting Ltd, company number 07571790, registered in England and Wales with its registered office at 124 City Road, London.
Krystal lists ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus and B Corp certification since 2023, and states that its power is matched 100% with renewable energy. Krystal names five data centres: Netwise East and Telehouse North in the UK, Iron Mountain in Amsterdam, and Iron Mountain in New Jersey and Phoenix. The Krystal data processing agreement allows processing outside the UK or EEA.
Krystal charges GBP 7 per month for Amethyst, GBP 11 for Ruby, GBP 19 for Emerald, GBP 37 for Sapphire, GBP 67 for Diamond and GBP 97 for Tanzanite on monthly billing with VAT included; annual billing saves 16% and two-year billing 25%. Krystal refunds within 60 days, excluding domain costs. Krystal suits UK businesses that care about sustainability credentials. Organisations needing a written EU-only location should get the data centre confirmed by Krystal first.
What Krystal does well
- Krystal offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, the longest refund window in this list
- Krystal has been a Certified B Corp since 2023
- Krystal lists ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certification
- Krystal sells monthly billing, with stated discounts of 16% and 25% for longer terms
- Krystal names each data centre operator it uses and the energy source per site
Where Krystal falls short
- Krystal lists two data centres in the United States next to its UK and Amsterdam sites
- The Krystal data processing agreement permits processing of personal data outside the UK or EEA
- The Krystal shared hosting pages read do not state which data centre a plan uses
- Krystal Amethyst covers one site and 10 GB for GBP 7 per month, less capacity than the euro-priced entry plans
Standout feature. Krystal is the only host of the seven with B Corp certification, and it backs its shared hosting with a 60-day refund period and monthly billing in pounds.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Krystal offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, the longest refund window in this list
- Krystal has been a Certified B Corp since 2023
- Krystal lists ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certification
- Krystal sells monthly billing, with stated discounts of 16% and 25% for longer terms
- Krystal names each data centre operator it uses and the energy source per site
Cons
- Krystal lists two data centres in the United States next to its UK and Amsterdam sites
- The Krystal data processing agreement permits processing of personal data outside the UK or EEA
- The Krystal shared hosting pages read do not state which data centre a plan uses
- Krystal Amethyst covers one site and 10 GB for GBP 7 per month, less capacity than the euro-priced entry plans
Alternatives to Krystal
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Krystal?
Krystal is a British web host, founded in 2002, that describes itself as the UK's largest independent hosting company.
Krystal sells six shared hosting plans named after gemstones, all on cPanel with NVMe storage: Amethyst for one site with 10 GB, Ruby for five sites with 25 GB, Emerald with unlimited sites and storage, and Sapphire, Diamond and Tanzanite with progressively more CPU and RAM. Krystal takes daily backup snapshots on Amethyst and Ruby and four-hourly snapshots on the higher plans. Krystal support is UK-based and reachable by ticket, live chat and phone.
Where is Krystal based?
Krystal operates from London, United Kingdom, which places it under United Kingdom (outside the EU, covered by an EU adequacy decision). Compliance: ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, Certified B Corp since 2023.
What does Krystal cost?
Amethyst GBP 7, Ruby GBP 11, Emerald GBP 19, Sapphire GBP 37, Diamond GBP 67 and Tanzanite GBP 97 per month on monthly billing, VAT included; annual plans save 16% and two-year plans 25%. 60-day money-back guarantee, domain costs excluded.
Who is Krystal best for?
UK sites that value an independent host with B Corp status and a long refund window. Krystal is the only host of the seven with B Corp certification, and it backs its shared hosting with a 60-day refund period and monthly billing in pounds.
What are the drawbacks of Krystal?
Krystal lists two data centres in the United States next to its UK and Amsterdam sites. The Krystal data processing agreement permits processing of personal data outside the UK or EEA. The Krystal shared hosting pages read do not state which data centre a plan uses. Krystal Amethyst covers one site and 10 GB for GBP 7 per month, less capacity than the euro-priced entry plans.
Is Krystal a good alternative to GoDaddy?
Krystal is built as a European alternative to GoDaddy: Independent UK host on cPanel with B Corp certification and a 60-day money-back guarantee. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does Krystal compare to other Web Hosting tools?
Krystal is one of several European Web Hosting tools we cover. It is most often compared with GoDaddy, Bluehost.