HostPanel vs 123 Reg
123 Reg is one of the UK's best-known domain registrars, owned by GoDaddy since 2017 - and if you want a large domain portfolio, hosting, and email managed in one long-established account with phone support, that consolidation is a genuine reason to choose them. HostPanel is the better fit if the hosting itself is what matters: our renewal price always equals the intro price and is billed monthly, where 123 Reg's £1.99/mo headline requires 3 years upfront and renews at roughly three and a half times the rate. Every HostPanel plan includes a UK-owned London datacentre, NVMe storage, DDoS protection, permanently free SSL, free migration, and a 99.9% SLA with service credits.
123 Reg vs HostPanel at a glance
Prices checked: August 2026
| Feature | 123 Reg | HostPanel |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | From £1.99/mo (Economy, 3-year term - £71.64 paid upfront, ex VAT) | From £4/mo (Starter, billed monthly) |
| Renewal price | Economy renews at £251.64 per 3-year term (about £6.99/mo); Maximum at £575.64 (about £15.99/mo), ex VAT | Same as intro - renewal always matches the sign-up price |
| UK datacentre | — (123 Reg states "global data centres in Europe and North America") | Yes - London, UK-owned |
| NVMe storage | — | Yes, on every plan |
| DDoS protection | — | Included on every plan |
| Free migration | Transfer help available by contacting support; no formal free migration service listed | Yes - free assisted migration |
| SLA credits | — (no uptime SLA published on the hosting page) | 99.9% uptime SLA with service credits |
| Support channels | Phone, plus live chat and email during UK office hours | 24/7 support via the dashboard |
123 Reg prices are from 123-reg.co.uk, checked August 2026, exclude VAT, and are based on 3-year terms paid upfront - the monthly renewal equivalents above are the quoted 3-year renewal totals divided by 36. — indicates a claim we could not verify from public 123 Reg materials at the time of checking.
On the Economy plan, the free SSL certificate (a £59.99/yr value, per 123 Reg) is included for 1 year; higher tiers include unlimited free SSL.
HostPanel prices are our standard monthly Web Hosting prices, and your renewal price is always the price you signed up at.
Why people switch from 123 Reg
123 Reg remains a perfectly serviceable place to keep domains. The switching triggers we hear about are on the hosting side - and they are almost all billing mechanics.
Renewals at roughly three and a half times the intro price
123 Reg's Economy plan is £1.99/mo on a 3-year intro term (£71.64 upfront), then renews at £251.64 for the next 3 years - about £6.99/mo, ex VAT. The Maximum plan renews at about £15.99/mo. HostPanel's renewal price is always the price you signed up at, billed monthly.
Three years paid upfront
The headline £1.99/mo requires paying £71.64 for 36 months on day one, and the renewal is also billed as a multi-year lump sum. HostPanel bills monthly at a flat rate, so you are never committing years of budget to get the advertised price.
SSL is only free for one year on the entry plan
On 123 Reg's Economy plan, the included SSL certificate - which 123 Reg values at £59.99/yr - covers the first year only. On HostPanel, SSL is free on every plan, indefinitely, because we consider it basic infrastructure rather than an upsell.
A platform that shows its age
123 Reg has been running since 2000 and became part of GoDaddy in 2017. Independent reviews of the service commonly cite the dated control panel and renewal billing as the main frustrations. HostPanel was built recently, on NVMe hardware in a London datacentre, with one modern dashboard across hosting, game servers, and databases.
When 123 Reg is the right choice
An honest comparison cuts both ways. In these situations we would point you to 123 Reg.
You want domains and everything else under one roof
123 Reg is one of the UK's best-known domain registrars, managing millions of domains with a wide TLD range and mature bulk-management tools. If you hold a large domain portfolio and want registration, DNS, email, and hosting in a single familiar account, that consolidation is 123 Reg's genuine strength - and HostPanel does not currently sell domains.
You want phone support
123 Reg offers telephone support alongside live chat and email during UK office hours. HostPanel's support is 24/7 through the dashboard, but we do not currently offer a phone line - if phone support is a hard requirement, 123 Reg has it and we do not.
You want a brand with two decades of history
123 Reg has operated since 2000 and is backed by GoDaddy, one of the largest internet companies in the world. HostPanel is the newer, smaller company; if long corporate history and big-company backing matter most to you, 123 Reg has both.
Your first term budget is the priority
If you are comfortable paying 3 years upfront, £71.64 (ex VAT) for 36 months of Economy hosting is less than HostPanel's £4/mo over the same period. Provided you diarise the renewal date and re-evaluate before the higher rate kicks in, the intro term is a real saving.
Moving from 123 Reg? We'll handle it.
Free migration is included on every HostPanel plan. Our team moves your sites, databases, and DNS configuration for you - and your renewal price will always match the price you signed up at.
Start your free migration- Free assisted migration on all plans
- UK (London) datacentre with NVMe storage
- Renewal price = intro price, always
- 99.9% uptime SLA with service credits
More comparisons
Ready to see the numbers? View HostPanel pricing or explore our UK web hosting plans in detail.