ZAP-Hosting Review 2025. Is zap-hosting.com good web hosting in Germany?

📄 Editorial Review

(3*) 🔧 Services: Web HostingDomain Registration
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ZAP-Hosting GmbH is a German hosting provider based in Münster and active since around 2010. The company started with a focus on game servers and has grown into a broader infrastructure provider that combines gaming services with more traditional hosting products such as webspace, VPS, dedicated servers and domain registration. Everything is integrated into a proprietary control panel designed for fast deployment and straightforward management, but still flexible enough for more technical users.

From a classic hosting perspective, ZAP-Hosting offers several key product lines. Their shared hosting appears under the "webspace" label and is aimed at users who want to host websites and email on a managed platform. These plans run on SSD storage, use Plesk as the main control panel and support current PHP versions, databases and email with webmail access. SSL certificates, external backups and DDoS protection are part of the standard feature set, making the webspace plans suitable for personal sites, small business projects and smaller web applications.

Above shared hosting, ZAP-Hosting provides virtual private servers (VPS) based on KVM virtualization. Customers can choose Linux or Windows, receive full root or administrator access and use these servers for websites, applications, game servers, bots or development environments. The VPS nodes are built on modern AMD EPYC hardware with SSD or NVMe storage and high-bandwidth connectivity. Traffic is advertised as unmetered on a fair-use basis, and for those who prefer a traditional hosting environment, Plesk can be added on top.

For more demanding workloads, the company offers dedicated bare-metal servers. These use Intel Xeon or newer AMD Ryzen processors, can be configured with high RAM capacity and multiple SSDs, and are delivered with 10 Gbit/s network interfaces. Dedicated servers are aimed at performance-sensitive use cases such as large community game servers, busy web applications and other resource-intensive projects. Customers retain full control over the operating system and can use remote management (ILO), rDNS management and DDoS configuration through the ZAP interface.

Domain registration complements the hosting products. ZAP-Hosting supports a broad portfolio of extensions, from classic .de, .com and .net to more specialized TLDs such as .gg, .shop, .online and .host. Domains come with DNS management and nameservers protected by the same DDoS infrastructure used for hosting, and they are tightly integrated with webspace and servers so that everything can be managed from a single account.

Despite this broader portfolio, the company remains strongly linked to the gaming community. There is an extensive catalog of game servers for popular titles such as Minecraft, FiveM, DayZ and Counter-Strike 2, along with TeamSpeak voice servers, MusicBot and Discord bot hosting. Many services are available both as classic subscriptions and as "lifetime" one-time purchase products. All of them rely on SSD or NVMe storage, automated deployment and DDoS protection, unified under the same control panel.

Infrastructure and security are recurring themes. In Germany, ZAP-Hosting operates its own hardware and network, is a RIPE member with its own IP space and works with specialized partners for DDoS mitigation. At international locations, they use rented hardware in well-known data centers but integrate these sites into their own network and protection systems. Security is reinforced by a bug-bounty program for responsible vulnerability disclosure. A past security incident in which customer data was exposed is documented publicly; the company explains what happened, what data was affected and which measures were taken (including password resets), which is relevant for security-conscious customers but also shows a willingness to be transparent and improve.

The platform and website are available at least in German and English, and pricing is primarily denominated in euro, which fits their German origin while still addressing users worldwide, especially in the gaming scene.

💰 Price & Cost

ZAP-Hosting positions itself between budget and mid-range, with low entry prices and many ways to scale up resources. Public pricing indicates webspace plans from roughly €3.90 per month, VPS from about €7–8 per month, dedicated servers from around €40 per month and domain registration from just under €8 per year for selected TLDs. Exact prices vary by configuration, location and promotions, but the overall positioning is competitive given the features and gaming orientation.

The webspace lineup is split into three tiers: Large, Xtra Large and XtraXtra Large. Disk space ranges from a few gigabytes up to about 20 GB of SSD storage, while all plans support multiple (often unlimited) domains and subdomains. Traffic allowances are generous, and resource limits such as PHP memory, database count and mailbox count scale with the plan. Each tier includes Plesk, SSL support, external backups, DDoS protection and current PHP versions, making it relatively easy to run common applications such as WordPress. The plans are not focused on extreme storage quantities, but are well balanced for realistic small and medium projects.

VPS pricing is based on resource bundles combining CPU cores, RAM and disk space. Customers can select a Linux distribution or Windows, add Plesk if desired and choose among several data-center locations. Traffic is advertised as unmetered under fair-use rules, which is attractive for workloads with fluctuating bandwidth needs. Given the underlying hardware and network characteristics, the price-performance ratio is particularly appealing for users who want to run both web and game workloads on the same provider.

Dedicated servers are priced according to hardware specifications. Entry-level systems with older Intel Xeon processors occupy the lower price range, while high-end AMD Ryzen configurations with many cores, large RAM and multiple SSDs reach higher monthly fees. All servers include a fast network connection, DDoS protection, remote management access and integration with the ZAP panel for IP and DNS-related functions. For users who need isolated performance at controlled costs, this sits firmly in the "affordable dedicated" segment rather than in high-end enterprise hosting.

Domains start around €7.90 per year, depending on the extension. The range is wide and includes both traditional and modern TLDs, fitting the profile of a hosting provider that targets gamers and small online projects rather than mass-market domain speculation.
Billing is handled on a prepaid basis, which is an important point of differentiation. Customers add credit to their account and services run as long as that balance is sufficient, so there are no long-term minimum contract periods by default. This model suits younger users and those who frequently start and stop projects. A broad range of payment methods is supported, including credit card, PayPal, Paysafecard, various instant phone-based payment options, bank transfer and Bitcoin, which is attractive for customers who prefer alternative or anonymous-friendly payment channels.

Regarding refunds and guarantees, ZAP-Hosting follows the EU right of withdrawal for consumer contracts: within 14 days, certain services can be revoked and payments refunded, subject to the usual legal restrictions for digital services. Domain registrations are generally excluded from revocation once registered, and certain lifetime products or virtual account credits are not paid out in cash.

The terms define an annual availability target of 99.5% for server accessibility. If availability is undercut by more than one hour within a month, customers can request service credits (service time added free of charge), provided they do so within the specified period. This uptime guarantee is clearly defined but moderate compared with providers that advertise 99.9% or higher, and should be evaluated accordingly by customers with strict SLA requirements.

🏢 Data Center

ZAP-Hosting’s core infrastructure is located in Germany. The main hub is in Frankfurt am Main, where the company operates its own hardware and network stack. Equipment includes enterprise-grade blade systems, high-performance switches and a DDoS mitigation setup that combines its own network design with specialized filtering. As a RIPE member, ZAP-Hosting controls its own IP ranges and can offer dedicated IP addresses and rDNS management, which is an advantage over purely reseller-style hosts.

To increase capacity and provide additional redundancy, a second German site in the SkyLink data center in Eygelshoven near Aachen is used. This location is tightly integrated into the Frankfurt network; traffic is routed via Frankfurt so that DDoS protection and network policies are applied consistently across both locations. The Eygelshoven site is particularly useful for customers in Western Germany and neighboring countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium.

Internationally, ZAP-Hosting uses several data centers run by established operators. In North America, they maintain presence in Dallas, Ashburn and Los Angeles, typically on infrastructure provided by PsychZ. These sites feature modern switches with multiple 10 Gbit or 40 Gbit uplinks and high-clock server hardware tuned for latency-sensitive applications like game servers. DDoS protection is active in these locations and tuned to the traffic patterns of common games.

Additional sites in London, Singapore and Sydney are operated on top of OVH infrastructure, with a focus on high-clock CPUs, SSD or NVMe storage and 24/7 on-site technical staff. While the underlying hardware there is rented, ZAP-Hosting still integrates these locations into its own network and security architecture.

Across all data centers, SSD or NVMe storage, fast network connections and DDoS mitigation are emphasized. The formal uptime guarantee remains at 99.5% annual availability, which is generally sufficient for gaming communities and many small business or hobby projects. Customers with higher uptime expectations or regulatory requirements may need to consider whether this guarantee and architecture fit their risk profile.

✍️ Customer Support

Customer support is provided mainly through a ticket system and live chat embedded in the customer interface. Product pages highlight typical response times, often indicating that tickets are handled within minutes to about an hour, which is particularly important for game servers and community projects where downtime is immediately visible to users.

Several email addresses are offered for different purposes: a dedicated support address for technical and billing issues, a general info address for business questions and an abuse address for security incidents and legal inquiries. The public imprint does not prominently list a generic support phone number, suggesting that tickets and chat are the main support channels, while data-center staff handle infrastructure issues on site.

In addition to direct support, the company maintains documentation on securing accounts, configuring servers and following best practices, especially for Linux-based workloads. The bug-bounty program and the detailed public explanation of the earlier security incident are part of their communication strategy and help customers understand both risks and mitigation steps. For technically inclined users, this combination of self-service material and responsive ticket support is a meaningful advantage.

🔨 Control Panel

A central element of ZAP-Hosting’s offer is its custom control panel, often referred to as "ZAP 2.5". This interface is the main management layer for all services: game servers, VPS, dedicated servers, webspace, domains and various bots. It is designed to be modern and mobile-friendly, and strongly emphasizes rapid provisioning, with many products advertised as deployable in roughly a minute after ordering.

Through the panel, users can start, stop and reinstall servers, monitor resource usage, manage DDoS settings, configure rDNS entries, handle IP allocations and access remote management functions. For dedicated servers, ILO access is integrated so that customers can boot from ISOs, reinstall operating systems or perform low-level troubleshooting.

For shared hosting, the platform relies on Plesk as the main control panel. Plesk provides a familiar environment for creating websites and email accounts, managing databases and installing applications from a catalog that includes popular CMS tools such as WordPress. Plesk is also available on VPS and dedicated servers as an optional add-on, letting customers standardize their management approach across different types of services.

Game and voice services receive their own specialized management tools within the panel, such as game-specific configuration interfaces and controls for Teamspeak or bot hosting. This blend of a general hosting panel with gaming-oriented features is one of the unique characteristics that differentiate ZAP-Hosting from many purely web-focused providers.

🎯 Conclusion

ZAP-Hosting is effectively a gaming-centric hosting platform that has expanded into full-spectrum hosting, offering webspace, VPS, dedicated servers and domains alongside a large range of game and voice services. The company’s strengths lie in its integrated control panel, DDoS-hardened network, multiple global locations and the ability to host both gaming and conventional web workloads under one roof.

Pricing is competitive for the level of performance and flexibility provided, especially when factoring in prepaid billing, lifetime product options and alternative payment methods such as Paysafecard and Bitcoin. Webspace plans are well equipped for realistic site sizes, while VPS and dedicated servers deliver solid hardware for game servers, communities and small to medium applications.

Infrastructure is a clear asset, particularly in Germany where ZAP-Hosting operates its own network and hardware as a RIPE member. The 99.5% uptime guarantee is transparently defined but sits below the guarantees offered by some enterprise-focused providers, so projects with strict SLAs should consider this carefully.

On the security side, the publicly documented incident involving leaked customer data is significant and should not be ignored. At the same time, the presence of a bug-bounty program, transparency about past problems and ongoing security guidance suggest a company that is actively working to strengthen its defenses.

Overall, ZAP-Hosting is a strong option for gamers, online communities, small developers and technically minded users who value a unified platform for game servers, webspace, VPS, dedicated servers and domains. Organizations that prioritize ultra-high uptime guarantees, strict compliance requirements or a spotless security history may lean toward more conservative enterprise providers, but for many mixed gaming and web scenarios, ZAP-Hosting offers a compelling combination of features, flexibility and price.

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