Hoopla Hosting is a New Zealand-based web host offering cloud hosting and domain registration to individuals and businesses. Founded in 2011, it runs its own hardware with servers in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States — and for Kiwi site owners, its Auckland servers are the headline appeal. This review covers its features, plans and NZD pricing, the genuine advantage of local hosting, and who it suits.
Why NZ-based servers matter (the accurate version)
A host with servers in New Zealand has a real, measurable benefit: lower latency. A server in Auckland responds to New Zealand visitors fastest — often under 10 milliseconds — compared to 100 milliseconds or more from a distant overseas server. That speed improves the experience for your local audience and, through Core Web Vitals, indirectly supports your search rankings.
It is worth being precise, though: a New Zealand server does not earn a direct Google ranking boost simply for being local. The benefit is speed for your NZ visitors, not a hidden SEO switch. For most sites aimed at a New Zealand audience, that speed is a solid reason to consider a local host. Our performance deep-dive explains how latency and Core Web Vitals fit together.
Key features
Hoopla packs a solid feature set across its plans, aimed at performance and ease of use.
Hoopla Hosting: key features
- ✓ Local servers in Auckland (low latency for NZ visitors)
- ✓ NZD billing — no exchange-rate guesswork
- ✓ Fast SSD storage with LiteSpeed web servers
- ✓ Cloudflare CDN for global speed
- ✓ One-click installs via Softaculous (WordPress + more)
- ✓ Free website migration on every plan
- ✓ Automated daily/weekly backups
- ✓ 24/7 support and a 30-day money-back guarantee
The performance basics are covered — fast SSD storage, LiteSpeed web servers, and Cloudflare’s CDN — and Softaculous provides one-click installation of WordPress and hundreds of other applications. A built-in website builder with templates helps newcomers get started, and cPanel (from the Starter plan up) handles day-to-day management.
Plans and pricing
Hoopla offers four plans — Mini, Starter, Basic, and Standard — rising in storage and bandwidth. A genuine plus for New Zealand buyers is that pricing is in New Zealand dollars, so there is no exchange-rate guesswork.
The four plans
Priced in NZD, rising with storage and bandwidth. cPanel is included from Starter upward.
| Plan | SSD storage | Bandwidth | cPanel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 1 GB | 50 GB | No |
| Starter | 2 GB | 150 GB | Yes |
| Basic | 5 GB | 200 GB | Yes |
| Standard | 15 GB | 250 GB | Yes |
All plans include unlimited domains, email, and MySQL databases, free SSL, and free migration. Check Hoopla’s site for current NZD pricing.
Because prices and plan details change, confirm the current figures on Hoopla’s own site before signing up. Note that the entry-level Mini plan does not include cPanel — that starts from the Starter plan.
Security
Hoopla includes a decent range of security features across its hosting: advanced firewall protection, free SSL certificates, an intrusion detection and prevention system, a web application firewall, malware scanning, and two-factor authentication. For a fuller picture of keeping a WordPress site safe, see our security best practices guide.
Pros and cons
On the plus side: New Zealand-based Auckland servers give low latency for local visitors, pricing is in NZD, free website migration is included on every plan, and the feature set (LiteSpeed, SSD, CDN, strong security) is generous. A 30-day money-back guarantee makes it easy to try.
On the downside: there is no free trial (only the money-back guarantee); the cheapest Mini plan omits cPanel; and, as a smaller host, its managed-WordPress polish may not match a dedicated WordPress specialist. As always, confirm the current uptime commitment and renewal pricing before you commit.
Is Hoopla Hosting right for you?
Hoopla is a strong option if your audience is mainly in New Zealand and you value local servers, NZD billing, and local support. The low latency for NZ visitors is a genuine benefit, and the included migration makes switching painless.
If you need the most hands-off managed experience, or you are comparing several hosts on features and price, weigh it against the alternatives. Our guides to managed WordPress hosting and comparing WordPress hosts help, and the main WordPress hosting NZ hub links to everything else.
This article is an independent overview, not a specific endorsement or purchasing advice. Hoopla Hosting’s plans, features, and prices change often — confirm the current details, including the uptime guarantee and renewal rates, on their own site before you buy.
Reference sources
Frequently asked questions
Is Hoopla Hosting a New Zealand company?
Yes. Hoopla Hosting is New Zealand-based and has run its own hardware since 2011, with servers in New Zealand (Auckland), Australia, and the United States. For NZ site owners, the local Auckland servers and NZD billing are among its main attractions.
Does hosting with Auckland servers make my site faster?
For New Zealand visitors, yes. A local server responds fastest — often under 10 milliseconds — versus 100 milliseconds or more from distant overseas servers. That speed improves your visitors’ experience and, through Core Web Vitals, indirectly helps SEO. It is a genuine benefit, though not a direct ranking boost on its own.
How much does Hoopla Hosting cost?
It offers four plans — Mini, Starter, Basic, and Standard — priced in New Zealand dollars and rising with storage and bandwidth. The entry Mini plan is the cheapest but omits cPanel. Because pricing changes, check Hoopla’s site for the current NZD rates before signing up.
Does Hoopla include free website migration?
Yes. Free migration is included across all its plans, which makes moving an existing site over straightforward. This is a useful advantage over hosts that charge for migration, and it lowers the effort of switching if you are coming from another provider.
Is there a free trial?
No — Hoopla does not offer a free trial. It does provide a 30-day money-back guarantee, however, which lets you try the service and get a refund if it is not right for you. That effectively serves a similar purpose to a trial, with a little more commitment upfront.
Does Hoopla include cPanel?
On most plans, yes, but not the cheapest one. cPanel is included from the Starter plan upward; the entry-level Mini plan does not include it. If you want cPanel for managing your hosting, choose Starter or higher rather than Mini.