When choosing a web host, pricing, features, performance, and transparency all matter—especially when you’re comparing two very different providers like HostDactyl and Crucial Hosting.
In this in-depth comparison, we will show you why HostDactyl is the best Crucial web hosting alternative for Australia in 2025. We’ll break down the key differences between the plans across three tiers—entry-level, mid-range, and advanced—to help you decide which one best suits your needs.
Crucial Hosting:
Transparent Pricing – What you see is what you pay. Their pricing remains steady throughout checkout—no sneaky upsells.
HostDactyl:
Fully Transparent + Flat Rate – HostDactyl is refreshingly honest. Their $4.56 AUD/month pricing remains flat—no upsells, no renewal hikes, no hidden fees.
Verdict: Both hosts are upfront, but HostDactyl offers better long-term value for multi-site users by avoiding common pricing traps.
| Feature | Hatchling Plan (HostDactyl) | Crucial Hosting Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.56 AUD/mo | $26.68 AUD/mo |
| Websites | Up to 10 | 2 (1 domain + 1 addon) |
| Storage | 50GB NVMe SSD | 50GB (unspecified type) |
| Performance | 2GB RAM, 200% CPU | 2GB RAM, 200% CPU |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Backups & Email | Daily, Unlimited | Daily, Unlimited |
| Perks | Free Migration, CDN, 99.9% Uptime and cPanel with Litespeed | DDoS Protection, cPanel |
Verdict:
Choose HostDactyl for fast NVMe storage and better value for multi-site hosting.
Choose Crucial if you want to host only 1 domain and 1 addon domain for a heigher price.
| Feature | Skyling Plan | Web Hosting Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.95 AUD/mo | $36.98 AUD/mo |
| Websites | Up to 25 | 3 Total |
| Storage | 100GB NVMe SSD | 100GB (unspecified type) |
| Performance | 3GB RAM, 300% CPU | 2GB RAM, 200% CPU |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Backups & Email | Daily, Unlimited | Daily, Unlimited |
| Perks | Free Migration, CDN, 99.9% Uptime and cPanel with Litespeed | DDoS Protection, cPanel |
Verdict:
Choose HostDactyl’s Skyling if you manage many sites and want affordability with fast storage.
Choose Crucial’s Web Hosting Plus if…. Well i can not find a reason to choose Crucial on this offer. Best you decide for yourself…
| Feature | NovaDactyl Plan | Web Hosting Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $13.13 AUD/mo | $51.40 AUD/mo |
| Websites | Up to 100 | 4 Total |
| Storage | 300GB NVMe SSD | 150GB (unspecified type) |
| Performance | 4GB RAM, 400% CPU | 2GB RAM, 200% CPU |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Backups & Email | Daily, Unlimited | Daily, Unlimited |
| Perks | Free Migration, CDN, 99.9% Uptime and cPanelwith Litespeed | DDoS Protection, cPanel |
Verdict:
Choose NovaDactyl for large-scale, low-cost multi-site hosting.
Choose Web Hosting Advanced if you like paying more for less, way less in this case.
| Feature | HostDactyl | Crucial |
|---|---|---|
| LiteSpeed Web Server | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| HTTP/3 | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not listed |
| CDN | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not listed |
| Imunify360 | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not listed |
| cPanel | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Softaculous | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Eco-Friendly | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Verdict: HostDactyl includes more modern web technologies like HTTP/3, Imunify360, and NVMe—all available even in its cheapest plans.
The Bottom Line:
HostDactyl wins on scalability, value, and features, while Crucial Hosting is ideal for users who likes to stick to the old outdated but familiar high priced setup.
