Openhost

What Openhost does

Openhost is a New Zealand-based internet services provider operating as Crazy Domains New Zealand under the Newfold Digital corporate umbrella, headquartered in Auckland. The company delivers a multi-product hosting platform serving primarily small and medium businesses (SMBs) and individual consumers across New Zealand. Its product portfolio spans shared web hosting, WordPress hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), email hosting, domain name registration and transfers, SSL certificates, website builder tools, reseller hosting, cloud backup, and website security services (malware scanning, firewall, DDoS protection). Marketing add-ons including SEO Services, Managed SEO (MSEO), and Traffic Booster extend the offering beyond infrastructure into digital growth services. The technology stack is standard commodity web hosting infrastructure without disclosed proprietary features or AI/ML capabilities.

The business model is built on subscription recurring revenue across all product lines, with prices quoted in NZD +GST. A 50% first-term discount is applied automatically at checkout but excluded from renewals and upgrades, signaling a customer acquisition-focused pricing posture. Distribution is primarily self-serve e-commerce through the openhost.co.nz website, supplemented by phone-based sales and 24/7 customer care (0800 128 128), with a reseller channel available through the OH Reseller Login platform for partners white-labeling hosting services. Founded in 1997 and rebranded as Crazy Domains New Zealand (circa 2021), Openhost operates within Newfold Digital's broader portfolio of hosting and domain brands, with current customers supported through the migration. Marketing relies on the company website, Facebook, and Twitter; no enterprise sales motion or international expansion is evident. The operational entity is small (1-10 employees) and focused exclusively on the domestic New Zealand market.

Name

Openhost

Legal name

Openhost

Website

https://webdrive.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Openhost (now Crazy Domains New Zealand) is an Auckland-based internet services provider offering web hosting, domains, email, SSL, VPS, security, and website builder services to New Zealand SMBs and consumers via subscription self-serve e-commerce and reseller channels, operating under Newfold Digital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Web Hosting Services: Recurring subscription revenue from web hosting plans including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, and virtual private servers.
2. Domain Name Registration: Revenue from domain registration, renewals, and transfers.
3. SSL Certificates: Revenue from SSL certificate sales for website security.
4. Reseller Hosting: Revenue from reseller partners who purchase hosting resources to resell to their own customers.
5. Website Builder: Revenue from website builder tool subscriptions.
6. Email Hosting: Revenue from standalone email hosting services.
7. Web Security Services: Revenue from website security products including protection and backup services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Openhost is a New Zealand-based internet services provider offering a complete suite of web presence products including shared web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), and domain name registration. The offering is complemented by value-added services such as SSL certificates, website security, a drag-and-drop website builder, reseller hosting, cloud backup, and SEO/marketing add-ons (SEO Services, MSEO, Traffic Booster), all delivered on subscription-based plans via a self-serve online platform.

Product overview

Openhost is a New Zealand-based hosting company now operating under Crazy Domains New Zealand. The offering is a multi-product hosting platform providing a comprehensive suite of web presence services. The core products include Web Hosting, WordPress Hosting, Email Hosting, Virtual Servers (VPS), and Domain Names. These are complemented by value-added services including SSL Certificates, Web Security, Website Builder, Reseller Hosting, and Cloud Backup. Marketing add-ons include SEO Services (both standard and managed MSEO), and Traffic Booster. The portfolio follows a platform-plus-modules architecture where shared hosting, VPS, and email form the foundation, while security, marketing, and builder tools serve as add-on enhancements to the core hosting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Web Hosting Shared web hosting service providing space and resources to host websites on New Zealand-based servers, targeted at SMBs and individuals needing standard website hosting.
• WordPress Hosting Specialized hosting environment optimized for WordPress websites with automatic updates and enhanced performance, for users running WordPress sites.
• Email Hosting Standalone email hosting service enabling businesses to use custom domain email addresses with mailbox storage, for customers needing professional email without web hosting.
• Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Virtual private server hosting providing dedicated resources and root access for more control and scalability, for SMBs and developers needing more resources than shared hosting.
• Domain Names Domain registration and management services for .nz and international domain extensions, for SMBs and individuals registering or managing domains.
• SSL Certificates Digital security certificates that encrypt data between website visitors and servers, enabling HTTPS connections, for website owners needing to secure their sites.
• Website Builder Drag-and-drop website creation tool allowing users to build websites without coding knowledge, for SMBs and individuals needing a simple site builder.
• Reseller Hosting White-label hosting service allowing users to resell web hosting under their own brand, for partners and agencies reselling hosting to their own customers.
• Web Security Website protection services including malware scanning, firewall, and DDoS protection, for website owners needing active security defenses.
• Cloud Backup Cloud-based data backup service for protecting website files, databases, and content, for website owners needing offsite backup.
• SEO Services Search engine optimization services to improve website visibility and rankings in search results, for SMBs needing better organic search performance.
• MSEO Services (Managed SEO) Managed search engine optimization services with ongoing monitoring and optimization by professionals, for customers needing hands-off SEO management.
• Traffic Booster Marketing tool designed to increase website visitor traffic through targeted campaigns, for website owners seeking more visitors.
• Domain Transfers Service for transferring domain names from other registrars to Openhost/Crazy Domains, for customers consolidating domains to one provider.
• Domain Renewals Domain name renewal service to maintain ownership and prevent expiration of registered domains, for existing domain owners.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Newfold DigitalparentOthersOpenhost is now Crazy Domains New Zealand, operating as part of Newfold Digital company. Newfold Digital is the parent company providing strategic backing and brand affiliation for the New Zealand hosting operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Namecheap: Independent hosting and domain registrar offering shared, VPS, WordPress, email, and SSL products targeted at SMBs and individuals. Comparable because it competes for the same price-sensitive customer with the same product bundle structure.
• HostGator: Sister Newfold Digital brand providing shared, VPS, reseller, and WordPress hosting with a similar bundled product approach. Overlapping customer base and value proposition.
• SiteGround: Globally recognized shared, WordPress, and managed hosting provider with similar product breadth (hosting, email, domain, builder). Comparable because both target SMB/WordPress customers with subscription hosting bundles, though SiteGround competes primarily at the international premium tier.
• Bluehost: Mass-market shared, VPS, and WordPress hosting provider — and a Newfold Digital portfolio brand — offering the same product mix (hosting, domains, email, builder, SSL). Directly comparable on offering and pricing model.
• DreamHost: Independent shared, VPS, WordPress, and email hosting provider with a similar SMB and developer-adjacent customer base and subscription pricing model.
• Crazy Domains (Australia): Sister brand under Newfold Digital offering the same shared hosting, domain, VPS, and website builder stack to Australian SMBs. Directly comparable because Openhost has now rebranded to "Crazy Domains New Zealand," effectively making the AU brand its sibling and closest functional mirror.
• Webhost.co.nz: Another New Zealand-based shared, VPS, and reseller hosting provider serving the same NZ SMB market with local support. Direct competitor for the same primary customer segment and overlapping product catalog.

Emerging players

• WP Engine: Premium managed WordPress hosting provider. Comparable on the WordPress hosting product line specifically; represents the higher-end managed-WordPress segment that Openhost's basic WordPress hosting competes against for upgrade-conscious customers.

Broad incumbents

• GoDaddy: The dominant global incumbent in domains and SMB hosting. While much larger and broader, GoDaddy competes directly with Openhost across every product line (domains, shared hosting, email, SSL, website builder) and is the primary share-of-wallet benchmark.

Regional players

• 1st Domains: NZ-focused domain registration and hosting provider competing in the same domestic SMB market. Regional peer because it serves the same New Zealand customer base with overlapping domain and hosting services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/openhost
• Facebookfacebook.com/openhost
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/web-drive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Openhost