Byte is now Hypernode: the affordable alternative is Theory7
If you are reading this article, you are probably looking for a Byte alternative. And you have a good reason for that: Byte as you knew it no longer exists. The hosting provider that for years was known as a reliable Dutch supplier of shared hosting has closed the doors of that service. In this article we explain what happened to Byte, why former Byte customers need a new provider and why Theory7 is the most logical alternative.
What happened to Byte?
Byte has been merged into Hypernode, a platform that focuses entirely on e-commerce hosting, specifically Magento and Shopware. The company made the strategic choice to stop offering regular shared hosting and to specialize in managed hosting for web shops running on Magento.
This means that if you had a regular website, WordPress blog, portfolio or small web shop at Byte, you can no longer turn to Hypernode. At least not for a reasonable price. Hypernode plans start at €129 per month, which for most websites is completely unnecessary and unaffordable. Those plans are designed for complex Magento web shops with high visitor numbers, not for regular websites.
Why Hypernode is not an option for most users
Let's be clear about what Hypernode offers and why it is not a suitable solution for former Byte shared hosting customers:
- Price range - Hypernode starts at €129 per month. That is more than €1,500 per year for hosting. Unless you run a Magento web shop with significant revenue, this is disproportionate
- Focus on Magento - the platform is optimized for Magento and Shopware. If you have WordPress, Joomla, Drupal or a static website, Hypernode offers no added value over good regular hosting
- Overkill for small projects - the managed services, dedicated resources and enterprise support of Hypernode are designed for complex e-commerce environments, not for a blog or business website
- No shared hosting - there is no budget or starter plan. It is enterprise hosting or nothing
What former Byte customers need
Looking for a reliable Byte alternative? Since Byte was merged into Hypernode, many former customers are looking for a suitable Byte alternative that offers the same features at a fair price.
If you had a shared hosting plan at Byte, you probably needed the following:
- Reliable hosting for one or more websites
- Enough storage space for files and databases
- Email hosting on your domain name
- An SSL certificate for HTTPS
- PHP support for WordPress or another CMS
- Dutch support if you get stuck somewhere
- A fair price with no surprises
This is exactly what Theory7 offers, but with faster technology than Byte ever had.
Theory7 as a Byte alternative: what you get
Theory7 is a Dutch hosting provider with a modern tech stack that far exceeds Byte. Below is an overview of what you can expect.
| Feature | Byte (formerly) | Hypernode (now) | Theory7 Mini | Theory7 Starter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | Was ~€5-10 | From €129 | €0.49 | €2.49 |
| Type of hosting | Shared | Managed (Magento) | Shared | Shared |
| Storage space | 5-50 GB SSD | 20 GB+ SSD | 10 GB NVMe SSD | 25 GB NVMe SSD |
| Web server | Nginx | Nginx | LiteSpeed Enterprise | LiteSpeed Enterprise |
| SSL certificate | Free (Let's Encrypt) | Included | Free, included | Free, included |
| SSH access | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CloudLinux isolation | No | Dedicated resources | Yes | Yes |
| WordPress-ready | Yes | Limited (Magento focus) | Yes, optimized | Yes, optimized |
Technological advantages of Theory7
Byte was technically a fine provider, but technology does not stand still. In 2026 Theory7 offers a tech stack that performs considerably better.
LiteSpeed Enterprise vs Nginx
Byte ran on Nginx web servers, which was a good choice at the time. Theory7 uses LiteSpeed Enterprise, the fastest web server on the market. LiteSpeed performs on average 6 times better than Apache and is also faster than Nginx at serving dynamic PHP content. The built-in LSCache module offers server-side caching that serves WordPress pages lightning-fast, without complex caching configuration.
NVMe SSD vs regular SSD
Theory7 is the most complete Byte alternative for regular websites. As a Byte alternative, Theory7 offers not only the same basic features but also modern technology that Byte did not have at the time.
Byte used regular SSD storage. Theory7 runs on NVMe SSD, which offers up to 6 times faster read and write speeds. This translates into faster page loads, smoother database queries and a better experience for your website visitors. Every millisecond counts, as Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor and your visitors expect a fast website.
CloudLinux account isolation
A well-known problem with shared hosting was that a busy website on the same server could slow down other sites. Theory7 prevents this with CloudLinux, which isolates each hosting account in its own environment. Every customer has guaranteed CPU, RAM and I/O resources. The behavior of other accounts on the same server has no impact on your website.
Imunify security
More and more former Byte customers are choosing Theory7 as their Byte alternative because of the combination of low prices and premium technology. A good Byte alternative has to be reliable, fast and affordable.
Theory7 runs Imunify, an advanced security system that automatically detects and blocks malware, brute-force attacks and other threats. This works at server level, so your websites are protected without you having to install or configure security plugins yourself.
DirectAdmin: professional server management
Byte had its own management interface that was relatively limited in its options. Theory7 offers DirectAdmin, a professional and proven control panel that has been developed for more than twenty years. With DirectAdmin you can easily manage files through a web interface, create and manage databases through phpMyAdmin, configure email accounts, set DNS records, select PHP versions and create cron jobs. It is a lot more extensive than what Byte offered and gives you full control over your hosting account.
PHP version management and compatibility
An important consideration during a migration is PHP compatibility. Theory7 supports multiple PHP versions, from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.3, and you can select a different version per domain. This is handy if you have an older website that is not yet compatible with the latest PHP version, or a new project that needs the latest features. Through DirectAdmin you can switch between PHP versions in a few clicks, without having to submit a ticket or wait for support.
What former Byte customers should pay attention to
When choosing a new hosting provider there are a number of points that are specifically relevant for former Byte customers:
- Backups - make sure you have a recent backup of your website before your account at Byte or Hypernode is terminated. If you do not have a backup, contact Hypernode support as soon as possible to request one
- Email addresses - if you had email at Byte, your email accounts have to be created again at your new provider. Note down which addresses you had and which forwarding rules were active
- SSL certificates - at Byte you probably had a Let's Encrypt certificate. At Theory7 this is automatically activated as soon as your domain points to the server. You do not have to do anything for this
- Database details - note down your database name, username and password before you migrate. You need this information if you carry out the migration yourself
- Cron jobs - if you had scheduled tasks at Byte, you have to set them up again in DirectAdmin
Migrating your email hosting
If you had email addresses at Byte, you have to configure them again at your new provider. At Theory7 you can easily create new email accounts through DirectAdmin. If you used IMAP and have stored your emails locally (or in an email client), you can upload your messages again after creating the new account. With our free migration service we also help with migrating email accounts and existing messages.
WordPress optimization at Theory7
Many former Byte customers had a WordPress website. Theory7 is particularly suitable for WordPress thanks to the combination of LiteSpeed and the LSCache plugin. The LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress (LSCWP) is the fastest caching solution available and only works on LiteSpeed servers. The plugin offers server-side caching, browser caching, CSS/JS optimization and lazy loading for images. The result is a WordPress website that loads noticeably faster than on any other type of web server, without you having to set up complex caching configuration.
Step by step: migrating from Byte to Theory7
Whether you still have an active account at Byte or already have a backup of your website, migrating to Theory7 is easy.
Situation 1: you still have access to Byte/Hypernode
- Make a full backup - log in to your Byte/Hypernode account and download a full backup of your website, databases and email configuration
- Order a Theory7 plan - choose the plan that suits you on the web hosting page
- Request free migration - open a ticket at Theory7 with your login details and we will migrate your complete website. Read more about our free migration service
- Check and test - view your website on the new server before we switch the DNS
- Adjust DNS - change your nameservers or A record to point to Theory7
Situation 2: you have a backup but no more access
- Order a Theory7 plan - choose your plan and create an account
- Upload your backup - use SFTP to upload your website files to your Theory7 account
- Import your database - create a database in DirectAdmin and import your SQL file through phpMyAdmin
- Configure your CMS - update the database password in your configuration file (wp-config.php for WordPress)
- Test your website - use the hosts file on your computer to test the website on the new IP address
- Adjust DNS - point your domain to Theory7
Situation 3: you had a web shop at Byte
Did you have a web shop at Byte? Depending on your platform you have different options:
- WooCommerce - runs perfectly on Theory7. WooCommerce combined with LiteSpeed and the LSCache plugin is lightning-fast. View our web shop hosting
- Magento - for larger Magento shops, Hypernode can indeed be the right choice. For smaller Magento installations, a Theory7 VPS can offer an affordable alternative
- PrestaShop or custom - Theory7 supports all PHP-based platforms
Transferring your domain from Byte
If your domain was registered at Byte, you will want to transfer it too. Contact Byte/Hypernode for a transfer code (EPP code). With that code you can easily transfer your domain to Theory7. We are an accredited registrar with SIDN (.nl), EURid (.eu) and DNS.BE (.be), so your domain is in good hands with us.
Note: some domains that were registered at Byte have been automatically transferred to Hypernode or to a registrar that Byte worked with. Check in the WHOIS register who the current registrar of your domain is. If you cannot request the transfer code through Hypernode, contact the registrar listed in WHOIS.
Dutch support and availability
One of the things Byte customers appreciated was the Dutch support. At Theory7 you get that too. Our support team is Dutch-speaking and reachable by phone, email and the ticket system. When you have technical problems we help you right away, without queues or chatbots. This is an important difference from some budget providers where you have to wait hours for a response, or where support is only available in English.
In addition, we offer extensive knowledge base articles and guides for common tasks: installing WordPress, configuring email, managing databases, activating SSL and more. That way you can solve a lot yourself if you prefer to.
Free SSL with every plan
Just as Byte offered, at Theory7 a free SSL certificate is included with every plan. The SSL certificate is automatically activated as soon as your domain points to the Theory7 server. You do not have to do anything for it: no application to submit, no configuration to set, no annual renewal to arrange. It works fully automatically based on Let's Encrypt, the same technology that Byte also used.
What do you save as a former Byte customer?
Finding a good Byte alternative starts with comparing technology and price. Theory7 stands out as a Byte alternative through the combination of NVMe SSD, LiteSpeed Enterprise and CloudLinux.
Byte charged on average €5 to €10 per month for shared hosting. If you were to upgrade to Hypernode, you pay at least €129 per month. At Theory7 you start at €0.49 per month for the Mini plan or €2.49 per month for the Starter plan with 25 GB NVMe storage.
Even compared to the old Byte prices you save at Theory7, while getting better technology. NVMe SSD is faster than the SSD that Byte used, LiteSpeed performs better than Nginx for PHP applications and CloudLinux offers isolation that Byte did not have.
Looking for a reliable Byte alternative with modern technology and fair prices? View the Theory7 plans and switch with our free migration service.
