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Spruz

Social Networking Website Builder

Published 09/07/2010 and rated

3 out of 5 stars by AppAppeal Editor

6 comments for this app

What can you use the app for?

Spruz is a free website creation and hosting service. Users can create a custom website with social media features, blog, and more quickly and without any specialized knowledge of HTML or coding.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

Spruz was founded in 2007 by Jay Roberts. The company is based in Tennessee.

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What are the differences to other apps?

Spruz offers most of the advantages of Ning, without the cost. The real differentiator is the ability to create and host a complete, functional website quickly, easily, and completely free.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

Once registered, users are prompted to use the Site Content Wizard to set up the website. The first step is to categorize the site, choose the text for the title bar, write a short description, and add tags. This information may be edited later. Next, users indicate what the social community is about and choose a theme for the site. Themes are abundant, but unappealing. There are several game-related ones, and many are either too plain or too busy. Completion of these steps leads the user to a control panel where the site may be fully customized.

Users may add blog content, members, photos, events, groups, videos, and forums with a user-friendly drag-n-drop interface. Page elements, widgets, and additional pages may be easily added. Hundreds of interesting widgets are available to be added.

The application is generally easy to use and intuitive. Full customization is possible over time. All menus are self-explanatory. Very simple for a beginner to get a website/blog with social integration set up quickly.

How does the registration process work?

Users choose a web site name, which may be changed later if desired, and a custom domain name. Once chosen, an email address, display name, password, full name, and date of birth are required.

What does it cost to use the application?

The basic site is free. It limits members to 250, and has a monthly transfer limit of 5G and 100MB file space. Upgrades are available to increase the transfer allowance and file space. Plans range from $9.95/month to $49.95/month. The $99.95 plan includes 20G transfer allowance and 2,000MB file space. For $19.95, users get 100G transfer allowance and 10,000MB file space. $49.95 buys 250G transfer allowance and 25,000MB file space. Other add-ons such as removal of Spruz branding, registering a domain, adding a shopping cart, addition of video uploader and player, and support plans are à la carte at $10-100 per month.

Who would you recommend the application to?

This application could be interesting for anyone who would like to create a website. Regardless of background knowledge, users can completely customize the site with elements of their choosing. It is most likely to appeal to newcomers to web design as the menus, etc. are very simplistic.

Spruz Features

Free to use with multiple options for upgrading at any time
Fully customizable
Several theme choices
Widgets to expand content
Easy-to-use interface
Ability to create groups
Forums included

Spruz video

6 comments for this app

6 comments, showing 1 - 6 (newest first)

Tim T.
on 14 May 2012 at 16:06

Ugh. Slow and glitchy. Hoped to improve using pay service but really was so bad I gave up. My experience - avoid Spruz.

David
on 12 Sep 2011 at 13:58

Great solution! Was able to build my website with ease! Good Job Spruz

alanfarrington
on 12 Jul 2011 at 01:32

Yes, it's ok...but when you start up, you cannot use the email messaging function without people accepting your invites. Not a great start up. You should be able to use the mail straight away.

mr_a
on 12 May 2011 at 16:46

Sorry to keep posting but I think this is worth sharing. On of my community members wrote Spruz to find out why their customer service was faulty. He wrote: "Make every interaction count" is not only a mantra of good customer service, but tends to be a rallying cry for the very social media sites that you are trying to sell. Which is why I find our recent interactions with your so-called customer service department to be that much more perplexing and astonishing. Their response was quite defensive, stating that many of their users are "looking for a free meal" and that "as a paying customer the level of service you would receive is far different then (sic) a free account." I assumed their free account meant they'd try to seduce me with reasons why their paid service is better - not cocky customer service agents who snub their users. Why is Spruz offering the free account in the first place? And for those of you saying to yourself "I'll never need their customer service any way", overall Spruz was mediocre. But if you want a glitchy site with rude people at the helm, by all means turn to Spruz!

mr_a
on 10 May 2011 at 23:12

I realize that my previous post doesn't tell the whole story. I did tell Spruz that I was hesitant to upgrade to their paid service because of this new censorship - that's when they closed my site. No e-mail notification, just closed. I had to then e-mail them to get the response I just listed (good thing I hadn't given Spruz my credit card information!) And for the record, I was not violating any user agreement that I can tell (unless there's a "it's my ball and I'm going home" clause that I missed). My site was small, and simply a bunch of friends sharing videos and jokes - 14 of us planning to open it to all of our friends (and then to their friends etc.) in small increments. Now not only is all my content deleted, my site's users posts are gone. I strongly urge you to try another site. There must be one out there that won't hijack your stuff.

Third Party
on 10 May 2011 at 16:39

Horrible experience with these guys - added language filters to their free version that stop swear words from appearing. If you wanted to remove the filter they make you pay. Not entirley unreasonable but I personally do not believe in censorship. I asked them if this would change - long story short, they closed my site without notice. Their customer service wrote: "It looks like your site was disabled because you told our team that you didn’t care about paying for the site or our advertisers that pay for your service. You see when something is free, someone has to pick up the tab. Good Luck to you" You've been warned.

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