The Pricing Of Web Hosting

Thursday, 19 November 2009

If you're looking to host multiple sites on a budget, then you may be tempted to go with one of the innumerable free hosting companies that are available these days.  But before you make that decision, you need to consider some important facts about the internet economy.

1. Free hosting companies are like mushrooms - they spring up overnight and they can disappear just as quickly.  If that happens, your website will go with it.
2. Free hosts aren't charities.  They need to make money to survive too, and one way they do that is by placing advertising and pop-ups on your websites.  Not only does that look cheap and nasty, you have absolutely no say about what those pop-ups and ads contain.  Your visitors don't know that, however.  How can you be sure that you're sending them the right message?
3. Free doesn't necessarily mean freedom.  Free hosting companies can be very restrictive about the type of material you're allowed to host, and tend to restrict those things you might actually want to do, such as sell stuff or post media files.

Hosting price and service

In web hosting, as in most areas of life, you usually get what you pay for.  You don't have to spend premium rates to get a good and reliable service, but companies that charge a reasonable rate usually offer a better service in return.  

Ultimately, you're paying for the use of a server.  This is a dedicated computer which stores your web page, and which "serves" users who click on your web address.  It needs to have fast connections and a back-up system in place, because computers go down from time to time.  Obviously this costs money, and bills are passed on to customers.  So if things like server space, bandwidth, reliable email and technical support are important to you, then it's wise to pay as much as you can afford.

None of this is to suggest that there are no reliable free hosting companies.  However, even if you're paying nothing, let the buyer beware.  Paying nothing can be false economy, after all.