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How to Choose a Web Host

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First, you’ll need to determine what's the purpose of your website is. There are many web host characteristics. Here are some tips to help you.

Choosing Web Host Tips

  • Technical Support – it’s one of the most important issues. Make sure your web host has excellent support. You can test different companies before you sign up. Send an email with a question about web host plan. If you get their answer quickly, that's is a good sign.
  • Free Web Host – a free hosting service is good for beginners and simple personal home pages. If you are new in websites world, you can learn a lot by hosting a free website, understand the basics of web development and web design. Read more about free web hosting.
  • Storage space – if the data on your web site will be space consuming, choose web host plan with enough web space. For example, creating web gallery on your website will probably take up a lot of space. Estimate the size of your files in advance. Also, don’t forget that there is correlation between storage space and bandwidth. Images from web gallery will be downloaded and viewed.
  • Blogs and Forums – if you are planning to install blog and/or forum or other application, ensure that you have database in your web host plan. In most cases, MySQL is good enough.
  • Location – choose web host relatively to your target audience. For instance, if your target audience is in Australia, choose web host in Australia for performance reasons.
  • FTP Program – FTP access to your website is required. You will need an FTP program to upload and download files from your website.
  • Money Back – ensure that if you are not completely satisfied with web host service, you can get your money back during the first month. Usually, setup fees and domain registrations are non-refundable.
  • Domain Name – some web hosts offer to register domain name for your website, but you should compare prices. It's better to keep domain name with domain registrar and not with web host.
  • Site Builder – some web hosts supply website building software. This software allows you to design a website in less than thirty minutes. No programming knowledge required. Some web host companies provide software's demo before singing up. For example, you can see HostGator site builder demo.
  • Free Applications (Free Website Scripts) – some web host providers give you the ability to install easily the most popular open-source applications, like blog, photo gallery, forums, shopping cart and more.
  • Windows or Linux Hosting – If you don’t know what to choose, my recommendation is Linux web host. There are more free applications for Linux web hosts than for Windows ones. If you are planning to build a web application in asp or .net language you must choose Windows web hosting. Linux web applications are usually written on PHP. Note: there is no dependency between your workstation’s OS (operating system) and web host’s OS. In other words: if you use a windows computer it doesn't mean you have to choose windows web hosting.
  • Web Statistics – each web host provider will give you some web statistics program. But, if you aren't satisfied with this program or not interested to pay extra money for additional statistics services, you can use Google Analytics free web statistics service.
  • Email Accounts - web hosting package should include email accounts and email services. Your email addresses will look like: your_name@your_domain_name.com. POP3 and SMTP services will be needed to send and receive email through email software, such as Outlook or Thunderbird. To access your email from web browser you will need web mail service.
  • Upgrading possibilities – check whether upgrading your web host plan in the future is possible. If yes, what the price. It won’t be nice to move your website to another web host or pay surcharge for extra usage.
  • Min. Purchase Length – some web hosting companies tie you to their service. Check if there is minimum purchase length period.
  • Price – compare prices of different web hosting companies. But remember, price is only one factor. Recommendation is probably more important. See recommended web host companies. Choosing good web Host Company will prevent different problems in the future.

  • Disk Space – 5 GB.
  • Data Transfer – 20 GB per month.
  • FTP Accounts – at least one.
  • Email Accounts - at least 10 with web mail service.
  • Online Control Panel
  • Databases – at least one MySQL or MS SQL database.
  • Language support – PHP or ASP / ASP.NET
  • Free Applications – depends on your needs.
  • 30-day money back guarantee.
  • Web Statistics.
  • Technical support – phone and email support 24x7.

See Also


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