subject: Are You Paying Too Much For Your Hosting? [print this page] Are You Paying Too Much For Your Hosting?
Web hosting is a unique industry because there are a number of different companies out there that offer similar services, yet have extremely different pricing. Therefore, it can be difficult to figure out if you are spending too much on a service, since there is such a wide variety. In the end, the type of hosting package that your website needs will be the determining factor on how much you should spend, as there are many different hosting plans available to meet your needs.
The first type of web hosting that is available is Windows hosting. This form is a little more expensive than UNIX hosting because it is not a free platform. In addition, there are certain applications that are required to run a server on the Windows operating system and these applications require a payment. With that being said, you will not spend more than $30 per month on one of these packages, unless you are running an extremely large site, so it is very affordable for most people. If you are using .ASP or .NET, you will need to run on a Windows server, so you will not have a great deal of choice, but you should be able to find an affordable option to meet your needs.
UNIX and PHP web hosting are less expensive than Windows sites, as it is cheaper platform to run. There are many different companies that run UNIX hosting packages, so finding a competitive rate will not be too difficult. For a smaller plan, you should not expect to pay more than $3 per month, although larger plans for giant websites will often run you about $25. Keep in mind that there will be a domain registration fee on top of this number, unless you have completed this part of the process previously.
Ecommerce sites need a different web-hosting package, as they have different needs. In most cases, you should expect to pay a little bit more, although it will be worth it because you will have many integrated features that will allow you to make money. Most people will look for a plan that includes a free shopping cart, although it is possible to pick up a third party shopping cart if need be. There are a number of different things that can be added onto your site as well, which will change the amount that the site will cost drastically. While a regular ecommerce site can be found for under $30 per month, sites with SSL certification and other applications can carry up to $300 in fees. This will usually be a one time or yearly fee, making it similar to your domain registration.
Those who are on a tighter budget will want to look at a budget web hosting company, as they can definitely provide you with a great deal. These companies can be found in many different locations and most of them only charge about $10 per month for a decent sized package. It is not rare to find these companies offering packages for as little as $1 per month, so there are many deals out there for cost aware users.
Dedicated hosting is rather expensive, as this is when a server is entirely dedicated to your web hosting needs. If you are running an extremely active website with significant uploads and downloads, you might end up paying as much as $400 per month. If you are smart about things, however, there are upstart companies out there that will give you a significant deal because they are looking for business. Make sure that you look around and you should be able to find a great deal that meets your individual needs.
There are many fees that go along with web hosting, so you will need to keep an eye on these expenses as you move forward. When you factor in various application and domain registration, you will see your costs rise significantly, so it is always best to get with the least expensive option that meets your website's needs.
Every site has different needs from a web host, so make sure that you look around for an option that suits yours. If you feel that you will need more options that most of these hosts are offering, do not be afraid to purchase some additional applications because you will likely make this money back in the end.
