subject: The Ups And Downs Of Free Website Hosting [print this page] Today is a good time to get set up with web hosting because there are a lot of companies doing just that. What you need to understand is the difference between a web host that charges and one that doesn't.
Immediately people think that they will get a deal with a free web host because it will give them what they want for nothing. Free will usually cost you at some point and it doesn't come with all the options as a fee based service.
The benefits of free web hosting. Obviously, the big benefit is that there is no fee for the service. Many times you can receive web hosting for free from those that you purchase your internet service from. There are also companies that offer some free web hosting services in addition to their more premium plans. If you are looking to establish an online presence or are creating a personal space or something for a hobby or non-profit, then free web hosting may be just what you are looking for. If you plan to use this space to run a serious business, then free web hosting is probably not for you.
The free hosting has limits. There will not be a ton of space for you to use. If it is for your personal pictures then this may not be a big deal. Space is something that a business needs. For personal stuff you will probably not be too worried about different pages and if you can't be guaranteed space then it is no big deal. For running a business though you will want space for pictures of products you have now and that you will later.
Another issue that is unacceptable to a business with free hosting is the downtime. When you pay for service you will get a guarantee or at least a good estimate of the amount of up time that you will get. This is the time that your site is open for business which is what you want as much as possible. If your site is just a fun thing for you to share with people then it being closed regularly won't be a big deal because they can check again later.
If you are planning your new online business look at all the options before you sign up with the free host. It looks good at first but then when you realize all the things that you need, it is obvious that the better option is paying just a little and getting what you want.
If you get free php hosting you soon realize that it is not as workable as you expected. For your company you want the greatest professional php hosting that you can get for your cash.
