subject: The Truth About Free Web Hosting [print this page] When considering web hosting, many people are drawn to the idea of free web hosting. However, as many find out, the concept of "free" only applies to the upfront costs. Many webmasters can end up paying much more in other ways in the long run.
The first potential downfall of relying on free web hosting providers is that webmasters are almost never given the opportunity to host their own domain name. Whereas in the event of paid hosting, the owner of a website will his or her choice of domain name among what isn't currently registered, typically free web hosting providers do not allow this privilege and the website owner is left with little option for their domain name other than a subdomain on the provider's primary domain name.
Not having your own domain appears unprofessional and can impact visitors' perceived credibility even before they've had a chance to review the website. This can prove to have a very large negative impact on any business that wishes to reach out to potential customers on the Web. Some providers do offer the option for webmasters to register and use their own domain name, but may incur other restrictions such as force the webmaster to register the domain name with the hosting provider at higher rates than other registrars.
Professional credibility can also be adversely impacted by the fact that free web hosting providers rarely provide website owners with professional email addresses linked to their website. Conventional paid hosting gives the option of many email addresses used for a variety of purposes including professional correspondence, customer support, and general inquiries but when a free web hosting provider is used, the website owner will be limited to using a free email account such as Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail. While these free email providers do offer top-notch service for free, using them for professional correspondence with no email address linked to your domain name can have an additional negative impact on credibility.
Perhaps worst of all is the fact that most free web hosting providers generate revenue in exchange for their free website hosting by displaying banner and contextual advertisements on the websites they host. The website owner has little input on the type of advertisements that are served on his or her website so their visitors are at the mercy of the hosting provider in regards to what kinds of advertising they may see. When 3rd party advertising is being displayed on a business' primary website, the perception by their visitors is probably not going be positive.
Finally, many business owners with websites rarely keep a web developer on staff, so technical support is an extremely important component of web hosting. This is another area that free web hosting providers come up short in relation to their paid counterparts. Free web hosting providers often have relatively detailed FAQ pages and the occasional provider will offer some level of support ticket system, but long wait times and canned responses are much more prevalent than a business owner that relies on his or her website would likely want to endure.
Free web hosting providers certainly have their place on the internet. They can be a great resource for business owners new to the internet for getting their feet wet with the basics of web development. Additionally, they often provide a good way for website owners to get the word out about their business and web presence by allowing them to mingle with potential customers about their business niche.
However, for a business' primary web site, it is almost always a good idea to find a reliable, affordable, and supportive paid hosting provider instead.
