| Deciding on who is the best web hosting company | | | | choosing the best web hosting company. It's only |
| isn't a life or death situation, but doing your | | | | my middle-class nature to try and save a buck or |
| homework will save you money and, more | | | | two;) However, when I sat back and thought |
| importantly, headaches down the road. There are | | | | about the nightmare I went through with this $4 |
| a lot of web hosting companies that will do a fine | | | | per month company, I realized if I went with a $6 |
| job to meet your needs, however, you can't just | | | | or $7 per month, well-established hosting |
| blindly choose one because, unfortunately there | | | | company, I'd only be paying 24 or 36 more dollars |
| also exist web hosting companies that are | | | | a year. A price I'd gladly pay for smooth service |
| blatantly just trying to scam you out of your | | | | and peace of mind -- especially considering the |
| money. Don't be fool and sign up with the lowest | | | | torment and frustration I went through. In |
| priced web hosting company -- you'll almost | | | | hindsight, its easy for me to say after the fact, |
| certainly regret it! | | | | but I guarantee if you find yourself in the same |
| Put 'em through the ringer When you think about | | | | situation as I was with a deadbeat web hosting |
| it, web host companies are like a major appliance, | | | | company, you'll come to the same conclusion |
| kind of like a washer or dryer. All different models | | | | about paying $2 or $3 more per month! |
| perform the same basic function, but each has its | | | | The "Best" equals being good at the "Basics" |
| own special perk to try to entice you to choose | | | | Finding the best web hosting company should not |
| them. Just like washing machines, there is both a | | | | be a trial and error experiment, and I certainly do |
| low end and high end price tag. At the high end | | | | not recommend doing as such. Signing on with a |
| you pay for extra fancy features: maybe extra | | | | web host company, even though it may have a |
| spin cycles or electronic dials. For web hosting | | | | money back guarantee, is more of a commitment |
| companies these are features like unlimited | | | | then you may realize. For example if you buy a |
| bandwidth, unlimited storage, unlimited number of | | | | hosting package and decide that you want a |
| emails. And just like a washing machine, web host | | | | refund within the advertised satisfaction |
| companies have both good and bad | | | | guaranteed time limit, most likely you will have to |
| after-purchase support or warranties. You might | | | | go through the pains of transferring your domain |
| have a tendency to go for the top of the line or | | | | name (which is never refunded). Also, if the web |
| the cheapest hosting company but resist! | | | | hosting company really wants to hang you out to |
| A true "best" web hosting company story I fell | | | | dry, they might try to charge you fees for the |
| victim to the "cheapest is the best" mentality. | | | | bandwidth and space that you used in the |
| Even though I'm a long time veteran of making | | | | meantime (read the fine print). This is why you |
| websites, I was still duped by the cheap price tag | | | | should do some good research and find out who |
| of a new-kid-on-the-block web hosting company. | | | | is the best web hosting company for you the |
| Unconsciously I thought, "all hosting is the same, | | | | first time. When shopping for the best web |
| so the best web hosting company is the | | | | hosting company, concentrate on the basics. Who |
| cheapest." What a dumb mistake, especially for a | | | | has a good reputation at doing the core web |
| web veteran like me. I happily paid 3.99 a month | | | | hosting responsibilities. The following is a list of |
| for unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth -- all | | | | core features and characteristics that you should |
| the seemingly common things you come to | | | | grade each web hosting company on when |
| expect in a webhost. However, what I was | | | | shopping around: |
| actually paying 3.99 a month for was unanswered | | | | Transfer Bandwidth Storage Space Support |
| support phone calls, unexplained site downtime | | | | Languages (PHP, Perl, Ruby) Control Panel |
| and unavailability, and a huge headache. Basically I | | | | (Fantastico) Satisfaction history Years in the |
| was stuck with a nice heaping pile of dirty laundry | | | | business |
| and just wanted my money back so I could buy | | | | Special tip for the web savvy Here's a tip if you |
| a different washing machine. In the end, I did end | | | | plan on having more than one website/domain: |
| up getting my money back, but only after weeks | | | | Many hosting companies allow you to have |
| of stressing and feeling very frustrated. That | | | | multiple domain names per hosting account. That |
| serves me right for not doing my homework on | | | | way you pay a single monthly hosting package |
| this particular hosting company and hastily jumping | | | | fee for the ability to host multiple domains. For |
| at a cheap price. (By the way, the company is | | | | example: you can register domains (for |
| now out of business) UPDATE: 2 years later they | | | | approximately $10/year) and then use one |
| tried to charge me a renewal fee! | | | | hosting package for both those domains (which |
| Think about price the right way Now, I don't | | | | costs around $7/month). This is a huge way to |
| blame anyone for using price as a main criteria for | | | | save money. |