Web Hosting Reviewer - User Ranked

There are several web hosts out there, and plenty of categories to choose from. In this article, I will cover three of the most popular.  

The first, most popular category is that of discount web hosting. Discount web hosting works best for small businesses or people getting ready to start an online business and people running a blogging or personal web site.  Discount hosting is the cheapest (next to free) that there is, running right around $5-$6 per month. The reason discount web hosting is so cheap is because of the features. Everything is limited. You will have limited disk space, which means you won’t be able to upload many files. You’ll also have limited bandwidth, which only allows so many visitors to your web site each month. In most cases, you’ll only get one email address. The security isn’t as high in discount hosting than in other categories and many applications are unavailable with discount web hosting.

The second category is Windows web hosting. Windows web hosting basically just means that your server runs on the Microsoft Windows operating system. Windows web hosting is a little more expensive, but you get better features than with discount hosting. Most Windows web hosting packages include Perl, MySQL, 24/7/365 live customer support and email. These are just to name a few of the features. With Windows, you are also given the opportunity to create sub accounts so that your site developers have limited access to the information you keep on your web page.

The third and final category that I will cover is Linux web hosting. Linux web hosting runs from the Linux operating system just like Windows web hosting runs from the Windows operating system. Linux web hosting is much like Windows in that the features and the costs are about the same, depending on the package you choose to purchase. Linux offers toll free customer support and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. You will have a personal control panel to make management of your site easy. Linux also uses anonymous FTP, which simply means that the files and information sent to and from your computer will be kept anonymous.

Both Linux and Windows web hosting offer start up plans. The plans run around $4 per month, about the same as a discount web hosting plan.

In the end, it is just going to come down to what you want or need out of your web hosting service provider and what you are willing to pay to get that service. Knowing what you need is half the battle in searching for the best, most cost efficient web hosting service provider for you. By researching the different features offered by all of the different web hosting companies, you will gain the knowledge necessary in making rash decisions. You will understand how much a certain feature is (or should be) worth, so you will know when a company is trying to get you to rip you off.
 

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Every web hosting service provider thinks that they are the best and will stop at nothing to make you think the same. With so many web hosting companies to choose from, it might seem pretty tricky to choose the best one. All you really need to know in order to make that decision is what you expect from your web host.

Support. For many customers, support from their web hosting company is extremely important. You want to know that your company will back you up if something happens. If you have any questions or concerns, know that you can call your company at any given time and someone will be there to help you right along. Most web hosting companies offer live customer service and tech support 24/7, but that doesn’t mean that it’s good support. Try out the support before purchasing a domain from any company. If you are not satisfied with it, try another company.

Security. Especially for ecommerce, security is a priority. When you are a business owner selling products through the Internet, your customers have the right to feel safe sending their confidential information such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, addresses, etc., to you through your website.  If your customers don’t feel safe, the likelihood of them continuing their business with you is slim to none. Your web hosting service provider should provide you with SSL and FTP. FTP allows for the transfer of information and files through a network of computers and SSL guarantees that the transfer is completed securely.

Space. If you are thinking of starting a website and you plan on uploading a lot of files and applications to your page, you are going to need a lot of space. Some companies offer less disk space than others, so choose a package with unlimited disk space. Be careful though, and as funny as this sounds, ask the company how much unlimited space you actually get. It is understood that some companies will actually fine you if you exceed the unlimited space that you are guaranteed. Another important feature in this category is bandwidth. Bandwidth allows for the smooth flow of traffic through your site. If you run a website that has a lot of visitors each month, you’ll need an unlimited amount of bandwidth. Just as disk space is offered as unlimited, so is bandwidth. Once again, be careful and ask questions.

Control. An important feature for most webmasters is having control over their website. Some companies feel that they have the right to run your site, so make sure that you are offered a control panel with the package you choose. With a control panel, you have the ability to add or delete e-mail addresses, change passwords and have the general ability to keep up on the management of your website.

Think about what features are needed to define the best web hosting service for you. Make lists and ask questions. Don’t pay more for a hosting company with more features than what you want and don’t settle for a company that doesn’t have everything you need.

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As you probably already know, the only true definition of the best web hosting service is the definition that you give the service that works best for you. Web hosting services come in all varieties, so it is important to keep your personal needs in mind when choosing your service provider.

Honesty. Is it even possible to find a truly honest company these days? We are told so many little white lies everyday by a number of web hosting service providers and the costs of letting it happen keep on adding up. Make sure that when dealing with any web hosting service provider, you ask plenty of questions. Make sure that if you purchase a domain from the company, that you actually own it. Too many times, webmasters try to switch web hosting companies and have to purchase an entirely new domain name because their provider registered the domain in the company’s name instead of the customer’s name. Did you know that it is possible to exceed the "unlimited" bandwidth and disk space that you are allotted each month!? Keep in mind that the web hosting service has to pay for what you use, so if you use more than what they expect you to use, they will bill you for it. Read the fine print for every company you work with. You can get stuck with some pretty heavy fines if you do something wrong.

Reliability and Stability. Make sure that your web hosting service provider comes with AT LEAST a 99% uptime guarantee. Any time your service provider experiences downtime, so do you. This means that your customers will be unable to visit your website or purchase products from you. Most importantly, you will not be able to manage your website during downtime, whether it is scheduled or unscheduled.  

Customer Service. If customer service is important to you, be sure to speak to the web hosting service provider live, on the phone, before dedicating yourself to their service. If you are thinking about hosting overseas, chances are that there will be a language barrier and therefore, the customer service probably won’t be what you expect from a host. If you are hosting in the United States, make sure that someone is available to speak with you at any point during the day or at night. Most importantly, make sure that the customer service team will actually be able to fulfill your needs.

Tech Support. Most web hosts offer live tech support 24/7. Make sure that your service provider is ready and willing to answer your technical problems and get it fixed right away. Lucky, most companies strive to have the best customer service and tech support so they try to fix any problems that may arise before they become major.

Choose the web hosting service provider that you feel caters to your needs best. Ask a lot of questions, and don’t settle for anything less than the very best.

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In order to find the best web hosting service, you need to know what you want out of a host. Web hosting services come in a wide variety of prices, products and services. Find the solution that works best for you and run with it.

Different people expect different things out of their web hosting service provider. Some people want the best customer service or tech support while others want the best bandwidth or disk space. Most people want their website to be secure, some need an e-mail address and many need to know that their domain actually belongs to them.

What features are important to you?

If you are running an e-commerce website, you are probably looking for the best security out there. In most cases, this means having your own, unshared domain. Unshared domains come from dedicated web hosting services, and are typically more expensive than shared domains, but much better for you and your customers.  Most dedicated web hosts offer SSL and FTP. The combination of the two features allows for the transfer of information securely between computer networks. With SSL and FTP, your customers will always feel safe buying from your website.

If you will be running a website on which you will be uploading a multitude of files or expect to have a lot of traffic coming and going on a day to day basis, you’ll want a lot of bandwidth and disk space. Bandwidth is a data transfer rate and allows for a heavier flow of traffic per month. Disk space is just going to allow you to upload any number of files to your website.

You might just want some solid back up from your service provider. Luckily, most companies offer 24/7 customer service and tech support. Some web hosting service providers offer better support than others though, so make sure you speak with them before buying from them.

You can find web hosting reviews online. Read up on the companies that you have been looking at. See what other people have to say about the features that are most important to you. If unhappy customers is a recurring theme, it might be best to look elsewhere.

The most important factor when it comes to finding the best web hosting service is research. Research plays an extremely important role the choice you will eventually make. Most companies offer tech support by phone or live chat 24/7.  This gives you the opportunity to ask any questions that you have, and any questions that would come up should you choose to work with the host.

While it is possible to find your perfect web hosting service, there is no such thing as the perfect web host. Every webmaster is looking for something different from the  next, so know what you want out of a web host before getting yourself too far into what people say in web hosting reviews about their perfect host.
 

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