Choosing Web Hosting for Your Website

In this article, we’re going to help you determine what kind of real estate you need for your website. Since you’ve already put together a list of features for your website, you should have a good idea of what you may need in the way of hosting. If you need some help, here are some tips:

There are four main types of hosting environments: shared, reseller, vps, and dedicated. Below is a break down of the pros and cons of each environment.

Shared Hosting

Pros:

Cheap
Widely Available

Cons

You usually share the server resources with hundreds of other sites
More restrictive on uses and resources

Reseller

Pros:

Easier to manage multiple websites
Cheap
Widely available

Cons:

Reseller accounts are in shared hosting environments, and thus suffer the same cons. Your host may only put 100 reseller accounts on a server, but each reseller can make multiple accounts. For example, if each reseller made 10 accounts on a 100 reseller account server, you’re looking at being on a server with 1000 websites.
Reseller accounts are generally limited in space and bandwidth compared to a standard shared account. If you don’t need to manage multiple websites, go with a regular shared.

VPS

Pros:

Resources are guaranteed
Generally half the price of a full server
Less accounts per server

Cons:

Resources are generally limited, and thus are not recommended for high resource applications
Resources are guaranteed, but you are still in a shared hosting environment

Dedicated Server

Pros:

Full resources
You control everything on the server
Much less restrictive, allowing you to run complex applications, host other sites, or run large community applications

Cons:

Adding the cost of a control panel, you will generally spend $100 each month at the very least
Many dedicated servers require someone with the ability to manage the server’s Operating System and other software

These are some of the pros and cons of each hosting option you have. Depending on your website needs, you should be able to determine the type of hosting you need based on what each has to offer. Most small business websites that don’t require online chat or heavy applications can run on Shared Hosting and Reseller Hosting plans. If you expect thousands of visitors to your website each day, you need to move into VPS or Dedicated. Your host and developer can help you make the appropriate decision.

Save Money by Paying in Advance

Many web hosting companies offer discounts if you pay for a full year in advance. Unless you have been with the host long enough to trust them, we don’t recommend it. The reason is very simple: who knows what will happen down the road? Here is an example:

A few years ago there was a hosting company called Hostonic. I had a website hosted there and was paying for the space on a monthly basis. A friend of mine bought space for a full year, paying over $100 in advance. About a month after, the hosting service started to dramatically go downhill. Our sites were going down frequently, the customer service was nonexistent, and eventually the whole company simply vanished. My friend was out a lot of money while I was only out the rest of my monthly bill.

You never know what may happen with your host. They may not disappear from the map, but the service levels may drop below what you expect. If they have a solid track record (make sure you look it up thoroughly), we don’t advise paying ahead of time. Some web hosting companies such as Hostdime, Godaddy, and Network Solutions have been in business long enough that they can generally be trusted. I personally have used Surpass Hosting for the last 5 years, finding them after my issues with Hostonic. We recommend Surpass above all others due to their great customer service, prices and helpful forum.

Look at the terms of service and acceptable use policy

Make sure you review the Acceptable Use Policy thoroughly. I’ve had to turn down hosts in the past simply because their AUP was too restrictive. During my early days of web design, I hosted with a company called Yearhost. They had great service but their AUP and my site evolution did not mix well, thus turning me away from them.

Many web hosts do not allow Chat systems on their shared hosting environments. For websites like Wolfhome.com, a website whose core feature is a 2D chat, the hosting would be viable. Other popular restrictions include media rights, adult content, and heavy traffic. In general, these restrictions are in place to keep their equipment running at optimal levels for everyone, and resource intensive sites are a burden they will not accept. Check into the AUP and make sure your website falls in line.

Another policy is the Terms of Service. You can expect to find information on what their level of uptime is, their policy on overages, and how they handle refunds and cancellations. In regard to uptime, no reliable host will claim 100% uptime. Things happen that are beyond anyone’s control, so do not expect 100% uptime. 99% and above is typical.

Price

Web hosting prices have dropped tremendously in the last few years. Hosting packages can be purchased for less than a combo meal at McDonalds. However, just like choosing a web designer, don’t jump on the cheapest price you find. Do your research. Price may be a factor, but don’t let it be the main factor. You want your website to live on a server that is secure, managed well and built for performance. Paying $10 a month for a great host is a lot better than paying $3 a month for a terrible one.

Now that you’ve found a web host for your website, it’s time to move on the final step in starting a website. However, that’s not until tomorrow.