Do not pick up free web hosting for your business and here is why
Web hosting is a crucial aspect of any online business, as it determines the speed, reliability, and security of your website. There are numerous web hosting providers available, and all of them offer different services and different configurations of their hosting plans, based on different values and philosophies. Therefore it’s important to know how to choose VPS carefully to pick up the right one that aligns with your business needs. One of the available options besides all different kinds of paid ones is free hosting which can be tempting for many business owners willing to save costs, but in fact is not the best idea. In this article, we’ll explore why free web hosting may not be the best option for your business and why it can be a much better idea to rent a virtual server.
Why free hosting may not be the best option
Any type of hosting service suggests that there is a piece of hardware that is used to host the customers’ web projects. This piece of hardware costs money. It has to be housed in a data center, which also costs money. The hardware needs to be maintained. In case of technical issues, there must be a team ready to help presented by the support. All these and many other aspects need some capital investment from the side of the provider. This means that even offering free hosting, the hosting expenses are still paid by you, but in a less direct way. All these can take one of the following forms.
Ads
Ads are a common way to make money from a “free” service. However, one thing is when you see an ad posted by the website’s owner when you browse the web and another thing is when the ad is added to your website and you have to way to get rid of it. These ads can be distracting to your visitors and can even drive them away from your website. Additionally, some free web hosting providers may limit your ability to monetize your website, which can impact your revenue potential. If ads are okay for you, you can freely go for free hosting, but if you want to determine on your own how your website looks then you’ll probably have to get yourself a paid plan.
Poor performance
Performance is a critical factor to consider when choosing a web hosting provider for your business. A slow website can have a significant impact on user experience, resulting in decreased traffic, lower conversion rates, and ultimately, lost revenue. Unfortunately, free web hosting providers often prioritize their own interests over your website’s performance, leading to slower load times and decreased reliability.
One reason for this is that free web hosting services typically oversell their resources. This means that they will host too many websites on a single server, and as a result, each website will have very few resources allocated to them. And the situation with free hosting may be much worse than with regular shared hosting. This can cause slow load times and even website crashes during peak traffic periods.
Furthermore, free web hosting providers may not invest in the necessary infrastructure and technology to optimize website performance. For example, they may not use the latest hardware, software, or caching techniques to speed up your website. This lack of investment in performance can lead to a poor user experience and damage your brand’s reputation.
A lack of customer support
When it comes to web hosting, issues, and problems can arise at any time. As a business owner, you want to ensure that your website is up and running smoothly, without any technical glitches or downtime. However, if you opt for free web hosting, you may have limited or no access to customer support, which can be a major disadvantage.
Free web hosting providers often offer limited or no customer support, which means that if you encounter any technical issues or have questions, you may be on your own. This lack of support can be frustrating and time-consuming, as you may have to spend hours troubleshooting issues yourself, rather than focusing on growing your business.
Hidden cost
In addition to the hidden costs we’ve already discussed, free web hosting providers may also impose penalties or require you to switch to an extra expensive paid plan if you exceed certain limits. For example, some free web hosting providers may limit the number of visitors your website can receive per day or the amount of data you can store on their servers. If you exceed these limits, you may be penalized with additional fees, or your website may be temporarily suspended or even deleted.
Similarly, some free web hosting providers may offer a limited range of features and resources, and if you need additional features or resources, you may be required to upgrade to a more expensive paid plan. This can be frustrating and costly, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
Why paid hosting is better?
Unlike free hosting plans, paid web hosting providers often offer transparent pricing with no hidden costs. They provide you with access to a range of resources, including bandwidth, storage, and processing power, which can ensure that your website performs optimally at all times. Paid web hosting providers typically offer better security features, including SSL certificates, firewalls, and malware scanning, which can protect your website and customer data.
Furthermore, paid web hosting providers often offer more flexible plans and scalable resources, which means that you can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan as your business grows and your needs change. This can save you money and give you peace of mind knowing that you can easily scale your website to meet your business’s evolving needs.
They typically offer comprehensive customer support, with multiple channels of communication, including email, phone, and live chat. They have dedicated support teams that are available 24/7 to address any issues or concerns you may have.
Opting for a paid hosting plan from a reliable provider means that it will be much easier for you to understand how to choose VPS.
Conclusion
Web hosting is the very foundation of your web presence and for it to prosper, the foundation must be firm and reliable. Unfortunately, such a level of service cannot be possibly offered for free and this means that you will be charged anyway, but in a less transparent way and with a significantly lower quality of service. If your website is dear to you and you want it to work well and attract customers, it’s always a better idea to get a paid plan from a trusted provider.