Web Hosting Buying Guide

October 2020

1. What is Web Hosting?

Web Hosting is a service offered by companies to upload your websites on servers so that it is available on the internet. In simple terms, you basically need a web hosting service if you want to run your website.

2. What are the benefits of buying a Web Hosting Service?

Since Web Hosting is a basic requirement to start your website it is imperative to go for. In order to launch your website you have two options, a) Launch it through a Web Hosting Company b) Launch it yourself by creating your own Server. The latter option may sound very fulfilling but it comes with lot of work and complexities. It is never advised for beginners. Hence for most of us we are better off going for a web hosting service for our website.

Below are the many benefits compared to hosting it ourselves:-

1. No hassles – Web Hosting comes with a host of requirements like licensing, certification, server software management, hardware management which is an uphill task for an individual or a small company. With Web Hosting Providers, you do not have to worry as they will handle everything.

2. No down time – Web Hosting providers will ensure you have no down time whereas hosting yourself means you are ought to face downtime if there is an error at your end which is highly likely given the numerous bugs and viruses we face day by day.

3. Secure – Web Hosting companies employ a lot of methods to safeguard data on their servers and hence they are secure as compared to self hosting where you have to be aware of new software issues and ensure protection in order to safeguard your server.

4. Comparatively Low Cost- Web Hosting is getting cheaper day by day and in case you have a small number of websites to host, the cost of self-hosting will be way higher than that offered by web hosting services.

As seen from the advantages above, web hosting service benefit over self hosting due to the expertise and security they offer. Hence it is a no brainer to go for a web hosting service if you do not have server hosting expertise.

3. What are the features to consider in a Web Hosting Service before buying it?

Uptime

It is the percentage of time in which your site will be online.

See Explanation

Site Speed

It is the speed with which your site loads or any data transfer takes place

See Explanation

No. of Websites

It is the number of websites that you can host

See Explanation

Storage Space

It is the amount of data that you can host

See Explanation

Support

Crucial if the web site is your "bread and butter"

See Explanation

4. How do I select the best Web Hosting Service for me?

1. New Blogger: If you are just starting out and need to create a simple website then you come under this category. As you will take some time to get used to the system, you will need something that is less priced and offers you good support as you may encounter a lot of issues and need effective resolution. This will help you get better in it. Check for a web hosting that is cheap, offers a single website and will give you good support.

2. WordPress based blogging: If you have a WordPress website you can go for a WordPress hosting. This type of hosting will be optimized for WordPress websites which will ensure increased security and speed.

3. Experienced Blogger or a Small Company: When you are serious into websites then you need something that is very reliable and speed as you do not want to disappoint the traffic coming into the website. Hence to satisfy your requirement, you need a service which offers good speeds, has an excellent support, allows for multiple websites (in case you need to expand).

4. Website which brings Business: If websites are your main source of income, you will need to ensure that it has the best tech available. Hence, go for a VPS/Dedicated Hosting as this will give good speeds. A web hosting with the best support has to be opted for to avoid any downtimes.

Our Recommendation

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How many websites can I put up on my Web hosting?

This depends on the plan that you have select when buying. You are generally offered with One website or unlimited websites. The former being cheaper and the latter being costlier. The former will be cheap in case you have to upload only one website and don’t see the possibility of having one more in the near future. Whereas if you have plans on having

Is it better to go for One Website or Unlimited Websites?

Go for one website if you have to upload only one website and dont see the possibility of having one more in the near future (maybe in 6 months or 1 year). In case you have to add a website after one year, you can as well take another plan which will be cost effective as web hosting is getting cheaper day by day.
Go for unlimited websites if you have to upload more than one website as it will be cost effective. For bloggers, affiliate marketers and companies with many subsidiaries unlimited website option is best as you have only one place where all your websites are stored and can easily manage them.

Should I purchase a Web Hosting for a year or for a longer duration?

Longer duration web hosting will be cheaper (if you compare price per year) per se. But if you see the trends, web hosting is getting cheaper as there are new technologies coming up day by day. So we would suggest that you go for a duration not more than 2 years. You can anyways then change the web hosting if you like.