Website Hosting Directory - Your Website Hosting Resource

If you are new to website hosting and are looking for a basic hosting package, click the shared hosting link on the right navigation menu. If you are going to be selling products from your website follow the ecommerce link. If you are a large company or quickly expanding check out our dedicated hosting packages.

The following is a summary of areas you should be aware of before signing off with a website hosting company. Successful web hosting is a partnership based on honesty and service. Customer service is often overlooked, but problems arise more then we would like to admit.

Customer support

Does the company offer true 24/7 support? Many companies claim to offer 24/7 customer service, but in reality it may take days to get a reply. A big plus for customer service is phone support, nothing is nicer then being able to pick up the phone and get in touch with someone who can help you with any problems you might come upon.

Low pice/Contract length:

When a website hosting company advertises a hosting package deal, they may be advertising the price if you were to sign up for a one or two year plan. I have personally come across alot of these while looking for website hosting. Make sure to check on the rates and when payments will be due. The last thing you want to do is commit to a one or two year contract and find out after a month or two, that the service is slow or down alot.

Unlimited bandwidth:

Companies will use this strategy to try to sell you, when infact many times if your website is generating alot of traffic it will end up costing the company. Most clients won't use alot of bandwidth, so the companies feel they can offer unlimited bandwidth because they average out across the entire client base.

Next time you come across an unlimited bandwidth company website, send them an email or contact their sales apartment. Tell them you are interested in buying their services and that your website draws 50 gigabyes of traffic per month. See how they reply.

Unlimited disk space:

The Unlimited Disk Space offer is similiar to the unlimited bandwidth. It is another selling point for some companies, but you won't see it often. Disk space is always paid for by the website hosting company, and if you use alot of disk space you may find you will not be able to access your server or upload more files. Read the plan agreement and make sure they can't drop your account for high disk space usage, or find a different website hosting company.

Installed Packages:

All website hosting companies are not alike. Some support ASP and windows technologies, while others support CGI and unix technologies, depending on the server configuration. Another thing to look for is database support, since many websites and inventories are dynamically driven. Under the unix platform MySQL is used for database development and Microsoft Access/SQL Server is used on windows platforms. Also remember if you are looking to setup a bulletin board, it will require a database.

Excess bandwidth:

In a usual month, your bandwidth quota may be more than sufficient, but what if you become No.1 on a major search engine overnight? With a No.1 placement your traffic will go through the roof and before you know it, your quota is gone! If your web host doesn't allow you to add excess bandwaith, this could be your downfall. Check prices on excess bandwidth before signing up.

Script limitations:

Some scripts are well known to cause large workloads on servers and many hosting companies are very specific in regards to the kinds of scripts you can run. Some scripts pose security concerns to the webhost company so they will not support it. If you are familiar with a certain script, make sure they have it or will support it before signing up.

Money Back Guarantees:

Check the fine print before believing what you read. Some companies will refund all of your money, some will only give you back the hosting package price, minus the setup fee.

Content agreement:

If you read the terms and conditions of the website hosting company, there is a statement that they can terminate your account at any time, for any reason. This is to protect the web host from the unwanted attention. If you have a website that displays a strong political opinion and religious view, it would be a good idea to contact the company before signing up. Check to make sure they will accept your content or views.