Getting The Most Out Of Free Web Hosting
Free web hosting is not quite as "free" as it once was. While it's pretty simple to put up websites for free, part of the bargain is educating the novice web user about the differences in various hosting services. You get what you pay for most free services, which means higher storage, bandwidth and fees, and annoying advertisements. Some free services even have adware or spyware hidden inside them. Once you know what you are getting into, it is relatively easy to avoid these pitfalls.If you are going to sign up for a free account, you will more than likely be offered an upgraded option. These upgraded options are usually for free services like higher storage space or bandwidth. You will also be able to upgrade to paid plans after using the free services for a while. The way these upgrades work is that you can choose to keep your membership or upgrade to the next plan. If you decide to stay as is, you can expect to be billed for the difference between the two plans. This could quickly run into the hundreds, if not thousands, so if you are only going to use the site a few times a year, this could end up being a money saver.
Some free web hosting services do offer upgrade options. Unfortunately, these are almost free services. Most free web hosting services only allow upgrades if you purchase one of their two basic plans, which do not provide much in the way of extra features. If you are only interested in adding in-depth functionality, such as email, databases and content management systems, it will better serve you by paying for a paid plan.
If you are interested in a free web host, consider finding a company with free web hosting with excellent reviews. To find these companies, check out web admins on popular forums. They will discuss the performance of different companies, how reliable they are, and which ones offer the most uptime guarantees. Some free web hosts still have a long way to go before they can even come close to meeting the reliability of paid services.
Some free hosts may offer upgrade plans. Ask the host if they have plans to upgrade to a Pro account at any time in the future. If they do not currently have projects like this, inquire about them. Often, providers will upgrade to pro accounts at some point when they are more competitive in the market. If you can wait until then, it may be well worth the cost to upgrade.
For many people, free web hosting platforms do not work. Even the best providers have limits to their service that can leave you frustrated and confused. Instagram is a server that is based solely on the Internet and offers unlimited bandwidth and disk space. You will never have to worry about missing a page, missing email, or bandwidth restrictions. This type of web hosting allows you more freedom and choice, but be prepared for a slow start because you will not have as many features available.
When choosing a hosting provider host, look for a company that has a strong support team. You can sometimes tell how dependable a service provider is by the amount of time it takes them to resolve problems or answer questions. A top-quality website usually has someone on the phone within 15 minutes of opening the doors.
Another essential factor to consider is the amount of bandwidth and storage space given to you. The bigger the size of your website, the more significant the amount of space and bandwidth you will need. You may also want to look into the technical support provided. Some companies provide limited technical support or none at all, so make sure you get the help you need.