3 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Hosting From A Web Hosting Service Provider

D.D. Dwase
5 min readOct 28, 2023

Are you currently in search of a web hosting service? Ensure that you avoid making these three common mistakes, as many others have done.

By being aware of these pitfalls, you can make a more informed decision and choose the right web hosting service for your needs.

Is Cheap Web Hosting A Good Option?

Majority of people prioritise price as their primary factor when making a decision.

This is especially applicable to beginners who are just starting out and are unsure of what they should be looking for.

I would like to offer a word of caution…

…if you base your decision solely on price, you may face negative consequences.

While cheap web hosting may initially seem like a fantastic bargain, it is important to consider the potential consequences.

If your website is unexpectedly shut down, you may end up losing more money in the long run.

In general, a low price often indicates a lower level of reliability. If the monthly cost of a web host falls within the range of $1 to $4, you must exercise caution.

Keep in mind that good things often come with a price.

The good news for you is that, thanks to intense competition in the web hosting industry, there are reputable and reliable web hosts who are willing to lower their prices while still providing an exceptional hosting service that surpasses their competitors.

This means that you do not need to pay extra for a service of good quality.

It is now possible to find a reliable web hosting service at an affordable rate.

However, it is important to note that excessively low prices, such as $1 to $4 per month, may lead to a compromise in quality.

Free Vs Paid Web Hosting

Another common mistake that many people make is signing up for a free web hosting service and then upgrading to a paid user with the same company in order to access additional features and resources.

I would not recommend upgrading with a free hosting provider if you are looking for better features and more resources.

These providers often offer low reliability and poor quality service.

Yes, it is true that when you pay for a service, you receive additional benefits such as increased bandwidth, disc space and domain availability.

However, it is important to keep in mind that you are also sharing these resources with numerous free users.

In most cases, a free web host will accommodate up to 1,000 users on a shared server to reduce expenses.

This includes a mix of both free and paid users, with the number of free users usually outnumbering the paid users by 10 to 50 times.

Can you imagine sharing a unit with numerous tenants who have access to free resources, potentially causing system malfunctions that could impact the operation of your website?

Just a few free users can easily abuse the resources and negatively impact your business.

Imagine the significant financial loss you would incur if you were operating multiple profitable websites with that hosting company.

Additionally, companies like that do not generate any revenue from their free users.

As a result, they are required to increase the fees for their paid hosting plans in order to compensate for the costs associated with maintaining, administering and operating the free hosting service.

To make matters worse, when comparing their prices to those of paid web hosting companies, you will find that paid web hosting companies actually cost less while offering more powerful features, greater resources and a more robust server.

The primary reason is that paid web hosting companies do not offer free hosting options.

Additionally, the reputable ones typically accommodate a limited number of users per server, ranging from 50 to 150, while others may house 100 to 250 users per server.

By doing so, they are able to purchase a more powerful server, ensuring optimal server operation without increasing the hosting fee.

Have you noticed that free web hosting companies typically only offer email support services?

Once again, their goal is to save money.

They are unable to provide the same level of service as reliable paid hosting companies, such as offering 24/7 live chat and phone support.

What should you do if you have an urgent hosting issue that requires immediate attention?

Sending them an email and eagerly awaiting their response can be quite nerve-wracking.

That is why it is challenging to find a free web host that offers high reliability, quality service and a good price.

Their main objective is to minimise costs while maximising revenue in their paid hosting package, which helps support their daily operations for both free and paid hosting services.

If you want to run your web business profitably, I advice you do not pay this type of company to host your website.

Although I have previously hosted my websites with a few free hosting companies and received substandard service from them, I have also witnessed my friends expressing frustration with other free hosting providers for causing issues with their websites.

However, I do not hold any personal bias against this type of hosting model.

However, from a business perspective, it is not advisable or profitable to host your website with them.

However, this does not imply that there are no advantages to using a free web hosting service.

If you are hosting a website for personal use rather than for business purposes, free web hosting would be the most suitable choice for you.

However, note that free web hosting providers may place ads on your website and assign you an unattractive URL.

Monthly or Yearly Hosting?

When considering a web hosting company, remember that even if a review appears highly positive, exercise caution and not immediately commit to a yearly plan.

This carries a significant amount of risk.

Yes, opting for a yearly hosting plan can help you save money initially.

However, if you do not test drive the service through monthly hosting first, you may find yourself stuck with a web host that causes chronic migraines for the duration of the remaining period until the one-year contract expires.

While the monthly hosting option may cost a bit more, test drive it for two months before committing to a yearly plan.

This way, you have the flexibility to switch web hosts quickly without incurring significant expenses.

Your personal experience is the most valuable review.

Do not rely exclusively on other reviews, even if they are genuine, when making your decision.

Approach the situation with reason and logic. Test drive a Ferrari, or any car for that matter, before making a purchase.

Tip: A reputable web host will provide you with a money-back guarantee for added reliability.

The standard duration for a money-back guarantee is typically 30 days. The longer the guarantee, the more confident they are in their service and quality.

Click here to learn more about a reputable web hosting service provider that offers a 30-Day Free Trial (no credit card required).

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D.D. Dwase

Jesus Is King | Author | Writing: Faith, Self-Mastery, Business, Investing, Financial Freedom, Web Hosting.