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Should I choose Free Web Hosting?

Lots of people make the same mistake when they first decide to set up a website; they jump into making a choice of web host type without thinking about the bigger picture. It is easy to get carried away with building a website and be so keen to get your services online that you don’t think about how the web host service aligns to your future plans.

Websites have increasingly become a must have for businesses to reach a wider range of customers, as digital marketing has become the norm for businesses. According to a study at The University of Chicago, 92% of US companies use social media for marketing.

Whilst everybody who sets up a website has one thing in common (they want to share something online), every person or business has different objectives for their website, so there is not a simple answer to whether you should choose a free web host.

To help you make a choice that works for you, we will look at the pros and cons of free hosts and paid hosts:

The good parts of free web hosting

The first one on the list is fairly obvious – it is free! Save your hard earned money by not paying out a monthly or annual fee for a paid web host. You can use free hosts for features such as blogging without having to shell out a penny.

It is also quick and easy to start up, you simply select the free host that you want to go with (WordPress, Wix and Weebly all offer free hosting) and start building your content straight away.

If you are using the website for a hobby or to share information about a local club or community event then a free host might be a good option for you.

Which brings us to the bad parts…

Well you can’t really expect to get the best hosting service for free, so naturally there are also a number of reasons you might want to avoid a free web host.

Whilst saving you money, free web hosting might turn out to be a big mistake. You will find that you have limited or no control over how your site is used by the web host. You also compromise on the level of security and the reliability (Uptime and page speed) when you go for a free host.

You might wonder what level of security you need if you are a relatively small business, but cyber attacks have been made to websites of all kinds, for many different reasons. Read this example of hacking that caused one business a very big problem.

Reliability of the host is also of great importance. It’s great having a nice, professional looking website that initially draws in the customers but if your site isn’t available it may cause your potential customers to go elsewhere and never return.

Conclusion

Whilst free web hosting sounds too good to be true, the fact is, it usually is. Don’t be fooled into making a decision that you may live to regret. Get the facts and speak to a web hosting expert if you need more information.

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