Should You Use a Free Web Host
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Frances Rhea
Disadvantages of Free Web Hosts
If you type the keywords 'free web host' into any search engine, you will be confronted with literally thousands of entries. Everyone knows there are definite advantages to free hosts (after all it is free! ). But...is a free web host the best option for your web site? Understanding the disadvantages that you might face when dealing with a free host can help you get a better idea of the downside of free hosting.
Why a Free Web Host is Not So Good
You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to a web host. There is a large variety of charges that can be incurred if you make the wrong choice.
-- -Little to No Support
A free host seldom offers customer support to their free customers. If they do it can take a long time to receive a response since for them it is a low priority. Since many free users are new to web hosting, this lack of support can ruin the hosting experience making their site harder to create and work properly. They must turn to other sources for assistance.
-- -Crowded Servers
Free hosts are usually not very reliability and often experience down time. The servers that the web hosts use for free users may be overcrowded and slow, or can even be frequently down. Many free web hosts are fly-by-night businesses and do not care for the long term well being of their users web sites. This is just another way for them to make easy money!
-- -Expect Less Features
Free web hosting plans do not normally include any advanced features, software, and email services that a paid web host provides their users. Examples of this are ASP, PHP, MySQL, user FTP accounts, POP email, 404 pages, FTP uploading, cgi and PERL scripting, and management of your domain and sub-domains. If you have a professional or commercial web site, these things are essential.
-- -Ad Banners
It is necessary for the free hosts to have some means of funding. If free hosting is their primary function, these web hosts add a mandatory advertisement. This can be in the form of a text link, a banner which usually goes before any of your content, or a pop-up to your web site. These are annoying to your visitors and most users find that these ads detract from the design of their site. You very seldom have control of where these ads need to be placed since they are automatically inserted by the web host server when you upload your web site.
Why Use a Free Web Host
Free web hosts can be great for hosting a non-profit site. They are also good for web sites that are in their beginning or creativ ephases.Thefreehostmakesiteasy to sign up for their free web services so you can try out your new site ideas. You can also use them to store any of your files for a short period of time.
