Choosing a web hosting plan to use is now easier than ever. There are plenty of review sites and online resources that can help you get started in finding a suitable web hosting plan for your site. The best thing about buying a web hosting service plan today is the fact that you can always find one that suits your needs and budget perfectly; all you have to do is look hard enough. Although the process of screening through web hosting alternatives is a fairly straightforward one to complete, there are still users that fell for web hosting gimmicks. In order to help you avoid such gimmicks, we are going to discuss some of them in this article.
Unlimited Hosting
Many web hosting companies offer only one hosting plan with unlimited everything. These plans, currently widely available on the market, are indeed very appealing. To avoid buying the wrong plan, make sure you:
- Read the terms and conditions carefully. There is no such thing as TRUE unlimited hosting. There are always rules and terms attached to these packages; they are there to prevent you from abusing the unlimited resources and costing the hosting companies a lot of money. Take your time and understand the limitations. Compare them against each other and you will find the most fitting web hosting plan to use without a problem.
- Performance is still key. If you can try the unlimited hosting of your choice for a brief period of time, be sure you do. Compare the speed and overall performance of your service package against other, non-unlimited options. In some not-so-rare cases, you will find that the limited hosting performs better under pressure. Just because you are tempted by the unlimited resources offered by the plan, doesn’t mean you should settle for anything less than superb quality of service.
- Price vs. benefits. There is no point in paying more for unlimited disk space if you are only hosting a small, static website. Be sure to test the plan’s service charge against the value you are actually getting in return. Stick to hosting plans that suit your needs, not those that seems lucrative at the beginning.
The Free Domain
Almost all web hosting plans now come with a free domain name, particularly if you choose to pay on a yearly basis. Before deciding to go ahead and get the plan you want, make sure you understand the terms behind the “FREE DOMAIN NAME” offer.
Start by checking if the free domain is actually yours once purchased. Yes, there are hosting companies that retain ownership of the domain name they ‘give’ for free, which means you will not be able to continue using that domain name when you decide to move to another web hosting company.
Continue by checking the cost of renewing that domain name (if any). Although the domain name of your choice is free for the first year, renewing it in the future may cost twice or three time as much as the cost of domain names from an independent registrar. Just like with reviewing other aspects of the web hosting plan, you can never be too careful.
If you can’t find details about this particular type of gimmick, don’t hesitate to contact the web hosting company’s customer support and ask questions directly. Any good hosting company will provide you with the information you need without hassle.
Coupons and Discounts
The one gimmick you should always use is coupon. You can claim discounts of up to 70% just by entering the right coupon code when completing the checkout process. So where can these coupons be found? Review sites, Groupons and other sources are among the first sources to utilize.
The web hosting company may also publish monthly special offers and discounts on a specialised Promotions page. Before signing up for an account, be sure to review these special offers and claim only the best possible deal you can find.
Although coupons are mostly for new signups, there are also special offers designed for existing customers. If you are renewing your current web hosting account, doing a search for special offers will certainly help you save a lot of money on both the web hosting service and your domain name.