Over the years I have tried many kinds of web hosting only to find that you really do get what you pay for. When using a free web hosting account there are some risks you have to consider.

1. Your domain could get blacklisted.
2. Server could crash causing a total data loss.
3. The host simply disappearing and taking your data with it.
4. Non existent support.
   

Not to totally scare you away from free web hosting because it is great for some uses, like testing a site or learning a control panel before you take the plunge into reliable paid hosting. Most free hosts are run by inexperienced people who have signed up for a free reseller account from companies like myownfreehost.net, Resellerspanel.com, or resellercluster.com.

Free hosts are a dime a dozen and come and go like the wind because there is no real accountability for their actions.  Signing up to be a free host is as easy as filling out a form. Getting clients to signup for free hosting is very easy because everyone likes free stuff.  Can you imagine trying to get support questions answered by someone who knows nothing about web hosting.

How do I know this you may ask? I have tried them all, I know how they work and what kind of sites signup for these services. When I was running a free host it was a constant battle deleting adult sites, proxy sites, and just about any kind of militias scripts that people try to get away with running on there free account.

Being grouped in a shared environment with all of these illegal sites can cause IP addresses and all associated domain names to become blacklisted by ISP’s.

Free hosting providers signup hundreds if not thousands of new users every day. They try to cram as many onto one server as they can, causing slow server response and even an overload on the disk drives causing them to fail and lose data.

Most of the free hosting providers generate income by forcing ads and affiliate links into your control panel on your website. It sounds lucrative, but it’s not.  Free hosts make barely enough to pay for the servers let alone a sophisticated backup system with off site storage. Their real income comes from attrition and making your free hosting experience frustrating to the point where they nag you enough to get you to upgrade to a paid hosting account.

When deciding between free and paid hosting there is really only one question you should ask.

How important is my site to me?

Paid Hosting on the other hand is generally reliable and has support channels that are monitored by professionals that care about their customers and their reputation. I’m not saying that all paid hosts are 100% reliable but the majority of them are.

Having a website is a big step for most people and businesses and it is important that your content is secure and support is available when you need it.  A few dollars a month is a small price to pay to have reliable web hosting.

If you are ready to take the next step an have a website to be proud of Host-REA is hear for you.  Please check out our Shared, Reseller , and VPS web hosting options.

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