Free Webhosting

Free webhosting


Free webhosting just like the name implies is a webhosting service totally free of charge. There are several webhosting services in the internet. Among the most popular are FBhosting, Xoom, Hypermart and GeoCities. They have different rules when it comes to setting up your account. Some will allow you to get an actual domain name. Mostly, they would require a sub-domain under a primary domain, i.e. http://geocities/ctibene/... Some may allow you to run own CGI Scripts. In others it is prohibited. The common denominator among all free webhosting services though is the fact that their disk space is limited mostly between 5-10 MB only. They have minimum for data transfer also. And their banner ads should appear in your website.

Free webhosting providers also rarely or do not at all give customer support. Since free webhosting does not require you to pay monthly payments, technical support is not a feature they strongly adhere to. Uptime is not guaranteed in free webhosting. Most free webhosting providers do not guarantee at least 99% uptime for the hosting users unlike in paid hosting. This could be bad news for businesses that rely on the website for additional exposure and advertisement. Internet access is also very slow. Considering, you need to compete with a huge number of websites who have availed of the same free webhosting service.

Most free webhosting do not assist the user in securing a domain name. Free webhosting also has limitations when it comes to using your own CGI scripts. Some free webhosting has pre-installed scripts for guestbooks, counters or email forms. For those people who want to test, install and run their own scripts, it will be best to use a paid webhosting in this instance. For those with large websites or has a number of graphics content, the limited desk space could pose a problem. Since a website is dynamic in nature, it will be hard for you also to expand your website should you need to add more articles, features or pictures. You need to check the disk space limits before you put up your website for webhosting to make sure that the disk space could accommodate your website. And it will enable you to add more contents should the need arise.

Free webhosting could be a good alternative to paid webhosting. For those people who are novice to hosting. It is a good testing ground to enhance your technical skills. Or, if you just need a host for temporary storage of your files, a free wehosting comes highly recommended. If you are putting up an individual site and if the domain name matters more to you than the simple features of free hosting service, then free webhosting services are the ones you need.

But if the webhosting service is intended for a business site or an online business where sales transactions are conducted on a daily basis, then a paid webhosting service should be the one you avail of. This could help in boosting your business and could greatly facilitate online business transaction.