The biggest disadvantage to average cheap webhosts is the fact that they will commonly offer less disk space and bandwidth than other hosts. The trick is to find a webhost that is established enough to have extra disk space and bandwidth available. This means that the no-name hosts that don’t have reputation will likely be less appealing than the mainstream hosts.

Sometimes it isn’t about what one needs in a web host, so much as it is what they don’t need from a host. Some hosting companies will offer different services, programs, and tools that veteran webmasters won’t need. These often cost much more money in the long run, and are usually unnecessary. Other things such as the web hosting panel used can impact a bill- whereas cPanel will cost much more than a free web panel offered by a hosting company.

Although it is a little ironic, sometimes spending more money on a hosting plan will give a customer a better discount. Web hosting companies will charge based on amount of disk space and bandwidth allowed. Such limits are increased dramatically with bigger plans. The cost per megabyte, thus, is much cheaper when paying for a larger plan. This is usually the best option for medium to large websites.

Those who have the funds to make a commitment, there are vast savings to be had by agreeing to a length of service. The most common length of service is a year- in which case the webmaster pays upfront for the entire year’s worth of service. This will commonly give the webmaster a month or two of free service in savings, although it also means that they will have to use the same service for a year- so make sure it is a reputable company.

Cheap webhosts can also be obtained through other types of efforts, although it’ll take more time and patience. The first way is to simply place ads on one’s website that link back to the webhost. This will require an “under the table” deal with the webhost, who will agree to offer a discount in exchange for the links. Other things, such as forum posting, referring sales, or even completing offers can help reduce a payment each month.

Final Thoughts

Web hosts have a lot of fees, bills, and expenditures to abide by. But this doesn’t mean that they can’t offer cheap hosting to their customers! To get the best deals, always ask about referral programs, ad placement opportunities, and always opt for the service agreement each year if the funds are permitted. And in the end, opting for established web hosts is usually the best route to take.

By: Chris Channing