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Hosting Myths Busted

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Jon Rettinger News
Hosting Myths Busted

Hosting will drain your budget. You need programming knowledge to build a website. Free hosting plans are just as good as paid ones. 

These are just a few of the common hosting myths out there. Read on to find out why these and others are false, and how hosting packages can be easy, accessible and affordable to almost anyone.

All Hosting Services Are More Or Less The Same

Saying that all the web hosting providers are the same is like saying Papa John’s is the same as Sushi Ran. It is true that they both serve food, but the dishes they serve are different, as well as the decor, cutlery, and service style. 

Take a look at some examples of features that could differentiate types of web hosting and the various packages available: 

  • BlueHost - This provider’s shared hosting plan ($8.99) might seem similar to Hostinger’s shared hosting plan ($7.99) at first glance, however, Bluehost offers unmetered bandwidth while Hostinger imposes limits of up to 100GB. 
  • GreenGeeks - This web host offers 100% uptime, while Hostwinds offers 99.9% uptime with 8.77 hours of downtime per year. Over time, this can be a meaningful difference for a business.
  • Liquid Web - This hosting provider offers free migration, but A2 Hosting offers free SSL certificates in addition. 

As you can see, hosting plans from the various providers can be significantly different, with an emphasis on their features and offerings.

Quality Web Hosting Is Always Pricey 

If you think you need a large investment for premium hosting plans, you will find this to be untrue. There are many high-quality and affordable hosting plans out there. This is even true for specialized packages such as Python hosting.

Take a look at the following examples:

  • The shared web hosting plans from HostGator cost $2.99 per month.
  • VPS hosting from Hostinger costs $3.95 per month.
  • Dedicated hosting with Hostwinds costs as little as $79.50 per month.

Across the board, and for all hosting packages, you will be able to find affordable hosting packages.

You Need Tech Knowledge To Create A Website

Believe it or not, there are many solopreneur websites founded and managed by non-techies who know nothing about coding. You just need basic computer knowledge to get started nowadays, as most web hosts come with website building tools tailored for beginners. 

Here are the reasons you do not need programming knowledge to start building sites: 

  • A customizable control panel and dashboard are offered with hosting packages. 
  • You can integrate many of your favorite applications such as Google Docs and Trello to collaborate with your team.
  • Drag-and-drop builders are often provided, such as Beaver Builder on Liquid Web.

Free And Paid Solutions Basically Provide The Same 

Nowadays, there are many free hosting packages available. They could be considered a less desirable solution due to the appearance of ads, as well as a lack of security and customer service.

On the other hand, paid web hosting packages provide higher levels of security, accessibility, reliability, service, and much more. 

Here are two classic ways that free and paid solutions differ:

  • Security Risks - While your website can be hacked relatively easily on free hosting packages, paid hosting packages offer higher levels of protection as well as backups to keep your website and data protected.
  • Bandwidth - On a free plan, your website could crash or face incessant downtime. However, paid plans often come with a guarantee of 99.99% uptime at least, and your website will be up and running seamlessly.  

There Is Such Thing As Unlimited Hosting

It is important to note that there is always a limit on hosting package usage because these resources are finite. Here are some examples:

  • A2 Hosting - This web host offers “unlimited storage” on its shared plan, but specifies in the terms of service that the resource usage must not surpass that of other websites on the server. 
  • BlueHost - This service provider offers “unlimited space, file transfers, emails, and domains”, but you cannot send more than 200,000 files as per the iNode limit.
  • HostGator - With this web host, the shared hosting comes with a suspension warning when you send over 250,000 files, even though this is not marketed in this manner or stated upfront.

Summing Up 

Most of the myths circulating in the hosting industry have no basis. 

Hosting plans differ based on their features and prices, and you do not need to break the bank to sign up for a reliable hosting package. You can also get started as a beginner without any coding know-how. Today, it is extremely easy to manage a hosting package.

The best way to choose a good plan is to check out web hosting reviews, where you can read about other users’ experiences and their feedback. On these forums, many common myths are dispelled further as you can read about the actual real-life experience of users just like yourself.