Why a Website on a Cheap Host is Bad for Your Business

When you’re starting a business, every pound counts. That’s why many new businesses look for cheap website hosting solutions. The problem is that cheap almost always comes at a cost. The truth is that there are hidden costs to every deal. For example, cheap website hosting services will often have restrictions on the kind of websites they’ll host, or the amount of traffic they can handle. Other times, these services will have artificial usage limits such as upload and download caps that can be frustrating if your business needs to frequently upload large files or use high-resolution images.

Fortunately, there are many benefits to choosing a realistically priced host instead of a cheap one:

A Good Web Host Will Have You Covered

If you’re looking for cheap website hosting, you need to ask yourself if you’re willing to accept the risks that come with cheaper hosting. If a cheap host’s servers go down, or they cancel your service without warning, you could lose your website. That’s why it’s important to choose a web host that guarantees uptime. Uptime is the percentage of time that a web hosting service is fully operational. Above all, you want a web host that’s reliable.

Be Careful of Hidden Costs

Some cheap website hosting services will offer a free plan that sounds too good to pass up. Before you sign up for their service, be sure to read the fine print. You might find that these so-called “free” services have hidden fees or restrictions that will be a hassle for your business. You should also be leery of any website host that requires you to use a specific domain registrar. These hosts might try to steer you toward services they have a vested interest in, like domain registrars that they own. If that’s the case, you could end up paying more in the long run.

Unlimited Storage Means No Fear of Losing Data

A cheap website hosting plan may offer a large amount of storage. However, you should be careful. Some hosts may promise unlimited storage, but they might start deleting your files if they think you’re misusing their service. If you host a lot of media on your website, you might find yourself reaching the limits of a cheap hosting service’s storage. Media files can quickly add up. If that happens, you could lose the files that are important to your business.

More Resources and Expertise

You want a website hosting company that has the resources to meet the demands of your business. Before you choose a host, be sure to check out the customer reviews of their customer service department. You want to make sure that you can get help when you need it. If you’re only paying a few pounds a month for your website hosting, you shouldn’t expect the same level of support as someone who’s paying a few hundred pounds a month. You also want to make sure that the web host you choose has the expertise to support the type of website you want to build. For example, if you want to build a website that uses a lot of media, you might want to choose a host that’s experienced in managing large file uploads.

When you pay more for your website hosting, you’re often getting access to more resources and more expertise. For example, many cheap hosting services have unresponsive support staff, or staff that doesn’t fully understand the needs of a business website. If you have a question about your website or hosting, you want to be able to reach someone who understands the issues you’re facing and has the resources to fix them. If you’re on a cheap host, you might not have access to the people and services you need. Similarly, if you have a website that you’re trying to scale, you might run into issues with a cheap host. Scaling a website often requires more resources, especially if you’re running a high-traffic website. Cheap hosting services often can’t provide the resources you need to scale a website.

Committed to Security

When you host with a cheap website hosting plan, you might not get the same level of security that you would from a more expensive host. Some cheap hosts will have security features, but others might not have the same level of expertise. To protect your business from hackers and other cyber criminals, you want to make sure you’re using a web host that is committed to security.

If your business hosts sensitive data like credit card numbers or login credentials, you should find a web host with a proven track record of protecting sensitive information. These often offer additional security features like two-factor authentication, malware detection, or site-wide firewall protection. These features can help keep your website and your customers’ data safe from outside threats.

You Get What You Pay For

If you’re going to spend a few hundred pounds a month on web hosting, you might be wondering if it’s worth it. The truth is that hosting is an expensive business. It costs money to run servers and maintain a robust network. Unfortunately, some cheap website hosting services try to get away with providing a substandard service by saying that they’re offering a cheap service. That’s why it’s important to do your research. You want to make sure you’re getting the services you’re paying for.

Conclusion

Choosing a cheap website hosting service can spook you. After all, what’s the point in hosting your website if it’s just going to crash anyway? Luckily, there are many benefits to choosing a more pricy host instead of a cheap one: A good web host will have you covered. Be careful of hidden costs. More bandwidth means higher quality videos. Unlimited storage means no fear of losing data. Websites with high disk speeds run smoother. You could expect more resources and expertise and staff who are committed to security. In short: you get what you pay for.