IS FREE HOSTING GOOD? WHICH SITE THE BEST FOR IT?

[mycontrepipol]

hello guys and girls, please i wish to inquire about the advantages and drawbacks of free hosting and which site is the most suitable for it! thanks

 

[NPer]

Free hosting tends have limitations and could lack certain things you may want.

Things like the amount of domains you can host, number of sites, number of email addresses, what kind of sites you can host (maybe you can't host eCommerce or donation type sites), Ram/space will be limited, bandwidth too, etc, etc.

Also free services tend to host nefarious websites... and you will more than likely be affected by this because you will be sharing an ip address with those sites and thousands of other websites. Chances are your emails will never reach the inbox of the intended recipient. Your site may be regarded as malicious. And several other things that just doesn't come to mind right now. They could also close your account without notice, and you may never be able to recover your files and emails. Usually with paid hosts, if they do ban you (depending on the severity of your actions), they give you a few days to access your files.

You should also check their privacy statement... they tend to collect quite a bit of info of your browsing activity, location, etc to hit you with targeted ads while you logged into your free account.

Anyway, there are good paid webhosts out there. It depends on what kind of site you want to host. Some don't allow you host adult content-and this may be good if you are not hosting adult sites. I personally do not like hostgator for my websites because they allow adult content to be hosted.

The only advantage I can see of using a free host, is that if you perhaps are short on dough.... or want to test some stuff out before hosting on your paid account.

Personally would stay away from it, especially if you want to come across as a legitimate website. That said, another NP member once mentioned 00webhost.com as being a decent free host-though I cannot vouch for that recommendation.

 

[mycontrepipol]

Free hosting tends have limitations and could lack certain things you may want.

Things like the amount of domains you can host, number of sites, number of email addresses, what kind of sites you can host (maybe you can't host eCommerce or donation type sites), Ram/space will be limited, bandwidth too, etc, etc.

Also free services tend to host nefarious websites... and you will more than likely be affected by this because you will be sharing an ip address with those sites and thousands of other websites. Chances are your emails will never reach the inbox of the intended recipient. Your site may be regarded as malicious. And several other things that just doesn't come to mind right now. They could also close your account without notice, and you may never be able to recover your files and emails. Usually with paid hosts, if they do ban you (depending on the severity of your actions), they give you a few days to access your files.

You should also check their privacy statement... they tend to collect quite a bit of info of your browsing activity, location, etc to hit you with targeted ads while you logged into your free account.

Anyway, there are good paid webhosts out there. It depends on what kind of site you want to host. Some don't allow you host adult content-and this may be good if you are not hosting adult sites. I personally do not like hostgator for my websites because they allow adult content to be hosted.

The only advantage I can see of using a free host, is that if you perhaps are short on dough.... or want to test some stuff out before hosting on your paid account.

Personally would stay away from it, especially if you want to come across as a legitimate website. That said, another NP member once mentioned 00webhost.com as being a decent free host-though I cannot vouch for that recommendation.

thanks ns

 

[mycontrepipol]

WHAT IF I WANT TO DEVELOP A DOMAIN NAME IN BUILDING A MINI SITE?

 

[NPer]

WHAT IF I WANT TO DEVELOP A DOMAIN NAME IN BUILDING A MINI SITE?

I guess it should be okay to go with a free host for a mini site, since I take it this would be the first time that you would be using a host and developing a website.

Perhaps it's a good place to start before going for the paid hosting... you can take your time and also learn to develop your own site without it costing you anything now.

Once you start requiring more space, or need to develop more than one site, then you can upgrade to paid hosting.

 

[thekiller]

What If i tell you $1/year hosting? Will be reliable and from famous company..

 

[kawalsukhi]

What If i tell you $1/year hosting? Will be reliable and from famous company..

I am Interested in it tell me...

 

[mycontrepipol]

What If i tell you $1/year hosting? Will be reliable and from famous company..

go ahead

 

[thekiller]

The only difference is that is limit that you can create only 5 MySQL databases. Everything is unlimited as they mentioned.

First: step is to sign up for domain parking account using this link

https://www2.netfirms.com/register/registration.bml

and select "I plan to use a domain I already own" and add any of your domain. Its free. (uncheck every add-on after adding billing information).

Second: after creating domain parking account, use this link

http://www2.netfirms.com/netfirms/special-offer.bml?page=dp-up-usd

to get you $1 a year web hosting. Click on "Upgrade Now" button and pay $1.

On above page it is written that "Sale Ends April 30". Don't worry it still works and you have the option to cancel it anytime.

This is very good Shared Web Hosting for testing purpose and running small websites.

Enjoy !

Remember to request password reset in order to login to your account.

P.S: I am not affiliated with netfirms in any way.

 

[kawalsukhi]

The only difference is that is limit that you can create only 5 MySQL databases. Everything is unlimited as they mentioned.

First: step is to sign up for domain parking account using this link

https://www2.netfirms.com/register/registration.bml

and select "I plan to use a domain I already own" and add any of your domain. Its free. (uncheck every add-on after adding billing information).

Second: after creating domain parking account, use this link

http://www2.netfirms.com/netfirms/special-offer.bml?page=dp-up-usd

to get you $1 a year web hosting. Click on "Upgrade Now" button and pay $1.

On above page it is written that "Sale Ends April 30". Don't worry it still works and you have the option to cancel it anytime.

This is very good Shared Web Hosting for testing purpose and running small websites.

Enjoy !

Remember to request password reset in order to login to your account.

P.S: I am not affiliated with netfirms in any way.

Thank you so much! Will use it soon!

 

[mycontrepipol]

The only difference is that is limit that you can create only 5 MySQL databases. Everything is unlimited as they mentioned.

First: step is to sign up for domain parking account using this link

https://www2.netfirms.com/register/registration.bml

and select "I plan to use a domain I already own" and add any of your domain. Its free. (uncheck every add-on after adding billing information).

Second: after creating domain parking account, use this link

http://www2.netfirms.com/netfirms/special-offer.bml?page=dp-up-usd

to get you $1 a year web hosting. Click on "Upgrade Now" button and pay $1.

On above page it is written that "Sale Ends April 30". Don't worry it still works and you have the option to cancel it anytime.

This is very good Shared Web Hosting for testing purpose and running small websites.

Enjoy !

Remember to request password reset in order to login to your account.

P.S: I am not affiliated with netfirms in any way.

is this only for one year or its a dollar each year?

 

[thekiller]

is this only for one year or its a dollar each year?

For the first year. Next year, if this link remains, again create another account. :P

 

[mycontrepipol]

For the first year. Next year, if this link remains, again create another account. :P

if not what's the normal price?

 

[thekiller]

if not what's the normal price?

$113.88 for second year.

 

[mycontrepipol]

ok thanks

 

[NPer]

$113.88 for second year.

LOL. That's actually more/less the same price for a decent VPS account! And here we are talking shared hosting, with limitations.

The only difference is that is limit that you can create only 5 MySQL databases. Everything is unlimited as they mentioned.

Usually one can have as many MySQL databases as you wish... and at netfirms you are limited to only 5.

Also, there is no such thing as "unlimited" space and bandwidth... so it will actually be more expensive once they "force" you upgrade when you start using too much space/bandwidth.

For the first year. Next year, if this link remains, again create another account. :P

Then moving your account to a new host can be a schlep.

I would say it's not worth the hassle.

 

[thekiller]

LOL. That's actually more/less the same price for a decent VPS account! And here we are talking shared hosting, with limitations.



Usually one can have as many MySQL databases as you wish... and at netfirms you are limited to only 5.

Also, there is no such thing as "unlimited" space and bandwidth... so it will actually be more expensive once they "force" you upgrade when you start using too much space/bandwidth.



Then moving your account to a new host can be a schlep.

I would say it's not worth the hassle.

He asked for the testing purpose. Its worth of $1 for a year. If website gets more visitors, don't remain there, get a VPS from LEB. :P

 

[NPer]

He asked for the testing purpose.

Did he? Really?

 

[thekiller]

Did he? Really?

That's what he said. WHAT IF I WANT TO DEVELOP A DOMAIN NAME IN BUILDING A MINI SITE?

 

[-EM-]

Then moving your account to a new host can be a schlep.

Most of the companies now offer support in transferring websites.

 

[NPer]

Most of the companies now offer support in transferring websites.

That they do. However, it's not something I'd prefer doing. I've done it before and It is a schlep, even with the help of support. Cancelling account at the old host (could get billed by "error"-then still have to sort that out). Going to the new host support, etc-which to me is unnecessary and all in the name of cheapness. :D I'd rather choose a host based on the factors that suits my needs, a good balance of price and excellent service from the word go, and only if the host stops meeting my needs-then move.

Also, what @thekiller was referring to originally, i.e. opening another account at netfirms... and moving from one $1 account to the next $1 account: I am sure the support there will not help with that.

 

[thekiller]

Also, what @thekiller was referring to originally, i.e. opening another account at netfirms... and moving from one $1 account to the next $1 account: I am sure the support there will not help with that.

And you want to build large data website on $1 shared host???? If so, go and get some VPS or dedicated for it. I have mentioned that use it for testing or small websites.

 

[Lakshan]

Even though $1 hosting says everything is unlimited Database count, these are under the FUP (Fair usage policy). If you make a site which eat there bandwidth or disk space, they will suspend your account. Also as these are shared hosting and host number of websites on a limited server capacity, sites tend to load slower than a Dedi, VPS and most of the high value hosting plans.

 

[Rado_Ch]

A badly optimized website will hit the limits even on a VPS, regardless of how small it is in size.

Using a free web host always brings a fair amount of risks and @NS was helpful enough to list most of the major ones:

- limited in resources (if not in the offer, the TOS will certainly cut you)
- ads placed on your website (some hosts)
- personal information can be used elsewhere
- unsafe neighborhood prone to attacks and blocked IPs
- virtually no support
- high risk of company getting abandoned

Back in the days there was a bigger market for free hosts but with the growing demand and improvements on the market they started severely lacking. If you intend to run ANY business you plan to benefit from, putting it on a free host is a spit in the face for your potential clients. And if its a test/leisure website there is a plethora of hosts that offers perks like X days moneyback guarantee or test accounts, which will make that venture risk-free. The market is not expanding with the same rates as it did years ago and competition is constantly growing. This made existing players trying to find new marketing tactics and give better prices and better quality just to sustain their companies. In the meantime the improvement in the Free Hosting niche was practically close to 0 and I don't see such companies getting very far in the long term.

NetFirms are not the first that tried the $1 hosting trick and just like HostGator they are an older company with a budget that can afford that. This made it lucrative for many people to join (including some I see in this thread) however this "great deal" is short-lived for many and they soon bump into some limitation they never thought or saw coming before sign up. At the end of the day the cheap becomes expensive when we are talking about someone's business and many learned that the hard way.

The cheap market still works in certain regions where people insist on giving as little they can for as much as they can get but I am sure that this will wear off too. The needs of the consumers do seem to shift towards finding good support as there is still a huge gap for that in the hosting biz. Even experienced developers would need support sometimes and many are not able to find it when needed. And this goes double for super-cheap/free hosts so I would certainly not want to put my future hopes on anybody that can offer me castles in the sky for a couple of bucks

 

[dnk]

Some free webhosting IPs are banned