Strings Attached With A Free Web Hosting Site

It is said: "There is no such thing as a free lunch!" Such saying is relevant when talking about so-called 'free' web hosting sites. These sites are not really free at all, they just seem like they are. They are not saints who would give long hours of free service just to keep your website above water. No, of course not! There is always someone else who pays for the upkeep of 'free' Web Hosting sites. Below are some things that you should consider before choosing a free web host over a commercial one.

Ads

The most common income generating methods of free web hosts are ads. Ad companies pay these free web hosts to post their ads on the web pages of their members. If you go for a free web host, there will be a big probability that you will have so much ads on your web pages.

Ads may even pop up during the initial registration phase. The terms and conditions page of the registration form usually contains specifications about the ad content for your free web site. Some free web hosts insert a lot of ads that most browsers gets annoyed and will later on avoid the site. Some web hosts even attach pop up ads to your web pages. This doesn't only irritate visitors, but it can also interfere with the upload of your web site.

Space and Restrictions

When you sign up with a free web host, you can expect that you will have a limited space on the server hard disk. This means that you cannot post all that you want to because it is regulated. Another issue is the restrictions for the types of the files you can upload.

Most free web hosts only accommodate the basic files like, JPEG and MP3 files. This can prove troublesome if you need to upload files of a different nature. It results in you spending time converting them. Another thing, most free web hosts do not offer copyright protection for the files on your site and you will not be able to control the download and the duplication of your posts.

Up and Down Time plus Limited Customer Support

The great thing about paid commercial Web Hosts is that they have a degree of commitment towards their clients. They promise lesser down times (number of hours the site is unavailable) and great customer support. You won't be able to get that with a free web host. They cannot guarantee a 99.99% Up Time like most paid web hosts do.

Down Time can really affect your website and your business. Your customers won't be able to access your site and that translates into 'zero' revenue for you. Frankly, there is nothing worse than an inaccessible website. Also, if you run into problems while you are using a free web host, you will not be able to expect a timely response. You may have to wait for some time before your queries are answered and when they are, it might not be the answer you are looking for.