If you asked your Grandmother about free website hosting, what would she say? “You get what you pay for.”
That’s exactly how you should feel about free website hosting. Although I love free stuff and I think it’s great that novice bloggers can get started with no expense and no hassle, nobody should use free website hosting for serious business or personal sites.
Free Website hosting Plague #1: Offensive Ads
Most free website hosting providers make their money by displaying their advertisements alongside your content. That’s fine for some things but, if you’re in business, it gives your competitors a chance to steal away your customers for a few pennies a click.
Remember also that readers will blame you for what they see on your site—even if you didn’t put it there. If they see an ad that offends them, they may not buy from you.
Free Website hosting Plague #2: Wasting Your Time
What’s the difference between an independent professional who makes $30,000 a year and an independent professional who makes $300,000 a year? The higher-paid professional places a higher value on his or her time.
Free website hosting may save you a few dollars a month, but you’ll have to deal with time-wasting problems and you’ll be denied the use of the most productivity-enhancing add-ons.
Seriously—take a moment to search for WordPress plugins. There are thousands of them that you could be using right now to create improved posts and services, and not a single one of them can be installed on your free WordPress.com website.
Free Website hosting Plague #3: The Cheapskate Disease
One thing free website hosting services love to do is promote themselves. You can be sure that your free blog or website will contain numerous advertisements for your free website hosting service.
But all of these little notices are a giant billboard to all of your customers or potential employers that you’re a cheapskate.
Being frugal is cool, but being cheap isn’t. Few people will respect you because you were too cheap to pay a measly $5 a month for real website hosting.
That’s one reason we don’t track free website hosting at WordPress Website Host.
Website hosting Plague #4: Lost Data
It happens time and time again. Some free blogging or social media site run by a couple teenagers out of their parents’ basement gets hacked or crashes and 100,000 people lose all of their data.
Almost all real website hosting companies provide regular automated backup service. That isn’t a guarantee that your data is safe—you should always make your own backups of your website files—but it’s a lot more safe than trusting someone who makes only pennies a month off of your free blog.
Conclusion
I personally have tried my fare share of both free and paid website hosting and after all these years have ended up with Hostgator. All I can say is shop around and find the best deal but not the cheapest deal. Many hosting companies are now offering to save $100 off website hosting packages so it is a great time to take the plunge!
Small businesses, professional websites, and anyone who wants or needs “geek cred” should avoid free website hosting. That’s no problem—for less than $10 a month, you can find a reliable WordPress website hosting company. (Yes I am a WordPress Freak!)
Image credit: by jennmartinelli
EasyAzon Plugin
Twitter: LondonTheatre1
says:
I have looked at various free web hosting packages but in all cases there is either a limitation in what is on offer or there is an overload of advertising.
I have found that I can host a website for less than $150 a year and to be honest if you are running a business I think that is ‘next to free’ as an annual cost.
Free web hosting and web builders are good for having a look to see what can be done with a website and maybe for for people with no budget or for anyone wishing to learn.
Neil recently posted..Driving Miss Daisy Review Wyndham’s Theatre
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Hi Neil
Your right that $150 a month is cheap to host a business and in most cases that will cover more than one business..That is the amazing thing! Why would you whinge about hosting costs when they are so cheap!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..WordPress Website Case Study From Zero to Seven Hundred Dollars
Twitter: TechieSaves
says:
People using free hosting make me sad. I can see people choosing to host their domain on tumblr.com or blogger.com, but free hosting will get you nowhere fast
Marty recently posted..Best Android Browsers for Your Smartphone
Twitter: technicallyeasy
says:
I started out on Blogger when I started my blog. I didn’t mind Blogger, as it didn’t have any forced ads and we could use any method we wish to make money.
A year after starting I switched to a self-hosted WordPress blog, mainly because I wanted full control over every aspect of my blog. It is so inexpensive to host a website online that it doesn’t make much sense to even look at a free webhost. All the problems that you mentioned are just too much of a hassle, and headache to even think about using a free webhost.
Paul Salmon recently posted..Choosing Amazon Kindle Fire: 5 Reasons It Trumps the Apple iPad
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
HI Paul
I agree.. All the problems are not worth the hassle.. I even had a free WordPress blog closed down for the second time just recently…It was original content but they said I had too many links going out… I didn’t even have affiliate links…Anyway I was using it as part of a link wheel but was also making it a great blog in its own right… I was not happy about that!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Increase Email Open Rates by 3x Higher Than Average
for sure investing in its own domain is a must for every (serious) blogger
but for total newbies they want to test blogging without spending a dime…
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
i agree totally!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Build a WordPress Website from Scratch
Twitter: kezanari
says:
This is one of my pet hates, free web hosting is ok I guess if you are starting out or if you are experimenting BUT if you are running a business it’s a big no no!
When I walk past shops of see vans with Mybuilder.wordpress or blogger on the side I just CRINGE. Another one is when someone gives you a business card and the email address is jeff@hotmail or gmail, it’s like fingernails scratching a blackboard.
kezanari recently posted..9 Common Mistakes That Web Owners Make That Causes HIGH Bounce Rate
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Yes I definitely hate free hosting too!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..4 Reasons You Are Not Getting Targeted Google Adsense Ads
Twitter: esther98
says:
Not all ‘free website hosting’ puts ads on your blog. Blogger (for example) does not. You can target all your ads on the free blogspot sites and on the paid ones.
Sometimes people who chose cheaper hosting aren’t cheap at all. If you’re a novice and haven’t made money yet (or don’t know how) you can’t afford to purchase one of these expensive sites without any guarantee you’ll make the money back. That first ‘investment’ of hundreds of dollars is very difficult for some people to come up with. I know. Unless you have a rich partner supporting you, that first outlay is very difficult to come up with (without having made it first on the web). You have to sacrifice something important in your life. $5.00 per month isn’t ‘measly’ for many people.
‘Geek-cred’ and the knowledge that comes with it, comes naturally to some people. Some of us have to work terribly hard at it. It doesn’t mean we’re cheap – not in the least. It just means we’re better at other things. We may be better dancers, musicians, writers, plumbers, etc. Everyone has their talent. A plumber can do wonders with a pipe. He/she won’t expect a dancer to be perfect at plumbing. A writer may be great at his/her job, yet he/she may be hopeless at the tech stuff. This doesn’t make him/her cheap, just talented – yet imperfect.
Personally, I’ve found some wonderful, gentle, honest and great-looking blogs on free hosting. I respect these people for all their generosity and the care in which they share their knowledge with others – for free. This has great value to me and many others.
I suppose free website hosting CAN make you earn less – even though you do value your time. However, there’s a lot to be said for the people who’re using them and sharing their knowledge.
Thanks for a very informative article.
annelg recently posted..3 Bad Things That Make Good Relationships
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Very true Anne but when it comes to a business everyone makes sacrifices to get where they want to be. There are thousands of us that have struggled to create an internet business and the biggest expense is the hosting. (which does not cost much compared to starting other businesses) Where else can you do that?
Not many people can afford it at first but they find a way when they have a gut feeling about their business.
Don’t take this article the wrong way as I am not saying you cannot find good information on a free blog because you can. I am talking about hosting a business not a hobby. At some point a business does not survive on free blog hosting.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Add Google Adsense Section Targeting to your WordPress Website
Twitter: jaynepleysier
says:
Hi Mitz
Free hosting has got it’s benefits in that when you first start blogging or creating websites and you aren’t quite sure fo what you are doing – it is a good way to play and experiment. However if you are serious about having a website that is functional and yours, paying for hosting really is the only option. Hosting is not really that expensive, some cheaper plans are only a few dollars a month. You then have the control you need and are not at the mercy of a company who can shut you down at any stage.
Regards
Jayne
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
I agree that free hosting has its benefits but not for basing an entire business on. As you say it is not expensive and you have the control…
Mitz Pantic recently posted..WordPress Website Case Study From Zero to Seven Hundred Dollars
Twitter: MurrayLunn
says:
My friend recently was talking about this and I told him NO straight away; he wanted to share with another person but I immediately asked if the other guy has offensive material (which he did) and that would mean that if his web hosting blows up than so does his new business site he was talking with. Lesson? Pay up the $15 or so each month for web hosting, it really isn’t a lot.
Murray recently posted..DPD: The Best WordPress Shopping Cart for Bloggers
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Totally agreed Murray!
We are talking about a real business here… You need to invest something to start off the right way. Your friend is lucky to have your advice.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..5 Cool Thesis Customizations for Your New WordPress Website
Twitter: jenniferdrai
says:
I absolutely agree with you. I am a WordPress fan myself. With free hosting services, the biggest repellent are those hideous ads that can flash and take away focus from the hard-work put into the owner’s site. That nominal monthly fee can take away the unnecessary clutter and give a clean website which is the number one requirement to run an online business. Thank you for sharing.
Jennifer Rai recently posted..Employee Performance Ratings – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Hi Jennifer
I love WordPress too but I also like to be in control!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..5 Things you Should Look for in Premium Themes
My wordpress got out of control my efforts just got wasted..:-(
Timothy Smith recently posted..DoUpTo- The Fastest Way to Make Money Using Your Talent updated Tue Jul 26 2011 1:56 am CDT
I had no luck using free website hosts. It was a disaster when data was lost and I decided to start all over again. You certainly do get what you pay for. The advertisements were annoying, drove visitors away and minimized the credibility of my site. With web hosting as low as around 10 bucks a year, I soon figured out it made no sense to use free website hosting services – their primary mission is to promote themselves, which does nothing to further your own business.
Jenn recently posted..Clarifying concepts with the page recorder
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Wow hosting for $10 a year is cheap!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Build a WordPress Website from Scratch
I guess it may depend on where you live in the world, but here in the U.S. $5-$10 per month for paid hosting is reasonable. I know a few people that spend nearly $5 a pop for one of those fancy coffee things. Eliminate one fancy coffee per month and you have yourself paid hosting. Just an example. There are probably a few other similar cases like that you could think of. $5 per month (30 days) is something like $.17 per day.
Free hosting is a good way to learn the basics and see if it is something you can handle and wish to pursue. I do have a few blogger/blogspot sites, but I rarely use them. Mostly because of lack of time, but also because I am limited to what I can do with it.
The other thing is if your site becomes popular and eventually gets a decent amount of traffic the $5 to $10 per month paid hosting usually won’t cut it. You will likely need to spend more for a more powerful usage account type. Many people never reach that or it takes a long time to get to that point though.
Ray recently posted..Firefox 7 Released
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Your right Ray..
When your websites get too big and popular you the $5 a month won’t cut it..:) It’s a cheap start though.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Beginners’ Guide To SEO
Twitter: opportplanet
says:
As you said you get what you pay for, free website hosting might be “OK” for a personal website or blog but for a business that wants to increase its sales by having an online presence this is not an option. A business should be able to have a custom design website and be able to make whatever changes it wants. Additionally having a poor designed website with ads pop out from competitors will be seen from a client’s perspective unprofessional so he/she will search for something else…
Kostas recently posted..5 Website Usability Tips that Drive Results
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Thats right Kostas
This is not a hobby we are talking about..We need to be serious and treat it like a business.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..How Did I Increase Adsense Earnings By 500%
Twitter: PRLuv
says:
Funny, I’m currently on HostGator as well. No problems, I like them.
I’m thinking about switching to JustHost, as it’s just a single domain for me, with a couple I want to expand on. And JustHost offers 3 free domain names with a premium hosting package. So I’m tempted.
HostWinds also is INCREDIBLE with customer service if you want a lesser-known option.
Thomas recently posted..Free Google Plus WordPress Themes!
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
If you have no problems with Hostgator then I would be careful about moving as this kind of thing always causes problems.. It is like a ginx.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Making Money From a Wordress Website Even After it is SOLD
Definitely agree. Not only can the ads be overwhelming, but sometimes the best of pop-up blockers doesn’t always shut them all down. The next thing you know you’re accidentally clicking on an ad that turns out to be a virus and you’ve busted your computer. We hosting can be incredibly inexpensive if you’re just looking for the hosting space itself and you’ll be taking care of (or you’ll be hiring someone to take care of) the design work. You’ll be happy if you spend the extra cash to get an ad-free hosting solution.
Brian recently posted..Top 7 Press Release Services for Accounting Websites
Twitter: Techbugs
says:
I have never liked free hosting because it’s slow and shit.
Abhishek recently posted..Ultimate Gaming Stuff Collection
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Straight to the point..:) (but true)
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Tips to Avoid Writing Boring Blog Posts
Twitter: arjunchauhan24
says:
For me blogger is the best platform … dont know why.. but i like it..
FREE HOSTING + EASY TO USE = Blogger
Arjun Singh recently posted..Google Page Rank Dance on Third Party Tools with Slight Query URL change and It Surprised all my Coupon Sites
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
If you are successful on free hosting you should write a book about it. Especially if you are doing this on free hosting.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..9 SEO Tips to Dominate Google Search Results
Twitter: motleyhealth
says:
Customers and business partners alike will spot a free website and stay back. If you have a business then you must have a website of your own. With the exception of Google, nobody should use blogspot for their business!
Just remember Geocities – all those nice little sites, now gone forever. OK, maybe if they were self hosted many would have been abandoned too, but with free servers and free services you are rarely in control of events.
Jon recently posted..A Guide to Losing Belly Fat with Diet and Exercise
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Oh I forgot about Geocities??
That used to be a big thing back in its day.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Must See Tips for New WordPress Webmasters
Couple years ago i went with a website on a free hosting platform. No point in giving names. Two months later my website was nowhere to be seen. Desperately sent an email to Support and they told me they had to delete my website because it started using too many resources on the server. You can imagine my face in that exact moment…
Michael recently posted..Sanyo Countertop Microwave Oven – 1.4 Cu. Ft., 1, 100 Watts
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Ha Ha I know…Wordpress.com does this. I have had them closed for all sorts of reasons…I just don’t bother anymore. By the way Blogger has never done this to me so I am not sure if they do.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..WordPress Website Case Study From Zero to Seven Hundred Dollars
Not sure about Blogger either. But my point is it’s not worth the risk for a couple of bucks. Hosting has become really cheap these days.
Michael recently posted..General Electric PVM1870SM 1.8 cu. ft. stainless steel GE Profile Spacemaker
Twitter: Burnworld
says:
For me when it comes to free web hosting, two words: just don’t!
Rob Boirun recently posted..I Love You Steve Jobs, Even Though You Didn’t Support Blu-Ray
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Well said Rob…Not for a business anyway!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..How I Make Money Online with WordPress Websites
its the mistake i first made when first starting my business, although i soon realised this. Im sure there are some good ones for a basic website but these days investing in good web hosting is one of the most important investments for any business owner.
Rich recently posted..Updated Vacancies Pages
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Very true Rich
I think when we are new we all think the same way.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Must See Tips for New WordPress Webmasters
Twitter: thewedsearch
says:
Some very good points here. I made this mistake early on but soon moved on. A wordpress blog is not bad to get started and hosting can be found cheap.
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
That’s right it is cheap when you start and you can upgrade later!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Point SEO Checklist for New WordPress Webmasters
Twitter: VermontTours
says:
Good article.
Another aspect I would mention is that when a company offers free hosting, there’s a big chance they aren’t going to be around in a couple years. One day you can’t reach them. Next day they’re gone with the wind and your websites and files are gone.
You get what you pay for!
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Hi Erik
LOL
That is a scary thought..Gone with all your files! I am going to backup now just in case Hostgator takes off!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..5 Cool Thesis Customizations for Your New WordPress Website
Your website is the showcase of your business and needs to always be online. I agree, that free hosting can disappear overnight and support lacking. The reason people offer free hosting is that they hope that you may upgrade to their paid hosting or they are an affiliate of a hosting and will earn when you sign-up with the provider they are promoting.
You can start with a small cheap hosting plan and upgrade as traffic increases. Remember to backup your sites on your PC as even a paid hosting’s backups can be lost or become corrupted.
David recently posted..Philippines Software Outsourcing
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
David
Your right that a website is the showcase of your business. I started out on a small plan years ago and upgraded as I went. Now I am looking at doing this again..!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Point SEO Checklist for New WordPress Webmasters
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
I’m probably like most bloggers, when I first started blogging and didn’t really have a clue, I started on the Blogger platform, but after a while of seeing how popular a blog could be I moved on to my own WordPress hosted blog.
Since doing that my blog has become ever more popular, revenue is great every month and I have complete control over what is going on.
If anyone is serious about blogging or running any other sort of website then having your own domain and good hosting service is certainly a must
Karen recently posted..Real Steel – Bot Bashing Action All The Way – Movie Review
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
I agree totally Karen.
If anyone is serious they need to get their own domain name and hosting.
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Beginners’ Guide To SEO
I’m glad I use premium service in hosting.. I’m surprised of all of this reasons too..
joe recently posted..Muscle Massage Tools updated Tue Sep 20 2011 11:00 am CDT
Twitter: wpwebhost
says:
Mainly their support is not timely. Downtime is more frequent
Ricardus recently posted..Oktoberfest with 50% off for Freedom Plan
Twitter: swamykant
says:
They don’t guarantee success. So i hate them.
Swamykant recently posted..How to Run Android Apps and Games on Your Windows PC
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
That’s true! I wish they did!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Point SEO Checklist for New WordPress Webmasters
and the ones that guarantees success are scammers.. lol.. now that’s not getting something from what we paid for.
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Yes this is true too!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Making Money From a Wordress Website Even After it is SOLD
Twitter: schoolafrica
says:
I use both free and paid blogging platforms, I can’t believe I kept procrastinating moving a particular blog from blogger to wordpress until it now receives up to 200,000pageviews monthly. Anyway. I’ve made up my mind to move it this weekend, ready to embrace the outcome.
Thanks for the timely ginger.
Ikenna Odinaka recently posted..How to make $1500 from Google Adsense in Your first month
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Hi there
That’s great traffic.. I moved a blogger blog to paid WordPress and it just got even better…Not to mention the extra goodies you can use… My traffic exploded!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..How to Create Quality Content To Rank High In Search Engines
You’re right. Maintaining your content in a free website hosting can put you in trouble once the site already stopped its operation. So why not use a paid one for your own site. The only deal is to have enough budget to maintain its paid hosting anyway. I guess if a person is serious in being successful online, he/she must at least gamble small amount of money to make things work for him/her.
Mary recently posted..How To Slow Down Wrinkles And Keep Your Skin Younger
Free hosting and business do not go together, I don’t see the point of having any free service when you are running a business. I do not recommend free hosting to personal blogger or webmaster so how could a business run a website on free hosting!
Nancy recently posted..Add Comment, new wp plugin comment luv premium
Twitter: vinayagaonline
says:
Initially I am started with blogger.com and the blog still around. There is no doubt we need our own brand of website, free hand in accessing and hold the rights for what we doing. But the free hosting site still can play a big supporting role to help improve our our main site. And rest of it I totally agree with your points
. Thanks for sharing Mitz.
Rammesh Perumal recently posted..The Best keywords to Make Money Online with Your Blog
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
Yes I have a few Google blogs supporting my main sites…They are excellent for that.
Probably should have mentioned this in the article!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..10 Point SEO Checklist for New WordPress Webmasters
Spending $10/year for custom domain is worth investing
The domain name should be unique and simple to pronounce so everyone can remember it easily.
Branding a website or domain name is based on the Outsatnding Service they provide
Geekyard recently posted..How to protect WordPress blog from content stealing
Twitter: Pcmaster0
says:
you have listed here 4 reasons only, but actually ask the one who suffers hosting their blogs using a free web hosting services. There are lots of difficulty and even we do not know when our blog goes off in the air due to that free web hosting space. They should know that by using such services they are living their life on the edge..kind of dangerous thing to do when it`s your only source of income..a little investment is always a safer way to a long way..
Don`t trust such fools even if they provide total surety..they are fake and will remain one..
amit recently posted..Prevent Internet Connection From Being Dropped With Connection Keeper
Twitter: wordpresswb
says:
I agree that there are many more reasons to get paid hosting…And a little investment is a safer way.. Very true!
Mitz Pantic recently posted..Increase Email Open Rates by 3x Higher Than Average
Twitter: Healthyone_org
says:
Yes, there is nothing called “free lunch”. You get what you pay for and nothing more.
Jupitor Chakma recently posted..How Migraine is Diagnosed?
Twitter: skyafar
says:
Really nice tutorial. recently i bought a premium wordpress hosting for my blog
Ramnadh recently posted..Stylish Featured Post Widget for Blogger Blogs