Disadvantages of Free Hosts

There are definite advantages to free web hosts, and free web space with no ads is even better. But if you compare free hosting versus cheap hosting you may be surprised. This article will cover some pros and cons of free hosts and the services they provide.

Why Free Hosts Aren't So Good
As far as hosting is concerned, you definitely get what you pay for (and sometimes less than you pay for!) Below are the disadvantages to free hosts:

Little/No Support
No cost hosting providers generally offer no customer support to their non-paying customers, and if they do it is low priority. While many free users are new to hosting, neglectful support can ruin the overall experience.

Overcrowded Servers
Free services are not known for their reliability and uptime. Often the servers used for users on a free plan may be overcrowded and slow or even frequently down. Since it is relatively simple to get a free hosting company started, many of these companies are fly-by-night operations and care little for the long term well being of users files.

Less Features
These no cost plans usually don't include advanced features, software, and email services that paid ones do. (ex. PHP, MySQL, FTP accounts, and POP email)

Ad Banners
The host has to have some way to make money, often you will find that your site will have to have advertisements in the form of a text link, banner or pop-up to help the company generate some revenue. Many users find these ads take away from the design of their site, or are a nuisance to their visitors.

Why I Like Free Hosts
As a webmaster, I like to use a free host for my non-profit sites, or web sites that are in their beginning stages. It is easy to sign-up and try out new site ideas, or just store files for a while.