Dan Olsen’s Weblog

It is amazing to see how many web hosting providers there are today. I am constantly running into new web hosting companies I have never heard of. They seem to be popping up all over the place. When I was deciding on a host, I felt overwhelmed by all the options. After thinking about it and helping a friend find a host to sign up with, I found some key points that a person might want to look for in deciding which host they they will choose. All the points revolve around knowing what you want. When I was looking I wasn’t really sure what I wanted but I am pleased with my choice. Here are some key points which I think can help people make a hosting decision that is right for them.

First, what web language are you going to use? This is important to some degree because it will determine what kind of server you will need (Linux/Windows). If you are going to be using straight HTML it doesn’t really matter. However, if you want to use Microsoft’s ASP.NET then you don’t really have a choice other than to use a Microsoft provider (EasyCGI or OnSmart look pretty good). If you are going to use anything other than ASP.NET you can find it supported on most Linux or Windows servers. However, if you want JSP, it looks like you will have to pay a little extra in most places. midPhase is the only one so far that I have found JSP to be free.

Second, do you want MySQL, PostgreSQL, or other databases included in your service? This was a factor for me. I found that a lot of hosting services provide you one MySQL database and then charge you an extra dollar a month for each database you add to your account. midPhase and Glob@t give you unlimited MySQL databases. I have been pleased with BlueHost because they provide me with 10 MySQL databases and 10 PostgreSQL databases for free! The reason I didn’t choose midPhase or Glob@t is because they were lacking some other features I was looking for. StartLogic says it supports MySQL but does not say how many databases it comes with, but I did find that for any additional databases there is a one time fee of $10 (I have contacted them to find out).

Third, how many domains do you want to support? I have multiple domains and needed a host that would let me use them for different sites, not just pointing to my main site. BlueHost allows me to have five domains that point to different sites.

The above points are the three points that I found important to me in choosing a host. I thought about mentioning storage space but that is not much of an issue these days. If you get a host for more than $7 a month that does not have at least 1GB of storage space with it, you should look elsewhere (EasyCGI currently has 3GB on their cheapest plan). The same is true for data transfer, most hosts provide 40+GB of transfer a month.

Once again, the best thing to do before searching for a host is to know what you want! If you don’t know what you want you will find yourself running in circles. Some individuals may have other points that are important and I’d like to hear what others might find important so go ahead and leave your comments.