What’s better than a free website? A website that you don’t have to purchase hosting for.
It may sound too good to be true, but it is possible if you choose the right web host.
However, there is more to it than price; you also want your site to run fast and stay reliable so that potential customers see it as an established company.
Free web hosting may seem like a great option, but it is crucial to pay attention to the fine print and consider what you are giving up.
Here’s how to find affordable free web hosting with all the basic features you need:
Tip: Make sure that your website host supports at least PHP version 7 and MySQL version 5.
Free Web Hosting with Plenty of Features
You probably won’t find a web host that is completely free, but there are some services that have limited free options.
These companies make money by using ads as well as charging for additional storage space and bandwidth.
Free plans may limit features such as the ability to change domain names, install scripts, or upload files.
However, this may be all you need if you are just starting out with a personal website that will not grow into a large business.
Some of these free hosting options include:
Google Sites (also includes domain registration)
Google has a service that is similar to Yahoo’s Small Business Free Web Hosting that does not have any limits on the number of pages or bandwidth.
It also provides website statistics so that you can see how much traffic your pages are getting and where it is coming from.
The downside to this free web hosting option is the advertisements that Google will place on your site.
These ads are not intrusive and you won’t have to pay anything for them, but they can be annoying if you want a completely ad-free experience.
The key is that Google’s premium service provides an ad-free environment for a fee.
You will need to contact the company directly for more information regarding your website hosting options.
Yahoo! Small Business
Yahoo has a slightly more in-depth option available that includes over five pages, an automatic domain name, unlimited subdomains as well as a personalized email address.
Your website will also be hosted on FastSite 3 which Yahoo claims is 100 times faster than the average hosting server.
Yahoo does require some registration information to find out if you are eligible for the Yahoo Small Business option.
The website states that this information is required to help them verify whether or not they should allow your company to take advantage of their free hosting plan.
You will need to provide information such as a business name, country, and phone number so these plans may not be available to everyone who wants to build a website.
Again, you will need to contact Yahoo directly for additional information regarding whether or not this hosting option is right for your business.
Microsoft Azure ASP.NET Free Web Hosting
Microsoft offers free web hosting with a maximum of 10 websites and your choice of five pages.
There is no bandwidth limit for this service, but you will need to use Microsoft products as well as .NET Framework to design the website.
The biggest drawback is that domain name registration can be very expensive if you choose to upgrade your plan.
Regardless, Microsoft does offer a free solution for hosting purposes so that you can get started with your website even if you do not have any money to spend on design or domain registration services.
HostGator’s Free Web Hosting Plan
HostGator offers free web hosting services with viewing limits, but you can upgrade to a paid plan if you need more space.
The free version gives you unlimited bandwidth but requires that your website be no bigger than 2GB and has a maximum of 5 pages.
Other limitations include a pop-up ad on the homepage which may deter potential customers from visiting your site.
Suggested Reading: 8 Ways to Improve Your Website’s Conversion Rate
Free Web Hosting With Basic Features
If there is no free web hosting that meets all of your needs, you can always find better pricing from a company that offers shared or dedicated web hosting plans.
I recommend that you check out some of these companies for a really in-depth list of free and paid hosting options.
In addition, if your business will grow to the point where paying for a website hosting plan makes more financial sense, you can always find something affordable from one of the providers above or another company on the Web.
Just make sure that you take the time to research each company and compare prices so that you can be sure you are getting a good deal on all of your website hosting needs.
It is also important to note that some of these companies provide free or low-cost web hosting, but they may also sell your information to advertising companies for promotional purposes.
Check the fine print for each free web hosting provider to make sure that you are not signing up for any additional services or sacrificing your privacy.
Once again, these options will vary depending on which web hosting provider you select, so if you do find the perfect provider and plan at an affordable price point that fits into your business budget, I recommend that you take the time to do a bit of homework before signing any contracts or making the final payment.
You will also want to make sure that you have read through all of the terms and conditions associated with the free web hosting services, so there are no surprises regarding your costs or usage limits when it comes time to pay for additional space on your website.
Good luck!
Ali is a digital marketing blogger and author who uses the power of words to inspire and impact others. He has written for leading publications like Business2Community, Inc. Magazine, and Marketing Profs. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his family.