If you want to build a website, you need knowledge about web hosting services. There are two types of web hosting, free and paid that you can use for your website.

What makes free web hosting and paid web hosting different? 

Let us start with what is web hosting and then we will explain the differences. By the end of this article, you will get information about both types of hosting, which will help you to make the right choice. 

What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is an online service that makes your website visible and accessible on the internet. A web host provides digital storage for website files and applications. These files are always available to anyone with access to the internet worldwide. 

When you get the web hosting service, they become responsible for the continuous operation and functionality of the server. It should have the capability to process multiple client requests. Likewise, when your site’s domain name is entered in the browser, it must be capable of transferring all the files and loading the site smoothly.    

You can host a website, however, you will need extensive technical skills for that. You will also need to do everything yourself, even the maintenance. Therefore, to simplify the task, we recommend you get a web hosting service. 

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What is Free Hosting? 

Free hosting is as the name suggests free or non-paid hosting service. But since the service is free, it comes with limitations. It only allows for hosting a limited number of websites. Likewise, the features and support are limited. There is also a limit to disk space and bandwidth cap in free hosting. 

For newcomers, personal or startup bloggers, free hosting is the most suitable. It is first of all free, and newcomers can learn and experiment at a free cost. However, in free hosting, the services can insert advertisements and links which can slow down your site. 

What is Paid Hosting? 

You need to pay a certain amount for paid hosting to get the service. The service provider in return will take responsibility for operating and running your site on a server. A single server can host multiple websites in paid hosting. Similarly, it ensures your website is fast, consistent, and secure. 

There are different types of paid hosting services available. Since other websites require different kinds of hosting services, paid web hosting provides that flexibility to the website builder. Some major types of paid web hosting include shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, WordPress hosting, and managed hosting. 

Free web hosting VS. Paid web hosting: Comparison

	Free Web Hosting	Paid Web Hosting
Bandwidth and storage	Limited	Unlimited
Domain	Includes subdomain but custom domains are usually not included	Allows to use custom domain name
Reliability	Low uptime guarantee, thus, less reliability	Upto 99.99% uptime guarantee, thus, reliable
Resources and performance	Limited server resources which may result in slow website performance	Unlimited server resources, hence, faster and better performance
SEO optimization	Limit your website’s ability to optimize for search engine	Greater improved user experience and SEO ranking
Advertisement and control	May place unknown ads resulting in website slowed performance	No forced advertisement, thus, greater control over your website
Security	Limited security features pose threats to malware and cyber-attacks	Extensive security features against intrusion, malware, and hacking
Customer support	Limited or no customer support	Often comes with 24/7 customer support

Final Verdict

Your choice significantly impacts the success and failure of your website. When you look at the comparison, you can see that a paid web hosting service is far superior to a free web hosting service. 

Although free hosting may seem attractive, it comes with its drawbacks and limits your website. However, for beginners and those with a tight budget, they are suitable choices.  

But if you are looking for a reliable and secure web hosting service, we recommend that you go for the paid hosting services. In addition to reliability and security, paid hosting is best to establish your brand, and provide a better user experience and customer support. 

So when it comes to free web hosting VS. paid web hosting, make your choice wisely and look at all the features of the hosting service before you get them. Building a website is hard work so decide what is better for you in the long run.

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