Home Business On The Internet

By Eleanor McCallum
Infopreneur

Over the past several years I have set up a number of websites and used the services of 5 different Web Hosts.

In this article I will try to explain some of the features of these services and compare prices, ease of use and the capabilities of their Cpanels.

The hosting services I am familiar with are:
1. Netfirms
2. Host Papa
3. Host Monster
4. Host4Profit
5. Host Gator

Four of these allow you to set up a website using WordPress. Host4Profit have their very own wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) process for designing and publishing a website.

Host Papa, Host Monster and Host Gator feature Cpanel with its groups of icons for Mail, Links, Preferences, Logs, Files, Security & Software/Services.

Using Fantastico, which is the most commonly used Software, a WordPress website can be initiated and easily set up by anyone.

With regard to pricing, the monthly fee for each of these webhosts is probably within the same ballpark. Once you have made your choice, the ability to add-on more domains for no extra cost is a bonus.

Host4Profit will allow an additional domain to be hosted for five dollars extra each month. I really don’t see the advantage of paying this added cost, when you can add on a domain for the same monthly price, using Host Papa, Host Monster and Host Gator.

Netfirms seems to be geared to people that have little or no knowledge of web hosting so it is a very good web host for a Newbie to use.

I have been advised by those in the know, that when you register a website through a particular web host, it is best not to use them for your monthly hosting, e.g. you register a new website at GoDaddy or Namecheap. You would then arrange monthly hosting with one of the webhosts I mention here or any other that you might choose (but not the webhost that is your registrar).