Years ago, a prospective client asked us about a “screaming deal” on hosting. A few dollars a month. Would we still support his site there?
We still get versions of that question. The prices and company names change. The answer mostly doesn’t. The monthly price is only part of what hosting costs you.
Why the cheap price is so cheap
Low-cost hosting is usually shared hosting. Your site sits on a server with lots of other sites. That can be fine for a small, simple site.
But the low price has to come from somewhere. Often it’s from:
- More sites crowded onto each server.
- Limited support, or support that only covers the server, not your site.
- Few or no backups you can count on.
- Extras you pay for later.
The hidden costs
Slow pages. If the server is busy with other sites, yours can slow down. Slow sites lose visitors and leads.
Downtime. When the server has problems, your site goes down with it. Nobody may notice until a customer tells you.
Security trouble. On a crowded server, one weak site can cause problems. Cleaning up a hacked site takes time and money, and it can hurt your reputation.
Introductory pricing. Many hosts advertise a low first-term price that goes up at renewal. Read the renewal price, not just the headline.
Add-ons. Backups, SSL certificates, email, malware scans and staging sites are sometimes extra. Add them up before you compare.
Your time. When something breaks, who fixes it? If the answer is you, or a long chat with a support queue, that costs something too.
What to look for in a host
Here’s what we’d check before signing up:
- Backups. How often? How long are they kept? Can you restore one quickly? Have you tested it?
- Security. Server updates, firewalls, malware scanning and free SSL (HTTPS).
- Speed. Modern server software and enough resources for your site’s traffic.
- Up-to-date software. A current, supported PHP version matters for WordPress and Joomla sites.
- Real support. Can you reach a person who understands your kind of site?
- Monitoring. Does someone get alerted when your site goes down?
- Clear pricing. The renewal price, what’s included and what’s extra.
- Your domain stays yours. Make sure the domain is registered in your name, with access you control.
Hosting vs. website care
Here’s the part a lot of people miss. Hosting keeps the server running. It usually doesn’t keep your website running.
Your site’s software still needs updates. Someone has to watch for problems, test changes and fix things when an update goes sideways. Cheap hosting rarely covers any of that.
That’s why we pair hosting with ongoing care. Updates, backups, monitoring and help when you need it, from people who know your site.
When cheap hosting is fine
To be fair, budget hosting can work. A simple personal site or a short-term project might not need much. If you’re comfortable handling updates and backups yourself, it may be a good fit.
But if your website brings in leads, sales or bookings, it’s a business tool. Pick hosting the way you’d pick any important vendor: on what it does for you, not just the price.
We can help
We host and look after websites for businesses that want them fast, secure and backed up. If you’re not sure what your current host covers, we’re happy to take a look. See our Website Care & Hosting services or contact us. Call 678-379-9321 or email sales@3by400.com.