When you are trying to figure out which web hosting company is best for your needs, there are a few features that are absolutely required for the running of your website hosting. While not all hosting companies are created equal, most offer the same amount of features. The key is finding the right balance of what you need and what you can afford. Here are a few make or break features that you absolutely have to have for your site.
1. MySQL databases. If you are planning on having a blog, a content management system or a shopping cart, you are going to need to have MySQL supported hosting with at least a few MySQL databases. Ideally, a package with unlimited databases would be perfect, but this can be hard to find. The best way to figure out how many you need is to think about how many applications you are going to run. Each one will need a separate database. Add on a few more just in case and you should have the bare minimum amount of databases that you will require.
Now, you can begin shopping for the web hosting company that has the right amount of databases for your budget. Keep in mind that it can be expensive to add this feature on later, so it is in your best interests to keep looking until you find the host that offers the best balance.
2. Sufficient Disk Space and Transfer. One of the harshest realities you can face as a site owner are overage charges. These can be incredibly expensive depending on the host. Some web hosting companies will charge extortionist prices for overages, while others will simply shut your site down if you exceed your limits. It is vital to shop for a hosting plan that will provide you with the right amount of both.
If you are not sure how much you are going to need, there is a simple formula to determine this. If you already have a site, take a look at your bandwidth stats and your diskspace amount. Add at least 30% to this total to allow for growth. This will help you figure out how much you should be looking for. If you don’t have a site, most regular websites will need at least 500 megs of space and 500 megs of storage. If you’re planning a site that will be popular, you should at least double this amount for a bare minimum.
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