I try to describ the different between free and paid hosting from my experince using free hosting and just few moment ago change to paid hosting.

Free hosting

I use 000webhost its true free. The web space and bandwidth limit is big too for free hosting but somehow I found theres a lot limitation like the file size that can be upload not just limited by the size but by the time of file can be finish to be upload. So in some case you upload file below the limitation size but you somehow because of low upload internet bandwidth its reach the upload time limit the files will be rejected or not uploaded.

I figure it out the time limit is too low for my isp so my only chance was only using ftp client like filezilla to upload file. The problem didn’t ends there because I use Joomla as my website cms(content management system) I need install some extension. So far I try it none can be installed through joomla backend/administrator panel so I need to upload using filezilla to ‘tmp’ folder in joomla and install through those directory but again some succed some not (-_-‘). Guess there more limitation that cant be seen by user, ussually the error message was on the database. Its say cant make field, cant reach database, etc etc when i install the extension.

Theres FTP limitation too that you cant change.theres limit how many you can login each year.if the limit exceed you cant login from FTP client anymore even the username and password right. The FTP password change automatically each year too.

Don’t expect the uptime too though because looks like the database is down a lot well this will be different depend if you get server that not had much account on it and we cant choose it. Its shared hosting anyway (1 server serve a lot of account webhosting) but in free hosting like these they must be put a lot of account on 1 server more than the machine can handle. But afterall of the bad its still free (^_^) so don’t expect to much from it.

Paid hosting

Theres many packet option in paid hosting how you can host your site.

1. Shared hosting, shared with another user in 1 server machine the different on price or host packet ussually depend on web space, bandwidth, and how many account handled in 1 server (user cant see this). User share server resource(CPU and memory) with other user.

Minus : if one user website infected with virus or take too many server resource the other user site will affected. Getting slow or might get down if the server need to be fix because 1 site problem.

Plus : the price cheap because you share the server cost maintenance and rent.

2. VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server) , its big server machine that clustered into small server with virtual operating system. Its run its own OS(operating system) virtually for each user.

Minus : Still has the shared hosting disadvantage because its share server resource(CPU and memory) but less trouble with it because have more bigger resource than shared hosting. Expensive for personal site.

Plus : can get dedicated host feature with low price than dedicated host, more reliable than shared hosting. Suitable for commercial site, site with many visitor per day, site with running script with heavy load. If one site crash wont affect other site because each site use its own OS.

3. Dedicated hosting, the most expensive and most reliable because you own your own server just only for your site. The server resource its used only for your site no other user hosted in the server.

Minus : expensive (>_<)

Plus : reliable, your site will get 24/7 assistance from web hosting provider, get advantage you wont get in other hosting packet.dedicated IP address.Suitable for corporate use.

I only used it for few days not much trouble using it till now. All joomla extension I use working well and can be installed in no time. Here where I host it qwords. Its web hosting provider in my country. Searching through the net I found out that what make the price expensive wasn’t the web space but the bandwidth quota. The higher the bandwitdh limit/month the more expensive the price is. Bandwidth limit is limitation how long your web site can be accesed through the net. Its count using byte. If the limit exceed, your site cant be accessed or it only shown bandwidth exceed please upgrade your account. Well its still shared hosting but the account on 1 server is limited to the server can handle.

There’s unlimited hosting too don’t believe it much theres no unlimited hosting even the web hosting said that. The space and bandwidth unlimited because their prediction your site wont overrun their warning to upgrade your packet host. About the unlimited space your site size wont be reach gigabyte that’s why they can claim unlimited. For steady web hosting that had been improve their server owned they wont had problem. But if the price to ridiculous cheap to the service don’t believe it much. And even its true, that price only you can get when you order the hosting for 2 year or more.

My advice before you host in paid hosting explore more in search engine see the different and find that suit your need most. Try looking for the comment from other user that has already using the service. Make sure its complain about the web host provider didn’t shown in google searching 1st page (^_^) when you search by inputing the company name site.

In my country (Indonesia) web hosting we can choose the server location. Ussually theres 3 location: US(America), SNG(Singapore), and IIX(Indonesia or local). IIX and SNG more faster accessed through my country rather than US. But SNG and IIX is slower when accessed international so I choose the US instead because I want not only indonesian people who access my site but people around the world ofcourse the consequency I must use english in my site content. The price is different too depend on server location. IIX is more expensive rather than SNG and US. US server is the cheapest. But most starter pack at most web hosting was hosted in US server, few hosted in IIX but ussually too expensive I think between the price and the feature I get rather than I hosted in US server. But when I use it its not really that slow because its depend too on web site content if the site slow or not not only the server

Free hosting is suitable for private site that dont have many visitor and for training purpose and yes I use this one before I move too paid hosting. Just to get me familiarized setting up my site in hosting site even with reduced feature control panel . atleast I can learn how to add-on domain using free domain name like co.cc (^_^), set up email, installing using fantastico(automated installed cms program), setup file access privilage, etc that I cant learn in localhost(using wampserver). Use all the advantage this free resource as learning before you decide to host in paid hosting.