How do I choose a hosting provider?

There are many factors which you should take into consideration when choosing a hosting provider. Before searching for a hosting company, you should consider the following criteria:

• How much money you are willing to spend on your website?
• How much storage you need for your website? (click here for more info...)
• How much bandwidth your site would utilize? (click here for more info...)
• Do you need to run scripts on your website, and what types of them? (click here for more info...)
• Do you need a database? How big? (click here for more info...)
• Do you need shared or dedicated hosting? (click here for more info...)
• Do you need streaming capabilities? (click here for more info...)
• Are there any other considerations you should take into account?

After you have set up your criteria, you should visit several hosting companies' websites and take look on what services they offer and for what prices. This will give you an idea of what you can expect from hosting companies and for what price. This will allow you to choose the best provider for you. You should note that apart fro regular hosting fee (billed monthly, quarterly or on other regular basis) many companies charge also one-time setup fee - you should take into account this additional cost.
You may also consult some other sources to get more information:

• Your friends. If they also have websites, ask what hosting companies they are using and if they are satisfied with them.
• Webmaster forums. You can read other user's testimonials and ask your own questions. It is likely that someone also used the hosting provider you want to choose, and is able to provide some information.