Many individuals and startups consider free web hosting as a viable alternative for creating web presence. And it makes sense because their needs are minimal — a small website with few pages, a low expectation of traffic and the basic ability to use a wireless network like Cricket Wireless to make changes on the go. But, before you decide to trust your website to a free web hosting service, review the pros and cons.
Free Hosting Pros
1. Price. With free hosting there is no price. Of course, you pay for the creation of the site, but getting it up online comes with no charges. When you’re on a budget, it’s hard to pass up free.
2. Ability to experiment. And since you have no initial or recurring costs, you can experiment with your website by launching different versions without having to pay handsomely for each one.
Free Hosting Cons
1. Limitations. As can be expected, what you get for free is very limited. In the case of web hosting, your server space and bandwidth is held to an alloted amount, meaning you only have so much to work with. This can cause problems in the future if you decide to expand your site, or hopefully, your site becomes a big hit.
2. No personalization. On a free web hosting service you cannot use your own personal domain name nor email address. You domain name will include the web hosting service, while you’ll have to use your personal email to receive feedback from any visitors.
