Whatever size of website you have, this article will help you find the best web host, and the best hosting deals for you. The first step is to identify what your needs are - with one eye on the future growth of your website - then choose an appropriate plan at the right price. Web hosting companies usually offer three main paid-for tiers of hosting packages.
Shared hosting means you share a server with other sites and web hosting accounts. The site can often be slower and these plans are for sites that don't use a lot of bandwidth.
With a dedicated server, you have the entire web server for your own use. Faster performance is pretty much guaranteed.
Virtual Private Servers (VPS) or Cloud Servers enable you to scale resources as and when you need them, rather than being restricted by the limitations of a physical server. They draw from a pool of processing power, memory and storage depending on your requirements.
Finally, a fourth less common option is co-located hosting, which enables you to purchase your own server and, while it will be kept in the vendor's data center, you'll have complete control over it so you can install anything you need onto it.
Some providers arrange their web hosting deals according to business segments (small businesses, e-commerce, artists, resellers), features (WordPress compatibility, email hosting, cloud computing, managed service providers) or platforms (Linux or Windows).
Many packages include a wealth of features that you may or may not place value upon, including a control panel, the ability to create online stores easily, easy site builder tools and varying levels of support (either on the phone or live chat).