Web Hosting Companies Rated - Plain and Simple!

Let's face it, on the surface all Web hosts all look alike – loads of disk space, bandwidth, email and applications. But when it comes to selecting the host for your website, you need to get behind the curtain to see what's really there. Rate Your Host. We'll help you get past the basics to find the host that's right for you! You'll find key differentiators and details about full features, making it possible to find the host that suits your unique needs. More importantly, we invite you back to tell us if you agree with our rankings.

How to select a Web host.

1. Do I know anyone who has a Web site?

It's always best to get advice from someone you trust! Ask friends, family and associates how they like their current Web host-and their previous hosts. Get as specific as you can. ask about the tools the Web host provides, their support, uptime, reliability, how quick it was to accomplish their goals. If you're creating an online store, find out about the host's ecommerce offerings and software for creating a catalog.

If you don't know anyone, do your research. Do some comparison shopping. The Web hosting industry is very competitive, so there is lot of information about hosts out there. (That's part of the reason we created InstantHostingRebates.com) Also, customers like to chat, so check out forums. Take your time and find the host that's right for you!

Of course before you can even shop for a Web host, you'll need to decide.

2. What do I want to do with my Web site?

Start by defining a goal for your Web site. Think about whether you want your Web site to act as a brochure site for your small business, a photo gallery of your crafts, an online scrapbook for your family, a blog to express your opinions or keep your customers up to date on new products, a place to store your resume.

You'll also want to determine how big you think your Web site will be, which will help you determine your disk space needs. Likewise, you'll be able to evaluate how many visitors you'll want, which will drive your bandwidth/data transfer needs. Of course, most Web hosts, even the cheap Web hosts, offer unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Still, it helps to have your needs defined.

Moreover, you'll be able to evaluate the features of your Web hosting plan. You'll know if ecommerce tools for an online store and what types of applications-blogs, content management systems, forms-you'll need.

Once you've established your goal, your next step is to decide.

3. How will I create my Web site?

There are about as many ways to create a Web site as there are Web hosts! Still if you're a beginner to Web site building, you may want to consider using a site-building tool. These simple point-and-click applications use Web site templates to let you create a site very quickly. Most Web hosts offer a Web site builder. Many Web hosts will show samples of the kinds of sites you can create. If you're going to use a builder, make sure you see what your Web site could look like before you select your host.

Alternatively, you may choose to use a software application, such as Microsoft Expressions or Abobe Dreamweaver. (They're both great programs, but a little pricey.) If this is the route you choose for your Web site, make sure your new Web host support the program.

Also, if you're looking to do something specific with your Web site-such as a blog, photo gallery, ecommerce or newsfeeds, be sure the Web host provides the application, software or program you'll need

If you're more advance, you know you'll also want to check that your Web host supports the scripting (and versions) you want to use HTML, CGI, Perl, PHP, as well as your database of choice.

Now that you've defined what you'll need, it's time to dig in and find your Web host.