Web Hosting: Reviews

In an industry where every provider has many happy and unhappy customers, Webstrike Solutions has the lowest percentage of unsatisfied customers in the reviews we read. Subscribers say the 8-year-old company is above… average in all regards. Support is by e-mail, and reviews say questions are promptly answered. The base plan includes 1 GB of disk space and a monthly bandwidth of up to 20 GB -- more than enough for the majority of personal, enthusiast and small professional websites. You can choose a Windows or Linux server, as well as a la carte service plan upgrades. Webstrike Solutions has an excellent track record, and because the company has no debts, it is likely to stay in business for the long term -- a plus in this volatile industry.

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PolurNET is a Canadian company with U.S. offices that has only been in business since 2004. Even so, the company has a reliable parent company and has no debts, both of which bode well for long-term stability. Reviews say… PolurNET attracts customers with low prices and keeps them happy with good customer service. The cheapest plan, Basic Paw LITE, includes 150 MB of disk space and a monthly bandwidth of up to 6 GB -- plenty for a family or hobby website. As your website grows, upgraded plans are available.

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If you only want to start a personal blog, you don't really need a full-featured web host -- rather, you can go with a free blog host. WordPress is based on open-source software that reviewers and sophisticated users… love. You do not need to download the software, and unlike some other free web hosts, WordPress doesn't post advertising on your pages. A la carte upgrades include extra storage (for photos or MP3 podcasts), a custom CSS editor and a private domain name. Features include many templates, spell-checking, a private blog option, statistics and a support forum. Reviews say WordPress offers more features and user-control than Google's Blogger, Microsoft's Windows Live Spaces, or Yahoo! 360.

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50Webs.com is one of the few services to offer free websites without plastering ads on them. A free site includes 60 MB of disk space, unlimited bandwidth, one e-mail address and e-mail customer support. 50Webs has an… integrated HTML editor to help you maintain your site. In general, users say free web-hosting services are slow, and hosts often attempt to sell more services and plans to site owners. But if you have a relatively small website to post, and speed isn't crucial, reviews say 50Webs.com is worth a try.

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Of the half-dozen services recommended in credible professional reviews, Netfirms is the only one that isn't disparaged in a high percentage of user reviews. The company's strength in the industry and low prices are… praised by expert reviewers and customers alike. The base business plan includes 250 GB of disk space and a monthly transfer of up to 2,000 GB of data, 500 e-mail accounts, two domain names, a shopping cart, and a WordPress business blog. Although Netfirms offers 24/7 support, telephone support is not toll-free -- one small drawback. If you're looking to open an online store, Netfirms.com is the best starter web host.

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