Watch Out for These 6 Tricks When Picking a Web Hosting Plan

Are you preparing to build a website and finding yourself stymied by the complexities of web hosting packages?

You’re not the only one, and you’re certainly not the first one.

I’ve spent 20 years building websites, and I learned the pitfalls of choosing the wrong web host the hard way. I didn’t go in knowing all of the specialized web hosting terms or understanding the often confusing language around things like renewal pricing and bandwidth. That lack of knowledge cost me a lot of money — not to mention numerous headaches — early on. 

Thankfully, I learned the lessons I needed to eventually settle on a great web host I could actually afford. Now I can pass those lessons on, helping you to understand web hosting costs and features so you can pick the best hosting package for your needs.

The best monthly price often requires an upfront payment

Most web hosts list prices on a per-month basis, but you’ll typically pay for one or more years of service up front. You’ll usually need to pay for a year on the front end, with some companies requiring you to buy two or more years of hosting to access the lowest price. This often results in your bill costing a hundred dollars or more even if your per-month breakdown is only a few dollars.

A multi-year plan is often a better value than a monthly or annual plan. But there’s the risk of issues, such as slow servers, so it’s crucial to choose a reliable web host before a long-term commitment.

That doesn’t always mean it’s a bad deal. You can save a lot of money on a website by locking into long-term hosting at the discounted rate, and knowing your web hosting is paid for the next year or longer can give you financial peace of mind as you build your website.

However, it means you’ll need to have cash on hand to pay for the full year — or three — up front. And the deal sours if you decide you’re unhappy with your web host halfway through your term, making it important to choose the right web hosting company to commit to.

You can often find the expected term length for the initial contract directly below the price of a given plan, helping you calculate the full cost in advance. You can also go to checkout to see the full price and how it changes if you reduce your contract length. Reducing your contract length will result in higher per-month pricing, but it can be worthwhile if you don’t have the money on hand to buy multiple years of hosting or you’re building a temporary website.

The price you sign up for may be much lower than the renewal price

The prices listed on a web hosting company’s pricing page are often introductory prices, meaning they’re only applicable to your first contract. When your contract ends, you’ll normally be subject to a higher price — sometimes with increases of $10 or more per month.

These renewal costs are typically displayed below the introductory price. However, some companies only display renewal prices at checkout, so you’ll need to pay close attention throughout the purchase process to get the numbers right.

Additionally, these contracts are typically set to auto-renew. Most web hosts I’ve used send a notification one or two months before the price increase, but these reminders may not give you enough time to allocate appropriate funds for a significant increase. As such, you may want to set up your own reminder three or four months before your contract ends. This also gives you plenty of time to choose a new web host if you’re not happy with your service — after all, transferring to a new web host isn’t difficult.

If you want to stick with your web host when your contract renews, you can ask customer service for a discount. You may not get to keep your introductory rate, but you can often shave 10% to 20% off the increased rate.

Your domain is only free for the first year

Most web hosts offer a free domain for the first year — and only the first year — regardless of how long your hosting contract is. You’ll have to pay for domain renewal at the end of that year, and again every year after. These costs typically aren’t high ($10 to $20 per year on average), but it’s still important to factor them into your web hosting budget.

Moreover, web hosts often charge more for domains than dedicated domain registrars do. It’s important to understand the differences between buying a domain from a registrar and getting a domain from your web host so you can make an informed decision.

Unlimited bandwidth isn’t always unlimited

Bandwidth determines the number of visitors your site can handle per month. Some hosts, such as SiteGround, list specific numbers that vary by plan (like 10,000 visitors per month). Others claim to offer unlimited bandwidth, but there’s almost always a limit — it’s just so high that the host doesn’t expect many websites to exceed it.

Pricing pages may also list “unmetered” bandwidth, which means the amount of data downloaded from your site (or uploaded to it) isn’t actively measured, and you won’t be charged more for exceeding a certain limit. However, it’s still limited by server resources, so your site may slow down if your traffic exceeds a certain threshold.

You may be able to find specific bandwidth limits within a host’s terms of service, but many hosts simply include a clause about “reasonable usage”. In these instances, you’ll need to ask customer service to receive an estimate of how many visitors your site can handle per month.

The checkout process might have sneaky upsells

Upsells are extra features you’re encouraged to buy during checkout. Common upsells include email hosting and integrations with tools such as Microsoft 365. These may be listed as free add-ons during checkout, but if you read the fine print, they’re often only free trials. When the trial ends, you’ll be charged for that service in addition to your web hosting plan. Additionally, these trials are frequently only for three or six months, so you’ll get the new bill long before your hosting renewal date.

Always read the fine print of items listed on your checkout page and opt out of any paid services or free trials you’re not confident you’ll use. If you accept a free trial, note when it ends so you can cancel before you’re charged — or budget for the additional fees if you plan to continue using the service.

Along with extras such as email hosting, some web hosts turn essential features into add-ons you have to purchase separately during checkout. For example, a web host may charge extra for:

• SSL certification: An encryption protocol that makes it difficult for malicious third parties to intercept data sent to and from your site.
• Firewall: Software that scans traffic coming to and from your site for signs of malware or other malicious intent and attempts to block suspicious traffic.
• Domain privacy: Identity protection that prevents your personal name and contact information (like your mailing address) from being published in the WHOIS database.
• Backups: Automated off-site backups that ensure your website can be restored quickly if it goes down.

These features are essential to your website’s security, so it seems natural to purchase them as add-ons. However, many of the best web hosts — including some of the best cheap web hosts — bundle these features directly into their plans. You can save money without compromising security by choosing one of those hosts.

Website builders provide convenience, at a cost

Website builders are visual design tools that make it easy to build a website without code or much technical experience, often hailed as a simpler alternative to content management systems such as WordPress.

Initially, website builders were mostly offered by dedicated companies such as Wix and Squarespace, which charged much higher rates than traditional web hosts. More recently, traditional web hosts like Hostinger have launched website builders at more affordable rates, letting you enjoy a simpler, cheaper website experience.

However, website builders — even those created by traditional web hosts — typically have design limitations that reduce your ability to create a unique website. Many also charge extra for access to things such as e-commerce features, which can be added to a WordPress site for free with the right plugin. And these solutions are proprietary, making it difficult to transfer your site to a new web host if you’re not happy with your service.

I recommend carefully weighing the pros and cons before you choose a website builder.

Picking a web hosting plan can be complex, but there are strategies to avoid problems

Web hosting pricing isn’t always — or even often — straightforward. You can ensure you’re choosing the right plan by educating yourself on web hosting terms, choosing one of our vetted web hosts, carefully reading pricing pages and paying close attention during the checkout process.