How to find the best web host

Identify your requirements

Disk space and bandwidth: Do you really need 3 GB of disk space and 30 GB of monthly bandwidth? Probably not. Most websites are under 100 MB.

Type of control panel: Just as there is no best web host, there is no best control panel. However, you may have your preferences or want specific features that only some control panels offer.

Type of support: Is phone support important to you, or are you fine with email/helpdesk support?

Company size: Larger companies may be able to offer more services, while smaller companies can typically offer more personalized service. But any size of company can be good or not so good at what they do.

Location: Do you want the server that your site will be on and/or the company offices to be located in a particular country or area?

Other features: Perhaps you need a web host that specializes in e-commerce hosting, for example. Or that offers website builders, or a specific type of payment option.

Budget: As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Plan your budget with that in mind, and then look for a host with prices that you can afford. If cost is your main concern, the best web host for you might be easy on the budget and not as good in other areas. Someone with a larger budget will probably find a very different company that's the best web host for them.

Read web host reviews

Various websites with reviews of web hosts try to tell readers who the best web hosts are. Or at least who the best-rated web hosts are. As with anything, some web host review sites are better than others. But even if the reviews have been verified as by present or past clients of the host being reviewed, reviews are always subjective. Still, they're a good starting point as long as you weigh them against your needs and with other available information.

Ask for recommendations

If friends or colleagues can recommend a particular web host, ask them why they recommend that host. Their needs and preferences may be different from yours. On the other hand, their recommended web hosts may be able to meet your requirements.

Contact pre-sales

After you've made a shortlist of web hosts to consider, contact their pre-sales departments. Have several questions ready, and observe the quality and speed of the responses. (Note that the sales departments for many web hosts are open only during normal business hours.) Were the responses polite, helpful, and suited for your level of knowledge? Did the salespeople identify your needs and work to meet them? Your impressions from these first contacts with the companies will be a big factor in deciding which web host is the best one for you.