What Factors Affect the Cost of Hosting?

Operating system (Windows vs. Linux/Unix). Because Windows is a proprietary (as opposed to open source) operating system, the cost of Windows hosting is generally higher. Although we provide affordable Windows accounts, we recommend Linux for greater reliability and lower database costs (see below for more information on database support).

Disk space. The amount of disk space your account allows directly affects the maximum size of your site. Web sites with thousands of pages and images will require more disk space than a basic five-page site.

Database support. Hosting costs will generally increase for database support, but the type of database is important. There are three major databases used by most small business web sites: Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, and MySQL. Because MySQL is an open-source database, it is usually the least expensive of the three. Microsoft SQL Server is somewhat slower and significantly more expensive, and Access is less secure and limited in its capabilities.

SSL encryption (required for e-commerce). SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, is the standard encryption technology used for the Web. Database support and SSL encryption are both required for an e-commerce site to function properly, although many hosting companies offer packages that include both for a reasonable price.

Traffic volume. Expect to pay more for hosting if your site gets a lot of traffic. Each visit to a web site uses server resources, and if a site is being visited simultaneously by hundreds or thousands of people, more bandwidth -- or possibly a dedicated server -- might be required. (Bandwidth is the amount of data passed between a server and visitors to a web site. Fast-loading sites usually use less bandwidth.)

Scripting languages. Scripting technologies such as PHP, ASP and ColdFusion allow for interactive, database-driven web sites and greater programming flexibility. Most hosting accounts should support either PHP or ASP, but some (usually cheap) accounts do not allow for anything other than basic HTML, which severely limits a web site's capabilities. We recommend PHP, which interacts well with MySQL databases and is generally considered to be a superior technology.

E-mail. Almost all hosting accounts include at least one e-mail address, while many others offer unlimited e-mail boxes and aliases (forwarders). Other related services might include web-based e-mail and mailing lists.