There are many online business owners out there gritting their teeth, hoping that they don’t max out their bandwidth this month. But that means that they are also hoping not to have too many customers. That sounds like it could be absolutely absurd, but it is true. When you go over your limits on your web hosting account, those charges can really cut into your profit margins.
But, there are also drawbacks with picking an “unlimited web hosting” account. While it would seem rather self-explanatory, some web hosting services will actually mislead on the nature of their unlimited web hosting packages.
Hoax: Unlimited Bandwidth
Often times, you will see companies offer an unlimited web hosting account, but they will actually put a cap on your bandwidth. Of course, when you think of unlimited web hosting, you immediately think of having infinite bandwidth space. So, if a company advertises, “unlimited hosting”, and they don’t actually provide infinite bandwidth, then what else are they misleading you to believe? Stay far away from these companies.
Scam: Unlimited Disk Space
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of unlimited hosting, yet it is one of the easiest to overlook. Having enough disk space is crucial, as it gives you room to expand in the event that your traffic has organically grown exponentially. A good unlimited bandwidth plan will actually incrementally expand your space, as you need more of it. So, if a company caps yours on your “unlimited plan”, then that is a sign of a company sneaking around what they offer.
Bait n’ Switch: MySQL Database, FTP Client, Parked Domains and Mailboxes
Of course, if a company advertises unlimited hosting, then they better give you unlimited disk space and bandwidth, but what is often overlooked are the essential options. For instance, some companies will offer only MySQL Database options, but not offer FTP Client; then you may want to seek elsewhere. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a company isn’t reputable, especially if they actually come out and say what they do and do not offer. But, for most expanding companies, you are going to want all the options like: an FTP client, MySQL Database, parked domains, and extra mailboxes. These tools will help a team effectively run an online business, and if they aren’t available, then things get a bit hairy.
Overall, it is crucial that you hire a reputable company, and not a fly-by-night operation. If you go with a company that has excellent customer services and years of a good track record, then when they say “unlimited web hosting”, they mean that unequivocally.