There are a variety of web hosting options available these days. From paid web hosts to free web hosts and even blogs, you can ask a dozen experienced webmasters what the best solution is and receive a dozen different answers.

If you’re fairly new to the idea of website hosting and you’re trying to find the cheapest host out there, it’s hard to know which option to pick. Everyone is tempted to create a site on a free host simply because there doesn’t seem to be any risk of losing money even if the site doesn’t work out.

A blog is probably the most commonly recommended solution for newbies who want to create a website. It’s true that some blogs allow so much extensive customisation that they can even appear to be “real” websites, but no matter what, you’re still relying on the continued goodwill of your host. Free hosts such as Blogger and WordPress have been known to disable and even delete blogs overnight with no prior warning. If you’ve spent months building up traffic and are relying on the revenue or exposure you’re getting from a blog, this is not at all appealing.

Free hosting is also available, but there’s a catch – free hosting is rarely completely free. Disadvantages of free hosts include the fact that they will probably display some form of ads or limit the amount of control you have over your site unless you opt for a paid plan with them later. Like blog companies, they can and will delete your site without explaining their reasons, and since you didn’t pay for it, you have no real choice but to accept it and move on.

Paid hosts, on the other hand, are held accountable for their actions. You can find relatively inexpensive hosting, often for less than the price of a cup of coffee each day. If you plan to devote any significant amount of time, energy or money on your website or rely on it for any reason, paid hosting is essential for peace of mind.

Finding a good paid host is easy – look up reviews online of web hosts, ask your webmaster friends and tech-savvy family members, and you’re bound to find at least one host that meets your needs and provides services at a cost you can afford.

For anything but “fun sites” that you don’t really care about, paid web hosting is the way to go.