When choosing a hosting company for your business or personal website, you need to know what features to look for and which types of servers are out there. Some web hosting companies offer great deals, including a wide variety of features in your hosting package price. Others have a basic package with a pricing system for additional features. They might charge extra for features you’d find included with other companies. Read on for tips on evaluating each type of server on the market and their associated costs.

Knowing which features you need is the most useful way to choose your hosting package. Researching types of Linux servers and other hosting options will be easier with a clear vision of your site’s purpose. Answer the following questions to determine your needs:Why are you building a website: is it for business or fun?What kind of site is it: a blog, a portfolio, or maybe an online store?For example, you may have an online shopping cart which requires a dedicated IP address and SSL certification, or a customer management system to keep track of clients and leads. If your site is content based, however, your main priorities will include the site builder and templates.

Shared Hosting is perfect for gradually growing websites. You can scale up bit by bit without paying for redundant space. Yet, it is less suitable for websites that may receive sudden jumps in traffic or require super-high level security.VPS is useful for expanding sites and will help you ensure you’ll have enough space as your business grows.Dedicated Server should be your go-to choice if you’re working with multiple sites, lots of media and traffic, and you have the budget.

Many companies offer support 24/7, 365 days a year. Sometimes ticket systems exist to prevent you from contacting the company directly. Some people prefer this method since it prevents waiting in queue. Others prefer to wait but be certain they’ll talk to a person when they get through. The company should give you the option to email, live chat or call.Don’t confuse sales support with technical support – if you’re opting for VPS you will need particularly efficient support methods. There will rarely be any problem with a shared account, but VPS software configurations are totally at your discretion and therefore leave much room for technical issues.

In most cases, the type of hosting you select doesn’t affect the free apps provided with your hosting service. These include CMS programs like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. There are apps for galleries, blogs, forums and video streaming, etc. You’ll also get an email box with antispam software and the capability to create multiple email users on your domain.Then you have the more technical apps like site analytics and error logs, to help improve your site’s performance. Some packages will include an SSL certificate or shopping carts, and if not they can always be purchased as an extra. These should not be a factor in deciding which hosting type to choose.