choosing-the-right-php-web-hostingIf you are the business manager of a startup company someone will probably task you with finding the best deal in PHP web hosting. You probably have no idea what PHP is or what PHP web hosting means so this article is written just for you.

It is important to understand what PHP is and what PHP web hosting is. PHP is a scripting language that was created to be able to produce web pages that are very dynamic but they need to run on a server that allows this coding to relate with HTML.PHP interacting with HTML produces the web pages in your company website. Most web hosting servers including free web hosting will offer this but to be certain ASK FIRST.

Basic criteria

There are thousands of web hosting companies so after you get the PHP question out of the way, you need to consider some very basic criteria when choosing a hosting plan and company that is right for you.

When you are looking at different web hosting plans you need to consider the following options:

  • Individual plans – this is the cheapest option but not always the best. Usually this type of hosting plan will start by offering a starting package that cost somewhere between $3 and $4 a month for a 3-year package. Problem is that these plans usually provide hosting for only a single domain and usually has limits on features such as data storage and bandwidth for the month. If you go over your limit, you will have a monthly invoice that will make your accountant faint because it can be extremely high. So, try to find a hosting solution that has no limits on any features.
  • Cost – look for a hosting company that has rates that are reasonable and especially avoid hosting plans that are free as their no costs are generally paid for by requiring on-site advertisements and you have no choice in what that advertisement is.
  • Dedicated servers – These servers often are referred to as “shared hosting plans” since they share space on servers with other websites. When the other websites need more space – guess where it comes from – space that you might need someday. It is best to find a company that will host your website on an individual server by itself. This will cost more each month but is well worth the price especially if you believe or anticipate growing to a size that will quickly need an upgrade option. Try to find a hosting provider that offers both plans and allows for your account to convert from one to the other with growth.
  • Customer service – You want a dependable customer support staff. When things go wrong on your website’s backend you need support that is quick and available 24/7 so there is only minimized damage to your business. Look for customer support that is not only 24/7, but has email access as well as online chat.
  • Customer reviews – this is a great way to evaluate any web hosting companies so be certain to find one that has lots of positive reviews from clients.
  • Script support – one and probably the most important one to look for is does this hosting company have built-in support for all popular web scripts. Some hosts will offer built-in scripting packages that make installation of any website fairly easy. But others limit the number of MySQL databases that can be created and this can promote problems in the future. This is especially true if you are using WordPress on your website.

These are some of the most important things to look for when searching for a PHP server to host your online business website. Make a list of these criteria. They are all important so don’t skip any because of price.

If you’re looking for a reliable PHP web host, please check out http://phphost.org.