I used to think that all web hosting and domain name registration companies were all the same and price was all that separated them. Boy did I learn the hard way. There's a big difference between most domain name registration and website hosting companies and price is what they use to attract customers.



When I first started out with my online businesses, I would purchase the standard one year web hosting domain name registration package. I didn't want to commit to anything longer just in case the online business I was targeting didn't work out and I think this is a good practice today.

I also went down the free domain registration and cheap web hosting routes and found they were more trouble than they were worth. I would start getting huge amounts of spam email from some web hosting services and others would be down more than they were up. When you're spending money promoting your online business and websites and your customers can't get to your websites because they're down, that's no way to run a business. So if you're looking at a cheap web hosting service because you can save $4 a month, you need to step back and ask yourself if the success of your online business is worth $4 per month. If it is, then you should seriously consider trying another business venture.

Another thing to consider is how many websites you think you'll need. If your goal is to have multiple websites and you want the most affordable web hosting service, you should consider a virtual server web hosting package. Virtual server web hosting services allow you to have multiple domains, and subdomains, with one administration console to manage all of your websites. This makes things so much easier when it comes to managing your web hosting, domain names, email accounts, SQL databases and applications.

Today you can purchase domain name registration and web site hosting for less than $10. You can also have your websites hosted for less than $5 per month. You can't get more affordable web hosting and domain registration than that. Prices have come down so much for domain name registrations and web site hosting that anyone can afford to have their own online website and business.

Another very important thing to look for when choosing a domain name web hosting company is to make sure they have a phone number with 24/7 Support. If the web hosting company only has email support or support tickets and no phone number, stay away from those web hosting companies. You will never get the support you need when you need it. I learned that the hard way too.

So if you're looking for the best way to register your domain name and get the most affordable web hosting packages, it's as easy as searching the web. Don't fall for the $2 per month hosting services because in this business, you really do get what you pay for.