Many types exist, some provide free hosting but with these types you pay the price of having restricted facilities that usually allow the likes of blogs, email and basic websites to be accessed. However, if you're planning to expand you should shift to a paid service as free web hosting only gives you limited space and sub-domains for your site. There will be a large number of companies offering paid hosting but the prices do vary and this is usually down to how much is actually supplied as part of the package; any confusion is normally quite easy to overcome by using one of the internet comparison sites that are becoming very popular.
Most people and companies start their hosting by using a shared server system which means your files are on the system with other peoples.It is usually possible to upgrade to have a dedicated server for your files once you know the service provider is reliable; there is normally an additional charge for this facility. However, all this is academic if you haven't registered a domain name that you can use in conjunction with the web hosting and to send your files to.
While this may sound great, in the case of a non-paying common server, you will be sharing your web site with other web sites, although you will be limited to space as well as the amount of information you can transfer at any one time. Unfortunately, you won't be able to receive thousands of people visit your web site in an hour as it will take up too much bandwidth.
A shared server alternatively, is just like a non-paying server except you have to payout a a small amount every month to maintain your website. You can probably do more relating adverts and could even generate income by signing up for Google Adsense adverts to be positioned on your website, although you will still need to think up a domain.
The opposite to this is a dedicated server which serves only your web site and no-one elses so you have all the storage space as you want to create a website as big as you desire. You should have adequate levels of information that can be transferred to cater for all the visitors you can have, and have total control over the adverts that you place on your web site. A dedicated server is the best in website hosting because actually hosting your own private site because you have sufficient space, bandwidth and freedom to do whatever you want. Even though these types of server, while costing more, actually end up end up being less expensive, or adding to your income, if employed properly.