Have you ever wondered

what makes a great web hosting provider? What constitutes the Top 10 Hosts? What qualifies as the best on the Internet? There is no easy answer to this question, since different users seek very different options when looking for a website. Some users may consider a free hosting service as the “best” as long as they don’t have to pay any money. Other users will be most interested in flexibility and capability. Before determining what your Top 10 web hosts look like, first review your personal requirements. Are you looking for a dedicated server or would a virtual server suffice?

Are you hoping

to find a budget web hosting service and have you set a price limit? Some hosts are offering full professional-level plans for less than $10 per month. There are some basic features that most providers will offer. For instance, most promise at least 100 gigabytes of disk space, though some may go as high as 1,500, and others will allow unlimited uploads. Bandwidth remains an important issue—in fact, it’s preferable if you can find a company that offers unlimited bandwidth in case your site becomes immensely popular.

You should also

pay attention to any limitations listed or any implied limitations. For example, some hosting services will flat out state that they not allow MP3 or WAV files but do support video clips and other audio capabilities. Other web providers will specify that they offer FrontPage extensions, or compatibility with other popular web development programs like PHP, MySQL, Perl, ColdFusion web hosting, FastCGI and MySQL Database. If you are not planning on writing your own HTML code, you will need to find a provider that offers either easy-to-use templates or compatibility with your chosen WYSIWYG editor.

Some of the best web providers

offer e-commerce assistance for new business owners such as PayPal connections and shopping carts, while others will offer unlimited add-on domains.

Never underestimate

customer service and technical support. Does the provider offer 24-7 online support or perhaps even telephone support? If you are reselling web space, quick access to technical information will be important. Another perk some providers are offering is that of free advertising credits with Google or Yahoo.

Last but not least

don’t forget to consider the company’s history. A web hosting company that has been around for several years and has many satisfied customers backing it can certainly give you confidence.

Each month Compare Web Hosts researches web hosting companies based on uptime, stability, years in business, pricing, products, customer support and customer feedback to present Top 10 Web Host List.