DreamHost vs. BlueHost

If you are going to have a business Web site, you are going to need a Web host. A Web host is company that provides you with the space and bandwidth you need in order to have a Web site. You rent space on a Web host's servers, and your business Web site can then be found all over the world.

Choosing a Web host requires that you look at what is available and then make a choice based on the needs of your company. There are a number of Web hosts out there that offer free hosting, as well as low-cost hosting and more expensive hosting. However, you should consider more than just cost when deciding on a Web host. In some cases, you may find that free Web hosting is not all it's cracked up to be.

Two of the biggest low-cost Web hosts are DreamHost and BlueHost. While either is probably okay for your business, it helps to learn more about each to find out whether one might do better meeting your needs. You can also visit other directories for more information about Web hosts and reviews of a number of possibilities.

DreamHost

DreamHost is a relatively new player in the world of Web hosting. However, the company is gaining a following. Many businesses like that DreamHost is owned by its employees, and that the company has recently made efforts to become sustainable with a carbon footprint of zero. Also attractive is the low-cost hosting offered by DreamHost.

DreamHost offers Web hosting packages starting at $5.95 per month. Unfortunately, this is the price paid if you agree to 10-year hosting. 5-year hosting costs $6.95 per month, and it goes up until monthly hosting is $10.95 per month. This is still low cost for Web hosting, but if you are really squeezed in terms of budget, other Web hosts offer lower prices. Some companies, however, find working with a company like DreamHost worth the extra cost.

Some of the features offered by DreamHost include unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited MySQL 5 databases, unlimited email accounts, use of Gmail for your domain, IMAP access, free domain registration and WhoIs privacy, and unlimited domains and subdomains. Additionally, there is full PHP5, Perl, and Python support, along with Ruby on Rails and full CGI access. There are a number of security features that come with the DreamHost package as well, and 24-hour technical support. You can get additional upgrades if you are willing to pay more.

BlueHost

BlueHost has been around since 1996, and is one of the oldest Web hosts out there. It is also considered one of the best Web hosting companies around, with seasoned veterans of the Internet era. A BlueHost package starts at $3.95 per month.

BlueHost offers free domain name registration (or transfer, if you already have a business Web site hosted elsewhere), free cart software for ecommerce Web sites, free blog or forum, unlimited domains and subdomains, unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth. BlueHost also offers 2,500 email accounts and a free site builder. You can also make use of Ruby on Rails, PHP, Perl and MySQL. BlueHost offers responsive technical support and security. You also have access to a stats package so that you can see how your Web site is doing. As a bonus, BlueHost offers $25 in free Yahoo credits and $50 in free Google credits. This can be a great boost to your search advertising efforts.

BlueHost does offer a little bit more for the money. The main advantage with working with DreamHost is that the company culture and ethics appeals to some people. In the end, you have to decide which company philosophy fits best with your own company, and what you are trying to accomplish.