The basic concept of web hosting is to create a space for one's website presence on the World Wide Web through web hosting companies. These web-hosting companies essentially host your web sites and charge an affordable monthly or yearly fee for this service. The companies own servers that play the role of data centers and the client's files are stores in these data centers.

There are two types of web hosting services available: free web hosting and paid web hosting. Both are available with distinct features and functionalities and the customer is required to weigh all pros and cons and opt for a web hosting service that best suits his needs and requirements.

Free web hosting is available free of cost and in most cases the customer may need to place the company's advertisements or banners on their website for the free service provided. Free web hosting is best suited for beginners or if you just prefer a simple web presence. The free hosting usually does not include high-end features and functionalities like shopping cart, videos, audios etc and allows limited space and sub domains for the hosted website.

Paid web hosting on the other hand offer myriad utilizable features and the customer has an option to choose between dedicated or shared servers depending on their distinct requirements and budget. The prices depend on the nature of package and services offered by the hosting company. If a beginner decides to opt for a paid hosting service, it is best to go in for shared web hosting wherein the server is shared among many customers. If the customer is satisfied with the services offered; then it is safe to select the dedicated server hosting option.

Web hosting is an indispensable service when it comes to creating a web presence and the packages offered come equipped with various features and it highly advisable to first compare the various pricing structures, reliability and features offered by the companies before you decide to pay for your web hosting service. Other aspects that need to be considered include the hosting uptime (99% to 99.9% server uptime is desirable), company reliability, hosting features, 24/7-customer support, affordability and credibility of the hosting company. It is imperative to read the terms and conditions and agreements of the web hosting company prior to registering to their services. The SLA or service level agreements usually include reduced costs and refunds and other aspects of their services that you need to be aware of.

Most of the hosting packages also include a Web Content Management System, which eliminates the technical hassles or aspects involved. Most of the web-hosting providers offer Linux web-hosting packages. The space offered by the hosting company may range between 200MB to 500MB. He customer also gets access to free email which is exclusive to their website which further enhances credibility of the website.

The customer needs to ascertain the amount of bandwidth required for their website. This constitutes the amount of information that is transferred over the Internet. Remember, an easy-to-use and adequate bandwidth is a major aspect that needs to be taken into consideration.