Welcome back to Part 3 of Web Hosting Fine Print Exposed.

This series of articles reveals 14 points about web hosting fine print--things you should know and be aware of when looking for a web host.

We continue with another 3 points:

Web Host Refund Guarantee
Refund guarantee is another basic feature to find out about. Some web hosts offer no refunds, some offer X amount of days, and some offer ongoing refunds.

You should deal with those web hosting companies that offer some sort of refund.

This comes handy in testing out the web host. In your ‘trial’ period build a test site, ask questions from support and see how you feel.

IMPORTANT! Some hosts might offer refunds on the monthly fees but NOT on the set-up fee.

The Set-Up Fee Scam
Set-up fees are charges to set you up.

Watch out for these if they’re coupled with a 30-day money back guarantee because the setup fees are usually not refundable. Web hosts that charge super low fees may go for the setup fee.

You’re more likely to incur a setup fee if you’re going for a high-end hosting solution. Dedicated servers, etc. do require a set-up by an expert, so it’s reasonable to ask to pay for this.

However, most virtual or shared hosts have a pretty much an automated setup process, so there should be no reason to charge a set-up fee.

Double check that the plans and web hosts you’re evaluating have a valid reason for a setup fee.

Will your new host help you to move your site?
It’s simple: sometimes you need to move a large site from your existing web host. This may not be so easy as the server setups can differ a lot which causes your scripts to fail.

Another scenario is if you’re an inexperienced webmaster. Say, you want to move your own simple homepage. You’ll appreciate if someone is there to hold your hand.

If any of these applies to you, check with the web host you’re evaluating. Add a + for the new host that’s willing to help, and add + + if they’re willing to help for free.

I hope these points will be useful!

In Part 4, we will cover these topics:

  • Resource Allocation
  • Shared vs. Reseller
  • Crowded Servers


Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

To leave comments, and to read web host reviews based on this article, please go to the Best Web Hosting Provider web site.

Jim has put this article into action at the Best Web Hosting Provider site. Here each web host is evaluated under the ever-evolving criteria that were discussed in this article.