If you’re looking to test out an idea online or need cheap (a.k.a. budget) Web hosting for any other reason, the good news is that there are a lot of different choices out there. The bad news though is that there are a lot of different choices out there! Your time is valuable and you don’t want to spend your time wading through page after page on the Web, trying to compare features and prices. With that in mind, here is a list of the top 8 budget Web hosting companies, including what they offer, their costs, and other information that will help you narrow your options and choose the budget Web host that’s perfect for you and your online project.

The Top Eight Budget Web Hosting Companies:

Here’s a quick list of the top cheap Web hosts that offer the most value for the money. Keep reading below for even more information on these Budget Web Hosting companies that are on the top of the list of hosts you should look into.

BlueHost Web Hosting
FatCow Web Hosting
IPOWER Web Hosting
1&1 Web Hosting
HostGator Web Hosting
Lunar Pages Web Hosting
IX Web Hosting
HostMonster Web Hosting

BlueHost Web Hosting

BlueHost has been around since 1996 offering affordable Web hosting for those on a budget or who might not need a top of the line server to run their Website. BlueHost doesn’t seem to offer a lot of different choices for options or features, but for $6.95/month there are many options for those operating a small to medium Website. One thing you will notice on their Website is their dedication to customer service. From a live chat box on the homepage to prominently displayed tollfree numbers, BlueHost seems to want to talk to you to help you through the process of getting your budget Web server bought and running.

Here’s a short list of their features:

• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• MySQL Databases: 100
• PostgreSQL Databases: 100
• Extras: CGI Bin, CGI Library, Frontpage 2000/2002 Extensions, Account “Control Panel”
• Webmail (Browser Based Email) (2,500 accounts) FREE domain with purchase, Free Website Plug-ins
• Programming / Databases: PHP 5 (support for custom php.ini files), Python 5, Ruby / Ruby on Rails, MySQL 5
• eCommerce Features: SSL Secure Server, Shopping Carts: OS Commerce, Agora, Cube, Zen Cart, OpenPGP / GPG Encryption

Overall, if you find customer service and reliability really important, BlueHost may be for you. Their price is a little higher than some of the other budget Web hosting solutions, but sometimes it’s worth a little more to get a little better service.

FatCow Web Hosting

FatCow was born in 1998, with an idea to bring something unique (besides their name) to the Web hosting industry. Going along with their philosophy to be different, FatCow has a one size fits all Web hosting plan for $66/year. (In actuality, they do offer a smaller MiniMoo Web hosting package for people who just want a small online presence.)

• Price: $5.50/month
• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• Bandwidth: Unlimited
• Extras: FREE domain name, Script Barn for pre-configured software packages (phpBB, WordPress, etc.), $75 in search engine ad credits (limitations apply),
• eCommerce Features: SSL Server, Shopping Carts

FatCow offers a 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with your budget Web hosting experience with them. They pride themselves on being different and going the extra mile to help their customers. With no set-up fees and instant activation, FatCow can have you up and running a simple Website cheaply and quickly.

IPOWER Web Hosting

IPOWER describes themselves as the “Power Behind eBusiness.” They were founded in 2001 and concentrate on small to medium sized businesses for their client base. According to their Website, they host over 700,000 Websites in 100 different countries around the world. You don’t get that many customers without doing something right.

• Price: $3.95/month (lowest tier)
• Disk Storage: 5 GB
• Bandwidth: 250 GB
• MySQL Databases: 1
• Extras: Blog and Guestbook Software, 1 email account, CGI-BIN + PHP 4 & 5 Support, FrontPage 2000 / 2002 Extensions, URL redirects

IPOWER has a lot of different plans available if your Website grows and you find you need more power to keep it up and running smoothly. Their budget level hosting plans have enough to make them worth the money you pay. If you purchase multi-month plans and pay up front, further discounts are available.

1&1 Web Hosting

Launched in 2003 in Montabaur, Germany, 1&1 is one of the largest Web hosting companies in the world. With over 7 million customer contracts, they have the numbers to back their claims. With as much volume as they do, it’s no wonder they can offer prices so low while still maintaining a level of quality that’s needed to retain customers.

• Price: $3.99/month (lowest tier)
• Disk Storage: 10 GB
• Bandwidth: 300 GB
• MySQL Databases: 10 (100 MB)
• Extras: 1 Free Domain (restrictions apply), 200 email accounts (2GB storage), 1&1 Website Builder, 1&1 Photo Gallery

1&1 has data centers that host their servers around the world. With a guaranteed 99.9% uptime, they pay close attention to the small details like back-up power systems, smoke alarms, and redundancy systems to make sure your hosting experience (even if it is budget Web hosting) is the best possible.

HostGator Web Hosting

HostGator.com LLC was started in a dorm room at Florida Atlantic University in 2002. Since then, they’ve moved their headquarters to Houston, Texas and have grown to become one of the premiere places for cheap Web hosting, and a company that doesn’t skimp on features. With over 150,000 customers, HostGator has a proven track record for treating their customers well (which might be one of the reasons they have such a long money back guarantee at 45 days).

• Price: $4.95/month (lowest tier – Hatchling Account)
• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• Bandwidth: Unlimited
• MySQL Databases: Unlimited
• Extras: Site Builder, 45 day money back guarantee, no contract, unlimited FTP accounts, PHP 5 , FastCGI, Ruby On Rails, PERL, ASP, Python, Frontpage Extensions, CURL support, Image Magick support, unlimited Email Accounts, Fantastico support, cPanel control panel
• eCommerce Features: Shared SSL, Shopping Carts (osCommerce, Agora, Zen Cart, Cube Cart)

From Inc. Magazine to various online Web hosting review sites, HostGator has received awards since they started operations. The company believes in the service they provide so much that they offer a free forum for customers to talk about the company and how they’ve been treated. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but companies like HostGator who open a channel of communication to their customers will go a long way in making sure their customer base keeps growing.

Lunar Pages Web Hosting

Lunarpages Web Hosting was started in 2000 as a breakaway from Add2Net, but they haven’t lost the qualities that made them a great budget Web hosting company. They have, like a lot of other companies, moved into Reseller Hosting, Virtual Dedicated and Dedicated Hosting.

• Price: $4.95/month (lowest tier – Personal Website)
• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• Bandwidth: Unlimited
• MySQL Databases: Unlimited
• Extras: FREE domain name, 30 day money back guarantee, Microsoft Frontpage extensions, unlimited addon or subdomains, unlimited FTP accounts, Shell access available for an extra $2/month PHP, Perl, Python, MySQL, simple control panel

While their basic personal Website doesn’t have all the features as some of the other plans discussed, it does have a fair amount of options. Things like unlimited MySQL databases go a long way in making a Web hosting plan worth it. Shell access is another feature that separates this budget hosting plan from some of the others.

IX Web Hosting

IX Web Hosting started in 1999, and have been around since the early days of the Internet. With offices in Kentucky and Ohio, this Midwest company does business with customers all over the globe. One of the things that makes IX Web Hosting stand out is that they have their own data centers. They’re not a reseller for servers that belong to someone else. Since they own their own data centers, it is evident that they’re committed to making sure they have the best available facilities for their customers.

• Price: $3.95/month (lowest tier – Basic Web Hosting Plan)
• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• Bandwidth: Unlimited
• MySQL Databases: 50
• Extras: FREE domain name, unlimited subdomains, 30 day money back guarantee, Ruby on Rails, PHP 5, PERL, 2,500 email accounts
• eCommerce Features: Shared SSL, Online Shop Ready

IX Web Hosting has been around since the first Internet bubble. While a lot of companies went under, IX Web Hosting stuck around and grew their business. In the world of cheap Web hosting it’s important to work with a company that has a proven track record and has been around for a while. IX Web Hosting fits the bill in that arena.

HostMonster Web Hosting

HostMonster has been in the business of hosting Websites since 1996. With thousands of customers, they offer the basics plus a little extra that makes them a great value. For instance, having shell access (the ability to use SSH to connect to a linux server) is rare with budget Web hosting. HostMonster Web Hosting makes this available at their $4.95/month level. It’s things like this that set them apart.

• Price: $4.95/month (lowest tier – Professional Web Hosting)
• Disk Storage: Unlimited
• Bandwidth: Unlimited
• MySQL Databases: 100
• Extras: FREE domain name, unlimited FTP accounts, unlimited POP3 email, Shell (SSH) access, Microsoft Frontpage Extensions
• eCommerce Features: SSL Secure Server, Shopping Carts (osCommerce, Agora)

If you’re looking for the upper tier of budget Web hosts, HostMonster is a good choice if you’re looking for the little extras that give you the amount of control over the server that you need.

Budget Web Hosting – Constant Changes

The world of cheap Web hosting is constantly changing with new companies starting up and competing with the companies that have been around for years, building up their reputations. To compete, the new budget Web hosting companies have to offer a little more than the established players. Whether it’s a cheaper price, better service, or extra features on the server, it’s sometimes good to also look for new Web hosting companies that are just starting out and have something to prove. Remember to always do your research before you choose any budget Web host.

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