You might have come across web hosting companies that advertise unlimited web hosting plans at really low prices, but are these the real deal? Is it even possible? Or is this just false advertising?
For starters out there who subscribed to “unlimited” (in every aspect) plans and host a basic website, it is all good as the websites may never reach usage levels that cripple the server and deplete its resources. However, if you intend to build a website with steady traffic that grows year on year, you may want to know if unlimited web hosting plans are as advertised.
Problems with Unlimited Space Plans
When web hosts provide “unlimited” space, they often have to restrict what you can use the disk space for. This has to be done since the host would have to invest an unlimited amount of money to buy an unlimited number of hard disks to provide space for them. If every customer uses their “unlimited” space, something has got to be compromised to make the business sustainable.
Reading into the Terms of Service (TOS) agreements of web hosts providing either unlimited space or huge amounts of disk space (such as 100 GB), you will notice that you cannot use the space for any purpose you want. There are conditions to be met and it is highly likely that the space can be used only for the website. You will not be allowed to use the space to back up terabytes of your movie collection.
Web hosts that specify a realistic amount of disk space for each customer usually don’t need such restrictions. You are allowed to use the disk space in any way you wish. Within legal constraints, of course.
Problems with Unlimited Bandwidth or Data Transfer Plans
When it comes to bandwidth or data transfer, the limitations are usually implemented by monitoring resource usage, and restricting the service levels for that customer account.
Many people will naturally be tempted by low priced unlimited web hosting plans, and along with the catchy advertisements. However, there are inner workings to this that need to be understood. Most unlimited web hosting plans are placed on a shared hosting platform. A problem seen in unlimited plans especially on a shared hosting platform is that a customer’s web site will also share the same bandwidth pipe with other customers, and perhaps worse, be on the same server as they are. This could lead to web site performance issues.
Not All About Disk Space and Bandwidth
When you are selecting a web host, the amount of disk space and bandwidth shouldn’t be the only things that you look at. These are less important factors than things like an easy-to-use control panel, anti-spam and anti-blacklist for email, after sales support, site backup features and add-ons like one-click WordPress installation.
To choose the perfect web hosting for your needs, it is best to look at all aspects of your needs as a website owner. This can help you choose the right web host the first time, so you won’t be hopping to new hosts and moving all your files time and again.