Web presence has become a must for businesses, irrespective of their size or reach. Given its wide expanse, ubiquity, and cost-effectiveness, the Internet has become a favourite with buyers and sellers alike. Web sites have to cater to a wide range of aspects in order to make an impact on their users. Design, content, links, search-engine friendliness, hosting, etc. are just some of the factors that influence the functionality of a web site.

There was a time when services like web hosting weren't considered affordable for small businesses. Thankfully, with the evolution of the World Wide Web, a number of companies entered this domain and started offering hosting services at cheap rates, and even free of cost. To stay afloat in this competitive market, such service providers promise the best of services, but often do not live up to expectations.

Being a business owner, you should be well-aware of the pros and cons of the web hosting services you choose for your site. Listed below are the benefits of opting for a reasonably-priced service provider:

• You get good services without spending too much money on hosting your site – the amount can be as less as $5 a month.
• The disk space provided by these service providers is usually in the range of 10-70 GB. Plus, the bandwidth offered could go up to 500 GB. Considering the price, this amount is good enough for your web business.
• These companies provide for Windows and Unix servers, and therefore, easily cater to general web hosting requirements. 
• Such companies allow small-sized businesses to hire hosting services without having to invest too much.

The following are the disadvantages of opting for an inexpensive service for hosting your web site:

• Such companies make up for their low pricing by either reducing their services or increasing their rates later.
• It is believed that at times of crisis, such hosts are just never around. Their hosting plans are not good enough to help you during server breakdowns or instances of hacking.
• You may end up sharing space with other companies on the same server. This can have a negative impact on your web site design and hosting. 

As a business owner, you should ensure that you get services in accordance with the payment you shell out. Opt for a service that is both efficient and economical.