Choosing a web hosting company can be tough, but like most things in life it’s really about little more than ticking all the essential boxes and seeing who’s left in contention.
So with this in mind, we’ve brought you a comprehensive 10-point checklist for making the right choice – leave no box unticked and it’s almost impossible to go wrong! 
1 – Costs
Far from the be all and end all but certainly a point to consider, the cost of package is usually the first thing you’ll look at. But here’s the thing – opting for a bargain-basement hosting package that’s suspiciously cheap can be every bit as perilous as overpaying. Establish an average you should be paying for what you’re looking for and stick to it.
2 – Specialism
Some hosting companies are run for hobbyists, others are in service for multi-national corporations – the needs of your business should to some extent influence the hosting company you choose by way if its core specialism. See what kinds of sites they already host and choose accordingly.
3 – Technical Stuff
Ask your prospective provider for details on the technical stuff like processing power, RAM, disk space and so on and so forth – you might not know what you need, but tell them about your site and your business and they’ll be able to advise. Cheap hosting usually means low-end hardware, so make sure your chosen package can accommodate you.
4 – Support Service
A deal-breaker if ever there was one – never forget how big the difference is between 24-hour on-demand support and a ticketing system where you might not get a response for three or four days. If your website is your livelihood, you cannot afford downtime.
5 – Uptime Guarantees
Speaking of which, it’s almost unheard of these days for a hosting company not to offer an uptime guarantee of 99.99% – anything less really is a thing of the dark ages.
6 – Optional Extras
How easy or indeed possible does the hosting company make it to add extras onto your service package as and when needed? Will it cause chaos? Will it cost you a fortune? Is it even possible at all? A crucial consideration to look into.
7 – Feedback
There’s little of more importance than finding out what the firm’s current and past customers have to say about them. This is your own real window into what goes on once you’ve signed on the dotted line, so be sure to look at plenty of feedback. And if there’s none on offer, ask yourself why this might be.
8 – Security
Does the hosting company speak openly and confidently about the subject of security, or does it seem like something of a secondary afterthought? Nothing in the world is more important for your site and your customers than safety and security of data – remember this!
9 – User Interface
Look into whether the firm uses one of the most popular and easy to use interfaces for its customers – Plesk and cPanel being the two front-runners. You’ll be spending a lot of time using your selected interface, so make sure it’s a good one!
10 – Guarantees
Last but not least, does the hosting firm advertise things like solid support, unlimited bandwidth and the lowest possible price, or do they actually guarantee it. Make sure your money is safe and sound by only accepting promises backed by rock-solid guarantees.