Using Month-To-Month Web Hosting For Small Projects

Q: I need to find some reasonably priced month to month web hosting for a project I’m working on. I may need it for a little more than a month, but I prefer not to be locked into a yearly or multi-year plan.

A: Most web hosting providers sell 1, 2, and 3-year hosting plans. Nevertheless, there are a few that offer short-term plans.

Monthly Hosting

First, here a few things to consider prior to buying a monthly web hosting plan.

No Free Domain Name – Some web hosting companies offer free domain names with a hosting plan, but not on the monthly plans. If you want a free domain name, at the very least, you’ll need to select a 1-year hosting plan.

Paid Domain Name – Regardless of the hosting plan term selected, domain name registrations have a minimum 1-year term. So if you host a site for one month, you can’t register a domain name for one month as it’s 12 months at the very least. However, the good news is you can get domain names cheap.

Setup Fee – Be prepared to pay a one-time setup fee on short-term plans. I know of no hosting company that offers a reasonably priced monthly plan that doesn’t charge a setup fee. If you find one that doesn’t charge a setup, be prepared to pay an inflated month-to-month price.

Hosting Account Limitations – Some monthly plans may put limits on your account. While you may still get unlimited disk space and data transfer, you may only be able to host one domain name and one MySQL database. Keep in mind that blog installations use a MySQL database.

Out Of Pocket Cost – Do the math. Factor in domain name registration, one-time hosting setup fee and monthly hosting price times the number of months you’ll be needing it. Compare it to a yearly plan with free domain name, no setup fee and a discounted pricing. Which is the better deal for your needs?

Other Considerations

Unlimited Web Hosting Plans – If you go with a yearly plan, you’ll be able to host unlimited domains on one account. (You’ll also get a lot of other “unlimited” features.) So even when you’re current project runs its course, you can still use the hosting account for other websites and blogs.

Buying Your Own Domain Name – When purchasing a hosting plan, you’ll be given the option of buying your domain name right along with your hosting. More often than not, it is almost always cheaper to purchase the name from an outside domain name registrar than it is to buy it from the hosting company. However, there is one exception; paying a flat one-time fee to the hosting company to get your domain name free for life from that point forward. There are a few providers offering that option.

Anytime Money-Back Guarantee – Look for providers offering an anytime money-back guarantee. It will enable you to take advantage of lower pricing, a free domain name and no setup fees. Should you need to cancel your plan, you may do so at anytime and your unused hosting fees will be pro-rated and refunded.