Is paying a yearly web hosting fee up front a bad thing? Purchasing a one year hosting plan will usually save you money. And, if you get a two or three year plan, you’ll usually save even more. Lately however, I’ve been reading and hearing negative opinions on yearly hosting fees.
Some people say it’s better to pay for your web hosting on a month-to-month basis. Some of the reasons given are:
- You’re locked in for a year if you pay up front
- You want to have the option to move your website
- You may get complacent about fees with a yearly purchase
I disagree with the above reasoning.
I have no problem purchasing one year web hosting plans—and have done so many times. The fact is, here in 2014, there really isn’t any good reason to pass up saving some money by paying a yearly web hosting fee. Here are my responses to some of the arguments against yearly hosting fees.
If I pay for a year’s worth of web hosting up front, what happens if service starts to suck after a while?
I’ve actually had this situation happen to me before. In the past, it may have been a problem. But nowadays, most web hosting plans come with a money-back guarantee. You can even find some web hosts that will give you a full refund 90 days or more after you sign up. If you’re worried there may be problems after 90 days (usually more than enough time to evaluate your hosting company), you can also find web hosting companies that offer an anytime money-back guarantee where you can get a pro-rated refund whenever you want to cancel out.
What if I want to move my website? Won’t it be a hassle?
Again, at one time it may have been difficult to move your website to a different host. However, with so much competition in the web hosting arena, transferring your website doesn’t have to be a headache. Along with web hosting companies offering money-back guarantees, many web hosts are more than willing to help you transfer your site to their hosting from another company. So, you don’t have to worry about not having the technical expertise to make the move.
By paying for a year’s worth of web hosting, what if I get complacent about what I’m paying for?
This is something I really don’t get. I guess some people feel that by paying for hosting on a monthly basis, they’re more likely to be aware of exactly what they’re paying for. But the reality is if you pay a yearly hosting fee, your costs should not change during that time. Your hosting company should not be charging you any additional fees. And, it should be much easier for you to know what your cost is each month—since you’ve already paid the full amount.
So, I would recommend not worrying about paying a yearly fee to your hosting company up front. You’ll save yourself some money. And as long as you do some research to find the best web host for your situation, you’ll still have options and not be locked in.
