By John A Guinn
I talked in another article about the normal fees to expect when buying web hosting. In addition to those fees, some hosting company may charge you extra fees that you were not aware of when you decided to purchase your hosting plan. Many of the smaller, less reputable companies will include some hidden fees that are tacked on after you have finalized your purchase. They are required by law to notify customers of these fees, and indeed they do, but most of the time they do it in the small print at the bottom of the web page, where most people will not see them. So it's always a good thing to look for them before you buy.
Customer Service Fees
The first of these fees is what they refer to as customer service fees. This is a fee you get charged for calling the hosting company to get help. A lot of the less reputable hosts will have these fees as part of the plan. Before buying from them, it's always a good thing to call them first and ask if they charge extra for customer service calls. The majority of the top companies will not charge extra for phone service, and many of them will state clearly in their features and benefits page that you get free 24/7 phone support. Now, it may happen that they will tell you that they start charging for phone assistance after so many calls or so many hours. That is normal, and is to be expected because even the top 10 hosts cannot afford to offer phone service to a customer that calls two or three times a day, every day. But if the calls come only once in a while when help is really needed, then the phone service will be free. With the less reputable companies, they usually will charge a fee for every call made. So always inquire first before buying from such companies.
Account Setup Fees
The second type of fee is called account setup fee. Again, it is a type of fee that is charged after you have bought the hosting plan and are getting ready to set up your website. Always look for a hosting company that clearly states in their ads that there are no setup fees. If they do not state it clearly on their web page, call their toll--free number and ask first before buying.
Those are the two most common types of hidden fees that the smaller companies will charge. The competition among the top 10 hosts is so intense that now all of them clearly advertise no set up fees and no customer service fees as part of their incentive to get customers. So when you're not sure, it's always a good thing to go with one of these reputable, top 10 hosting companies.
Customer Service Fees
The first of these fees is what they refer to as customer service fees. This is a fee you get charged for calling the hosting company to get help. A lot of the less reputable hosts will have these fees as part of the plan. Before buying from them, it's always a good thing to call them first and ask if they charge extra for customer service calls. The majority of the top companies will not charge extra for phone service, and many of them will state clearly in their features and benefits page that you get free 24/7 phone support. Now, it may happen that they will tell you that they start charging for phone assistance after so many calls or so many hours. That is normal, and is to be expected because even the top 10 hosts cannot afford to offer phone service to a customer that calls two or three times a day, every day. But if the calls come only once in a while when help is really needed, then the phone service will be free. With the less reputable companies, they usually will charge a fee for every call made. So always inquire first before buying from such companies.
Account Setup Fees
The second type of fee is called account setup fee. Again, it is a type of fee that is charged after you have bought the hosting plan and are getting ready to set up your website. Always look for a hosting company that clearly states in their ads that there are no setup fees. If they do not state it clearly on their web page, call their toll--free number and ask first before buying.
Those are the two most common types of hidden fees that the smaller companies will charge. The competition among the top 10 hosts is so intense that now all of them clearly advertise no set up fees and no customer service fees as part of their incentive to get customers. So when you're not sure, it's always a good thing to go with one of these reputable, top 10 hosting companies.
John Guinn is the Publisher of Complete Hosting Reviews, an online magazine that tests and reviews Web Hosting Companies. Subscribe to the CHR online magazine, and find great web hosting deals, special offers and discount coupons.
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