On the downside, though, the choice of platform for a particular user is seldom simple or straightforward. On the contrary, a great deal of exploration is required in order to find the best candidate for a particular application.
A simple way to classify hosting platforms is to split them up into two broad groups: free platforms and fee-based setups. Within each category, there are further subtypes to consider.
The best choice of hosting platforms depends on the particular project that a user has in mind. As an example, a free site at a social network might be sufficient for a personal Web site whose function is to show off a medley of photos to a bunch of friends and family. By contrast, an online business with a slew of products may have to rely on a pricey platform that offers a lot of flexibility in designing and operating the site.
Given the profusion of Web hosting services, even a cursory survey will uncover hordes of candidates in each category. For this reason, an enormous amount of time and effort may be needed to perform a thorough survey in order to find the best platform for a particular project.
An alternative course is to make use of previous forays in the field. In this light, an expansive survey of the terrain has in fact come up with a roster of top candidates for a variety of applications.
The winning entries in the beauty pageant are presented in the sections to come. The first segment below deals with free sites while the second focuses on for-fee platforms. A paid service is the standard approach for hosting a commercial hub.
In the case of a Web business, the entrepreneur will most likely want to procure a domain name as well. For this reason, the best choice of domain registrar is also identified below.
More on Top Sites for Web Hosting Services: Free Platforms and Fee-Based Products.
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