Godaddy Alternatives

[parttimetechie]

What is a good Godaddy alternative that would allow emails and free web hosting? Right now I bought the domain name www.wadsley.us with ten unlimited emial boxes and am using the free credit for hosting. Not really impressed with Godaddy, so looking for a simple interface with easy to understand billing. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[AdamsAPlus]

I go through 1 &1, But i'm also looking to change.

I hear fat cow is a good one. And also host gator.

Im not sure of any free hosting.

 

[Jory]

As a general rule of thumb it's a good idea to get hosting and domains from separate companies. Your website is important, and even expensive hosting is a drop in the bucket in advertising cost terms.

 

[AdamsAPlus]

As a general rule of thumb it's a good idea to get hosting and domains from separate companies. Your website is important, and even expensive hosting is a drop in the bucket in advertising cost terms.

I guess i'm kind of new to owning a website. Why do you need the hosting and domains from separate companies? How would you set it up?

 

[parttimetechie]

I had my own web server for a while, but that eventually broke. I want free hosting, as nothing I have hosted is worth paying any money for

 

[dbdawn]

I guess i'm kind of new to owning a website. Why do you need the hosting and domains from separate companies? How would you set it up?

So they can't hold you hostage for some reason.
All you have to do is update your DNS records on the hosting provider to point to the correct server of your domain provider.

I have used both Dreamhost and GoDaddy in the past. I still use Dreamhost for my domain registrations.

 

[Onouris]

Love bluehost personally, unlimited almost everything, and a good price with the right coupon codes.

 

[parttimetechie]

Will many of the hosting plans allow for a domain transfer?

 

[Onouris]

Will many of the hosting plans allow for a domain transfer?

In BlueHost:

For $10/ea I can transfer any number of domains into my hosting account, it also extends the domain a year if it exists, or registers a new domain for a year.

Technically they are all sub-domains of my main account domain, that redirect (ie. xyz.com = xyz.mainaccount.com) but each site acts as their own with an invisible redirect. sorry I don't know the exact terminology, but it makes sense to me like this.

My bluehost domain management tab looks like so:

So that gives you an idea of how it is all laid out.

 

[parttimetechie]

I read some pretty negative reviews about how pricing went up each year, how the domains were cancelled without notice, and things of that nature. As far as the free unlimited emials, can those be forwarded into a different account? Like if I had an email addy of me@bluehost.com could I forward that into my yahoo account?

 

[Onouris]

I read some pretty negative reviews about how pricing went up each year, how the domains were cancelled without notice, and things of that nature. As far as the free unlimited emials, can those be forwarded into a different account? Like if I had an email addy of me@bluehost.com could I forward that into my yahoo account?

I have all my emails forwarding into my g-mail automatically (about 15 different emails, like steve@, repairs@, webmaster@, etc...)

As for dropping domains or pricing issues, I haven't personally run into any issues. I got the platinum pack (normally 6.95/mo) for 3.95/mo with a coupon code back in January 2010. As long as you keep a way to renew domains on file, I can't see how they can just cancel it... unless it's all set to manual and you let it expire, then that's just sillyness. YMMV.

 

[parttimetechie]

Also, where can you find the right coupon codes?

 

[Onouris]

I just verified here with my expense receipts from last year, $94.80 paid up front for 2 years of hosting (@ 3.95/mo for 24mos).

Set it and forget it.

As for the coupon code, I don't remember exactly, but it was most likely a google search for "bluehost coupon codes" or "bluehost promo codes"

Just did a search, found this site: http://www.hostingz.com/bluehost-coupon.html -- you click the link on top and it forwards to bluehost.com, and has a nice red line though the 6.95/mo and drops it to 3.95/mo. Seems like this is a pretty common deal if it is still available.

I can only imagine after my 2 years are up, it will go back to 6.95/mo, and that may be what you were describing by people complaining of "sudden" price increases. That's just people that don't pay attention, IMO, and go "what is this 200 charge on my card!!?!".

< disclaimer > I am in no way affiliated (though, after looking at it, I might want to sign up for an affiliate account, $65.00 kick-back per sign up!!) with bluehost. Make your own informed decisions based on your need and market research. Bluehost has done wonders for me, but that may not be your experience. < /disclaimer >

 

[parttimetechie]

So for 6.95 a month you get unlimited email accounts which you can either sign in online or have forwarded to something else, you get unlimited storage, bandwidth transfer, subdomains and the use of PHP scripsts all for that amount? Sounds too good to be true. Will this price be for a new domain or a transfered domain? I read in their FAQs that they are no the registrant, you have to do that on your own.

 

[BryanVest]

Good read if your looking for unlimited hosting.
http://www.thesitewizard.com/webhosting/unlimited-space-bandwidth.shtml

 

[atlanticjim]

I was surprised that my internet provider - OptimumOnline offers free domain name registration and webhosting with their SpeedBoost service.

 

[Onouris]

I use OO boost, and never thought to look for hosting information. I was more concerned with the down speeds. I might have to investigate hosting a site for a friend, since it's free and all. Thanks for the tip, +rep.

 

[parttimetechie]

Rhine, can you confirm this logic for me please?


So for 6.95 a month you get unlimited email accounts which you can either sign in online or have forwarded to something else, you get unlimited storage, bandwidth transfer, subdomains and the use of PHP scripsts all for that amount? Sounds too good to be true. Will this price be for a new domain or a transfered domain? I read in their FAQs that they are no the registrant, you have to do that on your own.

 

[Onouris]

Rhine, can you confirm this logic for me please?

So for 6.95 a month you get unlimited email accounts which you can either sign in online or have forwarded to something else, you get unlimited storage, bandwidth transfer, subdomains and the use of PHP scripsts all for that amount? Sounds too good to be true. Will this price be for a new domain or a transfered domain? I read in their FAQs that they are no the registrant, you have to do that on your own.

correct... 6.95/mo for the hosting, $10 pop for registering domain name (I paid 2 years in advance). As stated above though, "unlimited" is a loose term, but I haven't hit any warnings or caps yet.

 

[myPCTechs]

Bluehost is the bomb. I have 100s of domains and websites hosted there. Best support in the industry, pricing is awesome, uptime is great...

Everything about Bluehost rocks IMHO.