Many web hosting services offer similar features. Unlimited bandwidth, disk space, for the most part similar features. So how can anyone find the right web hosting service?

For advanced users, this is a more simple task if they have specific needs like Ruby on Rails, Fantastico, or some other desired feature. This helps limit it down to a fewer amount of web hosts. Other things to look out for, are how many FTP accounts each web host allows with their various packages, and what the limits on their MYSQL databases is, as far as number and size of the databases allowed.

For the average user on the other hand, the main thing will be customer service. Almost every web hosting service will claim to offer the top in class, and best service to their customers. It is unprofitable for them to suggest otherwise.

The key then for every potential customer is to hunt the web, finding web hosting forums, reviews, and any other indication of how good a web host may be. Keep in mind, however, that the largest web hosting services often have tens of thousands, if not millions of users. So even if only 1% of their users has an unpleasant experience, for a company such as 1&1 hosting, who has roughly 7 million users, that would mean 70,000 angry customers! On the internet, that 1% of 70,000 can kick up quite a storm.

So ultimately, it is important to review the quantity of complaints levied against each web hosting service, as well as the substance of the complaints. Praise on the other hand, should often be viewed suspiciously, as it can be from employees of the company or other underhanded methods. The larger web hosting forums may provide more honest opinions from a larger pool of users, but there are the occasional employees lurking around on the more popular places on the web, writing positive reviews, mentioning their service positively, or even tarnishing the competition’s name.

Sites with user-input reviews may be at special risk. Various web hosting services have been caught inputting positive reviews to their services on many of the larger consumer review sites. But the way they got caught was blatant, using their own companies IP addresses. If a more covert method, using proxies or doing it from home computers rather than computers at the office, were used, it may be almost impossible for those sites to differentiate between the two.

In conclusion, it’s best to gather evidence from various sources across the web, complaints, reviews, forums, and other methods to get a feel for how a web host is truly rated, and determine if they are the right web hosting service.