Having a website is a great way to reach new customers and grow your business. But now you have to decide how to host your website. Should you host your website with your developer? Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons.
The Pros of Hosting with Your Developer
There are a few advantages to hosting your website with your developer. First, it can be more convenient because you’ll only have one point of contact for both your website and your hosting. Second, hosting with your developer can sometimes be cheaper because they may offer discounts for their clients. Lastly, your developer will already be familiar with your website, so ideally they would be able to help resolve any issues more quickly.
All that being said, any small benefits you may gain in convenience and reduced costs are significantly outweighed by the significant risk to which you are subjecting your business, should something go wrong. Let’s get into it!
The Cons of Hosting with Your Developer
If your web developer offers you a package deal where they’ll take care of everything for you, including web hosting, that’s understandably tempting. Web hosting is where all of your files will reside, so here’s why you shouldn’t give away the sole set of keys to your business website!
- First, you may not actually be saving money. You’ll essentially be paying your developer twice if they’re also hosting your site. Most web developers and designers who offer website hosting are actually just hosting resellers. They’re likely paying a small amount of money to the web hosting servicer, and then up-charging you on top of their monthly fee for maintaining your website for you. And while trusting someone to provide ongoing maintenance for your website is always a good idea, why pay a middleman when you could pay the web hosting service directly? Similarly, if they are just a reseller, what happens if something happens to their provider, such an outage or a data compromise? Your site and files will be in jeopardy, and your developer won’t be able to help until the issue gets resolved with the web hosting company.
- Another disadvantage is that you have less control over your website if it’s hosted by your developer. For example, if you want to make changes to your site or add new features, you may need to rely on your developer to do so for you. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to maintain a fast pace of growth for your business. Why give total control of such a valuable asset to one person? Even if they have glowing reviews, how do you know what level of service you’re going to get? Are they going to be truly available to you 24/7? What if they go on vacation or even go out of business? Who will support your site in case of an emergency? If they become unavailable to you, how will you get all of your intellectual property back? As we’ve been in this business for many years, we’ve definitely heard some horror stories of clients being ghosted by their developers and not even having access to their own website! As a business owner, you should always have control over all of your assets, digital included.
- Ultimately, if you host your site with your web developer, you are tied to them and can feel like you’re being held hostage. If you decide you need to move your site, you’ll need their cooperation, and the same goes for if something goes wrong. If you decide to part ways with your developer, transferring your website to a new host will end up being a complicated, stressful, and time-consuming process when it doesn’t need to be. Plus, if your web developer has total control over your website and files, they could potentially wreak havoc on your site and your life if you choose to go in a different direction, even though you’re absolutely entitled to do so as the business owner!
Inception Web Design, Trusted Developers for Every Sized Business
At Inception Web Design, we know that as a business owner, you have to make a lot of decisions about what’s best for your business. Getting on the web should be a straightforward and easy process as should the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of your website. As web designers who also offer ongoing website maintenance, we always strive to make shining on the web as stress-free as possible, and are thankful to have built so many lasting relationships with our clients. Our opinion is this: your website is a crucial asset of your business, and as the business owner, you should have ultimate control over your website.
We can certainly handle every aspect of getting your website up and running, but when you partner with us, you alone will have the keys to your online kingdom, as you’re the boss! Schedule a free zoom consultation today to get all of your questions answered.
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