In the web hosting industry, pricing is not always what it seems, especially for the novice webmaster. Make sure you investigate the true cost of prospective hosting plans before making any commitments.
Unexpected or hidden fees is an another pricing factor to consider when purchasing a hosting plan. The first fee to look for is the setup fee. Many hosting plans charge around $50 for a setup fee when you first purchase the plan. In some cases, the hosting company may offer a rebate on this setup fee; however, you should know that you will receive the money at a later date, and you will still need to pay the fee when purchasing the plan.
Another fee to look for is excessive usage fees. This is especially important when shopping for plans that claim to offer unlimited features. In reality, every web hosting plan has its limitations, so it is important to note what the monetary repercussions are for exceeding those limits. In some cases, you may be able to find a hosting plan that will only charge you for the amount of server resources you used over the limit, instead of charging you a set fee. In other cases, you may be required to upgrade or pay a fee for exceeding your limitations.
Domain transferring fees are also often overlooked. If you already have websites that you will be transferring to your new web hosting account, make sure you don't have to pay any fees to do so.