There are many affordable web hosting packages available today. How do you decide which one is right for you? Even when the price is important, you should never buy your package based on this factor alone. Remember the old adage "You get what you pay for".

If you know what to look for when shopping for a cheap web hosting package, getting the right one for your needs is easy. Just make sure to check out the following:

1. Disk space and bandwidth limits

Some packages offer very limited amount of disk space and low traffic volume. The hosting company will charge you extra for additional disk space and bandwidth. Even if your website is small at the moment, you will need some extra space to allow for its future growth.

2. Included domain name

Unless you already have one, you will need a domain name for your website. The domain name can cost you between $6 and $30 a year depending on the registrar. If you decide to use private registration to hide your personal data in the domain names registry you will have to pay around $20 a year on top of the regular registration fee.

3. Included email accounts and mailbox size

Most web hosting companies offer email as a part of their packages. If you need to have email in yours, decide how many addresses you will need. Make sure that the package you are getting provides enough email addresses and adequate mailbox capacity.

4. FTP access

You will need to upload different files to your website. Check whether you will have an FTP access to your server - some companies will only provide a web browser-based file upload tool. It's always better to have more than one way of transferring files to your server.

5. Dynamic scripts support

If you will have anything other than simple HTML pages on your website, you will need you web server to support dynamic scripts such as PHP, CGI or Perl.

6. Technical support

You need to have access to tech support whenever you require it. A good hosting company will provide you with 24/7 phone and email support even for the smallest packages.

7. How to close your account

If you are not satisfied with your package, you should be able to close your account within reasonable period of time - at least 30 days - and get full refund. Make sure your web host provides this option.

Now you know how to select the hosting package that won't disappoint you.