WHAT IS WEB HOSTING?
To enable your web site to be seen by the millions of internet users around the world, it needs to be placed on a server (host) with permanent, high-speed connections to the World Wide Web.
 
IS ALL HOSTING THE SAME?
The simple answer is no. Web servers are usually powered by either Windows or Linux operating systems. The speed of the actual server, speed of the "backbone" connection to the web, the number of web sites that are hosted on a single server, and many other factors all determine the speed at which web pages will be served to visitors.
 
Why is there such a vast difference in price?
For many of the reasons given above. A quality web server is an expensive item to purchase and maintain. You will no doubt have seen companies advertising "free" hosting or hosting for a few pounds per month/year. The only way these prices can be achieved and sustained is through compromise - slower, less powerful servers made from cheaper components, slower backbone connections, minimal data transfer (bandwidth) limits, sponsorship (advertising) on your site placed there by your hosts, or shoe-horning accounts onto the server are some of the ways lower costs are achieved. In addition to this technical support may be non-existent, meaning you have no one to turn to when the inevitable system failure occurs.