5 Bad Reasons to Stick With a Bad Host

If you’re not happy with your host, why haven’t you done anything about it yet?

It’s all too easy to make excuses. But the consequences of staying could be worse than the consequences of leaving.

Here are five common excuses we all use.

1. The Hosting Contract

Some hosts offer big discounts for long-term signups.

It’s understandable that you’d feel trapped if you still had some time to run.

But remember: what’s done is done. Effectively, there is no financial penalty for leaving other than having to set up a new hosting account wherever you go. Even if you don’t use every month on your agreement, given the damage bad hosting can do to a site, you’re probably saving money in the long run if you move.

2. Too Much Hassle

Moving a site, especially one that’s been active for a long period of time, can feel like moving house.

The idea of packing it all up and moving it can seem overwhelming.

But hosts can help you move. Most cPanel hosts perform the move for you, and the service is often free. It’s easy and fast.

3. No Better Option

You might think there’s no guarantee that things will be any better elsewhere.

But that’s simply not the case.

Hosting reviews are your friend. A thorough review can help you to determine whether a host is right for you and give you the confidence to make that move.

Even if you do get a bad host, you can protect yourself; keep your old account open for a month and take advantage of the free trial/ money-back guarantee period. If things are really that bad, just move back.

4. Fear of Downtime

The prospect of risking data loss or an extended period of downtime to make a move seems risky.

It may also feel difficult to organise the move so that your data is safe.

But a hosting move, if done properly and carefully, comes with virtually zero risk of downtime or data loss. The vast majority of sites that move hosts can do it without visitors being any the wiser.

5. Stuck in a Rut

When you’ve got your habits and routines, it’s difficult to change them.

But moving isn’t really that big a change.

Your host probably offers the same control panel, so there are just a few new policies and passwords to learn.

Making That Move

If you’re paying for bad hosting, just take a deep breath and make the move.

A bad host can damage a good site in so many ways, there is nothing good that can come out of sticking around.

Claire Broadley

Claire is a freelance writer. She works with us through Red Robot Media, which she runs along with her associate Mathew Dixon. In addition, Claire is an accomplished musician who has toured the world with her band Printed Circuit. She lives in the United Kingdom.