I just wanted to quickly jot down a checklist for you if you are looking at self-hosting WordPress. This results from many clients who have come to me with what was promised as full hosting services, only to be found that the web developer is providing subdomains on their own account, or find they find they have limited access.

And web designers do disappear into a black hole specific to them. So be careful!

The important questions to ask, whether it’s free or paid hosting:

• Will you be able to make all changes to the account yourself, including contact changes, credit card changes, etc?
• Can you cancel the hosting yourself?
• Do you have full FTP access to your files?
• Do you have full access to the control panel and your databases?
• Do you have access to your phpAdmin?
• Can you get support directly from the hosting service?

If the person providing the hosting answers “no” to any of these, beware. You can expect huge headaches down the road.

And do ask others who are using the hosting service if they are happy with the support they have received in the past.

This is very critical information to have in case you are left high and dry.

If you have another question you think people should ask, please chime in.  Also, this is not a discussion to promote your hosting or anyone else’s hosting services. Purely educational. Thanks!