There is a lot of confusion in the market place about what 'FTP Site Hosting' is. It's typically confused with the FTP service used for 'Website Hosting.'

Even providers like Network Solutions don't get it. You'll find them and many others marketing their 'Website Hosting' service as 'FTP Site Hosting.'

Although they both use the same method to transfer files (File Transfer Protocol), the actual services are extremely different.

What is 'FTP Site Hosting?"

'FTP Site Hosting' is a service that allows one person to share and exchange large files with many other people via the Internet through the use of a secure, online file storage system.

A key benefit of 'FTP Site Hosting' is that the file transfer process actually bypasses a user's email service. This means that the user never has file size and/or file type restrictions.

For example: Let's say I'm a distributor and it's the end of the month. I need to send my monthly sales reports out to my eight regional sales managers. However, I can't send the files via email because their size is too large and they are in a .ZIP file format.

What do I do? It's simple! I utilize an 'FTP Site Hosting' service that allows me to set up multiple secure file folders online, one for each of my sales reps.

After I'm done setting up the folders, which usually takes about five-minutes, I simply upload the individual sales reports to each regional managers secure file folder. They can then download the files/reports at their leisure.

In the above example, a single user would be able to manage all their online FTP files and folders from any computer connected to the Internet. In addition, because each of the online FTP folders is password protected, they would not have to worry about one sales rep. accessing another reps. information.

What is the main difference between 'FTP Site Hosting' and the FTP service used for 'Website Hosting'?

With 'FTP Site Hosting,' a user can have between two and a thousand FTP accounts. Each account can be password protected and the files, folders, and accounts can be managed from any computer that has an Internet connection.

This type of service is designed for transferring files between an individual and/or company and a multitude of individuals and/or companies.

On the other hand, the FTP service used for 'Website Hosting' generally consists of a single FTP account that is used by a webmaster or website designer to transfer (upload) files to a website.

How much does 'FTP Site Hosting' cost?

Your cost for 'FTP Site Hosting' is typically a fraction of the cost of sending files via conventional methods such as Fed-X, UPS, and the US Postal Service.

Best of all, when sending files via 'FTP Site Hosting,' there are no pickup and delivery charges, no damaged shipments, and no lost media! In addition, you can access, upload, and download your files from any Internet connection.

You can expect to pay between $3.50 per week and $55.00 per month for basic 'FTP Site Hosting' service. Many of the service providers don't require a contract, which means you can terminate the service at any time without facing early termination fees.

Also, a lot of the providers will allow you to test their service before you subscribe. This is nice because if you don't like the service, you don't pay.

Why would someone need more than one 'FTP Site Hosting' account?

If you have large files you share with multiple clients and vendors, you're a good candidate for 'FTP Site Hosting.'

By having multiple accounts and being able to password protect each account, you can send & receive files to & from your clients and vendors without worrying about any one of them seeing the others files.

The types of companies that typically use 'FTP Site Hosting' are engineering firms, designers, transcriptionists, printers, lawyers, artists, developers, medical practices, and businesses that have a need to securely transfer large files via the Internet.

How do I find a good 'FTP Site Hosting' company?

Now that you understand the differences between 'FTP Site Hosting' and the FTP service used for 'Website Hosting,' you need to select a service that fits your needs.

How do you do it? It's simple! The best place to start looking is Google (http://www.Google.com). Just type in the phrase 'FTP Site Hosting' and a list of companies offering the FTP service will be displayed. Simply work your way through the list and identify the companies that offer the type of service that fits your needs the best.