(FTP/SFTP) FileZilla

nt(FTP/SFTP) FileZilla is a free FTP solution and a must for any serious web master or web administrator. Provided by the FileZilla Project, it is the go-to FTP tool for both client and server implementations. FileZilla is open source software distributed free of charge under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The server download is only available for Windows OS, but the client download is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X, and in addition, the source code and checksums are also provided.

Google Sites

ntGoogle Sites is the free, web-based site-building tool and is a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) application available for creating and sharing web pages. It allows you to make your own pages, collect your own content, and control who can edit and view your site. Access Google Sites from http://sites.google.com/ and you can be well on your way to starting out with your own site in just minutes.

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ntWhile Google Sites does have limitations with respect to adding custom pages and incorporating scripts such as JavaScript, HTML, and CSS due to security reasons, it is a great place for the beginner or non-profit organization looking for a really low cost option for getting a quick website up and running. If you already have a Gmail account, it is easy to start your Google site with your current Google account login; there will be no need to register again.

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ntGoogle Sites provides 100MB of storage space for the basic configuration; however, if you have a Google Apps account, the storage is increased to 10GB for every Google Apps domain, and for domains using Google Apps Premier and Education Editions, these also receive an additional 500MB of storage space per user. A basic Google Apps account is free; therefore, it might make sense for organizations such as a non-profits. The limit is 50 user accounts.

TopCities

ntTopCities is another web-based WYSIWYG editor. This tool has been around since 1998 and features a built-in library of flash, banners, icons, bullets, and buttons, along with a blog capability. TopCities also has FTP access for adding your own files, including images, and offers a photo album option. The free 30-day plan offers 500MB monthly bandwidth allowance, 300MB disk storage, runs on the Linux OS, uses the web-based control panel, and support for PHP 5, MySQL 5 Server, rich media content, and datacenter support. The only associated cost with the basic package is an $11.00 domain name registration.

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ntThe TopCities Premium Plan, for $7.00 per month increases the monthly bandwidth to unlimited, and the disk storage to 50,000MB (48.8GB), along with one free domain registration, everything from the basic plan and more, including unlimited email addresses and aliases. Review the TopCities package options at http://www.topcities.com/upgrade-packages.html.

BlueHost

ntFor the low cost of $4.95 per month, or $59.40 for the annual fee, BlueHost offers unlimited disk storage, unlimited domain name hosting, one year of domain name registration, unlimited POP3 and IMAP secure email accounts with email forwarding, FTP access, web file manager, and secure shell (SSH) access. The CGI and database features include MySQL 5 Server, PostgreSQL, CGI-BIN, CGI Library PHP 5 and custom PHP.ini files, Perl 5, Python, Ruby and Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, DHTML, Flash, and Shockwave. BlueHost also provides several website scripts for message forums, social networking, mailing lists, Drupal, Joomla, and project management features. Other features include e-commerce, multimedia, and search engine submissions.

HostMonster

ntVery similar in offerings with that of BlueHost, the web hosting provider HostMonster features unlimited disk space and unlimited bandwidth, hosting for unlimited domains, unlimited email accounts, domain name included, site builder, control panels, WordPress, and image gallery features. It’s $4.50 per month for the starter package, or you can upgrade to the Pro Package for $19.95 per month. Other options and add-ons can increase your monthly cost, but for a starter hosting provider at the basic level of $54.00 for the annual fee, this is a bargain deal.