Do I need hosting?
The short answer is no.
Anyone can learn anything online. But let’s be realistic, most of us don’t have the time to learn a non-mandatory skill. Even more so, it’s rare to be good at a new skill the first time you need it. That’s where hosting comes in. It effectively gives you the option to outsource some of that skillset, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Website hosting is probably the most common type of hosting services you’ll see. The website hosting company will basically give you the tools to maintain your website and they handle all the back end. Anybody can put words together, but how to get those words in a presentable format and available online? Theres a lot that goes into the back end of that. That’s why we pay them, so we don’t have to do that part.
Similar with program hosting, like QuickBooks desktop. Anyone can figure out how to install, update, save backups, et c., but most people just want to use the program to help run their business. All that back end can be handled by someone else so you can just do what you need and when you need it.
Naturally, you’ll have to weigh the cost. Also naturally, the cost is tied to the service. Lower fees usually mean they do less. But overall, I do think hosting is worth it. I’m an IT pro, but there are a lot of things in IT that I don’t have time to get good at. Website hosting is a great example here, I could learn how to do all that in-house, but I have other stuff to fix and the cost is worth it to outsource some of that skillset. For me, its very worth paying for website hosting so I can just maintain content and design.
Hosting can also open doors for help. For example, with QuickBooks hosting, you can typically set up so that your accountant has direct access. No need to send files back and forth or wait for an accountant’s copy changes. Its all just there in the actual file because both sides can have access.
So, do you need hosting? No. But it can certainly solve a ton of problems, many of which you may not have time to deal with.
Jesse