As you search through the major engines databases you are going to come across many, many different web hosting companies. Some are going to have a one time fee, some are going to want a monthly fee, and others are going to offer it to you for free. At this point your probably asking yourself, so which one do I choose, and what's the difference between them? Well the differences vary, and choosing one can be difficult if you don't know what to look for. So here are some things to consider when deciding on a host.

Price
As I mentioned above prices vary anywhere from free to a monthly fee. The web hosts that offer you free service often have limited tools, don't allow you to have your own domain name, and also place advertisements all over your pages. This can be good as a start to learn the process of starting a website for some, but everyone is eventually going to want to move on to a better host. As for those that charge a fee you have to consider a number of things other than their price.

Speed
Speed is important for every website. No one wants to visit a site that moves slower than the speed of smell. It's irritating to go to a site that never loads, or makes you wait what seems like hours before you can view a page so make sure you check what speed your host connects to the internet at.

Tools
You are going to want a web host that allows you the freedom to do most anything quickly and efficiently. This will take some experimenting to find what is best for you. I have tried a few hosts and know how to use many of the tools of different hosts and if I build the site for you I will go over the basics of how to use the tools with you.

Support
You are going to want a web host that has some way for you to contact them if you ever need help. Most offer forums, a help desk, and an online chat during certain hours.

Reliability
You are going to want a web host who can have your site up and running as close to 100% of the time as possible. The best way to find this information is to ask someone who has used the web host, or go to the help desk and ask them directly.