The word free has a very powerful appeal. Various advertisements for free FTP hosting also cast a powerful spell on the web surfers searching for a solution to their file transfer problems, and they therefore are easily taken in, only to realize later on that they had been trapped into reading unwanted advertisements or irritating pop-ups.

It is always advisable to make enquiries before entrusting your valuable individual or corporate data in exchange for tardy transfer of your files. The first question to ask should be about the track record of the hosting company. How long the company has been in business? A new entrant, despite honest intentions, may not have acquired the expertise to handle your important files and may be offering free service just to enlist you as their customer, but may close the shop sooner than later. It takes around five years to build a solid foundation in the business. Then there may be fly-by-night companies who may just vanish with your invaluable data by luring you with a free service. So, make sure that the company is legitimate.

It is easy to launch a website and name it a FTP hosting company. Ask for references of the actual users. The company should have a toll-free telephone number and should answer your queries courteously and in detail. A free FTP web hosting company cannot provide you with sufficient bandwidth for uploads and downloads of the data. The service and technical support of the free hosting company may be poor and below mark. It may not support file transfers from Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. A free web hosting company may force you to purchase their own specific software at their own rates, and may not allow you to opt for off-the-shelf purchase of the software that you need.

A free web hosting company can be useful if you just want to gain experience by learning the techniques of FTP and be well versed with the job before launching into a serious business.