Homestead Review

Homestead Technologies Inc, offers a online website builder for non-techies to create their own online presence with a brand new website. Their system shows you how to create a website with a SiteBuilder. SiteBuilder is actually offered FREE when you purchase a new web hosting account with a typial web host provider.

From the Homestead.com website

Homestead Technologies Inc., an Intuit company, is dedicated to providing small businesses with affordable, easy-to-use tools and services that help them tap the Web to compete more effectively and win more business.

Since 1996, more than 12 million customers have used our award-winning products and services to establish their presence on the Web, maintain and promote their site, and sell or market their products and services—all without mastering programming or design. From our award-winning, SiteBuilder software, to our ecommerce solutions and world-class support, we help small businesses achieve success online.

First Impression

The Homestead website is very clean and has colors and large easy-to-read buttons which help guide you through the process of navigating their site. They also have a neat "How it Works" area on the their homepage which explains how easy it is to publish a website using their proprietary software.

Although they have prominently placed Try It Free button on the homepage, I'm am always skeptical of online service providers that make they pricing scale hard to find. It says only $4.99 in small print after the 30 day free trial, but I'm sure that won't include all the bells and whistles.

The footer is humongous, which leads me to believe Homestead has spent time and money hiring SEO consultants to optimize their homepage to reach a maximum amount of organic search engine traffic from Google, in addition to paying for Google Adwords.

Beware that the Homestead homepage has a video which plays automatically once the page has loaded and it is very annoying to say the least. So just remember to turn your speakers down in advance.

Pricing

After clicking through several pages I finally found the pricing page. I clicked on the Features tab at the top, then at the very bottom of the list of is a tiny link called Learn More About Our Packages.

Now I see why they have their pricing hidden. Their features are sub-standard to what you would receive if you just purchased your own domain and hosting.

I have reviewed each of their web hosting software packages and provided a summary of my findings below.

Starter - This option is free for 30 days, then increases to 4.99 a month. This is the most affordable package, but you won't get any useful options with this package. The the $20 setup fee is waived. At $4.99 the price in enticing, however if you are trying to establish a brand name, you will have to pay an additional fee by registering the domain yourself. If you are starting out and want to be able to accept credit cards this is NOT the option for you. The disk space is a measly 25 MB and this will allow you to upload a limited amount of images, brochures or video. You will only be able to create 5 pages and create a maximum of 1 website. If you are a needy person or tend to require a bit of hand-holding when trying new things, be aware that you only have 30 days of toll-free phone support.

If I was new to the web I would probably choose this option solely because of the price, but after a few months I wold soon realize that the Starter does not offer enough flexibility in order to compete with other website competing for the same customers.

Gold - The Gold option costs (currently) $19.99 a month plus a $20 setup fee. This package gives you all the features offered in the starter package, plus a few more. With this option however, you will get included with the monthly cost a personalized domain name (www.yourdomain.com) and 5 personalized email addresses (name@yourdomain.com), You will have the option to accept credit card orders online, but adding the SimpleStore eCommerce software will still be an additional fee. Website stats are included, but WebListings, LocalListings and Search Engine Advertising Credit is not. Phone support lasts for 90 days.

If I was FORCED to choose one of these options I would select this package. It still doesn't offer complete flexibility, but does offer a few neat add-ons. The biggest turn-off is the $20 a month price tag is a bit steep for an entrepreneur starting out.

Platinum - The price is a painful $49.99 a month, plus a $20 setup fee. Again, all the same features as the lower package levels, plus everything else Homestead offers. The Platinum option provides enough space to hold any content you will need to get your website started. In addition, you are able to have up to 3 personalized domains and 50 customized email addresses. You will be able to accept credit cards and get free usage of the SimpleStore eCommerce software. To generate traffic you will have access web stats, Web Listings, Local Listings and $30 Google Search Engine Credit.

This option seems the best for a start-up business, but the high price tag of $49.99 a month would surely scare me away.

Homestead Technologies Inc., is a good solid options for web newbies, but because of the price I would stay away. The features Homestead offers can be done easily and FREE somewhere else.

Creating a website and getting started online can be an overwhelming undertaking for someone new to the web. To achieve the same results as using Homestead software, just read a few websites on the internet on how to build websites and you will be up and online within just a few hours. Plus the biggest benefit is that you will have thorough understanding how your website works and have complete control over every aspect of it.

You can always Google "create a website" or "how to make a website". However If you need more detailed information about getting started online, feel free to visit my blog BrandBuildSell.com, where I give completely FREE tips and tutorials about creating your first website.

Good luck on your first website!