Author: Ramona Knowles

All About Substack: Competitors, Features, and Audience

Do you love to write? Draw? Create in any way? Do people tell you that you should try using your creative skills to make a living?

Do you shrug them off because you don’t know how to get started or because you don’t feel you have the time to commit to unpaid work? After all, many people get their journey started writing free content in newsletters and blog posts. 

That’s where Substack comes in. You get to write and get paid—even if you don’t have a following yet. 

If you’re curious to know more, stick around. I’m breaking down Substack and its many competitors to help you determine if this is the path for you. 

What Is Substack? 

What Is Substack

In 2017, Substack took the market by storm by allowing creatives, journalists, and bloggers to make money from their own email newsletters. Substack provides a way to build an email marketing list, write newsletters, charge subscribers, and manage payments. 

This platform offers an intuitive email creator that helps writers create interesting emails with links, images, content, and more. It lends itself towards all sorts of creators, including:

We will focus on writers and bloggers today, but you should keep this site in mind if you’re involved with comics or podcasting. 

You can begin using Substack for free. However, as you begin to build a following, you could opt for a premium option, running $5 to $75 per month.

When you use a premium level, you can charge your readers. Substack only gets paid when you get paid, taking a 10 percent cut. Stripe takes an additional 2.9 percent plus 30 cents. As you can likely tell, you need to have a solid following to make a decent buck on Substack. 

Even with that amount taken out, Substack has the potential to become a viable profit source.

Substack Features

Substack Features - how much money can you make with substack

At the core, Substack is an email marketing platform. Whether you choose to go the paid or free route, that’s up to you. Here are some of the ways that you can make use of Substack. 

Free Newsletters 

Using a free Substack newsletter is a great way to grow your brand, develop your voice, and build a name for yourself. If you don’t have a large following, this is a great place to start. Create valuable content for your small following and offer it for free.

Don’t use Substack in a vacuum; pair it with a website. This allows you to invite readers to your site using a CTA and potentially turn them into buyers. 

Paid Newsletters 

While a free newsletter has the potential to make you money on the backend, you can use paid newsletters to make money on the front end.

You can publish as many newsletters as you want, and there are little to no guidelines on what you can write. Remember that people will factor in how much value they’re getting based on how much you’re charging them. If you’re charging $75 per month but only publishing two newsletters, you may lose subscribers. 

If someone is willing to pay to read your writing, it means they want to read it regularly. Therefore, getting in the habit of publishing consistently is the best strategy. This way, the readers know what to expect, and you can plan accordingly. 

Who Is Substack’s Audience? 

The best thing about Substack is the wide variety of subscribers for you to tap into. The writers on Substack include journalists, celebrities, political analysts, food writers, world travelers, and more. Most of the writing you’ll find on Substack would classify as personal writing, opinion, or research and analysis. 

In the interest of transparency, Substack has experienced some controversy relevant to portions of its audience. Writers accused of transphobia, harassment, and other negative behaviors have found homes on the platform, as it isn’t heavily moderated. While your audience is your own and not tied to any other creator’s, this is something to factor in when considering how your particular audience may respond.

As for the audience, you have your choice of writing whatever it is you want because chances are, there is someone out there willing to pay to read your writing if it’s valuable. If you’re targeting a more niche audience, you may be able to charge more to a small set of subscribers because they need more resources. If you’re after a broader niche, you could charge less but reach more people.

You have the freedom to choose the direction you want to go with your Substack newsletters, but the options are nearly endless. 

3 Tips Using Substack for Marketing 

There is serious potential to make a lot of money and reach a lot of people on Substack, but you have to know how to do it. So, here are some tips for marketing on Substack. 

1. Start With Free Newsletters 

You can’t introduce yourself out of nowhere and expect them to subscribe for a monthly fee if they have no idea who you are. You have to provide something valuable. 

Eventually, readers could become enticed by your content and want more of it. Once you get to that point, start thinking about charging people. 

One of the biggest mistakes people make is moving from free to paid too soon. You need to be strategic, making sure your audience is genuinely engaged and would be willing to pay for your work. 

Even if you wait until the perfect moment, you may still lose followers. People used to getting something for free may balk when asked to pay. But, if you provide excellent content, have a committed following, and charge a reasonable price, you increase your chances of keeping the majority of your subscribers.

2. Have a Strong Offer

Offer more than a newsletter; give your subscribers something they can’t turn down. For example, you could have an exclusive social media group for subscribers or even offer one-on-one conversations or coaching, depending on your field. You could also offer subscriber-only discounts for any products you may sell.

Write to your audience and include a CTA to get people to click on your offer. This could be an excellent way to convert these hot leads. 

3. Consider Multiple Publications 

Substack allows you to have as many newsletters as you want—meaning you could have a free and paid version. This strategy allows you to continue to engage with your entire audience.

To get readers to move to your paid option, you need to offer a little bit more. Make the content more exclusive, valuable, and personal. 

You can also have multiple free publications if you want to spread yourself across a few different niches. For example, digital marketing is highly diverse with a variety of different subjects. So, you could have a newsletter about SEO and another about social media marketing, both driving readers to your website.

Substack Competitors 

There are a ton of Substack alternatives, so making a decision can be challenging. Let’s take a look at some of their biggest competitors so you can choose the platform that’s right for you.

Substack Vs. Ghost 

Substack vs. Ghost

The goal of Ghost is to help you build a loyal following to generate income you can rely on. As with Substack, you charge subscribers a monthly fee in exchange for your content.

What separates Ghost from Substack is the way they take payment. Ghost charges nine dollars per month and takes none of your revenue. This makes the platform highly scalable. You also get custom email addresses, domains, and access to a referral program. 

Substack Vs. Patreon 

Patreon is a subscription platform allowing creatives to charge for their work. The platform looks like a social media feed to users, and they get to scroll through the work of everyone to whom they subscribe rather than trying to go from place to place.

Patreon’s biggest perk is its tiered package option. You can provide people with various options to appeal to their budget and how much they want from you, all from one location. For example, at a $1 level, you could send subscribers one newsletter per week. At a $5 level, you could send them two newsletters or a newsletter and access to a video.

Patreon plans range from five to 12 percent of your monthly income plus processing fees of 2.9 percent plus 30 cents. 

Substack Vs. Medium 

Medium is well-known for being a haven for creatives who simply want to make their voices known, and much of it is free to access. As a bonus, Medium articles often rank pretty well SEO-wise.

If you upgrade to a paid Medium profile, you can charge for some or all of your content.

Rather than any kind of flat fee or percentage, Medium pays based on “reading time.” The more time people spend reading your content, the more money you make. You can also get paid by referring people to the platform through your unique code. 

Substack Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Substack. 

Is it free to access Substack?

Substack is free to write newsletters and build a following on. It only costs money when you upgrade to paid and start to generate revenue from your subscriptions. 

Can I advertise on Substack?

Substack does not run ads. The only way Substack makes money is through their cut of subscription fees.

Should I make a Substack?

Only you can answer this. Do you have great content ideas? Do you have a small following that you can nurture and grow? If yes, starting a Substack could be a great way to grow that following and eventually profit from it.

Does Substack own your content?

No. You retain ownership of everything published on Substack. While you cannot export content out of Substack once you publish it, you maintain ownership even if you use a different platform later.

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All About Substack: Conclusion 

Building a following is not an easy task, and that’s why we offer assistance to marketers and creatives looking to build or grow their following quickly. 

Whether you’re going it alone or getting help, you need to be consistent and patient as you grow the following. Of course, building an email list is easier said than done, but with some hard work and focus, Substack could help you get your writing career off the ground.

What advice do you have for new writers wanting to build a following on Substack?

New comment by power_eng21 in "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2021)"

CERN (https://www.home.cern) | Database Engineer | Geneva, Switzerland | ONSITE

You will be working within the Electrical Power Converter Group, responsible for the
power converters for the whole CERN accelerator complex, and the Converter Controls
Software Section, which develops and supports the power converters control software and
databases for the SY-EPC Group. These range in power from a few Watts to 150MW and are
used to drive current through the magnets in the accelerators, transfer lines and experiments.
The magnets guide and focus the particle beams, so precise control of the currents is critical.

Your job would entail:

– Designing & maintaining relational Oracle databases;

– Expertise of Python and its popular libraries;

– Some experience in developing UIs using HTML, CSS and JavaScript;

– The ability to understand and speak French or the undertaking to acquire it rapidly;

– Experience with ASP.NET, VB.NET, Visual Studio, and C# would be an advantage.

Please apply here: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/743999747852919-databa…

(There is more detailed information about the job vacancy on the link above)

Best HTML Editors

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Everybody makes mistakes. 

Some big, some small, but some of them are downright annoying.

And one of the most notorious headache-causing mistakes you make is messing up your code. 

Coding is everything when it comes to web development. So you simply have to get it right for better security and to avoid glitches in the future.

Luckily, there’s a very effective solution to ensure this. 

Just like how Grammarly and Hemingway can improve your text by checking them for spelling errors and improving readability, web developers can use HTML editors to write and improve their code.

Even those who don’t have any coding knowledge can create websites and put them online.

Coding becomes faster and easier thanks to HTML editors’ spell-checking, syntax highlighting, and auto-completion features, among others.

In this guide, I’ll look at the best HTML editors available to take your websites to the next level without much effort and time on your part.

Excited? Let’s dig right in!

#1 – Atom – The Best for Advanced Customization

Atom is a free, open-source code editor developed by the GitHub team and maintained by the GitHub community. It comes with enough packages and theme collections, runs light, and loads super fast, making this HTML editor one of the best you can find.

It’s a modernized WYSIWYG HTML editor available for Windows, Mac, and Linux and is built for collaboration. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced professional, Atom is everyone’s favorite with its premium feel and customization flexibility. 

Think of it as an advanced text editor that has several features commonly limited to high-level coding programs.

It also comes with a hackable text editor! It’s a feature that enables developers to edit, extend, change, and share the program source code and design their own packages to improve Atom. 

Multiple pane support is another feature I like. You can split the interface into as many windows as you need to compare and write code side-by-side.

Other features include syntax correction and highlighting, autocompletion, project management, and Teletype (users can collaborate with other developers in real-time). 

Atom is entirely free of charge! So you don’t have to shell out any money to use this excellent editor.

#2 – Notepad + + – The Best for Front-End Developers and Web Designers

Fast working, time-tested, and foolproof, Notepad + + is one of the most popular HTML editors used by millions worldwide. It’s an open-code editor that offers multi-language support, which isn’t restricted to only HTML and CSS.

One of the primary reasons for Notepad + +‘s popularity is its feature-rich interface.

You get syntax folding, syntax highlighting, multi-view, document map, multi-document interface, auto-completion, bookmarks, and a fully customizable GUI. And even after this long list, there’s still more.

Notepad + + was developed for Windows-based machines, but Linux users can use it via Wine. As the name suggests, this editor is like an upgraded version of the Notepad software, which is already available in Windows by default. You also get its repository on GitHub. 

A mobile version is also available if you fancy that.

Environmentalists would love Notepad + + as well. It has programs that run on less CPU power in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

Notepad + + is free for all! So no extra money or hidden costs for you to worry about.

#3 – Brackets – The Best for Beginners

Brackets is another widely popular HTML editor for programmers compatible with different operating systems like Windows, Mac, and Linux. It comes with a built-in package manager that allows users to search and install any supported package they like.

I highly recommend this open-source HTML editor for beginners due to its smart auto-completion feature that makes coding incredibly fast and accurate.

Bracket’s coding UI can be split into multiple panes, making writing and comparing codes between different files easy and precise. Its integrated file system browser enables you to access files within your PC.

Plus, it has a find and replace feature that allows developers to fine-tune the code when appropriate. This can be useful for novices and experienced professionals to ensure their website stays up-to-date. 

Styling and customization are super easy and simple, so coding won’t ever get boring with Brackets. 

The pre-installed syntax themes feature dark and flashy bright colors. With no shortage of packages on the platform, you can add as many features as you want, based on your use-case and preference.

Brackets is completely free! You can download it directly from the official website.

#4 – Sublime Text – The Best for Multi-Language Support

Sublime Text is the advanced version of Notepad + +. It comes with the standard features of Notepad + +, along with more modern ones to suit the sophisticated needs of the more experienced users.

You get cross-platform support, split editing, multiple-selection editing, proprietary command palette, and syntax editing to make web development simpler. The editor is incredibly powerful and promises high performance. However, you have a steeper learning curve ahead of you in exchange for this flexibility and power.

One of the more advanced features of Sublime Text is “Goto Anything.” Using this, you can find and replace the code within a considerably shorter period. The distraction-free mode is another great feature that displays only the code by hiding other elements.

You can use keyboard shortcuts to execute tasks quickly–provided you can remember them. Everything is easily customizable in the editor as well, whether you want to personalize key bindings to snippets to menus.

Accessible on Windows, Mac, and Linux, Sublime Text also supports different languages like C, HTML, C++, C#, Java, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and many more.

Sublime Text has a free version available that’s enough for beginners, but if you want access to all its features, you have to pay a one-time cost of $80.

#5 – Adobe Dreamweaver CC – The Best for Web Developers 

Most of the other options work great for front-end development, but having an HTML editor that facilitates back-end development is also necessary, which is where Adobe Dreamweaver CC comes in.

Made by renowned company Adobe, this editor is hands down one of the most famous and influential options on the market. You get all sorts of plugins and premium features that you wouldn’t normally have access to with other HTML editors. 

Whether it’s creating more responsive sites or editing the website code, Dreamweaver makes everything possible.

This editor is a closed source software, designed to work within the Adobe ecosystem. It supports both the textual and WYSIWYG methods, allowing you to choose between coding with a live visual presentation or take the traditional route. You can write code in any major programming language and enjoy access to creative cloud libraries.

Web developers would particularly love Adobe Dreamweaver CC. It automatically confirms the code and page accessibility, making it easier for developers to follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and even reviews the end product. 

Plus, the direct access to an abundant supply of assets in the Adobe ecosystem like graphics, layers, colors, words, characters, and much more, is another advantage.

Dreamweaver has a free version, but you can opt for premium plans as well. You have three options:

  • Annual Plan, Payable Monthly – $25.99 per month
  • Monthly Plan – $31.49 per month
  • Annual Plan, Prepaid – $239.88 per year

What I Looked at to Find the Best HTML Editor

HTML editors—both free and paid—come with several cosmetic features. Based on your business needs, you’ll find some to be absolutely necessary, while others you may not need at all.

I’ve compiled a list of features that I think a good HTML editor should have. You may not need all of them, but here is what you should be looking for when choosing an HTML editor.

Color-Coding or Syntax Highlighting

HTML has a tag-based markup language. You need an HTML editor with syntax highlighting or color-coding features to light up these tags.

Doing this will help you identify the tags quickly, which, in turn, will make working with blocks of code easier.

Autocomplete and Suggestions

The autocomplete and suggestions feature helps to quickly fill in longer code at the press of a button. 

The editor gives you pop up suggestions based on your work–all you have to do is click on it, and the code will autocomplete. Think of how you type text messages on your phone or when you do a quick Google search. 

You can also automate creating closing tabs through this feature.

Find and Replace

I highly recommend looking for code editors with the find and replace feature, as it allows you to locate certain strings and replace them with something else very quickly. 

Plus, HTML is constantly changing and updating standards and deprecation of inefficient tags. So, you’ll definitely find yourself wanting this feature sometime in the future to update your website.

Version Control

Editors with version control enable you to see the previous versions of your code and rollback when needed.

As a result, you can store all the copies without making separate documents, and I know how crucial this is when you’re working with other developers.

Multi-Cursor Functionality

The role of multi-cursors is simple: It allows you to write code in multiple places at once. In other words, you can edit code simultaneously.

This is especially useful when you want to add duplicates of the same tag.

FTP Support and Error Detection

Getting HTML editors with FTP support lets you connect to WordPress and upload changes you want to make without any hassle. As a result, you won’t find yourself logging into FileZilla or your preferred FTP client every time you want to update anything.

Live error detection is equally important.

HTML is a markup language and not a programming language, which is why it doesn’t compile. It also means you can’t test your code. With live error detection, though, you’ll know immediately whenever you write something incorrectly.

In addition to these, there are several other features like code folding and autosave that can increase productivity and accuracy.

Note: If you’re looking for a code editor with advanced features and platform integration, you‘ll need an integrated development environment or IDE rather than a text editor. While IDEs are similar to HTML editors, they are more beefed up designed for advanced developers.

Conclusion

HTML editors are a must for any web development and design toolkit. Not only can you create code faster, but it also simplifies the whole process by helping you avoid errors.

The only catch is to select an option that aligns with your needs. 

You can select an option from my top picks or look for other alternatives in the market. Here is a complete list of the top picks:

Try to look for prospective editors that include syntax highlighting and live preview. If you want something more sophisticated, a find and replace feature will be a great asset.

The post Best HTML Editors appeared first on Neil Patel.

A2 Hosting Review

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

For reliable hosting that focuses on speed, A2 Hosting provides plenty of options to get your site up and running.

If you’re familiar with SEO and the ranking factors Google uses to decide where your site shows up in search results, you know speed is one major factor in securing higher rankings and increasing traffic and revenue.

This is one big way A2 differentiates itself from other standard web hosting options–it puts speed at the forefront of all its services.

A2 Compared to The Best Shared Hosting Companies

A 99.98% uptime guarantee, free automated backups, and free site migration are only some of the features that set A2 apart as far as reliable web hosting goes. As one of the oldest providers on the market, it’s a solid option for both new and veteran websites. WordPress users will especially love A2, as it has pricing packages specifically tailored for WordPress sites. 

Before you make any solid decisions for a hosting provider, it’s always a good idea to know what your options are. I spent hours making sure the top list page contained only the best web hosting services according to a wide variety of needs and features. To see the full rundown, check out that post to see all the top picks.

Who is A2 Best For?

It’s simple. Any website that is designed to drive sales and conversions can benefit from a hosting service like A2. I’ve mentioned it before, but I don’t get tired of saying speed is the name of the game if you want to capture new leads, retain existing customers, keep your Google rankings, and maintain a great brand reputation. 

Now, there isn’t a web host on the planet that doesn’t come with a set of pros and cons. But one thing’s for sure: No website visitor wants to land on a website that takes forever to load. They’ll bounce right off your site faster than you can say web hosting. 

While you can try to install cache plugins that slow down your site and claim to improve your website speed, a host like A2 that’s built with a focus on speed can be a better place to start. 

A2: The Pros and Cons

Pros

Exclusive web servers: Global web servers that are exclusive to A2 give you a leg up in the speed game with speeds that can be up to 20 times faster than the competition. 

24/7 live chat and support: A 24/7 live support feature is valuable if your site runs into any kind of technical issues or downtime. A2 has specialists standing by ready to walk you through any troubleshooting issues. 

Free site migration: If you need to migrate your site to A2 from a previous web host they help you get the job done for free. Unlike other providers, there are no extra fees necessary. 

Compatible with a variety of platforms: A2 Hosting works great with a number of CMS solutions like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, and OpenCart. You can one-click install them once you sign up. 

Free SSL certification: SSL certification is essential for site security and to ensure your visitors trust your site enough to keep coming back. Thankfully A2 offers this feature for free. 

24/7 malware scanning and monitoring: You can sleep soundly at night knowing A2 is ready to alert you on any attempts at your site with their 24/7 monitoring feature, which other hosting services might not provide.  

Free Cloudflare CDN: To keep adding to their speed features, A2 provides you with a free Cloudflare CDN for any hosting package you choose for added speed and loading times. 

Carbon-neutral hosting: As the world evolves, A2 evolves with it through its carbon-neutral hosting option. A2 supports carbon-neutral hosting, meaning all of their servers are deemed ‘carbon-neutral’ by purchasing carbon offsets. With A2, you can be sure you’re hosting your site without adding to your carbon footprint. 

Can handle websites of all sizes: If you’re planning on growing your website traffic, it doesn’t matter if you’re starting out with a website from scratch or you’re a big business reeling in plenty of traffic and sales, A2 can handle your site’s growth with a wide variety of hosting packages that are all geared for speed.  

Cons

Doesn’t provide a free domain: While this isn’t a requirement for any hosting service to work properly, it’s nice to have the option to register a free domain like other hosting services do, especially if you’re working with a shoestring budget. 

Increased renewal fees: For the most part, increased renewal rates can be expected from just about any hosting provider, but it’s still worth mentioning if you’re thinking and planning long term. Upon renewal, A2’s hosting packages do increase in price. 

A2 Pricing

A2 doesn’t only differentiate itself as a speedy host. They also have a ton—and I mean a ton—of web hosting options from which you can take your pick.

To start, their general hosting services fall into eight distinct categories and subcategories:

  • Shared hosting – best for hosting personal sites and blogs
  • Managed WordPress hosting – perfect for WordPress sites
  • Managed VPS hosting – has more power than shared hosting
  • Unmanaged VPS hosting – Unmanaged VPS for developers
  • Reseller hosting – best for hosting your own customers
  • Dedicated hosting (unmanaged servers) – best for developers
  • Dedicated hosting (core servers) – managed server with root access
  • Dedicated hosting (managed servers) – managed server with no root access

You can definitely start with one of their base options for each category according to your site needs. Especially if you’re a startup on a budget. 

But if you want to take it a step further or want additional features, you can choose a more specific plan within the category of your choice. 

Here’s how their most affordable plans stack up:

Shared Hosting

  • Startup – $2.99 monthly paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Drive – $4.99 monthly paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Turbo Boost – $9.99 monthly paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Turbo Max – $14.99 monthly paid upfront for a three-year plan

Shared hosting works best for small websites that are just getting their start and beginning to see traffic. As you can see, their cheapest plan adds up to only $107 plus some change for a reliable three-year hosting plan. 

Beginner deals like this compete with offers from the likes of Bluehost who offer similar prices but without the speed guarantee, which is a big plus on a shared hosting plan.

As you go up the price ladder, you can host an unlimited number of sites, get unlimited storage, and within the last two tiers, you’ll get a 20X turbo boost for faster site speeds. 

Note that these pricing tiers are the exact same for a Shared WordPress Hosting plan. 

Managed WordPress Hosting

  • 1 site – $12.99 a month paid upfront for three years
  • 3 site – $22.99 a month paid upfront for three years
  • Unlimited – $43.99 a month paid upfront for three years

Managed WordPress hosting is a step up from shared hosting with enhanced WordPress features that ensure security and speed. The biggest difference between the three different options you get within this category is the number of sites you need to manage and the amount of storage you need. It’s as simple as choosing the tier that fits your hosting needs. Thankfully, they all come with the 20X faster turbo speed feature. 

Managed VPS Hosting

  • Lift 8 – $46.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Lift 16 – $57.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Mach 8 – $59.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Mach 16 – $89.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Mach 32 – $99.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan

When you start getting into managed VPS hosting territory, you start looking at increased RAM capabilities and storage capacity. It’s a great option right before you’re ready to step into a dedicated server plan. I recommend you see their pricing page for a full look at what each plan offers. 

Unmanaged VPS Hosting

  • Runway 2 – $7.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Runway 4 – $9.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Supersonic 8 – $34.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Supersonic 16 – $54.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Supersonic 32 – $74.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan

An unmanaged VPS plan ensures your site runs at fast speeds with additional RAM, storage, and root access. Needless to say, this VPS plan is definitely developer-friendly. 

Reseller hosting

  • Kickstart – $18.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Launch – $24.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Grow – $34.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Scale – $44.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan
  • Turbo Kickstart – $29.99 a month paid upfront for a three-year plan

With reseller hosting you get additional SSD storage, WebHost manager, cPanel, Free Blesta billing system, free SSL certificate, around the block guru support, and free website migration too. The more storage and transfer GB you need the more you’ll have to pay monthly. 

Dedicated Hosting (Unmanaged Servers)

  • Sprint – $99.59 monthly
  • Exceed – $165.99 monthly
  • Mach – $248.99 monthly

As you can see, the more storage, RAM, or transfer TB you need the more you’ll have to pay monthly. Dedicated hosting with unmanaged servers is a great option for developers wanting more control. As with any other plan A2 Hosting offers, each tier also includes super fast site loading speeds. 

Dedicated Hosting (Core Servers)

  • Sprint – $141.09 monthly
  • Exceed – $207.49 monthly
  • Mach – $290.49 monthly

Much like the previous tier category above, the more RAM, storage, and Transfer TB you need, the more you’ll need to pay monthly. With a dedicated hosting plan with core servers and root access, you also get all the HostGuard management features. This means:

  • Daily automatic and rebootless updates
  • Managed installs and upgrades of core software
  • Smart system notifications
  • 99.9% uptime commitment
  • Security patches

Dedicated Hosting (Managed Servers)

  • Sprint – $141.09 monthly
  • Exceed – $207.49 monthly
  • Mach – $290.49 monthly

Finally, if you’re running a site that simply can’t afford any downtime and that needs the best A2 Hosting offers, you’ll want to look at their managed dedicated server solutions. But you’ll have to be willing to pay the price tag to get access to perks like lightning-fast speeds, and a dedicated crew you’ll jump at the sight of any hosting issues no matter the time of day. 

Their most affordable managed dedicated server solutions start at $141.09 a month. You can always try them for 30 days to experience their features first hand. If you’re not happy with A2 Hosting’s performance, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for all their hosting plans. 

A2 Hosting Offerings

At this point, you’ve learned about A2 Hosting’s dedication to speed, uptime, customer support, and a variety of hosting options you can choose from.

However, they do offer additional tools and solutions. You can shop for your preferred domain directly through them and you can also explore their highly specific additional hosting solutions. Here’s what I mean:

Domain

With A2 Hosting you’re definitely going to get the speed and the uptime but you can’t forget about your domain. You can either register a new domain or transfer an existing one to get your site up and running.

Their most popular extensions breakdown as follows:

  • .biz – $17.45
  • .com – $14.95
  • .io – $49.95
  • .net – $14.95
  • .org – $14.95

While you might not get the cheapest deals on domains directly through A2 Hosting, it’s definitely an option that’s there for you if you don’t feel like going through the hassle of transferring one. 

Additional hosting solutions

Yes, you’ve read that right. While we went over plenty of hosting plans and packages earlier, A2 Hosting lets you dig deeper into a seemingly endless rabbit hole of software and hosting solution combinations according to even more specific website needs.

Once you pick the appropriate solution for you, A2 Hosting lines up a combination of the best hosting options and software available to meet your specific needs. 

For instance, if I’m going to be running a classified ad site through them, once I click on that option I’m greeted with a list of popular classified ad software that’s highly compatible with A2 hosting services. I’m also given a comprehensive list of the best web hosting plans perfect for classified ad sites. 

This is an extremely useful feature if you’re running a site with more detailed needs and want to tackle them head-on. Features like these are yet another reason why A2 stands out as a powerful hosting solution for a wide variety of sites in a wide variety of niches. 

The Best Shared Hosting Companies

Don’t forget to read through our in-depth review of the best shared hosting companies. See all of our top picks to make sure you’re making the best choice possible. 

  • Hostinger – The best cheap shared hosting plans
  • Bluehost – The best shared hosting for WordPress
  • A2 Hosting – The best hosting company for speed
  • DreamHost – The best shared hosting features
  • GreenGeeks – Best eco-friendly hosting
  • TMDHosting – The best fully-managed plans

Without question, A2 Hosting is one of the fastest providers I have experience with. It provides around-the-clock support, exclusive global servers, and works great with a number of CMS solutions. What’s more, A2 Hosting even goes out of its way to lessen its carbon footprint. As a hosting provider that’s been around for as long as WordPress has, it stands solidly in our list of top picks as one of the best web host solutions out there. 

The post A2 Hosting Review appeared first on Neil Patel.

Streak (YC S11) is hiring experienced support specialists

Article URL: https://www.streak.com/careers/support-specialist-remote

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24775560

Points: 1

# Comments: 0

The post Streak (YC S11) is hiring experienced support specialists appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

5 Up to the Minute Alternative Small Business Loans

And Why You Still Need Business Credit Even if You Already Qualify for Them

When a business owner is looking for funding, it can be a bit confusing.  There are way more options that most realize before the fact.  Many head straight to the bank and apply for a loan.  When they are denied, they are left with confusion and despair.  First, they do not know why they were denied, and next, they don’t know what to do if they can’t get a loan.  There are a few different options, but the next best thing for most business owners would be alternative small business loans.

What Are Alternative Small Business Loans?

These are loans that come through private lenders rather than banks.  The vast majority of these lenders operate online.  For the most part, the process is fast and simple. Borrowers fill out an application online, and generally receive approval in as little as a few hours.  Once approved, funds are often in the borrower’s account in as little as a day or two.

The fast, easy process makes these alternative small business loans an attractive option for business funding.  This is especially true for those who find they do not qualify for loans from traditional lenders.

Is There a Catch to Alternative Small Business Loans?

I know what you’re thinking.  If these alternative loans are so fast and easy, why even bother with traditional loans.  Do people just not know about them? There has to be some catch.  Well yeah, there kind of is.  The catch is, interest rates and terms are considerably less favorable than those you may get with a traditional lender.

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That’s because, in an effort to extend credit to those that do not qualify with a bank, alternative lenders have to be a little more relaxed with their eligibility requirements. As a result, they are taking on significantly more risk with their loans.  To make up for this, they increase interest rates and loan terms to balance things out.

How do I choose the Right Alternative Loan for Me?

Once you know you are in a position to need alternative small business loans, you can start looking for the right one for your situation. How do you do this?  The key is to research, research, research.  Extensive research is absolutely necessary to ensure you find the best fit for your business.

While many of them function the same with similar requirements, there are some vastly different and innovative platforms for these types of loans as well.  Read all the reviews, but don’t forget to look at the actual lender websites too.  Only you know what your specific situation is.  Only you know your credit score, how long you have been in business, and how much debt you can handle.

How to Start Finding the Right Alternative Small Business Loans

Start by determining your eligibility factors.  You may not be able to anticipate what every single lender will require.  However, there are a few things that most lenders will want to know before approving a loan.  Things such as credit score, annual revenue, and length of time in business are pretty common.

If you know your score and what your annual revenue is before you begin looking for alternative small business loans, you will be able to weed out the ones you do not qualify for from the beginning. There are so many that you will definitely see the need to do this.  Just to show you a sampling of what’s available, we have chosen a few different ones to get you started.

5 Alternative Small Business Loans to Kickstart Your Research

Start here, but definitely do not stop with this list.  There are far too many options available, and new ones pop up regularly.

alternative small business loans Credit Suite2

Fundbox

If you start with a search for alternative small business loans, Fundbox is going to be one of the first to pop up.  It is a line of credit rather than a loan, but it is a great funding option because there is no minimum credit score requirement.

They offer an automated process that is super-fast. Repayments are automatic, meaning they draft them electronically, and they occur on a weekly basis.  One thing to remember is that you could have a repayment as high as 5 to 7% of the amount you have drawn currently, as the repayment period is comparatively short.  This means you need to be sure you have enough funds in whatever account you connect them to so that it can cover your payment each week.

Loan amounts come as low as $100 and as high as up to $100,000, but the max initial draw is $50,000. Though there is no minimum credit score requirement, they do require at least 3 months in business, $50,000 or more in annual revenue, and a business checking account with a minimum balance of $500.

BlueVine

As you find with many alternative business loans, lenders often offer options more similar to invoice factoring and lines of credit, as these present less risk than straight term loans.  This is true of Fundbox as well as BlueVine.

The minimum loan amount available from BlueVine is $5,000 and the maximum is $100,000. Annual revenue must be $120,000 or more and the borrower must be in business for at least 6 months. Personal credit score has to be 600 or above. It is important to note also, that BlueVine does not offer a line of credit in all states.  You can find out more in our review here.

Upstart

Upstart is one of those that uses a completely innovative platform for alternative loans.  The company itself questions the ability of financial information and FICO on their own to truly determine the risk of lending to a specific borrower.  They choose to use a combination of artificial intelligence and machine learning to gather alternative data instead.  They then use this data to help them make credit decisions.

This alternative data can include such things as mobile phone bills, rent, deposits, withdrawals, and even other information less directly tied to finances.  The software they use learns and improves on its own. You can use their online quote tool to play with different amounts and terms to see the various interest rate possibilities.  Typically, business loans are available ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.  Interest rates vary greatly, ranging from 7.5% to 35.99%.  Repayment terms can be either 3 -year or 5-year.

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To be eligible for a loan with Upstart, you must meet the following qualifications:

  • Credit score of 620+
  • No bankruptcies or negative public records
  • No delinquent accounts
  • Meet debt to income standards (they only note they will check this ratio, not what their standards are.)
  • Have fewer than 6 inquiries in the past 6 months on your credit report, not including those related to student loans, vehicle loans, or mortgages

These are the requirements they list on their website.  One independent review said that the requirement for the debt to income ratio is a maximum of 45%. It also says that the minimum annual income has to be at least $12,000.  For more information on Upstart, see our in-depth review here.

Fora Financial

Founded in 2008 by college roommates, Fora Financial now funds more than $1.3 million in working capital around the United States. There is no minimum credit score, and there is an early repayment discount if you qualify.

The minimum loan amount is $5,000 and the maximum is $500,000. The business must be at least 6 months in operation and the monthly revenue has to be $12,000 or more. There can be no open bankruptcies.

OnDeck

Obtaining financing from OnDeck is quick and easy. First, you apply online and receive your decision once application processing is complete. If you receive approval, your loan funds will go directly to your bank account. The minimum loan amount is $5,000 and the maximum is $500,000.

They do require a personal credit score of 600 or more, and you must be in business for at least one year. Annual revenue must be at or exceed $100,000. In addition, there can be no bankruptcy on file in the past 2 years and no unresolved liens or judgements.

Of course, these are just a few options available.  There are tons out there, and many lenders offer multiple types of alternative small business loans.  From term loans and lines of credit to invoice factoring, there are funding options for everyone.

You Still Need Business Credit

Though these lenders generally offer personal credit minimums for requirement standards, some will take business credit into account if you have it.  In addition, you can always get business credit cards with business credit.  The question is, do you have business credit?  If not, how do you get it?

Building business credit is a process that takes time, but it isn’t hard.  You just have to set up your business to appear fundable, and then work to get accounts reporting to your business credit report rather than your personal credit report.  That means applying for credit using your business information rather than your personal information.

Benefits of Business Credit

Business credit allows your business access to funds you never even knew you could get. You can bid on real estate, get new equipment, and cover payroll. This is particularly useful in seasonal companies, where you can go for months with only nominal sales.

These are just a few of the reasons to build business credit. You can’t do that however, unless you know what impacts your business credit score.  How do you even get business credit to begin with?  This is the part of lot of business owners miss.

Establish Business Credit

If you are simply operating as a sole proprietorship, as many small businesses are, you probably do not have business credit.  The reason being, your business transactions are likely being reported on your personal credit report.

To ensure you have a business credit report that is separate from your personal report, you need to separate your business from yourself.  The first step in doing this is to incorporate, no longer operating as a sole proprietor.  You can choose from organizing as a corporation, S-corp, or LLC.  Which one you choose will depend on a variety of factors including the level of liability protection you want and how much you are willing to spend.  However, for the purpose of establishing business credit, any of them will work.

You will also want to be sure you have separate contact information for your business listed in the directories, a dedicated business bank account, and a professional website.  Find out more about establishing your business as an entity separate from yourself for building business credit here.

How to Get Business Credit

After you establish your business as separate from yourself, you will need accounts reporting to the business credit reporting agencies in your business name.  That part is a little trickier, as most places will not extend credit to a business that does not have a credit score.  The key is to use starter vendors from the vendor credit tier.

These are vendors that will extend invoices with net terms even without a credit check and report your payments to the business credit reporting agencies like Dun &Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax.  Find out more about starter vendors here.

Things to Remember When Building Business Credit

Once you have the ball rolling on building business credit, whether to help you get business credit cards, alternative loans, or some other type of funding, keep these things in mind.

  • Paying on time is important

Late payments will affect your business credit score for a good seven years. If you pay your business bills off, as quickly as possible and as completely as possible, then you can make a very real difference when it comes to your credit scores. Be sure to pay in a timely manner and you will reap the rewards of

punctuality.

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  • Your Personal Credit Isn’t Totally Off the Table

Experian Business actually offers lenders a blended score that includes your personal credit history.  While a great business credit score can help counteract a negative personal credit score when it comes to the business score, you should still take steps to improve your personal score.  Find out how here.

  • How much credit you use matters

Do not give in to the temptation to use every bit of credit you have at once.  That will mess with your credit utilization.  This is indicated by your debt-to-credit ratio.  That  indicates how much of your available credit you are using.  If you keep balances close to your limit, it can affect your score negatively.

You Still Need Business Credit, Even if You Can Get Alternative Small Business Loans Without It

If you need funding for your business and do not qualify for loans from a traditional lender, then alternative business loans could be for you.  Their requirements are less stringent than those of traditional lenders, so even if your personal credit score is not great, you could still get one.  However, regardless of whether you have good personal credit, you need to be building business credit.

This will not only extend the benefits already mentioned, but it can also help protect your personal finances.  Despite the fact that your personal credit can at times have a bearing on your business credit, the opposite is typically not true.  So, if there is an issue that affects your business credit, your personal credit should stay intact.

 

 

 

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