1) Web hosting Billing Software

Web hosting billing software is essential to ensure that your web hosting business is successful. In the early days, the process of requesting billing information or invoice submission manually is normally viable. As your client base grows, it will become evident that completing billing based tasks will need to be completed via an automated system, rather than manually.

Of course this will mean that your company needs to invest in a piece of web hosting billing software, which is a mammoth task in its own right!

2) Benefits of using Web Hosting Billing Software

The benefits of using a piece of web hosting billing software are quite simple. By using billing software, you web hosting business will be saving huge amounts of valuable time and therefore money. Decreasing the amount of time spent manual submissions for invoices both in and outbound for web hosting, you will find that your staffs have much more free time on their hands, which will enable them to take part in other activities. This will become an asset on the busier days of the week!

3) Features of Web Hosting Billing Softwares

To understand the full functionality and benefits of web hosting billing software, you really need to understand the quality and wealthy of features that most pieces of software possess. At the very minimum, most pieces of software will possess:

• * Order sign up – Easy to use and automates the sign up process with a range of easy to understand emails.
• * Invoice billing – Automatically processes invoices and emails customers who are due for payment.
• * Helpdesk – The helpdesk function is what one would class as traditional support, with additional features. The helpdesk also includes a knowledge base which includes a range of automated information and is fully integrated.
• * Domain management – Easy to use and understand, see what’s happening with your hosted domains and your current account.
• * Automatic setup of both hosting and server accounts

4) Compatibility with current Business Model

The first thing to think about when adding anything to your current web hosting business is, is it compatible with your current business model?

Each piece of different billing software will have a range of different features, analyzing and comparing each piece of software against one another will enable you to decide which one you would like to choose. Of course, searching product reviews of the ones you potentially think fit in with your business model is also a good idea. Billing software is a low overhead which offers a potentially high reward, so ensure that you pick the right one.

Remember that everything you add to your business should be formal; buying the correct software will add value to the professional look that you have already developed. Don’t ruin your professional look by purchasing cheap and low quality billing software!

5) Paid web hosting billing softwares

If the answer to the above question is yes, then you might want to have a quick read through the following short reviews.

AWBS (Advanced Webhost Billing System) was previously known as DRAMS. They are one of the more established businesses in the field, offering a range of features including registration, transfer, renew and of course a full package relating to domain management.

WHMCS, as far as quality goes is definitely on par with AWBS. They pride themselves in offering what they call an ‘all-in-one’ client management package. The system was originally developed for web hosts, but is so good that they have managed to expand into a range of other online industries. If you want to manage and automate tasks efficiently, then WHMCS could be the right piece of software for your company.

Modernbill is a subsidiary group of the head branch Parallels. They specialize in offer solutions such as web hosting billing software, but in a range of different industries. Their products are on par with both WHMCS and AWBS; although their experience in the billing software field as a whole means that their software is full of innovative features, while still being extremely efficient.

Client Exec has been extensively developed by a company called NEWEDGE. The software packages offered by NEWEDGE offer exceptional quality, and extremely good value for money. Thanks to the range of features, the billing process in your web hosting business will need little or no intervention!

WHMautopilot have obviously spent most of their time developing product profile system, billing management and support. The features in the three sectors of the software are both essential and second to none! WHMautopilot offer a complete web host management system allowing both individuality for their customers, and their customer’s web hosting clients.

Ubersmith have actually been spending a lot of their research and development time and money on the monitoring center of their software. This means that their domain monitoring section of their software is extremely efficient and easy to use, which creates an efficient piece of software. By offering DE Enabled Datacenters it gives potential customers another reason to sign up with your hosting company and another reason for current customers to continue doing business with you.

6) Free web hosting billing software

You might want to have a quick read through the following short reviews.

a) Minibill is a piece of web hosting billing software that can be used on either Win32 or Linux. Essentially, as this is a free piece of software, don’t expect the mod cons included in the likes of WHMautopilot, but instead, expect Minibill to be adequate to complete the most basic of web hosting bill software procedures.

b) The fact that PHP Coin is used by around 35,000 happy users, establishes its dominance in the web hosting billing software field. The features provided by PHP coin are slightly less exciting in comparison with the likes of Ubersmith, but after all, it is free!

7) Which one is the best?

Let’s start with free pieces of software. As mentioned the free pieces of software will complete only the most basic of billing procedures, so are ideal when starting out in web hosting, or if you have a small client base. Remember, even when you have a small client base, you are setting the tone for your company. Give off a bad and unprofessional vibe and the start, and that will stay with you web hosting business for ever!

Of course, as soon as your client base begins to grow, you might start thinking about changing to one of the better pieces of software, such as AWBS or WHMCS. Either of the two are great choices, the features are by far adequate enough to handle customer requirements.

8 ) Pricing and Final Thoughts

One thing to take into account is that most web hosting billing software costs just $15.95 per month, not exactly a huge overhead. Personally, I chose to go with the paid option straight from the off, as I would prefer to ensure my customers are happy and that my business looks professional rather than have unhappy customers, an unprofessional look and $15.95 extra in my account.

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