Virtual Private Servers: This type of hosting is usually used by medium websites with medium storage and bandwidth requirements. Virtual Private Servers are hosted on unique ip addresses (eg. 192.170.1.8) and are virtually like a dedicated physical stand-alone server, but with less cost than a physical dedicated server. The way it works is that multiple accounts say are hosted on a single physical server each accounts having it's own unique host id or ip address data storage and bandwidth separated from each Interserver other by software.
There will always be some limitations in your hosting account - space limit, bandwidth limit, email service limit and etc. It is no doubt that free PHP web hosting will be with small disk space given to you and the bandwidth will be limited. Same applies on the email account.
Type in to your Google search box "pizza" and your zip code and see what pops up. You'll see a Google map with pushpins showing the location of all the pizza places in town. Move your cursor over any push pin and a complete description of that pizza shop pops up with address and telephone number so you can call in your order. (Hold the anchovies, please!) And the pizza shop owner makes another sale.
The air is getting dirtier. The seas are turning black. Clean drinking water is scarce in many places in the world and we all have a responsibility to use less energy. It's the ethical thing to do.
If you check here have time, search for comments by users of the provider on internet forums or elsewhere online. Or go for the larger more established hosting companies who have built a trusted reputation. Most good hosting companies have multiple server data and power backups. A few also promised 100% and they do that by guaranteeing refund of fees in the eventuality that any downtime might happen.
See, that wasn't so hard. Pick up the phone (assuming there's a telephone contact option) and start asking questions. The fact is, your web host is your on-line partner.