Consider these points:
1) With a large hosting company, you feel comfortable because they are obviously trustworthy, and since everyone uses them, why shouldn't you?
2) Smaller companies tend to be cheaper, and since there are less costumers to deal with, they can answer support questions quicker, and are more focused on you individually.
I'd go with large hosting companies. They are not necessarily more expensive. I've noticed that price ranges only differs USD2-3 for most. They are definitely more stable.
I go for longevity and most of the large hosting companies have it, otherwise they wouldn't be so large. Most larger hosting companies have options on how to build your site offering their own site building programs or file transfers. I like that flexibility most.
I have learned to prefer the larger hosting companies. In my experience, I have found that all too often smaller companies sell out. But they do not necessarily sell out to someone as credible and honest as they were. Further they may sell out to others who are not as experienced. If you look on hosting forums, you see smaller companies for sale all the time. Many times, people are buying because of the fast monthly cash not because they are experienced hosts.
One of the main benefits that I find with using large hosting companies is that the customer service is often better then that what you find with smaller hosting companies.
Large vs Small Hosting Companies
Linear Mode
