Can you really build a business using a free website or free blog?

While I much prefer my own hosting (you have a lot more control over things) there's no problem at all using free hosts etc - in fact just the other day I set up a site on a free host http://paid-online.789mb.com and I've put my affiliate links etc in there. I do have many other blogs and sites though - some on free hosts but mainly on my own hosting, and traffic wise, if I promote them the same there's no major difference. A lot may depend on which host you use and what you're wanting to promote etc, eg you wouldn't want to have a site where you expect others to pay you on a url that is known to be free hosting etc, that may prove a little off-putting. Remember too that there are several well-priced and good hosts around the place for example http://www.lunarpages.com/id/readz