Hosting companies offering $1 is the worst though, they might just give their hosting for free. I have been in a company worth $75 a year and their services is nothing unlike the ones from free hosting and at least these Free hosting claim they give it for free.I've seen hosting companies with just $1 a month, there are tons of them yet they are never different to those who sells unlimited file and bandwidth but when you do upload around 500, they'll complain about it while thier support takes forever to respond.
So its better to go for free. If you have however budget for it, then go for those popular reliable ones. I'm into fatcow and seem their support are the best. Can't say they're the worst but surely they help me configure my codes and files after a ticket.