What is Shared Hosting & How Does It Work?

Having a website is essential for businesses, bloggers, and anyone looking to establish an online presence. However, before you can create a website, you need a place to store your site’s files so that people can access them over the Internet. 

This is where web hosting comes in. One of the most popular and cost-effective hosting options available is shared hosting. 

In this article, we’ll explore what shared hosting is, how it works, and why it might be the right choice for your website.

What Is Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting is a type of web hosting service where multiple websites are hosted on a single physical server. Each website shares the server’s resources (such as CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth), with other websites. 

With shared web hosting, the hosting provider takes care of server maintenance and security, so it is an ideal choice for beginners. A shared hosting service is often the best entry-level option for individuals (freelancers, bloggers, etc.) and small businesses. It offers an affordable way to get started online without the need for technical expertise or a complicated setup.  

How Does Shared Hosting Work?

In a shared hosting environment, a single physical server is partitioned into multiple spaces, and each of these spaces is allocated to different users. 

The hosting provider sets up a server and installs the necessary software, including an operating system, web server software, and a control panel. They divide the server’s resources into smaller units, which are shared by multiple users. 

Additionally, the web host manages the server, taking care of maintenance tasks such as software updates, security patches, and monitoring. This centralized management is one of the main reasons shared hosting is popular among beginners – it reduces the need for technical knowledge, as all of the backend work is handled by the provider. 

Since all websites are on the same server, they share the overall processing power and bandwidth. This is why hosting providers set per-user limits for CPU seconds usage, disk space, and memory. However, this should not worry you! Shared plans can handle tens or even hundreds of thousands of visits.  

These restrictions are there so that it’s not possible for one user to negatively impact the performance of the whole server and the other sites hosted on it.

Pros and Cons of Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is a great fit for many website owners. Naturally, the lower cost also comes with some downsides you should consider when evaluating different web hosting plans. We’ll take a closer look at the pros and cons of shared hosting providers below. 

1. Advantages of Shared Hosting

1.1. Cost-Effective

The main benefit of shared hosting services is the price – it is significantly less expensive than cloud hosting or a dedicated server. Since all users are sharing one high-powered server, they are also sharing the total cost of that machine. This allows web hosting companies to offer better prices, focus on server maintenance, and implement custom add-on features for users at a low cost.

1.2. Ease of Use

As opposed to VPS, cloud or dedicated hosting, where you are responsible for the technical setup of your server, shared hosting is usually fully managed by the hosting company. Most providers offer a control panel that allows you to easily upload files, manage FTP accounts, and add domain-related features like SSL certificates. This means you do not need to have any technical expertise to host a site, and you would never have to worry about system administration or command lines.

1.3. Maintenance-Free

Another benefit of shared hosting is that your web hosting company is responsible for the backend management of your server. This includes performance and security optimizations, and updates to application and database servers. This allows website owners to focus entirely on their business and website content. 

1.4. Scalability

Small businesses can easily scale their accounts by upgrading to a higher plan. Even though you are sharing a server with other users, most providers offer upgrade options so you can increase your resource allocation significantly.

Most top-level shared plans can handle up to several hundred thousand visitors per month. The exact capacity and limitations vary depending on how well a hosting provider has optimized their web servers. 

2. Limitations of Shared Hosting

2.1. Resources

This point is especially important for sites that are getting more than 500,000 visits per month. If your website’s audience is growing and you start getting more web traffic, you may hit some of the resource limitations of your shared plan. As a result, your websites could be suspended until the issue is addressed.  

As we mentioned, these limits are there to ensure the stability of the server, so this may be a sign that you need to either optimize your site, or upgrade to a higher plan with more capacity.   

2.2. Potential for Slower Speeds

While there are many technologies in place to prevent abuse, it is possible to experience poor performance if something goes wrong with the shared server. If another site overloads the whole server, it would affect the loading speed of your own website. This does not happen often but is possible given there are multiple users sharing the same server environment. 

If this is a concern, consider having your website on a different type of hosting plan, such as a cloud server. There, you have your own dedicated set of CPU, RAM memory, and disk space. This would give you the peace of mind that no other user can affect your site and resource usage. 

2.3. Less Customization

Using a managed shared hosting environment means you do not have root access to your server and cannot install server software on your own. 

Usually, it’s not possible to request such a customization from your provider, because any changes done for you by the web host would also affect other users sharing the same server.

This is more relevant for larger online businesses and complex website applications that require different layers of technology in order to function properly. In such cases, the owners employ technicians that are fully responsible for setting up, customizing, and maintaining dedicated servers.

2.4. Security Considerations

While hosting providers take measures to ensure security, the shared environment means that vulnerabilities on one website can potentially affect others on the same server. If one site gets hacked or infected with malware, there is a higher risk that other sites could be impacted as well. This is why it’s crucial to keep your website software up to date and to implement additional security measures.

Server-level security can vary significantly across different providers. At SiteGround, we offer 24/7 monitoring, advanced Firewall protection, and DDoS protection to make sure your site is well-protected.

Who Should You Use a Shared Hosting Server?

Shared hosting is an excellent choice for individuals, bloggers, and small businesses.

It is also a great solution for personal projects, portfolios, and smaller eCommerce stores that do not require large-scale operations or custom configurations. 

Since the hosting provider manages the technical setup, users with little to no technical experience can use shared hosting without any difficulties.  

In essence, it’s the best option for almost everyone, unless you’re running a highly customized site or have an exceptional amount of traffic. 

1. When to Consider Other Options

If your website has high traffic, includes complex applications, or requires specific server configurations, shared hosting may not be the best choice. 

In such cases, you might want to explore cloud hosting, or dedicated hosting options that provide more control and flexibility. These options are also better suited for larger businesses or ecommerce platforms with significant data and customer management needs. 

How to Choose the Right Shared Hosting Plan 

1. Performance and Reliability

When selecting a shared hosting plan, make sure to check the provider’s uptime guarantee and performance optimizations. A reliable hosting service should offer consistent server uptime (ideally 99.9% or higher) to ensure your website remains accessible to visitors. They should also offer other technologies to reduce server load and optimize performance. This includes caching, custom application layers, and optimized database servers.

2. Customer Support

Since shared hosting is mainly targeted at smaller websites and beginner users, it is highly important to choose a provider that has a strong customer service team and a good reputation for the support they offer. 

Make sure your hosting provider offers 24/7 support via chat, phone, or ticket so you can get assistance whenever you need it.

SiteGround offers support via chat, phone, and a ticketing system. There is also a rich Knowledge Base and an AI assistant to help you with any questions regarding your shared hosting package.

3. Scalability Options

Manual migrations to other platforms are a hassle that most people do not know how to deal with. 

No website owner wants to feel stuck with a limited provider so it’s essential to pick a web host that allows you to upgrade to a higher plan if your website starts growing. Check if the provider offers easy upgrades so you can smoothly scale your online presence as your business grows. 

4. Security Features

Security is crucial, especially on a shared server where multiple users are hosted together. Look for hosting providers that offer SSL certificates, firewalls, DDoS protection, and regular security patches. Some hosts also offer automated backups, which can be a lifesaver if something goes wrong. 

5. Price vs. Features

Evaluate the price of the hosting plan in comparison to the features offered. While shared hosting is generally affordable, some plans may have extra perks like one-click installations, built-in caching, and free domain registration. Ensure you’re getting the best value for your money by comparing features and customer reviews. 

Also, check if they offer a money-back guarantee, so you have enough time to get familiar with all the available tools and test the service.

Get Started with Shared Hosting Today!

Shared hosting is an accessible and affordable way to build your online presence, whether you’re launching a blog, setting up an online store, or starting a portfolio site. 

By choosing the right hosting provider, you can get your website up and running quickly without worrying about the technical aspects of server management. 

Take advantage of the features that shared hosting offers, and as your site grows, you’ll have options to scale up seamlessly. Ready to get started? Check out our recommended shared hosting plans and kickstart your online journey today!