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Shared web hosting is when multiple websites are hosted on a single server and share the servers resources. These resources include server storage, memory, and processing power.
Shared web hosting is one of the most popular choices out there for hosting customers. This is likely due to the lower costs when choosing among the hosting options.
In this article, we'll review the details of shared web Hosting and if it's right for you.
Shared web hosting can be a good option for most people and small businesses. Just be sure to research and choose a hosting company with a good reputation.
If you are not familiar with setting up and maintaining a hosting account, purchasing from a managed hosting provider may be a better option. A good managed hosting provider will handle all the management and maintenance, making hosting easy.
Hosting is a generic term for all types of "web hosting," including dedicated hosting, VPS hosting, managed hosting, WordPress Hosting and shared hosting.
"Shared hosting" refers to sharing resources with multiple customers on the same server.
The big difference between hosting and shared hosting is that the term hosting refers to all types of web hosting. While shared hosting only refers to a type of hosting that shares resources with multiple customers.
The main advantage of shared web hosting is the reduced cost. Since the hosting provider can put multiple clients on one server, they can save money on hardware and other expenses.
The hosting provider can then afford to offer other incentives like free SSL security certificates and free domain names with the hosting service.
If you are on a tight budget, that can really help reduce your overall costs for a hosting account.
Shared web hosting can be a good option for people that only need a small amount of resources for their website. And that are trying to keep their costs as low as possible.
There are several disadvantages to using shared web hosting for your business or personal website. These disadvantages include limited resources, security, and customer support.
1. Limited Resources - During peak usage times, your website can slow down by a significate amount. Not something you want if you are a small business.
2. Security - Your website will share an IP address with other customers. If another website becomes compromised by malware or other malicious activity, it can affect your website.
3. Customer Setup - For most people, this can get frustrating if you are not familiar with setting up and managing your own website.
4. Limited Amount of Customization - there is a limited amount of custom applications or options you can add compared with other types of Web Hosting.
Shared hosting can be a good option for websites that don't require many resources. If you need more resources, stability, and support, shared hosting may not be a good way to go.
One of the problems with shared web hosting is limited resources. Since you share a hosting server with other customers, unforeseen resource issues can occur.
The limitations will usually happen during peak business hours. However, they can also occur if another customer starts backing up large files or displaying a popular video.
This can often lead to your website visitors having a slower than usual experience. Shared hosting plans come with less server space, memory, and even CPU power. You may find that your business could outgrow the shared hosting within a few years.
With shared hosting, you have limited control over the hosting environment. Adding custom software may not be supported by the hosting provider.
Since Shared Hosting is sharing the resources with other website customers, it will be slower than Dedicated Hosting.
Dedicated Web Hosting is an excellent option if you need more power for your business website and applications. It also gives you more server space and memory if you need more resources.
Most small business clients will do fine with a high-quality shared hosting account. However, purchasing a dedicated hosting account would be the way to go if you need more power stability and security.
There are several alternatives to Shared Web Hosting. These alternatives are excellent for individuals and small businesses that need more resources.
1. Semi-Dedicated Hosting - Semi-Dedicated hosting is where you share a server with fewer customers, usually just 2 or 4.
2. Dedicated Hosting - Dedicated hosting is when you are the only client on the hosting server. This allows you to have all the resources dedicated to your website or websites.
3. VPS Hosting - Virtual Private Server or VPS Hosting is a dedicated virtual server. Again you would be the only website on this server. However, with virtual servers, you still share resources with other VPS users. But it does give you a lot more resources.
Other types of Web Hosting would be where you have a combination of services like Managed Hosting for Small Businesses.
Shared Web Hosting can be a good starting point for most people. For most small businesses, however, going with a provider that offers Fully Managed Web Hosting can be a better option.
All photos used have been curated by Verity staff
Verity Editorial Staff
The editorial staff at VerityHosting is a team of hosting experts with over 25 years of experience managing, monitoring, and maintaining hosting services for small businesses.
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