If you’re creating or launching your first website, then shared web hosting could be a solution worth looking at. However, as a newcomer to shared web hosting, you might find it a bit confusing, but it’s one of the most popular options for website owners and bloggers.  To make things easier for you, we have written this comprehensive guide covering all the aspects of shared web hosting that you should be aware of before opting for this web hosting solution.

Read on to understand what shared hosting is, how it works, the advantages of using shared hosting solutions, and what you must consider before opting for this web hosting solution.

What Is Shared Hosting?

Shared web hosting, as the name suggests, is a type of web hosting where a single hosting server is shared by multiple websites. However, you’ll have no idea who or what websites you’re sharing the resources of your hosting server with. Each customer/user on the server typically has a limit on the total amount of server resources they can use, but this will be defined by the hosting package you choose.

Shared web hosting is the most economical and effective option for the majority of small businesses, new websites, and individual bloggers, and more. Thus, this web hosting solution can accommodate the needs of a vast array of users while not being too heavy on the pocket.

Now that you know the meaning of shared hosting, let’s get on to understand how it works.

How Does Shared Hosting Work?

In a shared web hosting solution, the server is partitioned in order to host multiple accounts for various customers who manage their own websites, emails, and database, while server resources and costs are shared by all.

Shared web hosting is like sharing an apartment with other people where you have your own room, but you’ve to share resources like common areas, electricity, etc., with others living in the same apartment. What makes this hosting solution economical is that you can split the expenses like rent and maintenance amongst all the residents equally.

Effects Of Sharing A Server

Sharing a server can have several effects, both positive and negative, depending on the hosting environment and the activities of other users on the same server.

Positively, sharing a server allows for cost savings since the resources are divided among multiple users, making it an economical choice for small websites and startups. It also simplifies server management and maintenance as these tasks are handled by the hosting provider.

However, sharing a server can lead to some challenges as well. First, performance may be affected during peak times when other websites on the server experience high traffic, potentially slowing down all sites. Security risks also increase; if one site on the server is compromised, it can potentially impact other sites as well. Moreover, limitations on server customization and control may restrict users who require specific configurations or software installations.

Therefore, while sharing a server offers affordability and convenience, users should consider the potential impacts on performance, security, and flexibility when choosing this hosting option.

Characteristics Of Shared Hosting

  • Cost-effective: It provides affordability by distributing server resources among multiple users, reducing individual costs.
  • User-friendly: Managed by hosting providers, it simplifies server maintenance, updates, and security for users.
  • Resource sharing: Users share CPU, RAM, and bandwidth, which may cause performance variations during peak usage periods.
  • Security considerations: Vulnerabilities on one site can potentially impact others on the same server, necessitating robust security measures.
  • Scalability limitations: Due to shared resources, scaling up can be challenging for websites experiencing high traffic or resource demands.
  • Basic features: Typically includes essential tools like cPanel for website management and email services, catering primarily to smaller websites and blogs.

Understanding shared hosting plans 

BigRock offers four types of shared hosting plans—Essential, Premium, Business, and Pro—tailored to meet diverse needs, from individuals to small businesses. These plans include features like cPanel for intuitive website management, email accounts, and one-click installations of popular applications.

BigRock’s shared hosting ensures affordability and convenience by sharing server resources among multiple websites, thereby keeping costs competitive. We prioritize reliability with strong security measures and round-the-clock technical support. Whether you’re starting a blog, launching an online store, or establishing a business website, BigRock’s shared hosting plans offer a dependable and accessible solution for hosting your online presence.

Advantages of Shared Hosting 

If you are on a budget and need to get set up quickly, shared hosting is the best option for you. Shared web hosting is far cheaper than other web hosting solutions and enables you to find an online home for your website on a budget.

The most significant advantages of shared hosting are:

  • Low cost

    In shared web hosting, since you share server space with one or more users, it is a cost-effective option; this enables service providers to make profits and deliver a lower price point. And in this very competitive hosting market, you can easily find yourself a shared hosting plan in India for less than Rs 100/month. Thus, considering all the features you can get nowadays, these affordable web hosting packages offer great value.

  • Efficient

    In shared web hosting, you’re provided with all the necessary resources for running a website where your service provider will take care of your initial bandwidth and storage space requirements. Moreover, your website will also have the resources for it to run smoothly at high speed. Of course, this significantly depends upon the hosting provider and hosting package you choose because not all of them are as fast as you would expect them to be.

  • Easy to Self-manage

    Shared hosting is a simple and straightforward way to get started. One of the benefits of shared web hosting is that service providers like BigRock offer a control panel to manage your website, which simplifies the user interface. This, in turn, helps maintain administrative tasks and any monitoring duties associated with running a server.

  • Convenient

    When you require more resources, you can always upgrade your shared hosting planto a higher one, which makes it very convenient. In addition, you can easily manage resources, applications, installations, and more with the help of a convenient control panel provided by your service provider. Everything on this control panel is visually displayed, which makes it easy to understand whatever you’re doing. Furthermore, the administration and maintenance of the server are taken care of by the service provider; thus, you don’t need to concern yourself with anything else but running your website.

  • Built-in cPanel

    Shared Hosting packages typically come with built-in web hosting panels. You will be getting cPanel with Linux Shared Hostingand Plesk with Windows Shared Hosting. These panels enable you to manage your websites, DNS settings, email settings, etc., effortlessly.

Disadvantages of Shared Hosting 

  • Limited resources: Sharing server resources like CPU, RAM, and bandwidth can lead to performance issues during peak times, causing slower loading speeds and response times for your website.
  • Security risks: Vulnerabilities in one site can potentially compromise others on the same server, exposing your website to security threats and attacks.
  • Scalability constraints: Limited scalability due to shared resources may hinder growth for high-traffic websites, requiring upgrades to more expensive hosting plans for sufficient resources.
  • Dependency on others: Performance and uptime can be affected by other websites’ activities on the server, making your site vulnerable to fluctuations in server performance.
  • Less control: Limited control over server configurations and software installations compared to dedicated hosting may restrict customization options and flexibility.
  • Potential for overload: Server overload from other sites can impact your website’s performance and availability, especially during traffic spikes or server maintenance periods.

What Should You Consider Before Choosing A Shared Hosting Plan?

It is important to keep certain things in mind before choosing a shared hosting plan. Below we’ve mentioned the four most significant factors you must keep in mind to choose the best web hosting plan for your needs:

  • Your Budget & Required Features

As mentioned above, in shared hosting, your website will share a server with other websites, which relatively brings down the cost. But all these users on the server will be sharing the same server’s resources, including the storage space.

So before signing up for a shared hosting plan, check what your budget is and what features you’re eyeing. For example, many shared web hosting plans do come with a free domain, hence making it easier to set up the website. You can also add unlimited email services at a very small extra cost. One will agree that the features that usually come with a shared hosting plan make it the most pocket-friendly package available.

 

  • Your Technical Skills

Managing a server on your own can be a bit difficult if you’re not technically sound. But with a shared hosting plan, that part is usually taken care of for you. This implies that even if your technical skills are not top-notch, you don’t need to worry as your hosting provider will be taking care of it. While shared hosting is a smart place for most websites to start, as they grow, they typically need a more robust hosting plan such as VPS or dedicated hosting.

 

  • The Size of your Website

The bigger your website, the more resources it will require. In Shared Hosting, since you’ll be sharing the same server with many other users, you might face some problems down the road. For instance, you might have issues with storage space as all the other websites on the server will be sharing the same space. And some websites on the server may experience sudden growth, which might push your website to the edge of the server space.

Furthermore, an increase in traffic to any of the websites on the server can impact your site. It can overload the server and may even lead your website to crash. Your website might also become more prone to malware attacks on a shared hosting plan. Therefore, if you’re expecting heavy traffic on your website anytime soon, it would be better to consider trying other hosting plans like VPS or dedicated web hosting.

  • The Restriction on Shared Hosting 

There are certain restrictions on the shared hosting packages. However, these restrictions vary from one hosting package to another where many of them often prevent a single website on a shared server from eating up the resources of the server at the expense of others. It is important to check what are the limitations related to memory limits, spam and hacker activity, file restrictions of the hosting package to ensure that suits your needs.

Ending Note

To summarize this, it can be said that shared hosting is a great option for small and medium-sized websites. It will provide you with many features at a very small cost which makes it one of the most affordable packages available today. It also provides all the essential tools required to get your website up and running.

While there are certain restrictions on shared hosting in terms of storage space, bandwidth, etc., these factors come into play when you start exploring limits on your package. But if none of these affects your website, then go ahead and sign up for a shared hosting plan right away. Get in touch with our expert team to gain insight into shared hosting plans, our expert team will help you choose the best hosting plan for your needs!

 

FAQs – Ultimate Guide to Shared Web Hosting

How much does shared hosting cost?

The cost of shared hosting varies based on the plan you select. For instance, BigRock provides four types of shared hosting plans: Essential, Premium, Business, and Pro. Each plan offers a different set of features tailored to cater to diverse user needs, from individuals to small businesses, ensuring affordability and scalability as per specific requirements. Choosing the right plan involves evaluating factors like website traffic expectations, storage needs, and additional features necessary for optimal performance and growth.

Which hosting option would be the right choice for your small business?

For a small business, shared hosting is often the right choice due to its affordability and simplicity. Shared hosting allows multiple websites to share server resources, keeping costs low while providing essential features like cPanel for easy management and one-click installations. It’s ideal for businesses with moderate website traffic and basic hosting needs, such as informational websites, blogs, and small e-commerce stores. However, businesses expecting high traffic or requiring more robust performance and security may benefit from considering VPS or dedicated hosting for better scalability and control.

How is shared hosting different from other types/forms of hosting?

Shared hosting differs from other forms of hosting primarily in resource allocation and cost. Unlike dedicated hosting where a server is exclusively for one user or VPS hosting where resources are partitioned into virtual servers, shared hosting involves multiple websites sharing the same server resources like CPU, RAM, and bandwidth. This sharing makes shared hosting more economical but can lead to performance variability and security risks if other sites on the server experience high traffic or security issues.

How many users can shared hosting handle?

Shared hosting can typically handle hundreds to thousands of users, depending on the hosting provider’s infrastructure and server specifications. The exact number of users a shared hosting server can support varies based on factors such as the server’s CPU capacity, RAM allocation, and the types of websites hosted. Providers manage resources to ensure fair usage among users. Still, high traffic or resource-intensive websites on the same server can impact overall performance for all users, highlighting the importance of server load management and resource allocation.