Shared web hosting: the ultimate guide for beginners

Shared hosting is the type of hosting where your website shares server space with other websites. This makes it an affordable and beginner-friendly option for new businesses and smaller websites. Most shared hosting providers offer intuitive interfaces and often handle server maintenance, so you can focus on your website development without any technical challenges.

We will look at the benefits of shared hosting and help you decide if it's the right choice for launching your online presence. So let's dive deeper and explore the world of shared hosting!

What is Shared Hosting?

With Shared Hosting, a single physical server hosts multiple sites. Many users utilize the resources on a single server, which keeps the costs low. Users each get a section of a server where they can host their website files. Shared hosting servers can host hundreds of users. Each customer using the shared hosting platform’s server has access to features like databases, monthly traffic, disk space, email accounts, FTP accounts, and other useful add-ons offered by the hosting provider. System resources are shared on-demand by customers on the server, and each gets a percentage of resources like RAM and CPU, as well as other features such as a MySQL server, Apache server, and mail server.

Shared hosting offers the most cost-effective way to get a site online — as the costs of maintaining a server are split among all users. This style of hosting is best suited for smaller projects, such as the website for a local bakery or a blog that doesn’t require advanced configurations or high bandwidth. Since shared hosting is not sufficient for sites with high traffic or high volume, like large e-commerce websites, larger projects should consider VPS or dedicated hosting solutions instead.

Let’s use an analogy to make things clearer.

Shared hosting is like a co-working space where multiple businesses rent desks or offices within a larger building, in a similar way websites rent website storage space on a server. You have your own dedicated workspace but share common areas and resources like the Internet connection and printers (basic website management tools).

Co-working spaces offer flexible and affordable options compared to renting an entire office. Some co-working spaces may include facilities like cleaning or reception services, which is similar to how shared server maintenance can be handled by the hosting provider.

While coworking allows you to decorate your workspace and manage your operations, major changes to the building structure might not be allowed. This is like the way shared hosting’s website design and content can be changed, but your server configuration options will be limited.

With shared hosting, the resources on a server are shared with other users, but you can still enjoy many resources. Reputable web hosting companies, like Namecheap, have policies that ensure fair usage to make sure everyone has access to a fair amount of resources.

Shared hosting is an entry-level option capable of offering the level of resources that a start-up, local business, or personal site requires. It’s especially popular as the most cost-effective option among those new to the world of web hosting. Since many people are sharing the resources of a server, individual user costs are kept low. The majority of shared hosting packages come with easy-to-use features such as a user-friendly control panel (such as cPanel) that allows you to upload your website files, create an email account, and add databases for services.

How shared hosting works

With a single server hosting multiple sites, the number of websites can range from a few hundred to several thousand depending on the available hard drive space, RAM, and processing speed. This hosting is on a machine that’s identical to a dedicated server, but its resources are used by a much greater number of clients. Each website user’s account files and any applications are stored in separate folders on the shared server, and each has its own file directory tree. Users don’t have access to either the root or to each other's files. Websites on the server share computing power (CPU), memory (RAM), and storage space. Reputable hosting providers carefully allocate these resources to ensure each website gets its fair share and functions smoothly.

When someone enters your website address in their browser, the request travels through the internet, navigating a network of routers and servers until it reaches the shared server with your website. The server recognizes the request and locates your website files. Finally, the server sends those files back to the user's browser, and your website appears on their screen.

Since resources are shared, a burst in traffic on one website can potentially slow down others on the same server. However, reputable web hosting providers try to mitigate it using strategies to minimize these impacts and ensure overall smooth operation.

Benefits of shared web hosting

There are numerous benefits of using shared hosting. Let’s take a look at the fundamental features of shared web hosting:

Affordability

Shared hosting provides the most cost-effective hosting solution. With many people contributing towards the server, the hosting company’s costs are divided. Basic hosting plans start at around $30 a year, while you can expect to pay over $100 a year for premium plans with unmetered disk space, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited websites.

Ease of use

Shared hosting is usually easy to set up, and most shared hosting providers offer a control panel for creating and managing your website. The simplified user interface manages the administrative tasks and any monitoring duties associated with running a server.

Professional management

Shared hosting is relatively low maintenance. Your host will make the running of your server much easier by taking care of basic server administration tasks. Unless you are prepared to run your own server, web management will be the most convenient option. Leave it to professionals to worry about your website hosting. With shared hosting you can expect technical assistance for everything from hardware upgrades and maintenance to server software updates and network outages.

Flexibility and scalability

New online ventures can begin with a shared plan and upgrade without hassle as the website grows. Shared hosting providers typically offer a range of shared web hosting plans with varying resource allocations. As your website traffic and storage needs increase, you can easily upgrade to a plan with more CPU power, RAM, and storage to accommodate your growth. 

Multiple domain hosting

You can install numerous websites in your user directory — you just need to make sure the domains you purchase are connected. For example, any one user could have different domains for their personal website, their hobbyist blog, and their business. Shared hosting is perfect for this.

Support for dynamic websites

Websites that look different according to who is browsing are known as dynamic. Popular dynamic websites include Facebook, Quora, and Twitter, while dynamic content management systems (CMSs) include WordPress and Joomla. These pre-configured installations make it easy to set up a website using various themes and plugins. Dynamic sites and CMSs use alternative programming languages such as PHP, Perl, and Python, all of which can run on a shared server.

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Who should choose shared hosting?

Shared hosting is the right choice for your site if you:

• Have little experience with website hosting.
• Want to keep costs low.
• Are designing a small business website or a personal blog.
• Don’t require access to extensive programming tools.
• Are studying applications like Joomla or WordPress.
• Are running a small business or startup.
• Are experimenting with web design and coding.

Shared hosting is a perfect fit for those starting their online journey for two key reasons: affordability and ease of use. You share the server resources with other websites, which translates to a significantly lower cost compared to having your own dedicated server. This makes it ideal for launching your website without a costly upfront investment. As your website grows and traffic increases, you can easily upgrade your shared hosting plan with the same provider. This allows you to scale your budget alongside your online presence, without the need for a complete upgrade to a different hosting solution.

Shared hosting providers typically set up the server environment with essential server software already installed. This includes tools like MySQL databases for storing website data and features like PHP scripting for dynamic content, and there’s no need to worry about complex server configurations as it's all ready to use. Control panels offered by hosting providers allow you to manage your website, install additional features, and upload content without needing any advanced coding knowledge. In addition, most hosting providers offer customer support teams ready to answer your questions and guide you through any technical challenges you face.

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Key factors to consider when choosing shared hosting

There are some important criteria to think about when choosing between shared hosting providers, and it goes beyond just pricing. You should look for the following characteristics of a shared hosting package.

Uptime guarantee

This is a promise from the provider to ensure your website is accessible to visitors for a certain percentage of time. It’s important to choose a provider with a strong uptime guarantee, like the 100% guarantee offered by Namecheap.

A high uptime guarantee minimizes the risk of website downtime, ensuring visitors can access your website and engage with your content or products anytime. This experience keeps them satisfied and coming back for more. Consistent uptime demonstrates high reliability and professionalism. Visitors know they can depend on your website to be available when they need it, fostering trust and a positive brand image.

Search engines like Google consider website availability a ranking factor. Frequent downtime can negatively impact your search engine ranking, making it harder for potential customers to find your website. A strong uptime guarantee helps ensure your website remains visible in search results, keeping you at the forefront of your potential customers' online searches.

Performance & speed

Sites that are sharing the same server don't affect each other’s speed and performance with Namecheap’s Shared Hosting, but this can’t be said of many web hosting companies. Use free online tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test each host's server response time and identify areas for improvement. Also, check independent reviews and user testimonials to get a real-world perspective on a hosting provider's speed and reliability.

Storage and bandwidth

Factor in your anticipated website traffic when choosing your shared hosting. It’s not easy to make projections about web traffic, but to ensure flexibility it’s a good idea to analyze your current website content (text, images, videos) and estimate future growth. Additionally, use analytics tools to understand your current visitor numbers and traffic patterns. Project future traffic increases to choose a plan that can handle the anticipated demand. If for any reason you expect a large amount of traffic, shared hosting might not be suitable as it might lead to breaking a fair use policy.

Security features

In the digital world of the twenty-first century, website security is crucial. When choosing the best shared hosting provider, prioritize features that offer robust protection for your website and its data: 

• Ensure you have firewall protection. A firewall acts as a security barrier, filtering incoming and outgoing traffic to block potential threats like malware and unauthorized access attempts. 
• Check there are regular malware scans to identify and remove any malicious software that might have infiltrated your website. 
• Look for features that continuously monitor your website for suspicious activity or security vulnerabilities.
• SSL/TLS certificates encrypt communication between your website and visitors, protecting sensitive data like credit card information or login credentials. An SSL certificate is like a security guard for your website.

Customer support

Just because this style of hosting is inexpensive, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect support. Setting up a website and managing hosting can still be challenging for beginners. Technical support empowers you with readily available assistance to overcome technical challenges and ensure a smooth website launch. Look out for a host with support agents available around the clock through the means you will find most helpful, such as live chat, phone, or email.

Control panels

Make sure your host offers a control panel (e.g., cPanel) with their shared web hosting plans. This is a web-based interface that allows users to manage their hosting server settings from the comfort of their web browser.

One-click install applications

For seamless integration with CMSs like WordPress, or website builders like Namecheap, go with a host that offers easy-to-install features.

Server location
It’s always better to choose a server that’s geographically closer to your target audience, as this can improve website loading times. Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel between the server and the visitor's browser. The closer your audience is to the server, the lower the latency is so the website loads faster.

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Potential drawbacks of shared hosting

Limited resources

Server resources are always limited, and this is a crucial determining factor in shared hosting. When choosing your plan, check the fine print on what’s included in their fair use policy. If your site gets high levels of traffic it could cause problems for other users, For example, if your visitors download masses of content or if a script causes the server to slow down. 

Security risks

Multiple websites reside on the same server in a shared hosting environment. If one website has a security issue, like malware infection, it can potentially spread to other websites on the server. Outdated software on one website can create a vulnerability that hackers can exploit to gain access to other websites on the server.

Reputable providers employ techniques like virtual environments to isolate resources for each website. This creates a barrier, preventing security issues on one website from directly impacting others. They prioritize keeping the server operating system and software applications up-to-date with the latest security patches, which helps mitigate vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit. Some providers offer malware scanning tools to identify and remove any malicious software that might infiltrate your website.

It's important to remember that even with these measures, shared hosting inherently carries some level of risk compared to dedicated hosting solutions. However, reputable providers take proactive steps to minimize these risks and ensure a secure shared hosting environment for your website.

Limited customization

If you have specific technical requirements, this might not be the hosting plan for you, as it’s not possible to use customized software. For example, if you need to run an alternative operating system like FreeBSD, or PostgreSQL script for your database, you'll need to have your own server rather than a shared hosting plan. In this case, the best option would be a virtual or physical server — most use MySQL and PHP as the most popular CMS engines, and blog builders are designed to work with them.

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Alternatives to shared hosting

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is often the first port of call for people looking for an alternative to shared hosting. In fact, if your needs are much greater than what your host considers acceptable, chances are they will ask you to upgrade your hosting package, and it’s most likely they will suggest a virtual server.

A VPS gives you access to your own personal server, one with your own allocated resources and a pre-installed operating system of your choice. One server machine is subdivided into separate virtual servers. This has many advantages for website owners, such as having dedicated disk space and bandwidth and the chance to scale up. If your site's too big to fit shared hosting but too small to benefit from dedicated server hosting, VPS hosting could well be the right solution for you.

If you want to go further than VPS, you might want to think about dedicated hosting, where you will have the whole server to yourself. A Dedicated Server offers privacy, security, and dedicated resources. You don't have to compete with any other websites for bandwidth, storage space, and speed. It’s true that this is the most expensive option, and you’ll need IT skills to manage dedicated hosting. But if you are looking for great server performance and maximum control, a dedicated server is the right hosting for your web project.

Shared hosting, VPS, and dedicated hosting compared:

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Shared hosting offers a blend of affordability, ease of use, and features that make it a perfect choice for beginners and website owners with more basic needs. For most people, the advantages of shared hosting outweigh the disadvantages. When it comes to costs, shared hosting wins hands down with its lower prices — a decisive factor when purchasing hosting. 

Also with shared hosting, you don’t need technical expertise to build a professional site with the most popular web applications. But don’t forget that shared hosting means limited server resources, security considerations, and limited customization.

Choosing between hosting providers can be challenging if you are creating a website on a budget, or you’re just starting out online. A VPS or a dedicated server offers additional power and complete control over your own server, but these perks come with a premium price tag, running up to a hundred times the price. So if you are looking for a hassle-free solution that’s also cheap, then shared hosting is the one to go for.

For a shared hosting provider that offers quality hosting at a great price, look no further than Namecheap. Our Shared Hosting plans include great discounts on domain names, free domain privacy, a free Website Builder tool to build your dream website, and 24-hour live support. We also offer a 100% uptime guarantee, the CMS installation of your choice, security features, and the choice of shared server locations. We’re so confident you’ll be impressed by our services, we’ll help you move to us from your existing site from your current provider for free.

Take a look at our Shared Hosting plans today and let us help you build your online presence.