Shared hosting is the cheapest type of hosting provided by web hosting companies. It is called shared hosting because the server resources are shared by a large number of webmasters. Different web hosting companies offer shared hosting plans with different features. Shared hosting is cheap because the cost is shared by a lot of webmasters. Usually, a shared hosting server is allotted to a few thousands webmasters. It is suitable for individuals and businesses who want to host websites with small to medium traffic.
Because the resources are shared, your website performance can be affected if other websites consume too many resources on the server. This is why the web host often put limit on shared hosting plans. The administrator will manage the shared hosting server in a way that meet the average needs of each client. You may have come across many web hosting companies that claim to offer unlimited shared hosting plans. Actually, unlimited shared hosting plans also have limits but it is not stated explicitly on the sales page so that customers will be more attracted to sign up with them. You can find out the limit of an unlimited shared hosting plan in the terms and conditions of the web hosting company.
Shared hosting is fully managed by the web host. This means that you don’t have to perform any maintenance job on the server. The web host is responsible in handling all the issues that arise on the server. Most shared hosting plans provide control panel applications for webmasters so that they can easily perform the regular chores of their websites.
Shared hosting does not offer free unique IP address for customers. However, you may be able to buy a unique IP address to use on your server. Shared hosting is also less reliable. Many people have reported that their websites hosted on shared hosting servers are hacked by hackers. To avoid attack from hackers, you must sign up with a reputable web hosting company that has many years of experiences in hosting websites. The servers used in cheap shared hosting are less secure and can easily be hacked by hackers.
Unless your website receives a large amount of traffic, you don’t have to buy a dedicated hosting. Shared hosting will provide sufficient resources to meet the needs of average websites. Before signing up for a web hosting plan, make sure you do a thorough research by searching the entire web for customer reviews on the web hosting companies. Reading reviews can save you time in finding the right web hosting company.