Over the years, a lot has been said about Shared Hosting services and how they are beneficial for websites with basic hosting requirements. Like all other web hosting types, Shared Hosting has its advantages and disadvantages too. Today, we are going to talk about the pros and cons of Shared Hosting to help you determine if it is the best option for your site.
Shared Hosting
In Shared Hosting, your website resides on a web server shared between multiple users. Further, you get all the tools needed to run and manage your site efficiently. You can also choose between Windows and Linux Shared Hosting plans based on your needs. While this is ideal for websites with low resource requirements, as the site grows, you might have to migrate to another service that can handle the increased load.
Pros and Cons of Shared Hosting
Here are some pros and cons of Shared Hosting services:
Pros
| Cost efficiency – Shared Hosting plans are the most affordable when compared with other hosting types. These plans start at a minimum price of Rs 99 per month. They provide adequate resources for a small-to-medium website. |
| Managed services – Since the server is shared, the web hosting company ensures that it takes care of all the server management tasks, including upgrades, security scans and updates. |
| Control panel – Most Shared Hosting providers offer a user-friendly control panel like cPanel for Linux-based servers to help you manage your hosting account. Using this, you can set up email accounts, check your site’s statistics, upload images and files, etc. |
| Multiple domains – Many people believe that they can host only one website on a Shared Hosting server. However, the fact is that you can add domains to your server. |
Cons
| Reliability – Since multiple users share a web server, if the hosting company hosts a large number of users on one server, then it is bound to crash. Therefore, before buying a plan, ensure that you check the reviews regarding the host’s reliability. Also, find the number of users on your hosting server to get an estimate of its reliability. |
| Unpredictable performance – Even if you are experiencing moderate traffic on your website, you might have a slow loading time if another user experiences a sudden surge in site traffic. This codependency can make your site’s performance unpredictable and lead to an increase in bounce rates. If you are facing regular performance issues, then you might want to talk to your hosting provider for resolution or look to upgrade your hosting service. |
| Security – Site security is one of the most important aspects of web hosting. In Shared Hosting, the presence of other websites on the server makes it more prone to security threats. Review the host’s security protocols and ensure that he priorities security over other aspects. |
Summing Up
While the cons might seem overwhelming, Shared Hosting services are designed for new websites or sites with basic resource requirements. Hence, if you assess your site’s hosting needs thoroughly and research well, you can find the perfect Shared Hosting plan for your website.