Shared hosting is by far the most common platform used across the world due to the low cost it entails. Common examples of companies that offer shared hosting plans include HostGator, InMotion and Bluehost.
But what are the advantages and disadvantages of using shared web hosting? and is it worth your time and money? Follow on and I will give you the low down on shared hosting.
First Off, What Is Shared Web Hosting?
Each user on the shared hosting platform is granted a set amount of resources, e.g. disk space, network traffic, accounts, databases etc. The services granted run on a single chunk of powerful resources, which are used to cater for the requirements of other clients as well.
There has been an ongoing debate about the viability of shared hosting. Many consider it a valuable asset in the digital marketplace that allows anyone to have an online presence. While others view it as a recipe for disaster.
Personally I prefer shared web hosting for my websites as it allows me to host many websites affordably without compromising in speed too much. If you want to create your very own website, you can check out my comparison on the best web hosting NZ picks.
Ok, lets get stuck in!
Advantages Of Shared Web Hosting
Cost Efficiency
Shared web hosting goes around for the rate of peanuts! This is perhaps its biggest edge over other hosting techniques such as a dedicated server or a VPS. For instance, you can have your website up and running for as little as $5 – $10 per month.
Also with competition on the rise. One can always expect the rates for additional resources to go down and the SLAs to get tighter. This makes shared hosting ideal for individuals or small companies who just want their website as a gateway to the world.
Customization
While the resources are shared among several clients, this doesn’t mean each one doesn’t get to manage his/her own website. Most shared web hosting platforms come with some sort of control panel (cPanel) toolset that allows users to customize their website.
In addition, service providers are always busy adding new features, with the most popular wave being that of statistical analysis. This has given users clearer insights into the popularity of their website.
Efficiency
Two of the most crucial parameters that govern a website’s performance are its disk space and bandwidth. With shared hosting, you can always buy additional storage and bandwidth from the service provider. This way you can make up for the inflating demands without wasting much money or time. Also you don’t even need to engage the support team for such requests as usually a portal exists to resolve such problems without delays.
Convenience
A travel blogger, food enthusiast or a makeup artist isn’t exactly trained to manage a website. Nor does he/she have any interest in such chores. In this fast-paced world, convenience is a priority. This is what shared web hosting has succeeded in providing.
The core building blocks of the website and major software services are managed by highly trained professionals. This allows the user to use the website for what it was originally meant for.
You don’t need to be technically sound with software such as Apache, mySQL, etc. and the environment’s already setup. This means that a Shared Hosting platform can turn out to be extremely time savvy. Setting up a website is extremely easy, and your host can get you live within 24 hours of purchase.
This is quite impressive compared to dedicated environments that require extended dry runs and testing.
Disadvantages Of Shared Web Hosting
Security
One of the biggest concerns for shared hosting is that of security to the server. Shared servers are highly visible to hackers and can suffer significant malicious activity that can effect the entire clientele. There have been instances where a malicious script run on a separate website has harmed its neighbors as well. Unfortunately this makes it an easy target for hackers.
To make matters worse, since you’re being provided a platform rather than the infrastructure itself. You can’t install specific antivirus or firewall to protect your website.
However, when you use a reputable web host, this issue is almost out of the question as they have many security protocols in place. I have been using shared web hosting of years and have never had an issue to date.
Limited Resources
Shared hosting means that the websites all run on a single server. This effectively makes the server prone to congestions and performance hits.
For instance, if one website experiences a spike in traffic and the server isn’t designed to handle this. The result would be damaging for other websites as well. Your website could slow down and performance limited. In the worst case, this can even lead to system crashes.
Customer Support
Shared hosting platforms rely on automated tools and generic questions to serve a large client-base. If by any chance, a customer encounters a unique problem, he/she may have to open up a support ticket.
Depending on the hosting package, the support can take time to respond. Sometimes, time is of the essence and a critical issue may uproot a user’s reputation in the market.
In such scenarios, there is little that can be done except watch and wait. Such problems are easily handled in Dedicated Hosting environments where there are technical personnel sitting for the sole purpose of keeping the website up and running.
For larger hosting providers like Bluehost or HostGator. You can easily call their support team via a toll free number.
Other Types Of Web Hosting Available
Apart from Shared Hosting, two other popular options are also available, namely Dedicated Hosting and VPS.
Dedicated Hosting: the user either rents out or buys an entire physical server within a data center. It is then installed with the necessary software and used for web hosting purposes. This requires initial investment, technical personnel and running costs for renting out space within the Data Center.
VPS: abbreviation for Virtual Private Server, this is a scaled down version of Dedicated Hosting and involves buying a virtual machine from within a large physical server. This is a much cheaper option compared to dedicated hosting but still requires personnel for installing the necessary software and maintaining it.