Shared Hosting Providers Feature Overview
Provider | Starting Price | Free Domain | Free SSL | Storage (GB) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
$2.99 | Yes | Yes | 100-200 | Visit Hostinger | |
$1.95 | Yes | Yes | 100-unlimited | A2 Hosting | |
$2.49 | Yes | Yes | 15-40 | Visit HostArmada | |
$3.29 | 50-750 | 2-12 | 2-64 | Visit Ultahost | |
$1.79 | Yes | Yes | 10-40 | Visit FastComet | |
$2.99 | 7 – unlimited | Unlimited | Yes | Visit HostRound LLC | |
$1.00 | Yes | Yes | 10-unlimited | Visit IONOS | |
$1.99 | 20-40 | Unlimited | Yes | Visit Neoxea | |
$3.00 | 30-100 | Unlimited | Yes | Visit Verpex Hosting |
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting is a cost-effective web hosting solution where multiple websites share resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage on a single server. However, shared resources mean high traffic on one site can impact others’ performance.
A shared hosting provider manages server maintenance, updates, and security patches, making it ideal for beginners, small websites, and personal blogs.
When to Choose and When to Avoid Shared Hosting
When to Choose Shared Hosting | When to Avoid Shared Hosting |
You have a small website or blog. | You have an eCommerce site with high traffic. |
You are running a personal website or hobby site with minimal resources. | You need dedicated resources like storage and RAM for better performance. |
You are a beginner and need an easy-to-use solution. | You require advanced security measures like intrusion detection systems (IDS). |
Your budget is limited. | Your website’s load time and uptime is critical and must not be affected by others. |
Your website has up to 5,000 visitors per day. | You need administrative-level access to the server. |
You prefer having server maintenance handled for you. | You want to set up environments like Node.js, databases like MongoDB, or use virtualization like Docker. |
If shared hosting is not relevant to your needs, consider these alternatives:
- VPS Hosting—Offers dedicated resources and greater control over server configurations.
- Dedicated Hosting—Provides an entire server for your exclusive use, ensuring maximum performance and customization.
- Cloud Hosting—Utilizes multiple servers to ensure scalability, flexibility, and reliability.
- Reseller Hosting—Allows you to resell hosting services to your own clients, offering control and potential revenue.
How To Choose The Best Shared Hosting Service
- Your Budget vs. Costs Involved—Compare initial setup costs and renewal fees. Aim for transparent pricing and a good price-value ratio.
- Proper Website Security—Look for web hosts that offer strong security measures and proactive monitoring to protect against hackers, and spyware.
- Good Customer Support—Ensure 24/7 availability via chat, phone, or email with knowledgeable support staff capable of resolving technical issues.
- Features and Add-Ons—Check for additional benefits like free domain registration, SSL certificates, SSH access, and a user-friendly control panel.
- Speed of Your Web Host—Ensure fast loading times by choosing a host consistently ranked high in speed performance surveys.
- Reputation and Reviews—Research the hosting company’s reputation and read user reviews to ensure reliability and quality standards.
The Best Shared Hosting Services Of 2024 (Bought And Tested):
Are you looking for unmetered bandwidth, free domain, or WordPress optimization? Whatever your demand, Hostinger can supply. This web host delivers the best balance between performance and price if you ask me.
- Overall Score: 4.6
- Ease Of Use: 4.7
- Useful Features: 4.8
- Uptime & Speed: 4.6
- Customer Support: 4.5
- Plans & Pricing: 4.6
Hostinger offers all-in-one hosting with a rich feature set. The best part is you will be able to adjust your shared hosting plans as you go – its custom-built algorithm will provide suggestions based on your usage.
Research Findings
Ease Of Use: Hostinger has removed all complexities with its custom-built hPanel that’s intuitive, fast, and better than cPanel.
Useful Features: Hostinger is all about the features; you’ll get 100 websites, access management, auto-script installer, eCommerce optimization, one-click WordPress installation, free SSL, free migration, backups, unmetered bandwidth, free email, at a minimum.
Uptime & Speed: You won’t have to worry about performance since Hostinger offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, LiteSpeed WordPress module, PHP speed boost, Cloudflare CDN & DDoS protection.
Customer Support: Hostinger will always have your back; its tech support team can help you out with all issues 24/7/365. You can also ask the migration team to do the job for you if you don’t like using Hostinger’s automated migration tool for WordPress.
Plans & Pricing: Hostinger offers one of the most affordable hosting services. As a customer, you’ll get promotional rates, but it’s still cheaper than most shared web hosting providers, even when the prices increase on renewal.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Custom-built hPanel (intuitive, fast and better than cPanel)
- WordPress optimization (LiteSpeed caching, HTTP/2, HTTP/3 and IPv6, PHP8, GZIP compression, threat detection, and more)
- Lots of self-help available (FAQ database, Knowledgebase, Tutorials, and Webinars)
Cons:
- No free domain in the monthly offer
- Live chat is limited to existing customers, and there’s no phone support
I found in my complete review that HostArmada is the best shared hosting for WordPress – it offers powerful and specially optimized cloud SSD web hosting packages for your WP website!
- Overall Score: 5.0
- Ease Of Use: 5.0
- Useful Features: 4.9
- Uptime & Speed: 5.0
- Customer Support: 5.0
- Plans & Pricing: 4.9
HostArmada offers managed WordPress hosting with a 1-click WordPress installer – you can deploy WordPress instances quickly and configure every installation separately. WordPress transfer, WP optimization, and WP performance boost are also part of the package.
Research Findings
Ease Of Use: You can quickly launch your shared hosting plan using HostArmada’s free drag & drop SiteBuilder, free app install & upgrade, 1-click WordPress install, loading speed optimization, and 24/7 human support.
Useful Features: All shared hosting plans include free cPanel, free domain, SSL, daily backups, cloud SSD storage, web server cache, free website transfer, malware scan, malware removal, WAF & IP firewall, unlimited FTP accounts, databases, email accounts, subdomains, and multiple PHP versions.
Uptime & Speed: HostArmada keeps a low number of clients on its servers for low server load and optimal website performance. Its cloud SSD technology accounts for a 99.9% uptime.
Customer Support: Fast and responsive technical support team that’s always available via live chat, ticketing system, phone, and email to assist you with just about anything – from migrating WordPress website to installing themes, plugins, SSL certificates, optimizing websites, and more.
Plans & Pricing: You can pay every month, every year, every two or three years, with better discounts on the longer term. The best price is $2.99 for the cheapest shared hosting plan – 1 Website/15GB SSD/2 Cores CPU/2GB RAM. HostArmada also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee if you want to leave.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Easy to pilot service with cPanel, Website Builder, and 1-click WordPress Installer
- Multiple data centers around the globe (Europe, US, Asia, Australia)
- Many valuable free goods (domain name/transfer, website migration, daily backups)
Cons:
- Some features are limited to the most expensive plan (Speed Reaper Features and Dynamic Caching)
- Pretty high regular prices (you can get the best deal by signing up for a 3-year plan)
Have you heard of the cPanel, the industry-gold control panel? It perfectly matches FastComet in terms of user-friendliness. I recommend this provider to all start-ups and small businesses looking for the best ease of use and navigation.
- Overall Score: 4.8
- Ease Of Use: 4.9
- Useful Features: 4.8
- Uptime & Speed: 4.8
- Customer Support: 4.9
- Plans & Pricing: 4.7
FastComet’s primary advantage is its cPanel shared hosting. But that’s only the start of it. Its shared web hosting packages also feature fast servers, CDN, a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and are perfect for SEO.
Research Findings
Ease Of Use: You can expect an immediate account set up on the cPanel control panel, free app install & upgrade, a free drag & drop SiteBuilder, over 350 free templates, and a 1-click WordPress install.
Useful Features: All shared hosting plans come with cPanel & Softaculous, daily backups, Let’s Encrypt SSL, BitNinja server security, free website transfer, unlimited FTP accounts, databases, sub-domains, and multiple PHP versions.
Uptime & Speed: FastComet utilizes an SSD-only cloud for 300% faster access, multiple server locations, and a free Cloudflare CDN. It also adds five caching layers and speed optimizations.
Customer Support: You can immediately connect to FastComet’s 24/7 available human support using phone, tickets, or chat. The web host also offers OpenSource app support, free website setup, free SSL installation, hacked website recovery, and free applications and plugins upgrade.
Plans & Pricing: FastComet offers three shared hosting plans, starting at $3.95 per month for a single website, 15GB SSD storage space, and “fair usage” traffic. You also get a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- A comprehensive set of cPanel features (the latest version, Softaculous 1-click auto-installer, over 300 free apps, FTP accounts, cron jobs, multiple PHP versions, and more)
- Global availability (11 enterprise-class data centers and 200 Global CDN Anycast Network access points)
- 24/7 human support available across multiple channels (email, phone, live chat)
Cons:
- Pretty expensive rates (prices increase on renewal)
- Advanced Features and RocketBooster are limited to the priciest plan
Rating Overview:
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 5.0
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.9
- Support: 5.0
- Pricing: 4.8
Hostround offers shared hosting that is designed for businesses and individuals who require a robust and reliable web hosting solution. Known for its exceptional performance and security features, Hostround provides a hosting environment that supports a variety of online needs, from simple blogs to complex business websites.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Hostround’s shared hosting plans include unlimited bandwidth, ample SSD storage, and support for hosting multiple domains. The service boasts a suite of advanced features such as free SSL certificates, automated daily backups, and a one-click installer for over 400 applications, including WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Additionally, users benefit from built-in security enhancements like DDoS protection and malware scanning.
Reliability: With state-of-the-art data centers equipped with the latest technology, Hostround ensures high uptime and optimal performance. Their infrastructure is designed to handle large volumes of traffic and provide consistent service, thanks to redundant network configurations and regular hardware upgrades.
User-Friendly: Hostround uses cPanel, the leading control panel in the hosting industry, to offer a user-friendly interface that simplifies website management. This control panel allows users to easily manage their files, databases, and email accounts, while also providing tools for traffic analysis and SEO optimization.
Support: Customer support is a cornerstone of Hostround’s service, with a dedicated team available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone. The support staff are highly trained to assist with any issues, from technical problems to general inquiries, ensuring a seamless hosting experience for all customers.
Pricing: Hostround’s shared hosting plans are competitively priced, providing excellent value for the comprehensive features and robust performance they offer. The company also provides various promotional deals throughout the year, making their services even more accessible.
Pros and Cons:
- High-performance servers ensure fast loading times and smooth website operation
- Comprehensive security measures provide peace of mind with top-tier data protection
- Excellent customer service with a focus on accessibility and effectiveness
- While offering competitive pricing, some plans may still be slightly higher priced than budget providers, reflecting the premium features included
- Resource limits for shared hosting might necessitate upgrading to VPS or dedicated servers for very high-traffic websites
Rating Overview:
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 5.0
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.9
- Support: 5.0
- Pricing: 4.8
IONOS provides shared hosting solutions that cater to a wide range of customers, from individuals and small businesses to large enterprises needing a dependable web hosting platform. Known for its high performance and excellent customer service, IONOS offers a variety of plans to suit different needs and budgets, all backed by state-of-the-art technology.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: IONOS’s shared hosting plans come loaded with features designed to enhance website performance and security. These include unlimited bandwidth, ample storage space, and support for multiple domains. Customers benefit from easy-to-use control panels such as cPanel or Plesk, one-click installation for popular applications like WordPress, and free SSL certificates. Additional features like DDoS protection, daily backups, and scalable resources ensure websites are secure, reliable, and ready to grow.
Reliability: Leveraging cutting-edge data center technology and advanced network infrastructure, IONOS guarantees high uptime and robust performance. Their hosting environment is optimized for speed and reliability, ensuring that customer websites are always up and running smoothly.
User-Friendly: IONOS offers a choice between cPanel and Plesk control panels, both renowned for their intuitive interfaces and powerful administrative capabilities. This makes it easy for users to manage their hosting accounts, set up websites, and maintain their online presence with minimal hassle.
Support: IONOS prides itself on excellent customer support, providing 24/7 access via phone, live chat, and email. Their support team is knowledgeable and responsive, equipped to handle any queries or issues that might arise, from technical difficulties to billing questions.
Pricing: IONOS’s shared hosting plans are competitively priced, offering significant value for the features and reliability provided. The company frequently runs promotions that make their hosting services even more affordable, especially attractive to those just starting their online journey.
Pros and Cons:
- Comprehensive suite of features that cater to both novice users and tech-savvy webmasters
- High reliability and performance with options to scale as website demands increase
- Access to expert customer support around the clock
- While highly competitive, pricing can vary based on the specific features and resources included in each plan
- Users looking for ultra-low-cost hosting might find IONOS’s pricing slightly higher, given the premium features included
Rating Overview:
- Overall Score: 4.8
- Features: 4.9
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.8
- Support: 5.0
- Pricing: 4.9
Web Host Most provides shared hosting solutions that are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, bloggers, and individuals looking for a balance between cost and performance. Known for its user-friendly approach and robust support, Web Host Most offers a variety of hosting plans to meet diverse needs and budgets.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Web Host Most’s shared hosting plans are packed with features that facilitate ease of use and enhance website performance. These include unlimited bandwidth, substantial SSD storage, and support for multiple domains. Plans feature cPanel for easy account management, one-click installations for popular CMS platforms like WordPress, and free SSL certificates for all users to ensure website security.
Reliability: Employing state-of-the-art data center technologies, Web Host Most guarantees high uptime and consistent performance. Their infrastructure is optimized for speed and reliability, ensuring that all hosted websites enjoy quick loading times and minimal downtime.
User-Friendly: The integration of cPanel offers a straightforward and intuitive interface for managing hosting accounts. This allows users to easily control their website features, from setting up email accounts to managing databases and installing software.
Support: Web Host Most is committed to providing excellent customer support with a team available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone. Their support personnel are knowledgeable and ready to assist with any issues, ensuring a smooth hosting experience.
Pricing: Web Host Most’s shared hosting services are competitively priced, offering significant value for the features and reliability provided. The company frequently offers special discounts and promotional pricing to new customers, making their plans even more attractive.
Pros and Cons:
- Comprehensive hosting features at a competitive price, making it a great choice for those on a budget
- High reliability and uptime ensure that websites are always accessible to visitors
- Responsive and helpful customer support enhances the overall hosting experience
- While offering a robust feature set, resource limits in shared hosting environments may require some sites to upgrade to more powerful solutions like VPS or dedicated servers as they grow
- Some advanced technical features and configurations might be limited compared to higher-tier hosting options
Rating Overview:
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 5.0
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.9
- Support: 5.0
- Pricing: 4.8
Neoxea provides shared hosting services that cater to a wide range of customers, from individuals starting their first website to businesses looking to expand their online presence. Known for its cutting-edge technology and strong focus on security, Neoxea offers robust hosting solutions that are both accessible and effective.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Neoxea’s shared hosting plans are feature-packed, providing customers with unlimited bandwidth, ample SSD storage, and the ability to host multiple domains on a single account. The service includes easy-to-use control panels such as cPanel or Plesk, one-click installation for over 300 applications, including popular CMSs like WordPress and Drupal, and free SSL certificates for enhanced security.
Reliability: With advanced server technologies and fully redundant network infrastructure, Neoxea ensures high uptime and excellent performance for all hosted websites. Their state-of-the-art data centers are equipped to handle significant traffic volumes and provide stable, continuous service.
User-Friendly: Neoxea offers a choice of user-friendly control panels that make it easy for users to manage their hosting accounts efficiently. These panels allow for straightforward setup and management of websites, databases, and email accounts, making Neoxea ideal for both novices and experienced webmasters.
Support: Neoxea is committed to providing exceptional customer support, available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone. Their support team is well-trained and ready to assist with any hosting-related issues, ensuring a hassle-free experience for all users.
Pricing: Neoxea’s shared hosting plans are competitively priced to provide great value for the array of features offered. The company regularly introduces promotional offers and discounts, making their hosting solutions even more attractive to both new and existing customers.
Pros and Cons:
- Comprehensive feature set supports a wide array of hosting needs and website complexities
- High-performance hosting environment with an emphasis on security and data protection
- Dedicated customer support provides quick and efficient problem resolution
- While offering a robust suite of features, the cost may be slightly higher than some budget hosting providers
- The wealth of features and options might be overwhelming for absolute beginners without guidance
Rating Overview:
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 5.0
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.9
- Support: 5.0
- Pricing: 4.8
Verpex offers shared hosting services that cater to a diverse clientele, ranging from individual bloggers and small businesses to large organizations. Known for its robust infrastructure and exceptional customer service, Verpex provides a hosting solution that combines performance, security, and ease of use.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Verpex’s shared hosting plans include unlimited bandwidth, generous SSD storage, and support for multiple domains. Each plan comes equipped with a user-friendly control panel, automatic backups, and free SSL certificates. Clients also benefit from one-click installs for popular CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, enhancing the ease of website setup and management.
Reliability: With state-of-the-art data centers located strategically around the globe, Verpex ensures high uptime and optimal website performance. The hosting infrastructure is built with redundancy and resilience in mind, providing a stable and reliable service environment.
User-Friendly: Verpex uses cPanel, widely recognized for its intuitive interface, to help users manage their hosting accounts effortlessly. This includes simple navigation for managing web files, databases, email settings, and application installations.
Support: Verpex prides itself on outstanding customer support, available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone. Their support team is highly trained and responsive, equipped to address any issues quickly and effectively, ensuring a hassle-free hosting experience.
Pricing: Verpex’s shared hosting plans are competitively priced, offering significant value for the comprehensive features and services provided. The company often runs promotional discounts, making their plans even more accessible to new and existing customers.
Pros and Cons:
- Comprehensive suite of features well-suited to a wide range of web hosting requirements
- Exceptional reliability and performance backed by advanced hosting technology
- Dedicated customer support that is knowledgeable and accessible around the clock
- While offering a broad range of features, pricing may be a bit higher compared to entry-level hosting options
- Resource allocations on shared plans might require scaling up to higher-tier services as website traffic and complexity grow
Why Trust Our Recommendations
At HostAdvice, we conduct independent tests, separate from other websites. We rely on our in-house web hosting experts and thousands of user reviews worldwide.
Our process is ongoing, we continually update our methods to stay current with industry advancements. For instance, we have recently enhanced our performance and uptime monitoring processes.
How Do We Test and Rank?
We use AI technology to rank web hosting providers based on key factors such as server performance, ease of use, customer support, available resources (storage, bandwidth, scalability), security (firewalls, DDoS protection, SSL certificates), and valuable extras (domain names, website builders, backups).
We also consider transparent pricing and user reviews to help you choose the best shared hosting provider that best matches your needs and website requirements.
Read more about our rating system here.
Shared vs VPS Hosting: What is the Difference?
Deciding between shared and VPS hosting can significantly impact your website’s performance and growth. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you understand the key differences and choose the best option for your specific needs:
Shared Hosting | VPS Hosting | |
Ideal For | Beginners, small websites, personal blogs. | Growing websites, developers, businesses needing more power and flexibility. |
Cost | Most cost-effective option. | More expensive than shared hosting. |
Performance | Affected by other websites on the same server. | Better performance with dedicated resources. |
Resource Allocation | Shared resources among multiple websites. | Dedicated resources for each virtual server. |
Security | Basic security; higher risk due to sharing with other websites. | Enhanced security with isolated environments. |
Control and Customization | Limited control over server settings and software installations. | Greater control and customization |
Scalability | Limited scalability. | Easily scalable to accommodate growing needs. |
Best Shared Hosting Services: Final Recommendations
Shared hosting is perfect for small businesses, new bloggers, and budget-conscious projects. It’s ideal for starting a new website or maintaining a modest one. As your site grows, you can upgrade your hosting to handle more traffic.
However, not all shared hosting providers are equal. Consider speed, performance, support, and scalability when evaluating packages. Check for essential features like security, bandwidth, storage, one-click installers, free SSL certificates, and domain names.
The best way to find the right shared hosting is through expert and user reviews. Test the plan yourself, ensuring there’s a free trial or money-back guarantee before committing.