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What is Shared Hosting?

You’ve got a great website but don’t have an enormous budget or requirement for capacity- you might have seen Shared Hosting as an option. But what is it, and is it right for you?

It’s a very popular option for websites that don’t demand a lot of space or capacity- and because of that, it’s cheap.

To best explain Shared Hosting vs Dedicated Hosting we’ll use an analogy. Shared Hosting is like staying in shared accommodation (such as a dormitory or youth hostel), whereas dedicated hosting is like renting a house for your holiday.

With Shared Hosting, you’re sharing a server with other websites, and because of that it’s cheaper. Dedicated Hosting means you’ve got an entire server to yourself. If your website is a small website that won’t generate dramatic levels of traffic or is too space hungry, chances are you can find a package that doesn’t cost a lot.

But here’s the problem with Shared Hosting. Think back to the accommodation analogy. Within your dormitory, there’s lots of other people in the same room and you don’t control who they are. It’s certainly true in some cases that if you’re lucky, you’ll get a good night’s sleep as everyone’s civilised. But what if the others are up all night wild partying and causing trouble?

The real risk with it is that you might be sharing a server with other websites that might not be so desirable. If other websites on that shared server are used to distribute viruses for example, your website by association might end up being blacklisted. It’s also possible that your website might be compromised- and is the cheaper price worth it?

The Advantages of Shared Hosting

Let’s not be too hasty or negative. Shared Hosting has its positive points and for some, it works well. It must be said that not all shared hosting companies bring chaos and carnage to your door.

  • It’s Cheap- It’s often the cheapest hosting option and quite often a basic package can cost a matter of a few pounds per month.
  • Different Options- A lot of shared hosting companies have multiple levels if packaging so you can upgrade as and when necessary. It’s good as a starter option or if you’re on a budget.
  • Low Level Skill Needed- You don’t need an awful lot of skill to have a shared hosting account- quite often, a CPanel (Control Panel) and technical assistance of some degree will be available.

Disadvantages of Shared Hosting

  • Slow Load Time- The load time of your website might be significantly slower, which might potentially put off new customers or business.
  • Overburdened- There will be a lot of different websites using the same server and the demands they make of the server might negatively impact your website’s availability.
  • Poor Performance- As your site gets more traffic, you’ll notice your website’s performance goes down hill.
  • No Control- you never know who else is sharing your server and certainly don’t have any control over it. Its possible other sites might pose a threat to your own site.
  • Lack of Options- You’ll never truly get the best or highest level of performance from your website as there is a lack of customisation options.

What about Dedicated Hosting for Value Prices?

Too good to be true, right? Wrong. Dorset Tech are able to combine the prices you’d often associate with shared hosting with a dedicated server.

Through our relationships with IONOS and Fasthosts, we’ve been able to secure a heavily reduced cost hosting service for all our clients.

So what do you get with Dorset Tech Website Hosting?

  • We don’t do traditional shared hosting. Ever.
  • WordPress Optimisation available- making the most out of your WordPress site.
  • UK based fast servers at great value pricing- from just £6 a month.
  • No minimum term contract.
  • Professional migration service available.
  • At cost price for existing customers.

What are you waiting for? Contact Us today to find out more.

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