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Virtualization and resources

Shared hosting

Space for a website on a provider’s shared server: the web server, PHP, databases and mail are already set up, nothing to administer.

Shared hosting is a service where websites of many customers live on one provider server. The provider sets up and updates the web server, PHP, MySQL databases and mail, takes care of security and makes backups. The customer gets a control panel (cPanel, ISPmanager or the provider’s own) to upload the site and connect a domain and SSL.

The server’s CPU, memory and disk are shared, so a plan has limits: the number of sites and databases, disk space and CPU load. Account isolation (for example, CloudLinux) keeps neighbours from affecting each other. There is no root access and no custom software — that is the main difference from a VPS.

Shared hosting is enough for a business card site, a blog, a WordPress site or a small shop. When a site outgrows the limits or needs its own software, it is time for a VPS. Plans are easiest to compare by the number of sites and databases, disk, trial period and free SSL.