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When you are planning to host your own website online, there are many options available. In addition to deciding which company to work with, you also have to decide which hosting package to use.
Web hosting is the most popular hosting option for novice users who are setting up their first website. So, what is web hosting and what are those effects it has on your website?
What is Web Hosting
Generally, web hosting refers to shared hosting (Shared Hosting).
Shared hosting allows multiple websites to use a single physical server. Usually, you don't know who you are sharing server resources with, and the hosting provider will limit the amount of usage per customer, and the plan package you purchase will list these limitations and features.
Web hosting is the cheapest and most economical option, however, low prices come with some limitations. As the web hosting industry has evolved and most hosting providers now offer the same storage space and web traffic, it is important to choose a company you can trust.
Advantages of Web Hosting
- The cheapest hosting option, usually priced at $3-$10/month.
- Most companies have multiple levels of hosting services, so you can upgrade your hosting plan at any time.
- shared hosting usually comes with a built-in cPanel control panel that allows you to easily manage your website.
- Your server does not require any technical maintenance, as the hosting provider will do this for you for free.
- In short, shared hosting is a great option for those on a budget, or just starting out with an online site, and you can always upgrade to a higher hosting plan as needed.
Disadvantages of Web Hosting
Shared hosting sounds pretty good: affordable, stable and easy to manage, but it does have a few drawbacks.
- Loading times that may be much slower than those of a VPS or dedicated server.
- The possibility of hosting too many sites on a single server, which can lead to overloads.
- May become slow or unresponsive when your site receives bursts of traffic.
- you never know which people are sharing a server with you and, although rare, other sites on the server may pose a risk to your site.
- Lacking some customization options, you can't get the highest level of performance.
- For most people just starting out with a website, the advantages of web hosting will greatly outweigh the disadvantages, especially if you are looking to launch a website as soon as possible and have no coding experience.
Web Hosting Alternatives
There is no specific alternative to web hosting, and while some upgrade options exist, they are usually much more expensive.
Alternatives to shared hosting include WordPress dedicated hosting, VPS, cloud hosting, dedicated servers, and more, all of which cost more than basic web hosting solutions, but they can offer better customization and processing power.
If you are just starting out with a website or not getting a lot of traffic, then web hosting is probably the best option. Keep in mind that you can always upgrade or change your hosting environment.