Why Shared Web Hosting may not be the best deal?
If you're looking for web hosting, then a shared web hosting solution is the type of package you're most likely to come across. With shared web hosting, you're literally sharing a computer server with dozens, if not hundreds, of other users. On the plus side, this means that it's cheap, because the costs of running that server can be spread out. Shared hosting is therefore particularly attractive if you're on a tight budget.
However, before you leap into signing up for a shared hosting package, you need to consider some of the potential drawbacks, as outlined below.
Disadvantages of Shared Web Hosting
Vulnerability to Viruses
Just as the flu spreads more quickly in crowded buildings and offices, so computer viruses spread more quickly on shared servers. With hundreds of websites all sharing the same server space, if one gets corrupted by a virus, there's a higher likelihood of all the others becoming infected too.
Bandwidth Restrictions
Shared hosting means lots of users competing for a single server's resources. As such, bandwidth has to be restricted, to prevent any one user taking more than their fair share. Hosting companies have also been known to take down a website if it exceeds its allowance too often.
Lack Of Flexibility
Shared hosting packages tend to be quite tightly defined. The allowances you get at the beginning are the ones you're more or less stuck with. It's difficult, if not impossible, to upgrade for more bandwidth or disk space.
Inability To Customize
If you want to customize your account, then you will need to look for a different type of hosting package. Shared hosting simply doesn't allow you to do it, or at least not without great difficulty. Adding new software or importing new features and tools is something that's best done under a dedicated hosting account. Although this may not be a concern at the beginning, it's something that may prove frustrating as your business expands.
Bad Neighbors
With a shared hosting account, you have no control over who else is sharing your server space. If any of your virtual neighbors abuse the rules, it could have a direct impact on your site. A site that greedily gobbles bandwidth, for example, might cause the server to go down, taking your site with it.
Although shared hosting is a cheap and easy option, you need to be aware of the potential risks before signing up. Your online business could be at risk if you fail to do so.
This article was not created to scare the shared hosting buyers, we want just to be clear for each customer, what they pay for. If you deal with reliable companies, you will be ok.
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