Sharing is caring: what is shared hosting?

Anyone looking for web hosting for their website will soon end up with shared hosting. After all, this type of web hosting is ideal for starters and budget-friendly too. That doesn't sound bad, does it? But having your site cohoused on a server, what does that actually mean? Read on quickly.

This is shared hosting

What is shared hosting? We're not going to make it too difficult! This is the type of web hosting where several websites share one physical server. This way, you all use the capacity of that server. Think databases, amount of disk space and performance. Each user is allocated a space on the server and hosts their website or other digital platform such as a blog on it. Shared servers are tough guys because together they can accommodate hundreds of users at the same time.

Because you share the cake, you keep the cost of shared hosting on the low side. This is because you share all the costs involved in server maintenance. So this web hosting is the most effective and cost-effective way to put your site online.

The perfect match for those taking their first steps on the internet with their limited site or web shop. Do you see it bigger or are you already? Then there are other types of web hosting.

Cohousing with your website: this is how shared web hosting works

Let's throw in a simple comparison. Using shared hosting for your site is like cohousing. To save on costs, you share a flat with some housemates.

You have your own room, but sometimes it takes a bit longer before you can go into the bathroom or to slide your mum's dish into the oven. This is also the case with web hosting sharing: you have your own spot on the server, but you all share the same amount of server resources.

So several websites are owned by one shared server. That server is very similar to the servers associated with another type of hosting: dedicated hosting. There are just many more clients that use the server's power at the same time.

You don't share your own room

Fortunately, those shared servers have the necessary capacity. In most cases, your site or webshop stays online without any problems. Oh and don't worry: your own files and IT infrastructure are not shared. Think cohousing: you have your own room. 😄

Why shared hosting: these are the benefits

Opting for shared hosting has both advantages and considerations to take into account. This makes this type of hosting interesting:

We keep repeating it: if you want to cut costs, opt for shared hosting. Because you share a server with different customers, the web hosting company can split the bill.

Of course, beware of unprofessional shared hosting with cheap hosting providers. Fortunately, you are already on the right track, here at Combell.

Is your modest website suddenly taking off? Are you realising nice growth with your online business? Then you are not stuck with your shared hosting. You can switch to a more extensive package or to managed hosting at any time!

Once you have chosen your hosting package, you can easily manage all services via your own control panel. Linking domain names, creating FTP users, adding databases, updating your site settings … You do it in just a few clicks.

Shared hosting can be used for several websites. You determine the exact number yourself by choosing the most suitable hosting package. Your domain names are also in good hands. Perhaps you currently have just one domain name, but you never know what the future holds. You add all domain names and even subdomains yourself, even on a shared server.

Outsourcing your ironing? Wonderful! Well, web hosting of your site is just as easy to outsource. Do not worry about your hosting, an experienced hosting company such as Combell takes care of it. 🙂 Updating and maintaining the servers, monitoring, protecting you against dangerous DDoS attacks … It is your hosting company's main concern.

Why shared hosting: pay attention to this with cheap hosters

Does shared hosting have drawbacks? Rather call it snags. It may be a cheaper hosting solution, but you have to decide whether the price tag is the only decisive factor for you. Especially with a bargain-priced web host or anonymous reseller hosting, there are several things to consider.

You may pay less, but is your site, blog or web shop online all the time? If not, you are missing out on revenue and then there you are with your cheap hosting. Always being up and running is measured by uptime. Make sure you get the best guarantees. Don't go for less than 99% uptime.

Nobody likes to wait a long time. Do you have a slow website? Then your customers will drop out. So be sure to check that the performance of your site will not be affected by your choice of hosting. Shared hosting with some providers dares to leave it hanging in that area.

Are certain technical conditions attached to the IT infrastructure you have in mind? Then it's best to think twice about shared web hosting. One of the disadvantages is that you have limited customisation options.

Many standard packages, for example, do not allow you to choose your own operating system, let alone install it. If you like to set out on your own and want more freedom, it is better to choose Combell's managed services.

It is wrong to think that cheap hosting companies can get away with offering little or no service. Do not just choose a cheap hosting company, but one that helps you further. That often turns out to be no easy task.

Because buying web hosting abroad, for example in the United States of America, often involves unreachable support. Getting help via chat, e-mail or phone in your own language? No 'Yes, we can' this time. You often get no further than an English-language form.

Choose shared hosting with Combell

Considered everything and you choose shared web hosting? Then you already know that it is best to choose a reliable hosting company. Because every provider has different hosting packages and offers. So, find out right away on which services you can always count with Combell. Spoiler: on the full picture! As an experienced hosting company, we have even taken our precautions and eliminated most of the snags above.

With 99.999% uptime, you enjoy the best guarantee on the market. Just like banks and hospitals! Thanks to continuous investments in our hosting, your website's performance always remains excellent. And what about speed? Only with Combell you get free caching storage from Varnish and Redis or you can use Combell Boost. So, super fast loading times are also guaranteed with this type of hosting.

As already mentioned: with shared web hosting, you share storage space with other sites. With Combell, this never bothers your website. Indeed, we take care of jailing. Each website is thus neatly separated from all its neighbours.

Hackers or viruses? They do not have a chance with Combell. Hosting must be safe and reliable. So, with us, security leaks are closed automatically. We provide multiple firewalls that keep your website secure. Our unique Combell Shield stops bot traffic and DDoS attacks. And let us not forget our malware scanner, which detects viruses.

Visitors of your site surf securely via an HTTPS connection thanks to a free SSL certificate.

Enthusiastic collaborators who are always there for you. That is Combell's support. Call it unseen! Via e-mail, chat or our toll-free number, they answer - in Dutch! - answer your questions. Yes, even if you chose shared hosting.

If you choose Combell as a partner, you are set for the future. Because you get free mailboxes with each package. They work on all your devices and are always synchronous. Together with our tool for free e-mail marketing, this gives you the opportunity to communicate with your customers in a professional way. By the way, don't forget your user-friendly control panel. After purchasing your shared hosting, you start up right away.

'Is this type of hosting suitable for me?'

There are, of course, other types of web hosting. Via Combell's selection options, you can find out which type of hosting you need. However, chances are high that you will start with shared hosting. Indeed, this hosting package is the entry level for starters, local businesses and personal websites.

Think of it as your first, budget-friendly introduction to web hosting. Compared to other packages, this is hosting that is relatively cheap and with Combell, you are in control thanks to your control panel. While you leave the maintenance of the servers (and everything that comes with it) to someone else.

Make an estimate of your traffic

You cannot look into a crystal ball. So predicting how many visitors your website will get is not easy. Still, you better think about it.

If you expect a lot of Internet traffic, shared hosting is not the best solution for you. Your traffic is not meant to take over the entire shared server.

Servers may be up for a challenge, but they have their limits. Because you all use the same server resources, there is a risk of the server in question becoming overloaded. That has a big impact on your uptime and performance. That's why an indication of your expected traffic is important.

Because if your site has peak traffic or if your visitors start downloading content en masse, you will be the one causing server overload. There is a good chance that your hoster will have to take your site offline to keep your fellow users happy. Fortunately, Combell does not do that. For instance, we will warn you and contact you.

Other types of web hosting

Not a fan of cohousing? Do you prefer an open fermette for your website? 😀 That is possible. Or maybe shared hosting is not the solution for the size of your online project or IT environment. Of course, there are several alternatives on the market. On this blog, we will present three top choices from Combell's range.

Dedicated web hosting

If you choose dedicated web hosting, you can count on the power of a full server that makes your website fly. Whether you have 1 or 1 million visitors. So you get maximum performance with the ease of use of web hosting. This form of hosting is recommended for demanding websites or apps where uptime is vital.

VPS hosting

Virtual Private Server - VPS in short - hosting gives you your own private server. Virtually, of course. What you do share, is a physical server. The advantage of VPS hosting is that you have your own server resources. So no overloading. You can even easily scale up and upgrade. And thanks to PLESK's user-friendly control panel, you do not need any technical knowledge to manage your own VPS server.

Cloud hosting

With Cloud hosting, you go one step further. Your IT infrastructure is in the hands of your servers in the cloud. A so-called controller takes care of monitoring. If a server fails, another cloud server takes over immediately. Hosting in the cloud separates hardware and software. No more downtime!

Cloud hosting offers a lot of possibilities. You just need to make the right choice. Unmanaged cloud or worry-free outsourcing thanks to managed cloud? And what about public or private cloud? Go for the hosting package you need.

Find out more about the possibilities with us. Do not hesitate to ask Combell's experts for advice.