Shared Hosting is a service where multiple websites are hosted on the same server, sharing both the space and cost of hosting. It segments the total space between different users depending upon their needs. For individuals or organizations, that have just started their journey of website building, opting for Shared Hosting, can be a good and convenient option to start with. Shared Hosting services aren’t priced heavily and are, thus, extremely cost-effective for new businesses.

Another aspect that promotes the adoption of Shared Hosting services is that it doesn’t require much maintenance from the user end. All of the backend needs are taken care of by the service provider itself. So, the website owner is not required to be a tech expert.

To put it simply, Shared Hosting services are an ideal choice for beginners looking for an affordable option, with little or no knowledge about the functioning of the web world. Sounds good, right?

Selecting the Best Shared Hosting Plan

The good news is that there are many service providers offering multiple Shared Hosting plans to choose from these days. So, when you step out to buy hosting services for your website, keep an eye on the features of different plans to choose the one that best serves your purpose.

In case you aren’t sure about how to examine the different plans, we have outlined five of the most crucial elements of a Shared Hosting plan that you should look for.

1. Resource List

Irrespective of the price and duration, the one thing that has to be present in the selected Shared Hosting plan is Unmetered Disk Space. This is because having restricted space binds you to host only a specific size of files. Another thing to look for in a plan is Unmetered Data Transfer. Business owners should check for the uptime offered in the selected Shared Hosting plan. The plans that have an uptime percentage of less than 99.9% can be inadequate in the long run.

1. cPanel

When you are running your website over a shared platform, you need to be sure that everything works fine. While there are different control panel solutions available to website owners, cPanel is the most preferred one. cPanel provides total control over all the features and allows you to monitor and manage server settings, through the browser itself. From domain names to databases, email addresses, and the PHP version, cPanel gives you access to everything.

1. Email Domain

Whether you are a solo entrepreneur or an e-commerce website owner, you will eventually need a business email for your day to day operations, marketing campaigns, and newsletters. When buying a Shared Hosting plan, scan through the list of features and make sure that it includes free email support. This will save costs and also give a more professional touch to your business operations when interacting with clients and customers.

1. Scalability

When your business starts to expand, your need for webspace also increases. You may also require more professional and developed features that you may not have been using when you just started out. Instead of switching to a different plan, it makes sense to buy a Shared Hosting plan that lets you upgrade to better features later.

1. Pricing

Yes, Shared Hosting plans, in general, are quite affordable for small businesses. However, the price isn’t the same for all plans. In fact, it varies from feature to feature, and every add-on can come with a separate price tag. Hence, before spending money to buy a hosting plan, check which plan offers the maximum number of features and add-ons that are most suited to your needs.

Conclusion

Every business may have different needs, so keep in mind that a single plan may not be fit for everyone. Try to avoid following in the footsteps of other peers and make sure you carefully select a Shared Hosting plan that aligns to your needs. Remember that your business can be as good as the hosting plan you choose!