Shared hosting is a hosting model where many customers' websites run on the same server and share its CPU, memory, disk and IP address, typically managed through a control panel.
Why it matters
It is the cheapest and simplest way to publish a small site. The provider handles the operating system, security patches and web server, so you only upload files and manage the site.
The downside is limited control and resource contention. One busy or compromised site can slow down its neighbors, and providers enforce limits on processes, memory and inodes. Hitting those limits often shows up as slow pages, 503 errors or temporary suspensions.
Example
A hosting plan advertises unlimited storage but caps an account at 1 GB of RAM and a fixed number of simultaneous PHP processes. During a traffic spike, requests beyond the process limit queue up and visitors see a 503 Service Unavailable page.
Common mistakes
- Believing marketing terms like unlimited; the fair-use policy still sets real caps.
- Staying on shared hosting after traffic outgrows it, instead of moving to a VPS or managed plan.
- Ignoring the shared IP address, which can inherit a bad reputation from other tenants.
Related
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This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.