Written By
Daren LowUpdated On
April 18, 2025
The best shared hosting providers offer a balance of affordability, user-friendliness, and reliable performance. The top recommended shared hosting provider is Hostinger. It stands out for its low-cost plans, global data centers, and user-friendly hPanel control panel.
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting where multiple websites share a single server’s resources like CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth. Shared hosting costs between $2 – $15 per month. Cheap shared hosting plans under $5 per month suit smaller projects like personal blogs, small business websites, and portfolios. Free shared hosting plans are only recommended for beginners experimenting with website building, as they come with significant limitations.
The 4 pros of shared hosting include affordability, quick setup, user-friendly control panels, and hassle-free server maintenance. The 3 cons of shared hosting are limited resources, no dedicated IP, and lack of root access. Users of shared hosting still enjoy reliable uptime on the condition they select a reputable provider with an uptime guarantee of at least 99.9%.
Choose fast shared hosting if speed is a priority for your website. Fast shared hosts deliver average global server response time below 180ms.
Shared hosting runs on both Linux and Windows operating systems. Linux shared hosting supports cPanel, PHP, and MySQL and is the preferred choice for most users. Windows shared hosting is ideal for ASP.NET applications, MsSQL databases, and Plesk control panel users. There are also unlimited shared hosting plans that advertise unrestricted storage, bandwidth, or email accounts, subject to fair usage policies.
Shared hosting is an excellent choice for small eCommerce websites. Medium to large eCommerce businesses require more powerful forms of hosting, like VPS (Virtual Private Server) or cloud hosting.
top shared hosting providers
1. Hostinger
https://www.hostinger.com
Hostinger is our #1 choice of best shared hosting service. They offer extremely affordable shared hosting plans to suit both businesses and beginners. Their Pro shared hosting plan costs a very low $2.59 and can be used to host 100 websites. It also includes 100GB storage on fast SSD drives and free unlimited SSL. Hostinger offers a huge global network of 8 data centers that are spread out across 4 continents. This lets you easily find a server close to your website audience and increase the loading speed of your website for them. Read our full Hostinger review to learn more.
What are the pros and cons of Hostinger’s shared hosting?
There are 4 pros of Hostinger’s shared hosting:
- 100 free email accounts
- Intuitive custom hPanel control panel
- Free domain included
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 2 cons of Hostinger’s shared hosting:
- You need to purchase a 4 year plan to enjoy the lowest costs
- They only offer weekly free automatic backups, not daily
2. TMDHosting
https://www.tmdhosting.com
TMDHosting is a highly competitive option for users seeking performance and value. Their Starter shared hosting plan costs just $2.99 per month. It includes 50 GB SSD storage, a free domain and SSL. Unlimited bandwidth and unlimited email accounts are included. Users also benefit from TMD’s CloudLinux powered servers and a data center network spread across 4 continents for fast loading times globally. Check our official TMDHosting review for more details.
What are the pros and cons of TMDHosting’s Shared hosting?
There are 4 pros of TMDHosting’s Shared hosting:
- Unlimited email accounts
- Free domain included
- Free SSL certificate
- 6 data center locations worldwide
There are 2 cons of TMDHosting’s Shared hosting:
- Cheapest price requires annual payment
- Backups included in higher tier plans only
3. GreenGeeks
https://www.greengeeks.com
GreenGeeks is a Canadian web host that stands out for its eco-friendly shared hosting plans. They offset 300% of all the energy they consume by buying green energy credits. Their Lite shared hosting plan offers 50 free email accounts, free daily backups, free domains, and free SSL. Read our in-depth GreenGeeks review for additional details.
What are the pros and cons of GreenGeeks’ shared hosting?
There are 3 pros of GreenGeeks’ shared hosting:
- Their cheapest plans only require a 1 year commitment
- 50GB SSD storage included in an affordably priced plan
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 2 cons of GreenGeeks’ shared hosting:
- No 24/7 phone support
- Higher renewal price
4. A2 Hosting
https://www.a2hosting.com
A2 Hosting offers a range of Shared Hosting plans that offer very generous resource allocations. Their Startup plan costs just $2.99/mo but gives 100GB SSD storage, unlimited emails and free SSL. Those looking for the fastest shared hosting plans should opt for one of their Turbo-server shared hosting plans. Read our full A2 Hosting review for more details.
What are the pros and cons of A2 Hosting’s shared hosting?
There are 2 pros of A2 Hosting’ shared hosting:
- Their cheapest plans only require a 1 year commitment
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 2 cons of A2 Hosting’ shared hosting:
- No free backups included
- No free domain included
5. SiteGround
https://world.siteground.com
SiteGround offers very high-quality Shared Hosting plans that are built on the Google Cloud platform. The result is that their servers are extremely fast and reliable. SiteGround Shared Hosting customers choose from 11 data center locations that are spread out across the US, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Their StartUp plan even includes free backup and free SSL. Read our SiteGround hosting review for more information.
What are the pros and cons of SiteGround’ shared hosting?
There are 4 pros of SiteGround’s shared hosting:
- Their cheapest plans only require a 1 year commitment
- Free unlimited email accounts included
- Excellent Sitetool control panel
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 2 cons of SiteGround’s shared hosting:
- No free domains included
- High increase on renewal pricing
6. DreamHost
https://www.dreamhost.com
DreamHost’s Shared Hosting plans offer generous resources and reliable features. Their Shared Starter plan offers unlimited SSD disk space and a free domain. DreamHost also offers an unusual 100% uptime guarantee and 97-day money back guarantee. Both of these are superior to the industry standard and provide website owners extra peace of mind. They’re particularly great for WordPress websites and have earned an official WordPress endorsement. Read our full DreamHost review for more details.
What are the pros and cons of DreamHost’s shared hosting?
There are 4 pros of DreamHost’s shared hosting:
- Daily free backups included
- Easy to use custom panel
- Free SSL included
- Option to pay monthly plans
There are 2 cons of DreamHost’s shared hosting:
- They only offer 2 data center locations which are both in the US
- Higher renewal price
7. HostPapa
https://www.hostpapa.com
HostPapa’s Shared Hosting plans offer excellent value for money. Their Start plan offers 100GB SSD storage, a free domain and free SSL. They also offer outstanding customer support via their award-winning PapaSquad team. Beginners who are starting their first website will rest assured they’re in safe hands. Read our complete HostPapa review for more information.
What are the pros and cons of HostPapa’s shared hosting?
There are 4 pros of HostPapa’s shared hosting:
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
- Award-winning PapaSquad support team
- Environmentally-friendly
- Canadian-based with strict privacy features
There are 2 cons of HostPapa’s shared hosting:
- You need to purchase a 3 year plan to enjoy the lowest costs
- No free backups included
8. InMotion Hosting
https://www.inmotionhosting.com
Inmotion Hosting’s Shared Hosting plans offer the lowest introductory prices on this list and start from just $2.49. This very budget-friendly price unlocks 100GB SSD storage and free SSL. Inmotion Hosting also offers an excellent 99.99% uptime guarantee. It’s a shame they don’t have data centers beyond the US or Europe. Read our full InMotion Hosting review to learn more.
What are the pros and cons of InMotion Hosting’ shared hosting?
There are 1 pro of InMotion Hosting’s shared hosting:
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 3 cons of InMotion Hosting’s shared hosting:
- You need to purchase a 3 year plan to enjoy the lowest costs
- No free backups included
- No free domain included
9. ScalaHosting
https://www.scalahosting.com
ScalaHosting’s Shared Hosting plans come in many tiers which allow users to find the perfect plan for them without needing to pay more. Their cheapest plan is the Mini which provides just 10GB SSD storage with a free domain and SSL. This makes it ideal for beginners. You even get daily backups included. They also offer the best money-back guarantee which is not restricted to a specific time period but can be claimed at any time. Read our complete ScalaHosting review to gain more details.
What are the pros and cons of ScalaHosting’ shared hosting?
There are 2 pros of ScalaHosting’s shared hosting:
- Unlimited free email accounts included
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
There are 2 cons of ScalaHosting’s shared hosting:
- You need to purchase a 3 year plan to enjoy the lowest costs
- Only 3 data servers in the USA and Europe – not ideal for Australia/Asia
10. HostGator
https://www.hostgator.com
HostGator is a web host from Texas, USA. Their Shared Hosting plans come with free unlimited email accounts which is great news for small businesses. Their Hatchling plan also includes free domain and SSL. All their Shared Hosting plans come with access to free cPanel. Read our HostGator host review to find out more.
What are the pros and cons of HostGator’ shared hosting?
There are 2 pros of HostGator’s shared hosting:
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
- One-click WordPress installs
There are 4 cons of HostGator’s shared hosting:
- You need to purchase a 3 year plan to enjoy the lowest costs
- No free weekly backups
- Only 2 data center locations that are both in the US
- No uptime guarantee
11. Bluehost
https://www.bluehost.com/
BlueHost’s Shared Hosting plans are great for WordPress blogs and small business sites that are targeting the US region. They have an official WordPress endorsement and 20+ years of industry experience. Their Basic Shared Hosting plan comes with unlimited bandwidth, free domain and free SSL. Read our comprehensive Bluehost review for more details.
What are the pros and cons of Bluehost’ shared hosting?
There are 3 pros of Bluehost’s shared hosting:
- Their cheapest plans only require a 1 year commitment
- Official WordPress-endorsed
- 1-click WordPress install
There are 5 cons of Bluehost’s shared hosting:
- No free email accounts included
- No free backups
- No option to pay on a monthly basis
- Only 1 data center location (in the US)
- No uptime guarantee
12. GoDaddy Hosting
https://www.godaddy.com/
GoDaddy Hosting offers Shared Hosting plans that start from $2.99. They are the world’s largest I-CANN accredited domain registrar so it makes sense that they include a free domain in their Starter Shared Hosting Plan. You also get free daily backups and free SSL thrown in. Read our full GoDaddy Hosting review for a deeper understanding.
What are the pros and cons of GoDaddy Hosting’ shared hosting?
There are 2 pros of GoDaddy Hosting’s shared hosting:
- Option to pay on a monthly basis
- Their cheapest plans only require a 1 year commitment
There are 2 cons of GoDaddy Hosting’s shared hosting:
- High increase on renewal pricing
- You only get 2 free email accounts and for the first year only
What Is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting where multiple websites reside within a single web server. These websites share a pool of resources including CPU, RAM, storage and bandwidth and IP addresses. The web host manages the server and ensures uptime. They also handle security patches and offer customer support. This lets website owners focus on content and building their online presence. Learn more in our article on the types of web hosting.
Shared Hosting vs VPS Hosting: What Is The Difference?
The difference between shared hosting vs VPS hosting is that shared hosting shares server resources among multiple accounts while VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting allocates dedicated resources using isolated virtual partitions. Shared hosting is cheaper and easier to manage, but its performance may decline as your website grows. Upgrading to VPS then becomes necessary since this type of hosting provides superior performance, security, and control. Read our comparison of shared hosting vs VPS hosting for more details.
How Much Does Shared Hosting Cost?
Shared Hosting costs between $2 – $15 a month depending on the hosting service and the amount of resources required. This price tier includes key features such as SSL certificates and a domain name. You should also get access to an intuitive control panel like cPanel, Plesk or a custom built panel.
Should I use cheap shared hosting plans?
Yes, you should use cheap shared hosting plans if you are looking to host a basic website such as a personal blog, portfolio site or small business site.
Cheap shared hosting is defined as shared hosting plans that cost less than $5 per month. Such low cost shared hosting is a viable solution to many people looking to host basic websites while keeping overall costs low. The key is to shop for a reputable shared host with proven reliability that is able to meet your budget and needs. See our list of the cheap web hosting for more information.
Should I use free shared hosting plans?
You should use free shared hosting plans only if you’re a complete beginner who is learning to host a website. Free shared hosting plans are also useful if you want to set up an extremely simple site with minimal content. However, free shared hosting plans tend to offer very limited resources such as bandwidth, storage and security features. It is better to upgrade to a paid shared hosting plan if you are serious about launching and growing a website in the long term.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting has both pros and cons to consider when deciding whether it’s the right type of web hosting for your website.
There are 4 pros of shared hosting and these are:
- Affordable solutions Shared hosting is the cheapest option in web hosting because you share server space with other websites. Most shared hosting plans also come with a money-back guarantee.
- Quick convenience Shared hosting is a quick and convenient solution to get your site up and running without the need for complex server configurations. Common features such as 1-click CMS installers are ideal for beginners. Many Shared Hosts also offer pre-installed SSL certificates.
- Intuitive control panels Most shared hosting plans include cPanel. Some include easy-to-use custom built panels, which offer a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Both options allow users to manage their website intuitively and perform tasks like organize files, create email accounts and manage website backups.
- Hands-off approach Shared hosting providers take care of the server hardware and maintenance for you. You can use that time to put into growing your business instead.
There are 3 cons of shared hosting and these are:
- Limited resources Shared hosting offers limited resources such as CPU, RAM storage, and bandwidth. These need to be shared amongst all the sites on the same server. This means it’s possible for your website performance to deteriorate if other sites hog the resources.
- No dedicated IP You won’t get a dedicated IP because all websites hosted within a shared server use a single IP. This means you won’t be able to reach your website using the shared IP if you run into issues with the domain name resolution.
- No root access Shared hosting does not give root access which means site owners have little to no control over server configurations.
Is shared hosting uptime reliable?
Yes, shared hosting uptime is reliable as long as you have chosen a high-quality provider. Hosting uptime is a metric that measures the percentage of time your website is available to visitors. Most reputable web hosting services continually maintain and improve their infrastructure to ensure maximum uptime. This includes offering regular backups, LVE containers for account isolation and security features like Wanguard to protect against DDoS attacks.
Reputable web hosting services also offer uptime guarantees. Look for a host service level agreement (SLA) uptime of 99.9% uptime and above. If the web host does not fulfil this, you can contact them to receive a form of compensation. This compensation usually comes in the form of hosting credits.
How can I monitor my shared hosting uptime?
You can monitor your shared hosting uptime using online services such as UptimeRobot, Pingdom, GTMetrix and Bitcatcha Host Tracker. These services monitor uptime at adjustable intervals, from as short as 30 seconds to as long as 30 minutes. Free services like UptimeRobot and Bitcatcha Host Tracker also alerts you automatically via email if your shared hosting goes down.
What Makes A Fast Shared Hosting?
A fast shared hosting is defined as a shared hosting service that records an average server global response time below 180ms in our server speed checker tool.
Fast shared hosting also includes or supports the following 4 features:
- SSD or NVME storage
- Data center locations that are close to your website target audience
- Free caching technology such as LiteSpeed or NGINX
- HTTP/3
Check out our shortlist of best SSD hosting for recommendations.
What Is Linux Shared Hosting?
Linux Shared Hosting is a service where multiple websites share a single server running a Linux-based operating system. This type of hosting supports cPanel, PHP, and mySQL, making it popular for many website owners, which translates to a larger community support for Linux-specific issues. Another advantage of Linux Shared Hosting is its cost-effectiveness. Check out our list of the best Linux hosting to find out more.
What Is Windows Shared Hosting?
Windows Shared Hosting is a service where multiple websites share a server running the Windows operating system. This hosting type supports the Plesk control panel and websites built with the ASP.NET framework. This is also ideal for websites using the Microsoft Exchange mail server or MsSQL databases. Explore the list of best Windows hosting for further insights.
What Is Unlimited Shared Hosting?
Unlimited shared hosting is a type of hosting service that advertises certain unlimited features within its shared hosting plans. This commonly includes unlimited storage, unlimited or unmetered bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, unlimited databases or unlimited websites. Users of these plans enjoy nearly unrestricted access to these features.
However, it’s important not to take the term ‘unlimited’ too literally. Hosting providers usually include terms and conditions to prevent one website excessively using resources and affecting the server performance for other websites that share the server. Thus, “unlimited” often comes with underlying constraints. Read our list of the best unlimited shared hosting to find out more.
Is Shared Hosting Good For Ecommerce?
Shared hosting is good for ecommerce websites that are small or just starting out and we would recommend going for a premium shared host plan. However, such a plan may be ttoo restrictive once the eCommerce website gets bigger and requires more resources. It is best to use VPS hosting for medium sized eCommerce businesses. It is best to use cloud hosting for large eCommerce businesses. Read our list of the best VPS hosting for more details.
Verdict: Which Is The Best Shared Hosting Provider?
The best shared hosting provider for you is the one that best covers the needs of your website. Shared hosting is a popular choice for its affordability and it’s important to choose one that also offers fast servers, reliable uptime and support for your chosen operating system. Your priorities will also differ depending on whether you’re a beginner or an eCommerce website.
It’s critical to examine the quality of a web host’s offerings when answering the question “what is the best shared hosting service?”. The best web hosting providers offer generous disk space, SSL, domains, a great control panel and data servers near to your audience.
Our recommended best shared hosting service is Hostinger for how well it met these criteria. However, all 12 web hosting services on this list were outstanding.
| Features | Hostinger | TMDHosting | GreenGeeks | A2 Hosting | SiteGround | DreamHost | HostPapa | InMotion Hosting | ScalaHosting | HostGator | Bluehost | GoDaddy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan | Premium | Starter | Lite | STARTUP | StartUp | Shared Unlimited | Start | Core | Mini | Hatchling | Basic | Starter |
| SSD storage | 100 GB | 50 GB | 50 GB | 100 GB | 10 GB | Unlimited | 100 GB | 100 GB | 10 GB | 10 GB | 10 GB | 25 GB |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unmetered |
| Websites | 100 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Unlimited | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Free domain name | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free email account | 100 accounts | Unlimited | 50 accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 accounts | 10 accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | No | 2 accounts |
| Free backups | Weekly | No | Daily | No | Daily | Daily | No | No | Daily | Weekly | No | Daily |
| Money-back guarantee | 30-day | 30-day | 30-day | 30-day | 30-day | 97-day | 30-day | 90-day | Anytime | 30-day | 30-day | 30-day |
| Price /mo | $2.59 | $2.99 | $2.95 | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.95 | $2.36 | $2.49 | $2.95 | $3.75 | $2.95 | $2.99 |
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