Standard shared web hosting is a good choice for most businesses and personal sites. The main concern with shared web servers is price versus security, bandwidth and space limits. Dedicated and colocated server hosting offer the best security and processing speeds but cost more. And clustered hosting, which uses lots of servers to host your sites, offers both at shared hosting prices. A shared domain hosting service is often free but has few features.

With shared web server hosting, you should expect a guaranteed uptime of at least 99.5% or higher, at least 3GB of bandwidth, between 5MB to 10MB of disk space, 24/7 technical support and some type of scripting options as your site grows. Further, ask the shared hosting providers about their hardware quality, software specifications and the number of years in business.

When selecting a shared web hosting service, consider the following steps:

1. Find out if shared web hosting meets your security needs.

2. Compare shared web server hosting with reviews and ranking tools.

3. Look for an experienced shared hosting provider with service options for expanding your site.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find and compare rates on shared web hosting that meets your security needs

Compare multiple server hosting companies. Be sure to request your own IP address and an SSL that is not shared. Also ask for malware protection software.

I recommend: Get shared hosting quotes with BuyerZone. The free quote tool can connect you to multiple vendors at once, and you’ll receive customized quotes. The Biz Quoter tool outlines the basic differences among shared, dedicated and co-located hosting, or you can get quotes from all types at once. TopHosts offers a quote wizard to help you decide the features you need. Click through and leave your contact information to get quotes from web hosting providers.

Compare shared web server hosting with rating and review sites

Rating and review services compare shared hosting plans from features to pricing. Use rankings to look for the number of years established and reviews to see about customer satisfaction. Some sites that list by price will feature unlimited bandwidth and disk space. But your new site will likely use less than 3GB of bandwidth per month. As you develop traffic and links your requirement will grow. So be sure to consider overcharges as part of your monthly budget. But if your site has dynamically generated pages your resource requirements will establish your shared hosting plan needs.

I recommend: RateMyHost.com offers a directory and rating system that allows you to consider customer service and features. TopHosts actually uses a panel, which includes feedback from webmasters, to rank the top web hosts based on product, customer care, innovative marketing and technology. TopHosts lets you compare by information about the hosting providers, including the year established.

Buy from a shared hosting provider with experience and service options

Consider how long your provider has been offering shared hosting and whether or not they offer other hosting services, like 24/7 technical support and site management as your site grows. Be sure to note if your hosting provider uses Windows or Linux operating system, a web-based console or telnet access and which scripts and programs are available for expanding your site.

I recommend: Aplus.net started over ten years ago and offers shared hosting plans compared by features, pricing and operating system. Dedicated server plans are also available as your site grows. Established in 2004, InfTek boasts business class shared web server hosting with the latest features for a low monthly price. Hosting packages also can be customized and upgraded.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  What else can your shared web hosting plan offer you? Take advantage of package deals on website hosting and design products.