Shared hosting, also called shared website hosting, is a plan where your website lives on one server together with many other customers’ websites, and all of them share that server’s CPU, memory and storage. The host runs and maintains the server, so you only manage your site. That is why it is the cheapest kind of hosting: at Hostinger, SiteGround and Namecheap, shared plans start between $1.88 and $2.99 a month on the first term.
Prices were checked on October 19, 2026 on the official US pricing pages of Hostinger, SiteGround and Namecheap. Resource limits come from each host’s own plan or help pages, as checked for our recent reviews on the dates named below.
How shared hosting works
The server is one physical machine. Each customer gets an account with a fixed slice of it, and the host sets the size of that slice. Namecheap’s resource-limits page, updated June 24, 2026, gives a basic shared account 1 GB of RAM and 20 entry processes, which is the number of requests your site can handle at the same moment. Hostinger’s limits page gives its Premium plan 1 CPU core and 2 GB of RAM.
In practice, this means your site runs well until it needs more than its slice. A traffic spike, a heavy plugin or too many files can hit a limit, and the site slows down or shows an error. The fix is a bigger plan, not a new type of hosting, until you are well past what a small site needs. To see how shared hosting compares with VPS, cloud and managed hosting on cost, read which hosting type is best for small websites.
The other half of the deal is management. On shared hosting, the host handles the server software, security patches and hardware. You get a control panel to add domains, install WordPress and set up email. I run my own sites on Namecheap shared hosting this way: I add new domains in cPanel and install WordPress with the one-click installer, and Namecheap emails me before it makes changes on its side.
Shared website hosting plans and prices
| Host and plan | Intro price | Term for that price | Paid upfront | Renewal | Websites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namecheap Stellar | $1.88/mo | 2 years | $45.12 | $51.44 a year | 3 |
| Hostinger Premium | $2.49/mo | 48 months | $119.52 | $10.99/mo | 3 |
| SiteGround StartUp | $2.99/mo | 12 months | $35.88 | $17.99/mo | 1 |
The low monthly prices all need a prepaid term, and all three renew higher. The gap at renewal is large: a year of SiteGround StartUp costs $215.88 after the first 12 months, against $131.88 for Hostinger Premium after 48 months and $51.44 for Namecheap Stellar. Namecheap’s renewal price comes from its help center, as checked on October 16, 2026. Our guide to how much web hosting costs shows the four-year totals. Free hosting skips the bill but drops email and backups, as our free vs paid hosting guide shows.
The limits you share, by plan
“Shared” does not mean unlimited. Each plan has fixed limits, and they differ more than the prices do.
| Plan | RAM | Other limit | Files (inodes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Premium | 2 GB | 1 CPU core, 40 PHP workers | 400,000 |
| Hostinger Unlimited | 3 GB | 2 CPU cores, 60 PHP workers | 600,000 |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | 2 GB | 30 entry processes, 50% CPU | 300,000 |
| Namecheap Stellar Business | 2 GB | 40 entry processes, 100% CPU | 600,000 |
| SiteGround StartUp | Not listed | About 10,000 visits a month (SiteGround’s estimate) | Not listed |
Hostinger’s figures come from its plan-limits help page, updated October 9, 2026. Namecheap’s come from its resource-limits page and our Namecheap review, checked October 16, 2026. SiteGround does not publish RAM or CPU per plan; it labels the resources Essential, Premium and Geeky and gives visit estimates of about 10,000, 100,000 and 400,000 a month for its three plans, which are its own estimates, not hard limits.
What the numbers mean for a site:
- Files (inodes): every image, plugin file and email counts. A WordPress store with thousands of product images can reach 300,000 sooner than its storage limit.
- Entry processes and PHP workers: they cap how many visitors the site can serve at the same moment. A blog rarely notices; a store during a sale can.
- Websites: SiteGround StartUp hosts 1 site, Hostinger Premium and Namecheap Stellar 3. A second niche site can push you into the next plan.
Who should use shared hosting, and who should skip it
- A blog, portfolio or first affiliate site: shared hosting fits. Hostinger Premium covers 3 sites for $119.52 over four years. The Hostinger review covers what else Premium includes.
- Several small niche sites: shared hosting fits on an unlimited-sites plan, such as Namecheap Stellar Plus at $54.72 for two years or Hostinger Unlimited at $167.52 for 48 months. Our guide to the best hosting for multiple websites compares the cost per site.
- A small business site with email: shared hosting fits. SiteGround includes email on all plans and lists phone support, which Hostinger does not.
- A busy store or a site with traffic spikes: look past entry plans. Hostinger Cloud Startup lists 4 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM for $7.99 a month on a 48-month term.
- Custom software or root access: skip shared hosting. You need a VPS, and our shared vs VPS hosting guide shows when that switch pays off.
Verdict: what shared hosting is good for
Shared hosting is the right start for most new websites: the host manages the server, and the first payment is $35.88 to $119.52 for one to four years at these three hosts. Pick by the limit that matters to you: the number of sites, the file limit, or the renewal price. Move up only when your site actually hits a limit. For a step-by-step way to compare plans, see our guide on how to choose a web hosting provider.
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Shared hosting FAQ
Is shared hosting good for WordPress?
Yes, for most small WordPress sites. All three hosts offer one-click WordPress installs, and SiteGround lists managed automatic updates for WordPress on its shared plans, which keeps WordPress updated without your input. Our guide to what managed WordPress hosting is explains what these features cover.
Is shared hosting safe if other sites share my server?
Each account is separated, and the host adds server-level security. Namecheap lists Imunify360 security on all shared plans, and SiteGround lists enhanced security on every plan. Your own site still needs plugin updates and strong passwords.
When should I upgrade from shared hosting?
When your site keeps hitting a listed limit, not before. On Namecheap, the next step is Stellar Business, which doubles the CPU limit to 100% and the file limit to 600,000. On Hostinger, it is Unlimited, then Cloud Startup.