If you are new to joomla or publishing websites this is a great place to start, there are several companies that provide great shared hosting. The price is right and your site is up and running in a few minutes. Then when your site traffic grows you can move to a more expensive / better plan
There are several properties of a shared hosting company that we look at to rank it. Here is our list of properties of a shared hosting plan
- Reliability - Speed/Uptime
- Size - Data transfer and disk space
- Security - Stable server builds
- Price - Competitively priced with fair server 'real estate'
- Tech Support - Helpful, friendly and responsive
1.
SiteGround
$3.95
What you need to know:
SiteGround has outstanding uptime and server security. Price at SiteGround starts at $3.95/Month for unlimited disk space and data transfer and comes with a free domain name. Support is available via Phone, Chat, and Email 24/7.
To test SiteGround we installed a Joomla site with sample data and check the status every minute. Over the past six months we have seen 99.94% uptime and an average response time of 524ms (Very Fast).
We interviewed SiteGroun’s CEO, Tenko Nikolov, to learn about the additional security measures and we were impressed. We are very pleased with Siteground's technical skill and customer service.
SiteGround has outstanding uptime and server security. Price at SiteGround starts at $3.95/Month for unlimited disk space and data transfer and comes with a free domain name. Support is available via Phone, Chat, and Email 24/7.
To test SiteGround we installed a Joomla site with sample data and check the status every minute. Over the past six months we have seen 99.94% uptime and an average response time of 524ms (Very Fast).
We interviewed SiteGroun’s CEO, Tenko Nikolov, to learn about the additional security measures and we were impressed. We are very pleased with Siteground's technical skill and customer service.
2.
JustHost
$3.45
What you need to know:
Just Host makes shared hosting accessible to everyone. Their plan is $3.75/Month for unlimited disk space, data transfer and domain hosting. Technical support is US based and available 24/7 via phone, chat and ticket.
We have used Just Host, but never monitored them. We experienced great speed and uptime on our Just Host hosted site.
Just Host’s plan is very affordable but they will want you to buy addons like daily backups, domain privacy and dedicated IPs.
Just Host makes shared hosting accessible to everyone. Their plan is $3.75/Month for unlimited disk space, data transfer and domain hosting. Technical support is US based and available 24/7 via phone, chat and ticket.
We have used Just Host, but never monitored them. We experienced great speed and uptime on our Just Host hosted site.
Just Host’s plan is very affordable but they will want you to buy addons like daily backups, domain privacy and dedicated IPs.
3.
BlueHost
$6.95
What you need to know:
Bluehost specializes in shared hosting. They offer a single plan with a few upgrades. It costs $4.95/month for unlimited disk space, data transfer and domain hosting. Technical support is 100% US based and available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.
We have hosted many sites with them over the years. We do not currently have an actively monitored site, but our results have always been great.
Since Bluehost's business model is to focus on the shared hosting market, their process is to keep the servers running fast and provide a great customer experience.
Bluehost specializes in shared hosting. They offer a single plan with a few upgrades. It costs $4.95/month for unlimited disk space, data transfer and domain hosting. Technical support is 100% US based and available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.
We have hosted many sites with them over the years. We do not currently have an actively monitored site, but our results have always been great.
Since Bluehost's business model is to focus on the shared hosting market, their process is to keep the servers running fast and provide a great customer experience.
4.
Site5
$4.95
What you need to know:
Site5 hosts millions of websites while providing fast, stable servers at a great price. Prices start at $4.95/Month for unlimited disk space and data transfer. Support is available via Phone, Chat and Email. All support tickets include the technician's photo so you know who you’re working with.
To test the Site5 servers we have a 150 page website hosted on a shared plan that we monitor every minute. Over the past 365 days the site reported a 99.97% uptime with an 830ms average response time.
We are very pleased with Site5, they are a larger hosting company that continues to maintain a personal touch.
Site5 hosts millions of websites while providing fast, stable servers at a great price. Prices start at $4.95/Month for unlimited disk space and data transfer. Support is available via Phone, Chat and Email. All support tickets include the technician's photo so you know who you’re working with.
To test the Site5 servers we have a 150 page website hosted on a shared plan that we monitor every minute. Over the past 365 days the site reported a 99.97% uptime with an 830ms average response time.
We are very pleased with Site5, they are a larger hosting company that continues to maintain a personal touch.
5.
HostGator
$5.95
What you need to know:
HostGator is best known for their shared hosting plans, they host over 8 million websites. Prices are low, starting at $3.96/month for unlimited disk space and data transfer. Tech support is fast, knowledgeable and available via Phone, Chat and Email.
To test and monitor HostGator's speed and uptime, we host a 200 page site on a shared plan. Over the past four years our reports show 99.32% uptime and 729ms (Very Fast) average response time. Pretty respectable for just a few dollars per month.
We have several sites on their shared plans and will continue to host with HostGator.
HostGator is best known for their shared hosting plans, they host over 8 million websites. Prices are low, starting at $3.96/month for unlimited disk space and data transfer. Tech support is fast, knowledgeable and available via Phone, Chat and Email.
To test and monitor HostGator's speed and uptime, we host a 200 page site on a shared plan. Over the past four years our reports show 99.32% uptime and 729ms (Very Fast) average response time. Pretty respectable for just a few dollars per month.
We have several sites on their shared plans and will continue to host with HostGator.
Top 5 Tips for picking the best shared hosting plan
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Reliability
It's not absurd to expect the best uptime, speed and stability from shared servers. This should be the standard across the board. The best way to ensure that you are getting the best is by monitoring your site's uptime and response time using an uptime monitor. -
Size
Get the most from your sites data transfer and disk speed. Often times companies will offer unlimited to lure you into their shared hosting plans. This isn't always bad. In fact companies like HostGator and Bluehost do it. Just be careful. Some companies will throttle your speed or limit your disk space if you start taking up too much. Ask ahead of time and they should not have a problem answering your questions. -
Security
Shared Servers are more risky to operate because the server is shared with multiple accounts. A hacked server can corrupt all sites on it (worst case scenario). Usually this doesn't happen, and companies can usually retrieve data that is lost or fix damaged databases (consider VPS or Dedicated servers). -
Price
Don't put a heavy emphasis on price. Sure it's nice to get the best deal, but check out the company first. Are they established enough to support their claim? Often times companies use price to lure you in and forget to mention all of the limitations of their plans. Check out our best budget hosting to find a GOOD cheap host. -
Tech Support
Typically with all hosting companies there is standard tech support. Sometimes this includes phone and chat. Some times it doesn't. Usually they will offer a premium tech support solution should you need more assistance.
