The Best Shared Hosting Services for 2025
Do you need a platform for your blog or online store? Then you need web hosting. Shared hosting, in particular, is the ideal solution for beginners who want to start small and gradually grow. Although it comes with fewer system resources than other hosting types, it makes up for it with a significantly lower price tag (it’s the cheapest web hosting you can commit to, aside from free hosting). Don’t know where to start? Let us help you find the right fit. We’ve tested web hosting services for more than a decade and update our reviews as companies add or remove features. We’ve selected nine web hosting services for this list, all of which are excellent. Read on to see our top picks, followed by the key factors to consider when shopping for shared web hosting.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
October 28, 2025: With this update, FatCow has been removed from our recommendations, as it no longer accepts new signups following its merger into Network Solutions. All remaining picks have been reviewed for currency and availability.
Pros & Cons
Excellent cloud hosting packages
Linux- or Windows-based servers
Easy-to-use website creation tools
Many hosting plans for various budgets and needs
Lacks reseller hosting plans
Sparse email options
Why We Picked It
Ionos excels at cloud-based hosting, but its shared plans are quite good, too. They come in many tiers, with services that are ideal for personal or business use. The downside? Limited email. You get a single mailbox, regardless of the shared plan you choose. The upside? Expert customer service that includes email, web chat, and phone support.
Who It’s For
Webmasters who value customer service will be happy with Ionos’ various support options, particularly the company’s phone squad. If your business doesn’t need numerous email accounts, Ionos is an excellent choice for shared hosting.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
Ionos Web Hosting Review
(Credit: DreamHost)
(Credit: DreamHost)
Pros & Cons
Excellent cloud hosting offerings
Extensive domain-management tools
Unlimited data transfers per month with many plans
Generous shared hosting money-back guarantee
You must pay for email with the Shared Starter plan
No telephone support
Not all plans have Windows-based servers
Why We Picked It
Shared hosting isn’t as powerful as other server types, but it can satisfy a wide range of business needs and is relatively inexpensive. DreamHost offers solid shared hosting solutions for clients of all types, and these plans are quite wallet-friendly. Selecting a server is straightforward: DreamHost provides pricing comparisons with easy-to-understand values, making browsing convenient for individuals and small businesses.
Who It’s For
DreamHost is a value-friendly service, particularly in regard to its shared hosting tiers. This is great if you’re looking to save some money in these economically uncertain times. The packages come with unlimited monthly data transfers, but some plans lack email options.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
DreamHost Web Hosting Review
(Credit: HostGator)
(Credit: HostGator)
Pros & Cons
Numerous feature-rich hosting plans
Excellent shared hosting offerings
Useful site-building software and e-commerce tools
Helpful 24/7 customer service
Outstanding uptime
Not all plans have a Windows Server option
No longer offers cloud hosting
Why We Picked it
HostGator is a top-tier, feature-stacked web hosting service that offers rich cloud, WordPress, VPS, and dedicated server packages. However, HostGator’s shared servers are particularly robust, with cost-effective Linux and Windows options.
Who It’s For
Small businesses and startups that need Windows Server options (the operating system isn’t a common one in the shared hosting space). With HostGator, you also get 24/7 telephone support, live web chat support, and a robust online portal packed with reference articles and tutorials.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
HostGator Web Hosting Review
(Credit: Hostwinds)
(Credit: Hostwinds)
Pros & Cons
Terrific uptime
Excellent reseller and VPS hosting plans
Good customer service
Minecraft server hosting
Not every plan has a Windows server option
Short money-back guarantee window
Why We Picked It
For affordable servers at excellent rates, look no further than Hostwinds. This web host offers three excellent shared hosting plans, with each including unlimited monthly data transfers, storage, and email. Hostwinds’ shared servers are quite scalable, so you can buy into a higher-tier package if your business grows beyond your starter plan.
Who It’s For
If you’re a hands on sort of person, Hostwinds’ selection is well worth considering due to its deep feature set. On the other hand, Hostwinds offers shared hosting plans that include the Weebly website builder for quickly building a site without much fuss.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
Hostwinds Web Hosting Review
(Credit: InMotion Hosting)
(Credit: InMotion Hosting)
Pros & Cons
Wide variety of feature-packed plans
Unlimited data transfers with all dedicated, shared, and WordPress tiers
Easy-to-use website-building software
Lengthy money-back guarantee
Why We Picked It
Competition in the web hosting space is fierce, so many companies must offer appealing perks to attract potential clients and stand out from the pack. InMotion’s unlimited email, storage, and monthly data transfers make the service an excellent choice for small, growing businesses. After all, you don’t want to worry about hitting caps as your company expands.
Who It’s For
The flexible InMotion hosting has a great feature set that’s ideal for both personal and business users. The web host offers reasonable prices and well-rounded options for shared, VPS, dedicated, reseller, and WordPress plans.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
InMotion Web Hosting Review
(Credit: GoDaddy)
(Credit: GoDaddy)
Pros & Cons
Top-notch uptime
Linux- and Windows-based servers
Email tightly integrated into Microsoft apps
Helpful, 24/7 customer support
Useful website-builder software
Lacks cloud hosting
Doesn’t offer much default email
Why We Picked It
As a customer, sometimes it’s more convenient to get all your needs met by a single service rather than shop around for the cheapest deal. GoDaddy is one of the world’s most popular domain name registrars, but it also offers excellent hosting options. They include attractive and useful features, such as tight integration with Microsoft Office 365.
Who It’s For
Fantastic customer service and expert Microsoft Office 365 integration make GoDaddy a compelling choice for businesses focused on office work. In addition, GoDaddy offers domain services, so it’s a fine one-stop shop for both domain and hosting solutions.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
GoDaddy Web Hosting Review
(Credit: Hostinger)
(Credit: Hostinger)
Pros & Cons
Unlimited data transfers with the cloud, shared, and WordPress plans
AI tools
Gaming servers
Includes the Hostinger Website Builder
Helpful customer service
Lacks dedicated web hosting
Not every plan has a Windows option
No phone support
Why We Picked It
Hostinger is a highly versatile web host that combines excellent uptime, great customer service, and a mix of traditional and cloud-based hosting. The company is constantly expanding and evolving its services to match or exceed competitors. It recently expanded its bundled SSL certificates to include all plans, which is excellent for businesses looking for an extra level of security.
Who It’s For
With such a high degree of flexibility and customization, and free, unlimited SSL certificates, Hostinger is a fine shared hosting choice for businesses handling online transactions. Hostinger also has excellent online support, so you’re always a few keystrokes away from help.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
Hostinger Web Hosting Review
(Credit: Hosting.com)
(Credit: Hosting.com)
Pros & Cons
Robust WordPress hosting plans
Unlimited data transfers with most plans
Excellent, 24/7 customer support
Good money-back guarantee
Easy service cancellation
No Windows server options
Lacks cloud and dedicated server plans
Why We Picked It
Hosting.com has a well-rounded web hosting catalog, making it a fantastic choice when hunting for quality servers. It excels at WordPress hosting, but its shared servers feature a strong money-back guarantee.
Who It’s For
All the web hosting services we recommend offer a money-back guarantee, but Hosting.com is quite generous by offering a prorated refund if you decide to cancel after 30 days. This makes Hosting.com an excellent choice for novice webmasters since the money-back guarantee makes commitment easy and painless.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
Hosting.com Review
(Credit: AccuWeb)
(Credit: AccuWeb)
Best for Cloud Hosting
AccuWeb Hosting
Pros & Cons
Great budget-friendly shared hosting options
Excellent dedicated hosting plans
Offers a choice of Linux or Windows servers
Helpful customer service
Limited email accounts with some plans
Why We Picked It
A helping hand is always welcome when working on a website’s backend. AccuWeb’s shared hosting packages are managed, meaning someone is monitoring your site for you whenever you are not. These shared hosting plans are surprisingly robust, featuring both SSD and cloud storage options.
Who It’s For
When it comes to shared hosting options, AccuWeb ranks as one of the best we’ve tested. Not only do you get a choice of SSD or cloud servers, but you can select either a Linux or Windows operating system (this is uncommon with shared hosting). If you need a web host with a high degree of flexibility at the shared hosting level, AccuWeb is worth a look.
Specs & Configurations
Unlimited Monthly Data Transfers – Shared
Unlimited Storage – Shared
Learn More
AccuWeb Hosting Review
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The Best Shared Hosting Services for 2025
Compare Specs
Buying Guide: The Best Shared Hosting Services for 2025
What Is Shared Hosting?Unlike a dedicated hosting server that powers a single site, a shared web hosting server houses multiple sites. The upside? It’s cheap web hosting. In fact, it’s sometimes free web hosting. In some cases, you can host a website on a shared server for under $10 per month.The downside to shared hosting? Potential website instability, as your site shares server CPU resources with other sites. For example, if another site has a traffic spike, your pages might load slowly—or not at all. Still, shared web hosting is a super-affordable way to get a site up and running.Not all shared hosting plans are created equal. Sure, all web hosting companies let you store files on their servers, but they provide varying monthly data transfers, storage, and other features. Even how you pay (month-to-month versus annual payments) can be radically different, too. Naturally, you’ll pay more money for upper-level shared hosting services, but you’ll also get more features.Is Shared Hosting Worth It?Yes, if you have reasonable expectations. For example, many shared web hosts provide unlimited monthly data transfers and storage, so you don’t have to worry about hitting walls. Note, however, that if you rely on “unlimited” anything, read the fine print to ensure you don’t miss any hidden terms or conditions.Then there’s the operating system question. Do you need Windows servers? Linux servers? It’s best to shop around. Linux is typically the default option, but some hosts provide Windows hosting as an alternative. If you have specific server-side applications that require Windows, such as SQL Server or a custom application written in .NET, you must go the Microsoft route. For more information, check out Linux vs. Windows: How to Pick the Best Server OS for Your Website.Nowadays, most web hosts have a graphical interface or a control panel to simplify server administration and website management. With it, you’ll click easily identifiable icons instead of typing at the command line, so navigating your account’s backend shouldn’t be a problem.You may not find specs while browsing a web host’s site for shared hosting. You see, many web hosts don’t list the amount of RAM in their shared hosting plans. In such instances, you can safely assume that the RAM total is less than 1GB. A few web hosting services sell premium shared plans with 1GB of RAM or slightly more. If you want dependable-under-pressure performance without spending hundreds of dollars per month, consider virtual private server (VPS) hosting. Signing up for a VPS plan gives your future site significant computer resources.You’ll also want a web host with responsive 24/7 customer support. Forums, knowledge bases, and tutorials are useful tools, but there’s nothing like getting another human being on the horn (or at least in a web chat).On the other hand, if you want to start a web hosting company without the associated frustrations, check out reseller hosting.
5 Things You Need to Know About Web Hosting
Shared Hosting vs. WordPress HostingWordPress hosting is the option for people who want to build their sites on the back of the popular content management system (CMS), but don’t want to bother with backend stuff, such as updating apps, plug-ins, and CMS, and enabling automatic backups. Some web hosts provide WordPress as just one of their many hosting packages; others exclusively specialize in WordPress hosting and don’t have additional hosting plans.
Recommended by Our Editors
Note: You can use WordPress with any hosting accounting. However, many web hosts sell WordPress plans with the same specs and features as their shared plans.Which Is the Best Shared Hosting Service?Starting a website isn’t easy, but our chart gives you a solid foundation to begin your journey. Ready to select a shared web hosting service? Click the links for our in-depth reviews of the category’s best services. If you’re just getting started with web hosting, make sure to check out our primers, How to Create a Website and How to Register a Domain Name for Your Website.Jeffrey L. Wilson contributed to this article.
已发布: 2025-10-28 19:19:00
来源: www.pcmag.com
