Shared hosting is a type of web hosting where many different websites are stored and run on the same physical server, sharing its resources like CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth. It is popular because the cost of maintaining that server is divided among all users, making it one of the most affordable options for getting a website online.

Main advantages include very low cost, easy setup, and minimal technical responsibility, which makes shared hosting ideal for beginners, small business sites, and personal blogs with moderate traffic. Typical entry plans often start at just a few dollars per month, far cheaper than virtual private servers (VPS) or dedicated servers.​

Key downsides are limited performance compared to higher-tier hosting, less control over server configuration, and potential performance impact when neighboring sites consume many resources. For growing sites with high traffic or demanding applications, upgrading later to VPS, cloud, or dedicated hosting is usually recommended

Shared hosting is a good fit if you want a low-cost way to launch a basic website and do not expect heavy traffic or need custom server configurations. If your site later grows or performance becomes an issue, most providers let you upgrade to a more powerful hosting plan without rebuilding your site from scratch.

Migrating a website to shared hosting involves copying your site files and database to the new server, pointing your domain to it, and testing before going live. The exact screens differ by host, but the overall steps are very similar across cPanel-based and popular shared hosts.