Shared vs Reseller Hosting Options for Maximizing Client Capacity and Business Growth
Defining Shared and Reseller Hosting
When you resell hosting, you’re managing multiple websites at the same time. You use a bigger platform to rent server space from. Acting as the host, you can resell that space to other clients.
You don’t always have to do that, though. You can use this method to host several of your own websites.
Shared hosting is the most common web hosting solution, with more than 33% of hosting clients using it. Small and medium-sized companies show the highest demand for it. The websites run on a shared server, which hosts numerous other business sites as well.
The hosting platform distributes a set amount of resources, aiming to ensure efficient capacity for all. The website owner uses a cPanel account to manage the website, along with long credentials and a unique username.
On this page
- Defining Shared and Reseller Hosting
- Comparison: Performance
- Some Other Hosting Options in Market
- SiteGround
- HostGator
- DreamHost
- A2 Hosting
- Bluehost
- Target Group
- Shared Hosting: What to Watch Out for
- Reseller: Don’t Always Believe What Google Tells You
- Looking for someone to write a Business Plan?
- Final Thoughts
Comparison: Performance
Reseller and shared hosting methods can seem similar at first. Both of them offer multiple clients a shared server space, but a few key deviations can make the difference between a growing and a stagnant business.
In shared hosting, your website’s performance is affected by what resources the websites on the same server are using because all of the resources are shared. This can lead to downtime during web traffic spikes or slower loading times. These disadvantages shouldn’t be overlooked. As of 2024, 83% of internet users expect websites they open to load in up to three seconds. If a website takes more than three seconds to load, 40% of users will abandon it. On mobile devices, websites take around 8.6 seconds to load on average. Websites load approx. 71% faster on desktop computers, leading to a much higher bounce rate on mobile devices.
Generally, even cheap reseller hosting offers better performance than regular hosting, often providing greater control over server configurations and allocating more resources to each account. Resellers are able to optimize performance based on users’ requirements, leading to improved loading speed and performance overall.
Some Other Hosting Options in Market
Some other hosting options are available in the market. Each provider offers unique features and caters to specific needs. Here some of these hosting options are as follows:
SiteGround
SiteGround Known for performance-focused hosting, SiteGround’s shared plans come with speed optimization tools, ideal for e-commerce websites and those experiencing high traffic. While their plans might be slightly more expensive, the performance benefits can be worthwhile. SiteGround’s reseller plans offer premium features, but require technical knowledge for server management.
HostGator
HostGator is a budget-friendly option for beginners with their easy-to-use shared hosting plans. The cPanel interface makes managing your website a breeze. If you’re looking to turn web hosting into a business, HostGator’s reseller plans offer flexibility with built-in billing tools. However, keep in mind that managing these plans requires technical knowledge to maintain the server environment.
DreamHost
DreamHost is an eco-friendly option with budget-friendly shared hosting that includes good performance and free SSL certificates. Perfect for beginners! If you’re looking to grow, their reseller plans offer scalability with fast SSD storage. You can even white-label these plans for your own brand, but be aware that managing reseller plans requires technical knowledge.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting prioritizes speed with VPS plans built for performance and complex websites. Their shared plans are also known for speed, making them ideal for e-commerce. Reseller plans offer a high-performance “Turbo Server” option, but require technical knowledge to manage.
Bluehost
Bluehost offers shared and VPS hosting: budget-friendly shared for beginners, and user-friendly VPS for growth with more control. Reseller plans let you manage client sites required technical knowledge.
Target Group
Shared hosting is most suitable for small businesses, new businesses, and personal websites that do not require high resources or extensive customization. It’s a great starting point if your business is in the early stages and doesn’t require many resources or complicated management.
Reselling is more suitable if you expect significant business expansion or simply want better control over your hosting environment. This type of hosting provides more flexibility and resources to scale as your business grows. It’s also suitable for web designers, web developers, and entrepreneurs who want to offer their clients hosting services in addition to their primary ones or launch a web hosting business.
Quality hosting is one of many factors behind an entrepreneur’s success, though. Recent statistics show that a 30-year-old founder is almost twice as unlikely to succeed than a 50-year-old one. Serial entrepreneurs’ realized sales are 98% higher than those of new entrepreneurs.
Finally, statistics show successful entrepreneurs actually spend more time with their families. 55% are with their families on weekends and 58% spend time with them in the evenings.
Shared Hosting: What to Watch Out for
Disk space and bandwidth are two key considerations. Disk space is the volume of data a drive or disk can hold. Shared hosting packages typically come with the minimum amount. If you found a provider who offers unlimited storage, there’s probably a catch. The typical amount per WordPress installation is around 1 GB of data. If you can’t predict your storage requirements, opt for a hosting provider that will accommodate your business growth by letting you buy more disk space without hefty fees.
Bandwidth refers to how much data you can transfer. Your website’s speed depends on it. When servers split resources across many websites, getting high bandwidth is quite challenging.
Shared hosting plans provide a fixed amount of bandwidth per month. If a company promises “unlimited bandwidths,” these are usually impossible to achieve due to physical constraints limiting speed.
Reseller: Don’t Always Believe What Google Tells You
If you google phrases like “best reseller web hosting,” you’ll find that all of the posts recommending the best hosting companies contain affiliate links. Most reviews will only recommend providers who offer an affiliate program, and the “best” companies are usually those paying the highest commission.
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Final Thoughts
We hope you find this comparison between reseller and shared hosting helpful and that you make the right choice for your needs. A reliable hosting service can assist your business in moving forward. Subpar hosting, on the other hand, often deters business growth.