Dedicated hosting and shared hosting are the two most common form of paid web hosting in use. Dedicated hosting means that the customer has their own server dedicated to their site. Shared hosting means that more than one site is stored on a server, but that they are separate as far as access from the Internet is concerned.

Dedicated hosting requires very advanced technical knowledge. Generally, a web hosting company will assume that users of dedicated servers are server technicians themselves. Even when tech support is called in, it will generally be given from a very high level and the technicians will assume the user, at least, knows how to run a shared server. For those who simply need to design a site and get it online and have no need for advanced web technologies such as databases, shopping carts or other interactive elements, shared hosting is generally much easier.

Shared hosting makes it fairly easy to upload and manage a site, even for individuals who aren’t terribly technically-minded. Technologies such as small databases are added to the site as modules without the need to program, create directory structures or ensure the security of any code used. Shared packages typically come with the option to install most of the commonly-used web technologies in ready-made packages.

Shared hosting provides adequate disc space and bandwidth for the vast majority of users. The prices are much lower than dedicated hosting and the technical demands far less complex.