Shared web hosting, the most common the web hosting plans is one step above free web hosting services. With a shared account, end users pay a monthly fee for service. These fees will vary based upon two specific variables: the amount of bandwidth used per month, and the amount of server space used (i.e. 2MB or 4MB).

Web hosting plans are dedicated to reserve an entire server, or a collection of servers, for just one account holder. With dedicated hosting, the publication of potentially thousands of high-bandwidth sites is quite possible. For this reason dedicated hosting plans are best used to serve the needs of a large business.

Understanding the function and the role of a web host is important for selecting the best web host and web hosting plan for your needs, whether those needs are personal or professional. A web host provides space for the files that comprise a web site on specialized computers called servers. Web hosting plans are essentially service contracts priced in accordance with the anticipated volume of data flowing to and from your web site. Personal websites typically send and receive a much smaller volume of information than business websites. However, business hosting plans are a good option for very busy personal web sites, such as popular blogging websites.