Shared hosting is a panel, limits and a neighbor on the same node. It is the right product for a first WordPress or a mailbox. It is the wrong product if you need root, Docker or a custom nginx.
Prices look tiny next to VPS because you are not buying a VM. Hostinger and Namecheap intros are 12–24 month averages — renewal is the number to compare with a $6 droplet.
When the site outgrows shared, jump to KVM VPS at 2–4 GB, not to “unlimited” shared marketing.
Straight answers about ranking methodology, pricing and choosing the right plan.
Shared: panel, no root, cheaper entry. VPS: root, your stack, hourly or monthly VM pricing. “Unlimited” shared is still shared.
Both. This ranking is shared. Their KVM 1–8 plans sit in the VPS ranking with intro vs renewal called out.
Some shared plans offer jailed SSH. If you need real SSH and Docker, you want VPS.
Let’s Encrypt is normal in 2026. Filter for free SSL if a host still nickel-and-dimes certificates.