If you have more than one website, it might be tempting to host them together on the same hosting package to save money. But is this a good idea? Let’s take a look at some different ways multiple websites can be hosted together.
One account with multiple sites in folders
Many hosting companies will offer you one hosting package with the opportunity to place content for different websites in different folders. It’s convenient and simple, it works well under ordinary circumstances, and it saves you money over paying for a separate hosting package for each site.
However, one danger to be aware of is what happens if your site gets hacked. If a hacker gains access to your site, it’s possible that the hacker could access data in all of your sites if they’re hosted together. While this is an unlikely scenario, it’s important to allow the possibility to factor into your decision-making.
Sandboxed sites on one hosting package
A much better model is when a hosting package offers you the ability to sandbox your sites. If you’re not familiar with this term, sandboxing works much like a child’s play sandbox. It’s a self-contained area — just like the sandbox keeps sand in and dirt out, a sandboxed website is separate from other sites. Many hosting companies will sell you a hosting package based on the amount of storage space or resources you use, allowing you to add as many sites as you want. The obvious advantage here is that your other sites are safe if one gets compromised. Additionally, sandboxed sites typically allow you to configure each site differently. For example, you could run a different PHP version on each site.
If you own multiple websites, it’s a good idea to get one hosting package for all of them. But when you do, make sure each site can be sandboxed and managed separately.
