Hostinger Limits and How to Work Around Them
TL;DR:
- Hostinger plans come with storage and bandwidth limits that vary by tier
- Most limitations hit when you're not optimising images or code properly
- Simple fixes like compression and caching solve most resource issues
- Upgrading your plan is straightforward when you need more capacity
- Hostinger's dashboard shows real-time usage so you can plan ahead
Every Hostinger plan comes with specific resource limits. These aren't there to trip you up – they keep costs down and servers running smoothly. The trick is knowing what you're working with and how to make the most of it.
Storage Space Limits
Your storage allowance covers everything: website files, images, databases, and email accounts. Basic plans start with limited space, while business plans offer much more room.
The biggest storage hogs are usually unoptimised images. A single high-resolution photo can eat up several megabytes. Multiply that by dozens of images and you'll hit your limit fast.
Quick fixes for storage:
- Compress images before uploading (aim for under 200KB per image)
- Delete unused themes and plugins regularly
- Clear out old backup files and logs
- Use WebP format for images when possible
Bandwidth Restrictions
Bandwidth is how much data transfers between your site and visitors each month. Every page view, image load, and file download counts towards this limit.
High-traffic sites or those with lots of media content typically hit bandwidth limits first. Video files are particularly heavy on bandwidth usage.
Ways to reduce bandwidth usage:
- Enable Gzip compression in your hosting panel
- Use a content delivery network (CDN) for images and static files
- Implement caching to reduce server requests
- Optimise your code by removing unnecessary elements
Database and Email Limits
Some Hostinger plans cap the number of databases or email accounts you can create. This mainly affects developers running multiple sites or businesses with large teams.
If you're building several WordPress sites, each needs its own database. Email limits can be restrictive if you need addresses for different departments or team members.
Working Within Your Plan
Check your resource usage regularly through Hostinger's control panel. The dashboard shows current storage, bandwidth, and database usage with clear visual indicators.
Set up monitoring alerts if available. Getting a heads-up when you're at 80% capacity gives you time to optimise or upgrade before hitting hard limits.
Plan your content strategy around your resources. If you're on a basic plan, focus on text-based content with carefully optimised images rather than video-heavy pages.
When to Upgrade
Upgrade when you're consistently hitting 70-80% of your limits, not when you've maxed out. This gives you breathing room and prevents performance issues.
Business sites should consider higher-tier plans from the start. The cost difference is usually minimal compared to the headaches of running out of resources.
Seasonal businesses might need temporary upgrades during peak periods. Check if Hostinger allows plan changes mid-billing cycle.
Getting Help
Hostinger's support team can check your resource usage and suggest optimisations. They'll also help you choose the right plan if you're unsure about upgrading.
The knowledge base covers common optimisation techniques specific to their platform. It's worth checking before making major changes to your site.
FAQs
What happens if I exceed my storage limit?
Your site will stop accepting new uploads and may display errors. You'll need to delete files or upgrade your plan to restore functionality.
Can I temporarily exceed bandwidth limits?
Some plans allow small overages with additional charges, but it's better to upgrade or optimise before hitting the limit.
How do I check my current resource usage?
Log into your Hostinger control panel and look for the resource usage section, which shows real-time storage and bandwidth consumption.
Do backups count towards my storage limit?
Yes, any backups stored on Hostinger's servers count towards your storage allocation.
Jargon Buster
- Storage Space: The total disk space available for your website files, databases, and emails
- Bandwidth: The amount of data that can transfer between your site and visitors each month
- CDN: Content delivery network that stores copies of your files on servers worldwide for faster loading
- Gzip Compression: A method of reducing file sizes before sending them to visitors' browsers
Wrap-up
Hostinger's limitations are manageable once you understand them. Most resource issues come down to unoptimised content rather than actual hosting restrictions. Regular monitoring and basic optimisation techniques will keep you well within your plan's limits. When you do need more resources, upgrading is straightforward and usually provides plenty of headroom for growth.
Ready to optimise your site's performance? Join Pixelhaze Academy for detailed guides on getting the most from your hosting plan.