Shared hosting accounts have resource limits on CPU, memory, and concurrent processes. Understanding these limits helps you keep your site running smoothly and avoid throttling.
Checking Resource Usage
In cPanel, look for the Resource Usage widget. It shows CPU and memory used today and over the past 24 hours. Spikes in usage often coincide with traffic peaks, cron jobs, or inefficient database queries.
Common Causes of High Resource Usage
- Unoptimised WordPress plugins β too many or poorly coded plugins
- High bot traffic β scrapers and spam bots hitting your site
- Missing database indexes β slow queries consuming CPU
- No caching β PHP runs on every page request instead of serving cached content
Reducing Resource Usage
- Install a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, LiteSpeed Cache)
- Limit or disable unused WordPress plugins
- Block bad bots via
.htaccessor Cloudflare - Enable Cloudflare CDN to reduce server load
- Optimise database queries with a plugin like Query Monitor