OOTP hosting vs shared web hosting (cPanel)
Shared web hosting can run an OOTP league if you configure cPanel, FTP accounts, and permissions yourself. Here is exactly what that involves and when it is the better choice.
Updated September 14, 2026
Shared web hosting is what most OOTP commissioners reach for first, and it genuinely works. A $4/month cPanel plan gives you FTP on port 21, a domain, and enough storage for a league.
The cost is your time. Nothing about a general-purpose web host knows what OOTP is, so every folder, account, and permission is yours to create and maintain.
Side by side
| SimHosts | Shared web hosting | |
|---|---|---|
| FTP on port 21 | Yes, plain FTP and FTPS | Yes, on most plans |
| Passive mode | Yes | Usually, sometimes needs a support ticket |
| Folder structure | Created for you | You create /leaguefile, /exports, /reports/html |
| Per-league FTP accounts | Commissioner + manager, automatic | You create them in cPanel |
| Permissions | Set so managers cannot overwrite the league file | You configure, and get to debug |
| Connection testing | One click, runs the exact OOTP connection | Test in OOTP and hope the error is legible |
| Parsed public league page | Standings, news, transactions | Raw HTML reports only |
| GM quick-start delivery | Emailed from the member manager | Copy text files by hand |
| Treasury ledger | Built in | A spreadsheet |
| Backups | Nightly, off-site | Varies; often paid extra |
| Typical cost | $5–20/month | $3–10/month, often with a renewal jump |
| Other websites on the plan | No | Yes — host anything you like |
Choose shared web hosting when
- You already pay for hosting and have spare capacity.
- You want to run a website, forum, or email on the same plan.
- You are comfortable in cPanel and enjoy the control.
- You want a custom domain you own outright.
Choose SimHosts when
- You want the league running today rather than after an afternoon of setup.
- You have been bitten by permissions, Error -201, or managers who cannot connect.
- You want the public league page, ledger, and GM onboarding without building them.
- You would rather not be your league’s sysadmin.
Frequently asked
- Can I run an OOTP online league on shared web hosting?
- Yes. Shared hosting with FTP access on port 21 works, provided it supports passive mode and lets you create the /leaguefile, /exports, and /reports/html directories with the right permissions. You configure all of that yourself in cPanel.
- Is shared hosting cheaper than OOTP-specific hosting?
- Slightly, at list price — roughly $3–10/month versus $5/month for the SimHosts Starter plan. Shared hosting introductory rates often jump substantially at renewal, so compare the renewal price rather than the first term.
- What usually goes wrong on shared hosting?
- Three things: permissions that let managers overwrite the league file, hosts that only offer SFTP on port 22 which OOTP cannot use, and passive mode being disabled by default so transfers fail with Error -201.
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