Fair Usage Policy

Effective Date: January 10, 2026
Last Updated: January 10, 2026

At Host Ri LLC ("Host Ri," "we," "us," or "our"), we strive to provide reliable, high-performance hosting services to all our customers. This Fair Usage Policy ("FUP") ensures that server resources are distributed fairly and that no single user negatively impacts the experience of others.

This policy applies to all shared hosting, reseller hosting, and other services where resources are shared among multiple users.

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 What is Fair Usage?

Fair usage means using hosting resources in a manner consistent with typical website operation and within reasonable limits that allow all customers to enjoy stable, reliable service.

1.2 Why Do We Need This Policy?

Shared hosting environments pool resources (CPU, RAM, storage, bandwidth, I/O) among multiple users on the same server. Excessive usage by one account can degrade performance for all users on that server.

1.3 Covered Services

This Fair Usage Policy applies to:

• Shared Hosting plans (all tiers)
• Reseller Hosting plans
• Business Hosting plans
• Email hosting (when bundled with shared hosting)

Note: VPS and Dedicated Servers have dedicated resources and are not subject to this FUP, though they must still comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy.

2. Resource Limits and Guidelines

2.1 CPU Usage

What is CPU? The CPU (Central Processing Unit) processes all commands and operations on your website.

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Normal Usage: Brief spikes during traffic surges are acceptable
• Excessive Usage: Sustained high CPU usage (over 80% for extended periods)
• Typical Causes: Poorly optimized code, inefficient plugins, resource-intensive applications

Limits:

• Shared hosting accounts should not consistently exceed 25% of a single CPU core
• Processes should not run continuously at high CPU for more than 60 seconds
• Accounts repeatedly exceeding limits may be throttled or asked to upgrade

2.2 RAM (Memory) Usage

What is RAM? Random Access Memory (RAM) is used to store data temporarily while your website operates.

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Normal Usage: Memory usage proportional to website traffic and complexity
• Excessive Usage: Constant high memory consumption or memory leaks
• Typical Causes: Large databases loaded into memory, caching issues, memory leaks

Limits:

• Shared hosting accounts should not consistently exceed 1-2 GB of RAM
• Memory-intensive applications may require VPS or dedicated hosting
• Accounts causing server memory exhaustion will be contacted for optimization

2.3 Disk Space and Storage

What is Disk Space? Storage space on the server for your files, databases, emails, and backups.

Fair Usage Guidelines: While many plans advertise "unlimited" storage, this means adequate storage for typical website use, not unlimited file hosting or backup storage.

Acceptable Uses:

• Website files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images)
• Databases for website functionality
• Email messages and attachments (reasonable retention)
• Website backups (recent versions only)

Unacceptable Uses:

• File storage or distribution sites
• Personal backup repositories
• Archival storage unrelated to website operation
• Media streaming libraries
• Large video file hosting

Typical Limits:

• Most websites use 1-10 GB of storage
• Accounts exceeding 50 GB may be reviewed
• Accounts exceeding 100 GB will likely be required to upgrade or reduce usage

2.4 Inodes (File Count)

What are Inodes? An inode is a data structure representing a file or directory. Each file, folder, and email message uses one inode.

Why Limits Exist: File systems have inode limits. Excessive files (even if small) can exhaust inodes and affect all users on the server.

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Typical Usage: 50,000-200,000 inodes for a normal website
• Warning Threshold: 250,000-300,000 inodes
• Hard Limit: 400,000 inodes (may vary by plan)

Common Causes of High Inodes:

• Cached files not being cleaned
• Old email messages not being deleted
• Temporary files accumulating
• Backup files with thousands of small files
• File-based caching systems

Recommendations:

• Regularly clean email accounts
• Clear cache directories
• Delete unnecessary files and backups
• Use database caching instead of file caching where possible

2.5 Bandwidth and Data Transfer

What is Bandwidth? The amount of data transferred between your website and visitors.

Fair Usage Guidelines: Most plans include "unlimited" or "unmetered" bandwidth, which means:

• ✅ Sufficient bandwidth for normal website traffic
• ❌ Not for file distribution, download sites, or video streaming platforms

Acceptable Uses:

• Normal website traffic and page views
• Image and media serving for your website
• Email sending and receiving (within email limits)
• Reasonable file downloads related to your website

Unacceptable Uses:

• File hosting or sharing platforms
• Video/audio streaming services
• Software distribution platforms
• Torrent hosting or file sharing
• Using hosting as a CDN for external sites

Typical Usage:

• Small websites: 5-50 GB/month
• Medium websites: 50-200 GB/month
• Large websites: 200 GB-1 TB/month

Accounts consistently exceeding 2-5 TB/month may be reviewed and asked to upgrade to VPS or dedicated hosting.

2.6 I/O (Input/Output) Usage

What is I/O? I/O measures disk read/write operations per second. High I/O can slow down servers for all users.

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Normal Usage: Brief I/O spikes during traffic or processes
• Excessive Usage: Continuous high disk I/O operations
• Typical Causes: Frequent database queries, file operations, poorly optimized code

Limits:

• Shared hosting: Generally 1-10 MB/s I/O
• Sustained I/O above limits will be throttled
• Repeated violations may require optimization or upgrade

2.7 Database Usage

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Databases should be optimized and indexed properly
• Database sizes should be reasonable (typically under 1-2 GB for shared hosting)
• Number of simultaneous database connections should be limited

Best Practices:

• Optimize queries and add proper indexes
• Clean up old or unused data
• Avoid storing large binary data in databases
• Use connection pooling where applicable

Limits:

• Database size: Typically 1-5 GB per database (varies by plan)
• Number of databases: As specified in your plan
• Simultaneous connections: Limited to prevent server overload

2.8 Process and Script Execution

Fair Usage Guidelines:

• Scripts should not run indefinitely
• Cron jobs should be scheduled reasonably
• Concurrent processes should be limited

Limits:

• Maximum script execution time: 30-300 seconds (varies by plan)
• Cron jobs: Maximum 2-4 per hour (or as specified)
• Concurrent processes: Limited per account
• Background processes: Must be approved and not resource-intensive

Prohibited:

• Cryptocurrency mining
• Continuous video encoding or rendering
• Automated scraping or crawling at high frequency
• Running game servers or IRC bots (shared hosting)

2.9 Email Usage

Fair Usage Guidelines: Email services must be used responsibly and in compliance with anti-spam laws.

Sending Limits:

• Hourly limit: 100-300 emails per hour (varies by plan)
• Daily limit: 500-1,000 emails per day (varies by plan)
• Per message: Maximum 50-100 recipients per email

Acceptable Uses:

• Transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets)
• Newsletter to opted-in subscribers (with proper unsubscribe)
• Normal business correspondence

Unacceptable Uses:

• Spam or unsolicited bulk email
• Email lists without confirmed opt-in
• High-volume marketing campaigns (use dedicated email service)
• Relay or forwarding for external systems

Storage:

• Mailbox size limits: 1-5 GB per mailbox (varies by plan)
• Regular cleanup of old messages recommended
• Excessive email storage counts toward disk space and inode limits

3. "Unlimited" Resources Explained

3.1 What Does "Unlimited" Mean?

Many hosting plans advertise "unlimited" bandwidth, storage, or databases. This means:

✅ What It Includes:

• Adequate resources for typical website usage
• No arbitrary caps on legitimate use
• Room to grow as your site expands naturally

❌ What It Doesn't Include:

• Unlimited file hosting or backup storage
• Unlimited video streaming or downloads
• Unlimited resource consumption affecting other users
• Commercial file distribution or media serving

3.2 Fair Usage Applies to "Unlimited" Plans

Even with "unlimited" plans, usage must be:

• Consistent with normal website operation
• Not detrimental to server performance
• Not violating our Acceptable Use Policy
• Within the scope of typical web hosting use

3.3 When "Unlimited" Has Limits

We may intervene if:

• Your usage significantly exceeds typical patterns
• Server performance is impacted
• Resources are used for non-website purposes
• Usage violates our Terms or AUP

Action: We will contact you to discuss optimization or upgrading to appropriate services (VPS, dedicated hosting, CDN, etc.).

4. Monitoring and Enforcement

4.1 How We Monitor

We use automated systems to monitor:

• Server resource usage (CPU, RAM, I/O, bandwidth)
• Account-level metrics
• Server health and performance
• Unusual patterns or spikes

Privacy: Monitoring is for resource management and abuse prevention. We do not inspect the content of your files or emails except as required by law or our Abuse Policy.

4.2 Warning Process

Step 1: Automated Alert

• If your account exceeds fair usage thresholds, you may receive an automated warning email
• The email will identify the issue and suggest optimization steps

Step 2: Manual Review

• Persistent issues trigger manual review by our team
• We analyze usage patterns and identify causes

Step 3: Direct Contact

• Our support team will contact you via email or ticket
• We'll explain the issue and provide recommendations:
  • Code optimization suggestions
  • Plugin or theme changes
  • Caching implementation
  • Database optimization
  • Upgrade to VPS or dedicated hosting

Step 4: Compliance Period

• You'll be given time to address the issue (typically 24-72 hours, depending on severity)
• We may provide assistance or resources

4.3 Enforcement Actions

If issues are not resolved, we may take the following actions:

Temporary Throttling:

• CPU or I/O limits may be applied to prevent server impact
• Your site remains online but may run slower
• Used as a temporary measure while you optimize or upgrade

Temporary Suspension:

• In severe cases affecting server stability
• Account is suspended until the issue is resolved
• You'll be notified immediately with details

Mandatory Upgrade:

• If your site has legitimately outgrown shared hosting
• We'll recommend appropriate VPS or dedicated hosting
• Migration assistance may be provided

Account Termination:

• Only for repeated violations after warnings
• Violation of Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy
• Refusal to cooperate or upgrade when necessary

4.4 Emergency Actions

In cases of severe resource abuse causing server instability or affecting many users:

• We may take immediate action (throttling or suspension) without prior notice
• You'll be notified as soon as possible
• Once the emergency is resolved, normal warning procedures apply

5. Optimization Recommendations

5.1 Website Optimization

Caching:

• Implement page caching (W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, LiteSpeed Cache)
• Use object caching (Redis, Memcached where available)
• Enable browser caching

Content Delivery:

• Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) for static files
• Optimize images (compress, use modern formats like WebP)
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML

Database Optimization:

• Regular database cleanup and optimization
• Add proper indexes to frequently queried tables
• Remove unnecessary post revisions, spam comments, transients

Code Efficiency:

• Use efficient themes and plugins
• Limit the number of plugins
• Remove or replace resource-intensive plugins
• Keep all software updated

5.2 Email Optimization

• Regular cleanup of old emails
• Use IMAP instead of storing everything on server
• Archive old emails locally
• Limit mailbox sizes

5.3 File Management

• Delete old backups (keep only recent ones)
• Clean cache directories regularly
• Remove unused themes, plugins, and files
• Compress large files where possible

5.4 When to Upgrade

Consider upgrading to VPS or dedicated hosting if:

• Your website consistently exceeds shared hosting limits
• You run resource-intensive applications
• You need custom software or configurations
• You require guaranteed resources
• Your business depends on maximum performance

6. Shared vs. VPS vs. Dedicated Hosting

6.1 Shared Hosting (Fair Usage Applies)

Best For:

• Small to medium websites
• Blogs and portfolios
• Small business sites
• Low to moderate traffic

Limitations:

• Shared resources with other users
• Fair usage limits apply
• Limited customization

6.2 VPS Hosting (Dedicated Resources)

Best For:

• Growing websites
• Higher traffic sites
• Resource-intensive applications
• Need for more control

Advantages:

• Dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage
• Root access (on unmanaged plans)
• Fair Usage Policy does not apply to resource usage
• More isolation from other users

6.3 Dedicated Hosting (Full Server)

Best For:

• Large, high-traffic sites
• Applications requiring maximum resources
• Multiple websites on one server
• Full control and customization

Advantages:

• Entire server dedicated to you
• Maximum performance and resources
• Complete customization
• No shared resource concerns

7. Prohibited Activities (Summary)

Activities prohibited under this Fair Usage Policy include:

❌ Resource Abuse:

• Cryptocurrency mining
• Continuous video/audio encoding
• Running game servers or bots
• Automated high-frequency scraping

❌ Storage Abuse:

• File hosting or sharing platforms
• Personal backup repositories
• Media streaming libraries
• Archive storage unrelated to website

❌ Bandwidth Abuse:

• File distribution platforms
• Video streaming services
• Using hosting as a CDN for external sites
• Torrent hosting

❌ Email Abuse:

• Spam or bulk unsolicited email
• Email relay for external systems
• High-volume marketing (use dedicated services)

These activities are also covered in our Acceptable Use Policy and may result in immediate suspension.

8. Appeals and Support

8.1 Questions About Resource Usage

If you have questions about your resource usage:

• Email: support@hostri.com
• Live Chat: Available on hostri.com
• Client Area: Submit a ticket

8.2 Disputing Enforcement Actions

If you believe an enforcement action was taken in error:

1. Contact support@hostri.com
2. Provide your account details and explanation
3. Include any relevant data or evidence
4. We'll review your case within 24-48 hours

8.3 Upgrade Assistance

If you need to upgrade due to resource usage:

• Our team can help you choose the right plan
• We can assist with migration to VPS or dedicated hosting
• Prorated credits may be available for unused shared hosting time

9. Examples of Fair and Unfair Usage

9.1 Fair Usage Examples

✅ Small Business Website:

• WordPress site with 1,000-10,000 daily visitors
• Optimized images and caching enabled
• Normal business emails
• Regular content updates

✅ E-commerce Store:

• WooCommerce or similar platform
• 500-5,000 daily visitors
• Optimized product images
• Transactional emails for orders
• Reasonable database size

✅ Blog or Portfolio:

• Static or CMS-based site
• 100-5,000 daily visitors
• Blog posts with images
• Contact form emails
• Occasional backups

9.2 Unfair Usage Examples

❌ File Distribution Site:

• Hosting large files for public download
• High bandwidth consumption (TBs per month)
• Thousands of file downloads daily
• Using hosting as file storage service

❌ Video Streaming Platform:

• Hosting and streaming video content
• Continuous high bandwidth usage
• Large storage of video files
• Should use dedicated video hosting or CDN

❌ Backup Repository:

• Using hosting solely for backup storage
• Hundreds of GBs of archived data
• Millions of small backup files
• Not related to active website operation

❌ High-Frequency Scraper:

• Automated scripts running continuously
• Scraping external websites constantly
• High CPU and bandwidth usage
• Storing massive amounts of scraped data

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Fair Usage Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in technology and server capabilities
• New types of resource abuse
• Industry best practices
• Customer feedback

Notification:

• Material changes will be posted on our website
• Email notifications for significant changes
• Continued use constitutes acceptance

11. Related Policies

This Fair Usage Policy should be read in conjunction with:

• Terms of Service: hostri.com/index.php?rp=/knowledgebase/1/Terms-of-Service.html
• Acceptable Use Policy: hostri.com/index.php?rp=/knowledgebase/3/Acceptable-Use-Policy.html
• Privacy Policy: hostri.com/index.php?rp=/knowledgebase/5/Privacy-Policy.html
• Refund Policy: hostri.com/index.php?rp=/knowledgebase/6/Refund-Policy.html

12. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or assistance regarding this Fair Usage Policy:

Host Ri LLC
Email: support@hostri.com
Website: hostri.com
Live Chat: Available on hostri.com (when offered)

Summary:

• ???? Fair usage ensures reliable service for all customers
• ???? Shared hosting has reasonable resource limits
• ⚠️ Warnings provided before enforcement actions
• ???? Upgrade options available when you outgrow shared hosting
• ???? Contact support if you have questions or need assistance

This Fair Usage Policy is effective as of the date stated above and applies to all shared hosting services provided by Host Ri LLC.