A common situation for website owners, IT administrators, agencies, and businesses is having multiple websites or domains hosted under one Hostinger hosting plan while needing to provide a developer, employee, freelancer, or customer with access to only one particular website.

For example, suppose one Hostinger account contains:

• company-a.com
• company-b.com
• customer-website.com
• internal-project.com

A developer has been hired to work only on customer-website.com.

The important security requirement is:

The developer should be able to work on customer-website.com but should not automatically receive access to the files, databases, settings, or websites belonging to the other domains.

This distinction is particularly important in shared hosting environments because Hostinger Account Sharing and single-website sharing are not necessarily the same thing.

According to Hostinger's current documentation, standard Account Sharing is intended for sharing management of services and, when a web or cloud hosting plan contains multiple websites, the access applies to the websites under that hosting plan. Hostinger provides a separate Website Collaborator feature for sharing an individual website, but that feature is associated with Agency Hosting plans.

This article explains the available methods, their limitations, and the safest approach depending on your Hostinger plan.

1. Understanding Hostinger Account Sharing

Hostinger provides an Account Sharing feature so that account owners do not have to disclose their primary Hostinger username and password to another person.

The general path in hPanel is:

hPanel → Account Sharing → Give/Grant Access

You enter the email address of the person, select the appropriate role/services, and send the invitation. The recipient must accept the invitation before access becomes active.

This is considerably safer than giving someone your primary Hostinger password.

However, there is an important limitation.

Account Sharing operates at the hosting-service level

If several websites are hosted within the same web or cloud hosting plan, Hostinger states that Account Sharing is suitable for sharing access to all websites under that hosting plan.

Therefore, you should not assume that selecting a hosting service containing example.com means that the collaborator will be isolated exclusively to that domain.

This becomes especially important when one hosting package contains websites belonging to several different customers.

2. Example of the Security Problem

Imagine a Hostinger Business or Cloud hosting plan contains:

Hosting Plan
│
├── customer1.com
├── customer2.com
├── companywebsite.com
├── accountsportal.com
└── testwebsite.com

You hire a developer to modify:

customer2.com

Your requirement is:

customer2.com       → Access Allowed
customer1.com       → No Access
companywebsite.com  → No Access
accountsportal.com  → No Access
testwebsite.com     → No Access

Giving access to the entire hosting plan would provide a broader permission scope than required.

From a security perspective, this violates the principle of least privilege: a user should receive only the permissions required to perform the assigned task.

3. Method 1: Website Collaborator — Best Method When Available

For Hostinger Agency Hosting, Hostinger provides Website Collaborators specifically for granting access to an individual website.

This is the cleanest solution when you want another person to manage one website without giving them access to every website in the hosting environment.

How to add a Website Collaborator

Log in to Hostinger hPanel.

Go to:

Websites

Locate the website that you want to share.

For example:

customer2.com

Select the sharing/collaborator icon next to that website.

Enter the collaborator's email address.

Then select:

Send Invite

The invited user receives an email and must accept the invitation.

Hostinger also documents another route:

Account Sharing → Grant Access

On supported Agency plans, you can select the particular services or specific websites that you want to share.

Result

Instead of sharing the entire hosting plan, you can provide access to the required website.

This is particularly suitable for:

• Web development agencies
• IT service providers
• Freelancers
• Companies maintaining customer websites
• Organizations with multiple internal websites
• Businesses hosting unrelated websites under their infrastructure

4. Is Website Collaborator Available on Every Hostinger Plan?

No.

Hostinger's current documentation identifies Website Collaborators as an Agency Hosting feature.

Therefore, if you have a standard Web or Cloud hosting plan, you may not have the same per-website collaborator facility.

This is an important distinction because users sometimes search Account Sharing expecting to find a checkbox such as:

Allow customer1.com
Deny customer2.com
Deny customer3.com

That level of website isolation may not be available through standard Account Sharing on a normal multi-website hosting plan.

5. Method 2: Restricted FTP Access for One Website

If Website Collaborators are unavailable, Hostinger recommends using separate technical access such as FTP and database credentials when you do not want to share the entire hosting plan.

For websites where FTP is supported, this can be an effective solution.

Why FTP access helps

A default FTP account can have access to the hosting environment's domains and files.

Therefore, do not give a developer the default/master FTP credentials when the objective is to restrict them to one website.

Instead, create an additional FTP account and restrict its starting directory.

Hostinger gives an example directory structure such as:

/home/u123456789/domains/domain.tld/public_html

Suppose the required website is:

customer2.com

The corresponding restricted directory may look similar to:

/home/u123456789/domains/customer2.com/public_html

The actual account path will depend on your hosting environment.

Creating restricted FTP access

Navigate approximately to:

Websites → Dashboard → Files → FTP Accounts

Create a new FTP username and a strong, unique password.

Most importantly, set the account's directory to the required website directory.

For example:

/home/u123456789/domains/customer2.com/public_html

The FTP account can then be provided to the developer.

They can connect using an FTP client and work with the website files without receiving your main Hostinger account credentials.

Hostinger guide to sharing website access

6. Important: Never Share the Default FTP Account for Restricted Access

This is an important security point.

Hostinger notes that the default FTP account can provide broader access to domains and files under the hosting plan.

Therefore, if the objective is:

Give access to only one website

do not simply send the default FTP username and password to the developer.

Create a dedicated restricted account instead.

A better structure is:

Master FTP
    │
    ├── Website A
    ├── Website B
    ├── Website C
    └── Website D

Restricted FTP User
    │
    └── Website B only

This significantly reduces accidental or unauthorized access to unrelated websites.

7. Method 3: Provide Database Access Separately

Many dynamic websites require two primary components:

1. Website files
2. Database

Giving someone restricted FTP access may therefore not be sufficient.

For example, a WordPress website contains PHP files, plugins, themes, media and configuration files, but much of its content and configuration resides in MySQL.

Hostinger's current guidance says that on web, cloud and Agency hosting, each database has a database user, and database access can be shared using the relevant credentials and phpMyAdmin.

The relevant area is generally:

Websites → Dashboard → Databases → Management

and phpMyAdmin can be found under:

Databases → phpMyAdmin

Only provide credentials for the database associated with the website that the developer needs to maintain.

8. Verify the Correct Database Before Sharing It

Never assume which database belongs to a website based only on the database name.

For WordPress, the database configuration is normally defined in:

wp-config.php

Look for settings such as:

define('DB_NAME', 'database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'database_user');

This allows you to identify the database associated with the WordPress installation.

Be careful when handling this file because it contains sensitive database credentials.

Do not casually email or publicly share the complete wp-config.php file.

9. WordPress Administrator Access Is Another Alternative

If the developer's work is limited to WordPress administration, they may not need Hostinger access at all.

For example, if their work consists of:

• Installing or configuring plugins
• Updating themes
• Editing pages
• Managing posts
• Configuring menus
• Managing WooCommerce
• Adjusting WordPress settings

you may create a separate WordPress account for them.

Navigate to:

WordPress Dashboard → Users → Add New User

Create an individual username rather than sharing your own administrator credentials.

Assign only the role actually required.

For extensive development, an Administrator role may be necessary, but remember that WordPress Administrator access is powerful. It can allow installation of plugins, modification of site settings, creation of additional users, and potentially execution of code through plugins or themes.

Therefore, it should still be treated as privileged access.

10. Website Builder and Hostinger Horizons Require Special Attention

FTP is not universally available across every Hostinger website technology.

Hostinger states that FTP access is not supported for websites created using Hostinger Website Builder or Hostinger Horizons.

Therefore, the restricted FTP method described above should not automatically be assumed to work for every Hostinger-hosted website.

Always identify the website technology first:

WordPress
Custom PHP/HTML
Website Builder
Hostinger Horizons
Agency Hosting
VPS

The appropriate access-control method depends on the platform.

11. What Can a User with Hostinger Shared Access Do?

A person who receives granted access can perform significant hosting-related actions.

Hostinger states that granted users can make website changes such as modifying files and databases and changing hosting-related settings.

This is why Account Sharing should not be treated as a low-risk or read-only permission.

The person may be unable to access certain account-owner functions, but they can still have considerable technical control over the websites included within the shared service.

12. What Can't a Shared User Normally Do?

Hostinger places restrictions on granted users to protect account ownership and billing information.

According to Hostinger's current documentation, granted users cannot perform certain sensitive actions such as:

• Managing or adding payment methods
• Inviting additional people to access the account
• Viewing or changing the owner's profile information
• Transferring or unlocking domains
• Changing domain contact information
• Managing certain domain ownership-related functions
• Changing the main domain
• Deleting the Hostinger account

 

These restrictions are useful, but they should not be interpreted as meaning that the user has limited website access.

A collaborator can still have substantial control over website files, databases and hosting settings depending on what has been shared.

13. Collaborator vs Admin Access

Hostinger's shared-access system can present different access levels depending on the service and current interface.

For users requesting access to another account, Hostinger currently documents Collaborator and Admin roles. A Collaborator can manage websites and hosting-related settings, while Admin access can additionally include certain purchasing capabilities using an already-added payment method.

Therefore, never grant a higher role simply because it appears more convenient.

Use the lowest privilege level that allows the person to perform their work.

14. Recommended Access Strategy

Before giving access, determine exactly what the person needs.

Requirement: Only edit WordPress content

Use:

WordPress user account

Requirement: Edit website files only

Use:

Restricted FTP/SFTP access

where supported.

Requirement: Edit files and database

Use:

Restricted FTP access
+
Website-specific database credentials

where supported.

Requirement: Manage one website through hPanel

Use:

Website Collaborator

if your Hostinger plan supports per-website collaboration.

Requirement: Manage the entire hosting plan

Use:

Hostinger Account Sharing

Requirement: Full account ownership

Keep this limited to the actual account owner.

15. Recommended Security Model

A secure website-management structure should look like this:

HOSTINGER ACCOUNT OWNER
        │
        ├── Hosting Plan
        │
        ├── Domain A
        ├── Domain B
        ├── Domain C
        └── Domain D
              │
              │
        Developer requires
        Domain D only
              │
       ┌──────┴──────┐
       │             │
Restricted       Database
File Access       Access
       │             │
       └──────┬──────┘
              │
          Domain D

With Agency Hosting, a website collaborator can provide a more integrated hPanel-based method of sharing the individual website.

16. Why You Should Never Share Your Main Hostinger Password

It may seem easier to provide:

Hostinger Email
+
Hostinger Password

to a developer.

This should be avoided.

Your primary account may contain:

• Multiple websites
• Domains
• DNS configuration
• Databases
• Email services
• Backups
• SSL configuration
• Billing information
• Customer projects
• Account profile information
• Other hosting services

Additionally, sharing your main credentials eliminates individual accountability.

If two people use the same account credentials, it becomes more difficult to determine who performed a particular action.

Hostinger's Account Sharing system exists specifically so users can collaborate without sharing the owner's primary credentials.

17. Follow the Principle of Least Privilege

The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) is a fundamental cybersecurity concept.

It means:

Give each person only the minimum level of access necessary to perform their assigned work.

For example:

A content writer does not need FTP.

A designer working inside WordPress may not need hPanel.

A PHP developer may need files and a database but not domain ownership controls.

A DNS administrator may need DNS management but not WordPress Administrator access.

An agency managing the complete hosting environment may legitimately require broader access.

The access method should therefore be determined by the task rather than convenience.

18. Temporary Access Is Better Than Permanent Access

If access is being provided for:

• Website repair
• Malware removal
• Plugin installation
• Website migration
• Theme modification
• Performance optimization
• Troubleshooting
• Database repair
• Temporary development

remove or disable that access when the work is complete.

Hostinger allows the account owner to review users who have access and remove their access when it is no longer required.

The same practice should be followed with:

• FTP accounts
• WordPress users
• Database credentials
• SSH/SFTP keys
• Temporary passwords

Do not leave unnecessary privileged accounts active indefinitely.

19. Recommended Procedure Before Giving a Developer Access

Before granting any third-party website access:

1. Take a complete backup of the website.
2. Back up the database.
3. Confirm which website the developer needs.
4. Determine whether hPanel access is actually necessary.
5. Use a dedicated account rather than shared credentials.
6. Use the minimum required permissions.
7. Use a strong and unique password.
8. Enable two-factor authentication wherever supported and appropriate.
9. Record when access was provided.
10. Remove access when the project is completed.

For critical production websites, consider creating a staging environment before allowing major development work.

20. Which Method Is Best?

For organizations managing multiple unrelated websites, per-website collaboration is the cleanest hPanel-based approach when supported by the hosting plan.

Hostinger's current documentation identifies Website Collaborators as an Agency Hosting feature.

For standard web/cloud hosting where per-website collaboration is unavailable, restricted technical access may be more appropriate.

A practical decision matrix is:

Requirement	Recommended Method
WordPress content only	WordPress user
WordPress administration	Separate WordPress Administrator
Website files only	Restricted FTP/SFTP where supported
Files + database	Restricted file access + database access
One website through hPanel	Website Collaborator where supported
All websites under hosting plan	Account Sharing
VPS development	Separate SSH user
Temporary developer	Dedicated temporary credentials
Website Builder/Horizons	Use supported platform-sharing options; FTP may not be available

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I give someone access to only one domain in Hostinger?

Yes, but the method depends on your hosting plan. Hostinger documents Website Collaborators for Agency Hosting as a way to share an individual website. Standard Account Sharing on web/cloud hosting is intended for sharing the websites under the selected hosting plan.

2. Can I select only one website using normal Hostinger Account Sharing?

Do not assume this is possible on a standard multi-website web/cloud hosting plan. Hostinger states that Account Sharing applies to all websites on a web or cloud hosting plan.

3. What is a Website Collaborator in Hostinger?

It is a mechanism for granting another person access to a specific website without sharing the complete hosting plan. Hostinger currently documents this feature for Agency Hosting.

4. Do I need to give my Hostinger password to my developer?

No. You should use Hostinger's sharing features or separate technical credentials instead of giving someone your primary account password.

5. Can I restrict FTP access to one website?

Where additional FTP accounts are supported, yes. Hostinger allows an additional FTP account to be assigned to a particular website directory.

6. What directory should I use for restricted FTP?

A Hostinger website directory can resemble:

/home/u123456789/domains/domain.tld/public_html

Use the actual path shown for your hosting account rather than copying the example literally.

7. Should I share the default FTP account?

Not when your objective is to restrict access to one website. Create dedicated credentials with the narrowest available access.

8. Does FTP access include database access?

No. Website files and MySQL databases are separate resources. Database credentials may need to be provided separately.

9. Can I give phpMyAdmin access?

Yes, when appropriate. Hostinger provides database management through phpMyAdmin, and the relevant database credentials can be provided to a trusted collaborator.

10. Can a Hostinger shared user access my payment methods?

Hostinger restricts granted users from managing or adding payment methods.

11. Can a shared user change my Hostinger account password?

Hostinger states that granted users cannot view or change account profile information such as the owner's email, name, phone, address or password.

12. Can a shared user transfer my domain?

Hostinger restricts granted users from transferring or unlocking domains and from performing several other domain ownership-related operations.

13. Can a shared user delete my Hostinger account?

No. Hostinger lists account deletion among the restricted actions for granted users.

14. Is Account Sharing safer than sharing my Hostinger password?

Yes. It allows another person to use their own account while you retain ownership and can revoke their access.

15. Can I remove the developer's access later?

Yes. Hostinger allows account owners to remove granted access from Account Sharing.

16. What should I do after development work is completed?

Remove unnecessary Hostinger/FTP/WordPress access, revoke unused credentials, remove obsolete SSH keys where applicable, and change credentials that were temporarily shared.

17. Can I use FTP with Hostinger Website Builder?

Hostinger states that FTP is not supported for websites created using Hostinger Website Builder.

18. Can I use FTP with Hostinger Horizons?

Hostinger states that FTP is not supported for Hostinger Horizons websites.

19. Which Hostinger plan is more suitable for agencies managing many customer websites?

If per-website collaborator access is important, Hostinger's Agency Hosting is designed around agency/client workflows and includes individual website collaboration capabilities.

20. What is the safest general rule?

Never give more access than necessary. Use dedicated user accounts, restrict permissions, take backups before third-party work, and revoke access when the work is complete.

Conclusion

Giving someone access to only one website in Hostinger requires understanding the difference between Account Sharing, Website Collaborators, and direct technical access such as FTP/SFTP and MySQL.

The most important point is:

Standard Account Sharing should not automatically be treated as single-domain access when multiple websites are located under the same web or cloud hosting plan.

Hostinger currently states that Account Sharing applies to the websites under a web/cloud hosting plan, while Website Collaborators on Agency Hosting provide a method for sharing an individual website.

If single-website hPanel collaboration is unavailable on your plan, consider providing only the technical access actually required—for example, a restricted FTP account for the website directory and database access for the corresponding database.

This approach protects unrelated websites, customer data and hosting resources while still allowing developers or collaborators to perform their assigned work.

For the latest interface and plan-specific capabilities, refer to Hostinger's official documentation:

Hostinger — How to Share Access to Websites

Hostinger — How to Share Access to Your Account

Hostinger — Add a Website Collaborator on Agency Hosting

Disclaimer: Hostinger's plans, hPanel interface, permissions, menu names, and access-sharing features may change over time and can differ by hosting plan. Always verify the permissions displayed in your own Hostinger account before granting access. Take a backup before allowing a third party to make significant website or database changes.

#Tags

#Hostinger #HostingerHPanel #hPanel #HostingerHosting #HostingerAccountSharing #HostingerAccess #WebsiteAccess #DomainAccess #SingleDomainAccess #SingleWebsiteAccess #HostingerCollaborator #WebsiteCollaborator #AgencyHosting #HostingerAgency #DeveloperAccess #ClientAccess #WebsitePermissions #HostingPermissions #AccessControl #LimitedAccess #RestrictedAccess #FTPAccess #SFTPAccess #FTPAccount #MySQLAccess #DatabaseAccess #phpMyAdmin #WordPress #WordPressSecurity #WordPressDeveloper #WebsiteSecurity #HostingSecurity #CyberSecurity #LeastPrivilege #AccessManagement #AccountSecurity #WebsiteManagement #WebHosting #CloudHosting #WebsiteDeveloper #WebDevelopment #HostingerTutorial #HostingerGuide #HostingGuide #WebsiteAdministration #SecureAccess #AccountPermissions #WebsiteMaintenance #ITSecurity #TechnicalGuide