When you’re getting ready to launch a new website project, choosing the right web host can be a tough decision. Even for experienced developers, it’s no easy task given the overwhelming number of hosting companies available that offer different kinds of services and features. But before choosing a web host, it’s important to work out what kind of hosting you need.
In this article, we’ll explore the four main types of hosting: shared web hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting. Each of these options has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages, which are important to understand so you can determine which solution best matches your website’s needs.
Dedicated Server Hosting
A dedicated server is exactly like it sounds: Your website is stored on a single physical server dedicated to your own personal use. You don’t share the server with anyone, you have full rights to the resources of the server, and you can configure the hosting environments to your exact specifications.
This type of hosting is generally more expensive, but in return, you get the very high stable performance and a higher level of security compared to other forms of hosting.
Think of dedicated server hosting like owning your own house. You are the only resident (other than your family, if you have one in this scenario!). You can park your car in your own driveway and paint your house whatever colour you like. But you are ultimately responsible for maintaining your property and it’s up to you to install a security alarm to scare off burglars.
Pros
- You have a dedicated server hosting all to yourself.
- You have full root access to all settings and can completely customize the server to suit your website’s need.
- It’s fast. You get 100% access to server resources.
- Great server performance since you can tailor the server to meet the exact specifications you need for your site.
- It’s secure. Since you’re the only one using the server, you don’t have to worry about the “bad neighbour” effect that’s common with sharing hosting.
- 24/7 support. Since you’re paying a lot of money for your account, web hosting companies will make providing you the best support a priority.
Cons
- It’s expensive.
- You need skilled technical staff to maintain and monitor the server. You’re responsible for your server so if something goes wrong it’s up to you to fix it.
Price
Dedicated hosting can range in price from $60 to as much as $800 per month depending on your needs. Pricing is usually based on server specifications and additional services.
Best suited to
Since dedicated hosting is quite pricey, it’s best suited to large businesses and high traffic websites that receive over 1000,000 visitors per month and have the necessary technical staff to maintain the server. But our company will provide support solutions for maintaining your server. Dedicated server hosting is also an ideal option if you have a business that requires a high level of security.
Virtual Private Server (VPS Hosting)
VPS is similar to shared hosting in that your website shares a server with other sites, but there are fewer sites sharing space and resources and the server is partitioned out into different virtualized server environments. Unlike shared web hosting, VPS hosting usually provides baseline resources that you’re guaranteed, as well as additional resources available at a moment’s notice should your site experience a traffic spike.
Think of VPS hosting like living in a condo. While you still share the same building as other residents, you are responsible for the maintenance of your property and any repairs that need to be carried out inside your condo. Plus, there are fewer residents and you get your own allocated car parking space.
Pros
- More affordable than a dedicated server and you pay for what you need.
- More secure. In order to segment the server properly, the host installs a layer of software ( Operating System ) that dedicates part of the server to you, which make is completely separate from other customers.
- It’s fast. You are allocated more resources compared to shared hosting.
- Root server access. You can make customizations to suit your needs and you have greater control over your hosting environment.
- It’s scalable. A VPS Hosting can grow with your site as your server needs increase over time.
Cons
- Some server companies oversell their servers, hoping that every site currently using a particular server won’t have a peak traffic day.
- More expensive than shared hosting.
- If you choose an unmanaged VPS, it may be difficult to configure, taking longer to get your website up and running.
Price
VPS hosting can range in price from $5 to $200 per month depending on the web host you choose.
Best suited to
If shared hosting is too basic for your needs and you want dedicated resources and more control over your hosting environment, then a VPS Hosting could be the right fit for you.
Shared Web Hosting
Shared hosting is the most popular option for people building their first website.
When you sign up for shared hosting, the hosting company will put your website on a server along with hundreds, if not thousands, of other websites. This means each customer has to share space and resources on the server with every other customer, including CPU time, memory and disk space. On software-wise, the server operating system, web panel, IP address and etc software may also be shared with other customers.
Think of shared web hosting like living in an apartment unit. All of the housemates share the same apartment unit, but share things like kitchen, living hall and bathroom.
Shared web hosting is the cheapest and most economical option as far as hosting goes. However, you get what you pay for – in this case, shared web hosting comes with strict limitations.
Pros
- It’s cheap. Some hosting companies charge as little as $ 0.95 a month.
- It’s beginner-friendly. It’s easy to get started with shared hosting compared to other hosting options.
- Security, upgrades and maintenance of the server are managed for you.
Cons
- It can be slow. With so many other websites running on the same server, your page load times may suffer.
- Security isn’t guaranteed. You don’t know who else is using the same server, so if one site has a memory leak or is hacked, your site could be affected.
- Lack of server control and performance. If the server is overcrowded or if another website takes up more than their share of resources, performance can drop.
- It’s difficult to scale due to limited storage and bandwidth.
Price
Shared hosting can range in price from $0.95 to $15.95 per month depending on the web host you choose.
Best suited to
Small websites with minimal traffic such as blogs and personal sites.
Conclusion
Before choosing a web host, it’s important to work out what type of hosting you need, whether it’s Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting or Dedicated Server
Hopefully, this article has provided you with a solid overview of the different options available. Your next decision will be choosing a web hosting company and there are many more considerations, such as price, features, hardware, reputation and scalability to keep in mind.
If you’re starting out with your first website, it’s a good idea to start small with a reputable shared hosting plan. You can always upgrade and migrate your site to VPS Hosting or Dedicated Server Hosting later as your site grows.
For more info on our VPS and Dedicated Server please visit our Windows VPS, Linux VPS, and Dedicated Server.
