Shared Hosting vs VPS vs Dedicated Hosting in 2019

If you’re planning on putting a website live for an idea you’ve had, or for your existing business, hosting is something that should be thought about carefully.

Depending on what kind of website you’ll be hosting, or the traffic that you expect to receive, hosting can be a make or break choice for your online ventures.

To help you make the right choice, we’re exploring the pros and cons of each type of hosting; shared, VPS and dedicated.

What is Shared Hosting?

When it comes to the various hosting packages, the clue is often within the name as to how each type functions. This is absolutely the case with shared hosting.

As you probably already know, or have figured out by now, shared hosting refers to hosting on a server that is shared with various other webmasters.

Much like sharing your home with other people, there are certainly less options for customisation when hosting on shared servers, but the other ‘tenants’ also help to bring the price down by spreading the cost.

Another way in which the home sharing metaphor works for shared hosting servers is when referring to security. Although shared hosting is still considered to be reasonably secure overall, you are still relying on the other webmasters on your server to also keep the environment secure and functional.

Shared Hosting – A Summary

So, overall what are the main pros and cons of shared hosting?

Pros:

• The most affordable hosting.
• Easily scalable.
• The simplest and easiest to begin using.

Cons:

• Shared hosting is typically the slowest option.
• It’s also typically the least secure option.
• Most potential for down-time.
• There is a risk that others on your shared server could have your IP blacklisted, despite you doing nothing wrong.
• Less resources / customisation options.

What is VPS Hosting?

The “VPS” in VPS hosting stands for Virtual Private Server. A virtual private server is essentially a middle-ground between shared hosting and dedicated.

The way that VPS hosting works is by using a single server machine and running multiple virtual operating systems on it, each of which act as if they were a dedicated sever.

The reason that this hosting model is so effective is that VPS hosting services offer a lot of the same benefits as dedicated hosting, with costs that are more comparable to shared hosting services.

VPS Hosting – A Summary

Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of VPS hosting.

Pros:

• Available at relatively low prices compared to truly dedicated hosting.
• Better levels of security due to not sharing your OS with other users.
• Good server customisation options since all server applications are solely your own. This also includes the ability to restart your server whenever you desire.
• Your server resources are dedicated solely to you, meaning you need not worry about RAM being used up by others.
• Faster speeds than shared hosting.

Cons:

• Less cost-effective than shared hosting.
• Virtual private servers require more maintenance tasks to be fulfilled by the user than with a shared hosting plan.

What is Dedicated Hosting?

As mentioned, the clue is in the name with these hosting plans. Dedicated hosting is exactly how it sounds, every aspect is dedicated to you and only you.

Dedicated hosting involves hardware that is utilised purely by one user without any outsider involvement.

The hardware used for a truly dedicated hosting server will have one only OS that isn’t shared with anybody else.

Dedicated hosting is generally implemented by larger companies, often on a worldwide scale, that need to be able to demand a lot of resource from their server.

Dedicated Hosting – A Summary

Let’s explore the pros and cons of dedicated hosting.

Pros:

• Dedicated hosting is extremely scalable, if necessary, you can choose to add additional RAM or drive storage to your server at any time.
• It is generally the most reliable in terms on not having down-time issues.
• Dedicated servers are typically the fastest option since you have exclusive access and complete control and over your server and the hardware running it.
• Dedicated servers give you the most control in terms of security since it’s completely down to you to implement your security structure.

Cons:

• Dedicated hosting requires the most knowledge and ability to set up and run, you’ll need to ensure someone who knows what they’re doing is in control of your dedicated server.
• Dedicated hosting is also by far the most expensive option of the three. Expect to pay typically over double the cost of a VPS.

Which Hosting Should I Use in 2019?

There is no set answer as to which type of hosting will be best for you. Different hosting packages are designed to suit the differing needs of users.

Generally speaking, if you don’t expect to get large amounts of RAM battering traffic, and you don’t feel your website needs much disk space, a shared hosting package will likely fulfil your needs and can save you money. Shared hosting is typically perfect for bloggers and similar webmasters.

For SMEs and even larger businesses who want fast speeds, stable uptime and good levels of security, VPS hosting is typically the best option. VPS hosting is very cost-effective and scalable, so your hosting can grow alongside your business.

Another factor that makes VPS hosting great for businesses is the ease of use. You won’t be needing to worry about maintenance in the same way you would have to if using a dedicated server.

The cost of VPS hosting in 2019 is also so reasonable that many business owners can’t see the point in losing the benefits of a virtual private server just to save a small amount of money.

For very large companies, oftentimes those with international operations, who need absolute control over their servers, dedicated hosting is the way to go.

Dedicated hosting is the only way to have 100% control over every individual aspect of your server. This is why the biggest worldwide companies often pay large amounts for their dedicated servers and the staff to maintain it.

Dedicated hosting isn’t typically going to be the best option for most typical webmasters.

Get in Touch with Appoly for Cloud Hosting Services

If you’re in need of hosting services for your business website, Appoly are here to help. We offer scalable VPS cloud services that grow alongside your business and are speedy, secure & reliable.

Our team are always happy to discuss potential projects and provide help and support where necessary.

You can contact us via email, phone or our contact page.

We look forward to hearing from you.