Shared vs VPS vs Dedicated Hosting
There are three main types of hosting plans available for customers; they are Shared hosting, VPS hosting and Dedicated Servers Hosting. However, many of us may not be sure of the analogy, or technical terms surrounding these hosting plans.
It may be confusing, but we are here to explain the basics and differences between the plans so that you will be able to choose the best suitable for you or your company. Let us best explain the plans with a housing comparison.
| Shared Hosting | VPS Hosting | Dedicated Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Renting a room | Renting a unit | Renting a House |
Having a Shared Hosting plan is similar to renting a room in a house. You will have a room to your own, along with other roommates in the house. However, you will have to share the main facilities with the other roommates, such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room.
Having a VPS Hosting plan is similar to renting a unit or apartment in a flat or building. You will have great control and freedom over your apartment without having to share facilities like the living room, bathroom or kitchen with other people. However, you are still sharing certain facilities with the other people in the building, such as the electricity and water systems. Also, within this building, there are also significantly lesser residents per building; each resident will have greater space.
Having a Dedicated Server Hosting plan is like renting a house. You are entitled to all the resources available within the house; no one else will be competing for the resources that you own.
Types of Hosting
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Shared Hosting
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VPS Hosting
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Dedicated Hosting
Shared Hosting
Server resources will be shared with others users on the same server space. Some of these resources are the processor, memory, storage, bandwidth, softwares and many more.
Pros & Cons of Shared Hosting
- PROS
- Affordable –
- 24/7 SuperSupport Team
- Technical maintenance is handled by us
- User-friendly cPanel
- Saves time and effort for the user
- CONS
- Limited resources
- Lesser customisability
- Unable to install your own server modules or software on the server
- Limited Mail/Recipients per Hour
- Limited number of email users per account
VPS Hosting
VPS can be considered as a dedicated server with limited resources. Root access is provided, so that clients can install their preferred operating system, software and perform other root level tasks. It can be more expensive than the basic web hosting accounts, but it allows for more freedom and functionality.
Pros & Cons of VPS Hosting
- PROS
- Privacy
- High levels of control
- Dedicated resources
- Ability to customise
- Less expensive than having a full dedicated server hosting plan
- No limit to outgoing emails
- Root access enabled
- 24/7 SuperSupport Team
- CONS
- More expensive than Shared Hosting
- Resources allocated is still controlled by hosting provider
Dedicated Hosting
It is a service where the client rents the entire physical server and has full control over it. The client can choose the type of operating system and softwares to be installed on the server, and choose required hardware add-ons suited to your needs. As the sole user of the server, you will enjoy high performance, stability, security and control.
Pros & Cons of Dedicated Hosting
- PROS
- Exclusivity
- Control over every aspect of your server
- Ability to add-on hardware or install other software as per your requirements
- Root access enabled
- High performance and stability
- 24/7 SuperSupport Team
- No limit to outgoing emails
- CONS
- High Cost
Who should go for Shared Hosting
- Those who just need a business/personal website
- Startup company looking to build an online presence
- Those that do not have much technical knowledge
Who should go for VPS Hosting
- Those with a little IT knowledge
- Those that require greater resources than shared hosting
- Those who have high traffic to their websites, but do not have enough technical abilities to manage their website on a server level
Who should go for Dedicated Hosting
- Those with great technical knowledge, and can handle all technical aspects of hosting your website
- For large companies or institutions that have huge amounts of data
- Require full control over the server
- Need the ability to handle high volumes of requests for your site
All in all, the hosting plan for you will greatly depend on your budget, followed by your server and website requirements. The level of control required for your servers will set your decision between a shared or VPS/Dedicated hosting plan.
