Which Hosting Option Is Right For You?
A few years back, there was a time when you could pretty much always rely on your hosting provider to keep your website online. Life was good; you hosted on shared servers, and it was cheaper to keep your website up than to pay for a dedicated server. Times have changed, and today the game has shifted: you need to consider a whole lot more than just price when determining which web hosting plan to go with.
The decision is more complicated than it seems. You need to decide what you’re looking for in terms of performance and price, as well as considering the implications of each option. In this article, we’ll examine four hosting types that can help you make the right decision.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is what it sounds like: multiple websites share a server (the “hosting provider’s” machine). This is the tried-and-tested option when it comes to web hosting, because it’s extremely affordable and you get what you pay for. However, it’s important to remember that shared hosting is limited in a number of ways. The first is that you’re sharing a server with other websites, so it’s going to be slow, particularly if one of those sites is significantly more popular than the rest. The second is that you have no control over how much traffic a given site gets, so if that site is getting a lot of searches, then it’s going to be difficult for your other sites to gain any traction. The third is that you have no control over the server’s uptime, so if it’s down for longer than you’d expect for an affordable option, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Finally, shared hosting is limited in the way that you can’t predict how much space you’re going to have available, so it could be that after your initial launch, you run out of room and have to start paying more for storage.
On the upside, shared hosting is very affordable. You can get started for as little as $2.95 per month with a dedicated server from bluehost.com, for example. You don’t need to look any further if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is exactly what it sounds like: you have a server that is dedicated to running your website, and it is not shared with any other websites. This can be a really good option if you’re looking for the speed and the reliability that you get with a dedicated server. It’s important to keep in mind that dedicated hosting is a lot more expensive than shared hosting, starting at around $5 per month with bluehost. You also need to make sure that you’re getting the right type of server for your needs. If you’re looking for a blazing fast website, then you should go for something more powerful than a standard dedicated server, which is a little more expensive but will give you what you’re looking for in terms of speed. Finally, make sure that you’re getting a good hosting provider; if you do a bit of research, you’ll see that the majority of complaints from customers are about bad customer service, particularly when it comes to taking care of tasks that aren’t related to website hosting. Make sure that you’re getting a good reputation as well, as bad reputations can hurt your website’s credibility in the long run.
The advantage of dedicated hosting is that you’re not going to encounter any performance issues. Everything will be fast and smooth, and it will run without any problems. The downside is that it’s a little more expensive than shared hosting. You can get a good deal, though, if you’re looking for a dedicated server from a reputable company, such as bluehost; the discount will depend on the length of the term, but you can get a substantial one. It’s also more difficult to manage, as you have to take care of a lot more things yourself.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a bit of a combination of the two previous options. With this option, you have a standard dedicated server but it’s hosted on a remote server. This gives you the benefits of dedicated hosting but without the price tag. It is, therefore, a good option for people who are on a budget but still want to ensure that their sites run smoothly. The majority of cloud hosting providers offer the option of getting a server with a certain amount of storage, so that you don’t have to worry about running out of room as your site grows. This is a very good option for people who want to get started quickly and don’t have much experience with servers.
The downside is that you don’t have much control over the server’s settings. If you want to ensure that your site always runs fast, then you need to know how to tune it correctly, which can be a difficult process. It’s also a little more difficult to set up, as you have to rely on a third party to provide you with a server and install Docker, for example. Setting up cloud hosting can also be time-consuming, particularly if you’re doing it yourself. It’s something to consider if you’re looking for a quality website but don’t have the time to dedicate to it.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a combination of the two previous options. Instead of having your own physical server, which is expensive and requires a lot of maintenance, you have a virtual one that is dedicated to running your site. It’s like having a dedicated server but without the physical price tag. If you already have a dedicated server, then you can look into getting a VPS as a second server, which is an excellent option if you’re looking for more space.
The downside is that you don’t have much control over the server’s settings. If you want to ensure that your site runs smoothly, then you need to know how to configure it correctly, which can be a difficult process. It’s also a little more difficult to set up and maintain a virtual private server, as you have to rely on a third party to provide you with a server and install the tools that you need, such as PHP and MySQL. If you’re looking for a quick and dirty solution, then VPS is a good option, but it’s not the best if you want a reliable and efficient website.
Choosing a hosting option for your website can be difficult. If you want reliability and performance, then you should go for a physical server from a reputable company. If you’re on a budget, then cloud hosting is a good option, as you don’t need to worry about too much space being available. If you just want to get the job done and don’t have the time to worry about setting up a server or configuring it correctly, then VPS is a good option. Whatever you choose, make sure to get a reputable company with a proven track record.