Just in case you don't know what hosting is, it is a feature that is needed to enable a website to be available on the internet. The type of website you have will, therefore, determine the best-suited web hosting plan for use. While there are many hosting plans you can choose from, each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
This article will go into detail to explain two of the most popular web hosting plans: Shared hosting and VPS hosting. In simple terms, in a shared web hosting plan, a single server is used to host hundreds of websites. In VPS hosting on the other hand, advanced technology is used to create a dedicated virtual server for a single website.
A similarity of both shared hosting and VPS hosting is the fact that they both use a single server to host several websites belonging to several users. They also make use of Compartmentalization to be able to separate each client's information. This makes them very economical and thus, cheaper alternatives to dedicated hosting.
Shared Hosting
In this scenario, a single web server is usually used to host your website alongside with hundred others. You can, therefore, buy a shared hosting package that you can host your website on for a very small fee. As a small business, the best advantage of this plan is that it is quite cheap and very effective.
The biggest advantage that shared hosting presents is its low cost. You can get web hosting space for as low as $1.00 a month. This makes it the best option for startup businesses or blogs. Even though some businesses start big, it is still advisable to start with a shared hosting plan and then, later on, make the shift to better and more dedicated web hosting packages.
Additionally, it is easier to manage since you will only be handling a few tools. This makes if less daunting for people who are not familiar with online tools.
A huge disadvantage of a shared hosting plan is that it offers very little security. When compared to VPS hosting, shared hosting security packages are quite lacking.
Also, a single operating system is used to download and upload several client's information. The fact that many websites are accessible from a single source means that changes of crashes occurring are quite high. This leads to decreased reliability of a shared hosting package. Chances of having a secure website are therefore not there as you are sharing a server with hundreds of other websites.
Another disadvantage of this plan is that your website is more exposed to hackers. Not having enough tools to work with makes the situation even worse. It makes you handicapped when you would like to make some changes to your website. Additionally, your website will be quite slow given to the fact that it is sharing CPU resources, bandwidth, and hard disc space with hundred other websites.
VPS Hosting
In the Virtual Private Server hosting plan, a single website is usually hosted on its own web server. When you buy this hosting plan, you are given administrative rights to the server that gives you the ability to make changes to your website and server environment when you want. For instance, it is possible to make changes to your server when you notice that traffic to your website is growing.
Another advantage of VPS hosting is that in the event a website on the same server as yours crashes or slows down, your website is not affected in any way. This is because it is virtually private and the issues that would normally happen in a shared hosting scenario would not occur here.
Pricing
If you compare shared web hosting and VPS hosting, VPS hosting is more expensive because you get more features than you would in a shared hosting package. You get better security and bandwidth, which are crucial for the growth of a website. A VPS hosting package is, therefore, the best solution when you want to grow your business and need powerful features.
Security
As far as security is concerned, VPS is quite reliable. Since it is a private server, many websites come with their own server controls. It is, therefore, possible for a web owner to control the server environment since administrative privileges are given. Crashes also occur less often than in shared hosting plans.
The VPS package has several plans that you can choose from depending on your needs and financial status. For instance, the Managed VPS hosting plan offers setup, management, and monitoring services for your server to ensure that your site is running smoothly.
It is evident that VPS hosting is the way to go for a shared hosting plan. It offers more benefits and provides you with better security. Regardless of whether you are a non-profit organization looking for more visibility, or a business person wanting mobility, a Virtual Server Hosting plan is the best way to go.
