Every website needs hosting, but with all the options, how do you choose which option is right for you? This article aims to educate you on the pros and cons of shared, managed, and VPS hosting to make the best decision for your site.

Before diving in, let’s start with a brief introduction to each hosting. First, we’ll start with shared hosting.

What is shared hosting?

Shared hosting is web hosting in which your site shares space on a server with other websites. This usually results in a lower price, but there are also some drawbacks.

The biggest downside to shared hosting is that you never know when another site on the server will take up a lot of resources and cause your site to slow down. This can be very frustrating if it happens at a critical time, such as during a sale.

When is shared hosting not the best option?

One of the times when shared hosting isn’t the best option is when you need a lot of resources for your sites, such as more bandwidth or disk space. In this case, shared hosting would quickly become a bottleneck.

Another time that shared hosting could be a bad option is if you need to customize your website or deploy an application that your shared hosting provider doesn’t support.

What are the benefits of shared hosting?

Despite these downsides, shared hosting is still a good option for smaller sites. Let’s get in-depth about the benefits of shared hosting.

1 – It’s affordable

Shared hosting is by far the cheapest type of web hosting. Shared hosting is a great option when you’re starting out and your site doesn’t need many resources. Plus, the monthly cost may be as low as $5-$10 per month.

2 – Shared hosting is easy to set up

Generally, shared hosting is easier to set up than managed or VPS hosting. You’ll be able to start a shared hosting account on most web hosting companies websites within just a few minutes. Plus, the interface is user-friendly and requires minimal technical experience.

3 – There is a lot of support available

Another benefit to shared hosting is the amount of support that’s typically offered with it. Most shared hosting providers have extensive documentation and 24/7 support, so you can get the help you need if you ever have a problem.

4 – It’s beginner-friendly

To use a shared hosting account, you don’t need to have any coding skills. The web host will manage the server for you, and you can log in and upload files through an FTP program, which is a very user-friendly process.

What are the disadvantages of using shared hosting?

Despite the advantages of shared hosting, there are some downsides to consider. Let’s talk about them.

1 – You’re sharing resources

The biggest downside to shared hosting is that you never know when another site on the server will take up a lot of resources and cause your site to slow down. This can be very frustrating if it happens at a critical time, such as during a sale.

2 – Limited customization

Shared hosting won’t be the best option if you need to make any changes to your site. For example, sharing hosting won’t be the best option if you’re creating a complex website that requires many special plugins and custom coding.

3 -Your site isn’t secure

The third downside to shared hosting is that your site isn’t likely to be very secure. Unlike managed hosting, you don’t have a dedicated security team monitoring your site. Instead, shared hosting providers rely on the special protection features of their servers to keep your site safe.

Now let’s turn our attention to managed hosting.

What is managed hosting?

Managed hosting is a web host that takes care of the server’s day-to-day maintenance, so you don’t need to worry about it.

Usually, a shared hosting provider will also offer managed hosting. However, you can also find dedicated managed hosting companies that offer the same level of support for your site without sharing resources with other sites on the server.

What are the benefits of managed hosting?

There are three main benefits to choosing a managed hosting plan:

1 – Your site is faster

Managed hosting usually results in a faster site than shared hosting because you’re not sharing resources with hundreds of other websites.

2 – Your site can run more applications and plugins

With a managed hosting plan, you have full access to install any application or plugin that you need. This gives you greater flexibility and control over your website or blog, which is excellent if you have specific needs.

3 – There is a lot of support available

Since managed hosting requires some technical experience in order to set up and manage, managed hosting providers are usually very helpful if you ever need help. In addition, most providers have 24/7 support so that if you do run into a problem, there is always someone there to help.

What are the disadvantages of using managed hosting?

There are also some downsides to consider when choosing managed hosting:

1 – It’s more expensive than shared hosting

Managed hosting is significantly more expensive than shared hosting because you get a lot of support and features included with the cost. Most plans start at $30 per month and only go up from there.

2 – It’s more complicated to set up

For technically-minded people, a managed hosting plan won’t be too difficult. However, for beginners, it’s not as easy to set up. That said, most managed hosting providers will help you with the installation process if you need.

3 – It’s not for everyone

If you have a simple site that receives a relatively low traffic, then managed hosting will be overkill. Likewise, if you’re on a budget and looking for the cheapest option, managed hosting won’t be right for you either.

Now let’s turn our attention to virtual private servers (VPS).

What is a virtual private server?

A virtual private server (VPS) is a hosting where you receive dedicated resources for your site, but you still share a physical server with other sites.

In other words, it’s like having your own private apartment on a shared floor. You still share the building with others, but you have your own space to work and live in.

Some hosting companies also offer managed VPS hosting, which means you get all the same features as regular VPS hosting but with more support from a dedicated team of experts.

What are the benefits of VPS hosting?

Here are some of the main benefits that you can expect with a VPS plan:

1 – You get dedicated resources

You get your own space on a physical server, so you don’t share it with anyone else. This gives you a lot more flexibility over your site and can help ensure that it runs quickly.

2 – It’s more customizable than shared hosting

If you need to run a high-traffic site or install more complicated applications, then VPS hosting is usually the better option.

3 – It’s not as expensive as dedicated hosting

VPS hosting is significantly less expensive than dedicated hosting, but it still offers a lot of features.

What are the disadvantages of using VPS hosting?

Even though VPS hosting is more powerful than shared hosting, it does have some downsides that you should know about

1 – It’s more expensive than shared hosting

VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, but it’s still much cheaper than dedicated hosting. A typical VPS plan costs upwards of $50 per month, depending on the level of resources that you need.

2 – It’s more complicated to set up than shared hostin

VPS hosting is slightly more complicated to set up, as you need to manage your own server (even though most providers have great support).

3 – Not as secure as dedicated hosting

Since you’re sharing a physical server with other sites, it’s possible that one of the sites could be hacked and cause a problem with your site. That’s why many VPS providers include extra security measures to help keep you safe.

Conclusion

So, which hosting option should you choose?

If you’re just starting out and want the simplest, cheapest hosting possible then we recommend shared hosting. It’s very easy to use and should be enough for small sites with low traffic.

If you’re looking for more power and flexibility, then VPS hosting is the way to go. It’s more customizable, and higher-traffic sites should have no problem running on it.

Managed hosting is best for those who want to leave the hosting experience in the hands of professionals. This is most useful for developers, as they won’t have to deal with the technical side of running a site.

We hope this article has helped you understand the differences between shared, managed, and VPS hosting. If you’re just starting out with your website, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all the options. Don’t worry! We can help. We’re just a phone call away, and we’re here to help you figure out which hosting plan works best for your project.