The web hosting provider you choose, as well as the plan you sign up for, has a big impact on your website’s performance. Let’s explore the different types of hosting plans that are available and when it’s time to switch to a dedicated hosting plan.
Types of Web Hosting Services
Before you sign up for a hosting plan, it’s important to know what your options are. This way, you can choose a plan that meets your budget and needs.
Shared hosting
Shared hosting means that your website is located on the same server as other websites. How many depends on your hosting provider. Some have hundreds, others have thousands.
The benefit to shared hosting is cost savings. Because many websites are sharing the same server space, the cost is split amongst everyone. If you’re just starting out, this is a great option that will only set you back around $10 or less a month. And, everything is taken care of for you.
Of course, sharing a server with others can lead to problems, including reduced CPU speed and RAM. As your website grows, a shared hosting plan may no longer be the best option.
VPS hosting
VPS hosting, or virtual private server, is a well-balanced option for businesses that have a budget but need more resources. All sites on a VPS share the same server, but there are several virtual machines that allow resources to be spread evenly.
VPS hosting is more stable and limited to just 10-20 sites. No one site is allowed to exceed its lot, either. Another benefit to VPS hosting is that it leaves room to customize your environment without affecting others. You can even scale your website, which is important if you expect your business to grow.
You will pay more for VPS hosting, but it’s worth the added expense, especially as you’re able to accommodate more traffic and sales.
Dedicated hosting
The last and most expensive option is dedicated hosting. These plans are for big businesses that need a server all to themselves. There are plenty of benefits to this setup, including full customization and resources. No “neighbors” are there to steal from you, so these issues are eliminated.
Dedicated hosting is obviously most expensive, and you’ll need to learn a bit about computers and server technology. If you don’t care to do this, you can hire a server administrator to take care of malware removal, security scanning and more.
With the flexibility that VPS hosting offers, the need for dedicated hosting is on the decline. As long as VPS has enough resources, you don’t need to pay more. The only times that a dedicated hosting plan is necessary are when you want full control over your data or you have specialized hardware needs.
Still have questions on the best hosting plan for your website? Or maybe it’s time to switch hosting providers? Give Magna Technology a call to learn more about our affordable options for web hosting.
