The main difference between shared hosting and VPS is that with shared hosting you get a package already configured and ready to use, limiting your customization options, while with VPS you’re free to set it up however you like.
The VPS setup does require some technical knowledge though, so it might not be the best choice for beginners!
In short, shared hosting is the cheaper option out of the two, where you’re sharing one server alongside other websites. You receive a set number of resources but are able to sustain a small website without spending too much. VPS hosting, on the other hand, gives you more freedom and performance but it is a bit more expensive.
What is Shared Hosting? Lets break it down…Imagine shared hosting as living in an apartment where you have to share places such as the pool, backyard, or a parking lot. In this case, your site will share the same resources, such as CPU, disk space, and memory with other users who are on the same shared hosting server.
Shared hosting is the cheapest option among all. Unfortunately, your site might have limited bandwidth and will get slow when there’s a lot of traffic crowding websites on the same server as you are.You can enjoy the pool when it is not crowded, yet you still have to anticipate when everyone goes in, and things get cramped — shared hosting is a lot like that.
Why Choose Shared Hosting?
- You’re building a blog or personal site
- Want to make a small to average-sized company website
- Have a small budget
- Don’t know much about web development
Now, lets list the pros & cons!
Pros of Shared Hosting
- More beginner-friendly hosting solution
- Provides a standardized setup
- Requires less technical expertise
- Least expensive of all hosting options
Cons of Shared Hosting
- Often has less bandwidth and storage than VPS
- Is prone to errors when there is a high traffic
- You have limited access to the back end
- It doesn’t grant you root access
What is VPS?
With VPS hosting you’ll still be sharing one physical server, but each user gets a specified set of resources, meaning that other websites on the same server won’t affect you, unlike with shared hosting. VPS hosting provides a dedicated virtual partition for each user, making sure resources are always available to you. Of course, VPS comes at a higher price than shared hosting.
If we’re going to use the same analogy as before, then a VPS partition is like owning a penthouse, or a condo — there are many apartments like it in the building, but you have everything you need and don’t have to share it with anyone else.
Why Choose VPS Hosting?
- You’re running a business and plan to expand it in the future
- Have a larger budget and want to invest in your site
- Expect high-traffic for your website in the future
Now, lets list the pros & cons!
Pros of VPS Hosting
- VPS hosting grants you root access to your server
- More memory and bandwidth, easily scalable
- It is not affected by other site’s traffic
- Much more stable and faster than shared hosting
Cons of VPS Hosting
- Comes at a slightly higher price
- Needs technical expertise to manage well
Conclusion
Your hosting plan is heavily based on what you expect from your website. VPS hosting provides you with advantages that shared hosting cannot offer. However, there are benefits to both hosting options. Before you choose a web hosting plan for your site, consider what kind of features you’re most interested in. Here’s a few points to remember…
- Security and Performance. With shared hosting, you’re essentially sharing space with other users on the server. VPS hosting is much more stable and secure but does require additional technical knowledge.
- Server Administration. Shared hosting is much more suitable for beginners than VPS hosting, yet lacks the freedom of customization than the latter option.
- Scalability. VPS hosting is much more future proof than shared hosting.
- Pricing. Both plans have different prices with different benefits, but shared hosting plans is less expensive than owning a virtual private server. Though before making your choice, you should consider all website hosting costs.
In the end, the choice depends on whether you are just starting out and don’t need any additional features that other hosting types have to offer. No matter your pick, I hope that this guide has been useful to you.
