The most popular types of web hosting are VPS, shared hosting, and dedicated hosting. The most basic type is shared hosting, which is suitable for personal blogs or other small static sites. This article will look at the bigger players in the game: dedicated vs VPS.
Virtual Private Server hosting
With this hosting type, numerous websites use the same server. This makes it similar to shared hosting. However, VPS web hosting users have resource limits on things like bandwidth and RAM. They also use specialized software to borrow resources from the other sites sharing the server if they’ve depleted their own.
VPS hosting is suited to large personal websites or small business websites that rely on high loading speeds. It handles traffic spikes very well and isn’t too expensive.
Dedicated hosting
Users of dedicated hosting have the whole server to themselves. They select their resource limits and get full control from the get-go. Medium to large business sites most often choose dedicated hosting, but if you’re sure your site will grow, you can sign up for a dedicated plan from the start.
VPS pros
- Cheaper than dedicated hosting
- Adequate performance levels for the majority of websites
Cons
- You’re still sharing resources, so features may be limited
- Can’t match dedicated hosting for resource or performance
Dedicated Hosting Pros
- Saves you from upgrading to a higher plan should your website grow
- Huge resource limits and great performance
Cons
- Requires technical knowledge
- Relatively expensive monthly pricing plans
Now, let’s go into the differences in more detail so you can decide which option is the better one for your needs.
Performance
What does good performance mean in the context of web hosting? Basically, you want your website to load quickly and run without stalling. If you get an excessive volume of organic traffic, your VPS web hosting provider can get you bandwidth from another site.
Dedicated hosting makes sufficient bandwidth available from the start. No matter how many visitors you get to your site, it will handle them without slowing or stalling.
Dedicated hosting provides better performance.
Security and safety
If one were to compare hosting to real estate, dedicated hosting would be like owning your own house. If it’s broken into, you can’t blame anyone else. VPS is like living in an apartment building. If someone leaves the front door open, thieves can get in and cause damage. Basically, dedicated hosting ensures a higher level of protection.
Website management
Both types of hosting feature managed and unmanaged plans. If you choose hosting, the service will build and manage your site for you. If you opt for unmanaged hosting, you’ll pay less, but you have to develop and manage your site yourself.
The majority of site owners choose managed plans. Both types of hosting let you adjust your resource limits as you go, so there aren’t many differences between the two. VPS might have the upper edge because it lets you borrow resources from other sites.
Price
Dedicated hosting costs more, and its quality, performance, security, and resources are higher. VPS web hosting comes with various pricing tiers, which provide access to different resource levels. VPS has sufficient capacity for most websites, and it’s more affordable.
Scalability
VPS will give your site room to grow, while dedicated hosting will provide all the necessary resources, performance, and security needed to accommodate growth from the start. VPS is the winner here because it serves as a great middle-ground for websites that sit between dedicated and shared hosting. It will allow your site to scale. Dedicated hosting gives you everything you need out of the box. If you are ready for it, then you’ve already gone up as high as you can.
