Picking a hosting plan can be an intimidating subject for most people. It can be confusing and nerve-racking, especially when faced with multiple options. I’ve created an easy-to-understand summary to guide you through the process.
Shared hosting
- Shared hosting simply means sharing a server with other websites. It’s the cheapest sever you can get with any host. The biggest caveat, however, is your website will share bandwidth, resources, and storage with other websites, thus affecting performance.
Pros
- Affordable and cheap
- Easy to setup
- Little to no technical knowledge is required
Cons
- Not as secure
- Can’t configure server in the root level
- Little to no freedom
- Performance is affected
- Limited resources
Who should use Shared hosting
Shared hosting is great for smaller sites, startups, static sites (websites that don’t change content), low-traffic websites, and personal blogs. To start your online endeavors, shared hosting might be a good place to start.
There are many great hosting platforms to get started with. The one that I currently use is Bluehost. It offers great performance at affordable prices. Click the link below to check them out
VPS hosting
VPS stands for Virtual Private Server and is a step above shared hosting. A VPS server gives you the flexibility and freedom to customize the hosting environment for maximum security and efficiency.
A VPS hosting creates a virtual environment that mimics a dedicated server in a shared environment, providing you with dedicated resources. When you sign up for a VPS server, you’ll be able to choose an operating system of choice, a server panel, and server specifications (RAM, storage, and bandwidth)
Pros
- Perfect for websites with more traffic
- Faster than shared hosting
- Websites are more secure. (It’s easy to configure firewalls and optimize the server)
- Improved loading times
- You can install applications on the server as you have access to Linux or Microsoft. (Root access)
- Powerful Admin Panels such as Plesk, CPanel, and many others. (I currently use Plesk, and it’s a world above shared hosting)
- Scalability. It’s easy to add resources as your website grows.
- Great value for money
Cons
- More technical than shared hosting
- Not as fast as a dedicated server
- More expensive than shared hosting
Who should use a VPS Server?
If your site is growing rapidly and you need more resources, investing in a VPS server will boost performance. Depending on your goals, it might be wise to migrate your websites to a VPS server at an earlier stage. This ensures that your traffic is not disrupted at a later date. Check out how to migrate your WordPress sites from Shared Hosting to a VPS server by clicking the link below.
Bluehost also has affordable plans for VPS hosting. To sign up, click this link. On the top of the page click Hosting>VPS Hosting and checkout their plans.
Unmanaged VS Managed VPS hosting
There are two options to choose from when configuring a VPS server. Managed, for less technical individuals; and unmanaged for tech-savvy teams or individuals.
Please do not opt for an unmanaged VPS plan if you’re not familiar with configuring a server. There is a lot of technical knowledge that is needed to configure a server. Security patches need to be up to date, CPU load needs to be constantly monitored, and backend issues might arise at any time. For most people, a managed server is all you need.
Dedicated Server
A dedicated server is the most expensive type of web hosting. It provides a physical server with all its resources at your disposal. This means your websites and applications will perform faster and more efficiently.
pros
- Faster loading speeds
- All advantages of a VPS server
- The most powerful type of hosting
Cons
- Expensive
- Technical knowledge is required.
- A VPS server is more scalable (It grows with your site.) Whereas a dedicated server is not.
Who is this for?
A dedicated server is best for Medium to large businesses or websites with large volumes of traffic. This is the best performance money can buy.
Bluehost has one of the most affordable plans for a dedicated server, especially when you factor in the quality of service. To sign up, click this link.
When the page opens navigate to the top and click Hosting>Dedicated Hosting and checkout their plans. You can also use Google to search and compare other hosting providers.
