How to choose between 5 types of Web Hosting?
Web Hosting is basically a service that allows a person or a company to host their websites which are accessible all over the world through the internet. These websites are stored on computers which are called servers. So in short web hosting is basically hard disk or SSD space on a computer that has been set up as a server.
Whenever a user wants to access your website on the internet, all he has to do is type the URL of your website in the browser of their choice, like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.
I am sure you already knew this but there be some person out there who does not about it. We should help everyone, right?
Types of Web Hosting and their differences
I have personally seen that even today there is a lot of confusion regarding web hosting. And the reason behind this never-ending confusion is the various options that all these hosting companies provide.
But that also does not mean that all web hosting options cater to the needs of just about anyone. For example, if you have a website like Facebook or Tik Tok, then you can’t run it efficiently on a shared hosting account.
If you have an absolutely micro-niche social network of about 50-100 (or so) people then it can handle but that too will eventually lead to further problems.
Whether you pick shared hosting or VPS, one thing that is common between them all is that you get disk space to host and expand your website. Obviously, VPS will have a better storage capacity with more control overall and also they are more reliable too.
Shared Hosting
If you are just starting out a new website or even if you want to run a basic company website then an entry-level shared hosting account is perfect for you. I am saying this with experience of 21 years.
Basic hosting works well and is also advisable to new website owners who are just starting because of 2 reasons, first, it is cheaper, and second, you simply don’t know how things will go forward.
I would say, start with a basic shared hosting account and when your website starts to get more traffic and hence requires more resources for its proper functioning, then is time to upgrade to a more powerful hosting option, like VPS.
One more thing… shared hosting is also fine for smaller blogs too. I also use it on my websites. It isn’t that bad, if you choose from a reliable web host, as some people have made it out to be. But yes one day you will need to upgrade for sure.
You will be surprised to know that I have run a very popular and successful celebrity fan site for over 12+ years on Bluehost and it worked just fine.
Virtual Private Server – VPS
Another hosting option is a VPS. I would say that it comes in between shared hosting and a proper dedicated server.
If you want more control over your website and hosting as such then this is hosting that you should get as it is actually better than a shared hosting account of any company.
Unlike a dedicated server, neither shared hosting nor VPS can handle high traffic to a website. It also gets affected by other websites stored on the server.
Who should get a VPS? If you want the features (almost) of a dedicated server but can’t afford it then you will have to choose a VPS hosting. Only get it in place of a shared host if you need some special software or application to be installed on/for your website which can’t be done on a shared account.
Dedicated Server
If you have a high-traffic website with hundreds and thousands of people visiting it every minute or so then you will need a dedicated server for sure.
A dedicated server will give you the most freedom to work on your website and do whatever you like to do with it. As you rent out the server for your own needs so you obviously get the most control over it.
The best thing about a dedicated server is that only your website is being hosted on it so all the server resources aren’t shared with any other website.
If you are making good money from your website or can afford it, then only think about this option as it’s quite costly.
Cloud Hosting
Today everyone is talking about cloud hosting. Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that uses multiple different servers to balance the load and maximize uptime.
Instead of using a single server, your website can tap into a “cluster” that uses resources from a centralized pool.
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The term is generally used to describe data centers available to many users over the Internet – Wikipedia
Managed Hosting
It is actually easy to understand what managed hosting is. If you want to have your own personal dedicated server but are not aware of how to manage it effectively then you can get managed hosting services instead.
When you get this plan the hosting company will offer you professionals who will help you in keeping the server running at the highest possible peak performance.
With this type of plan, the hosting company will handle the hardware while you focus on your software.
So before you buy a hosting package, go through various specifications provided by the company of your choice. Until and unless you are happy with their offerings, do not sign up with them. Also, see that the host of your choice is also giving a money-back guarantee of at least 30 days. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
