It can be hard to know which type of web hosting is the best option for your business. And the truth is there’s no “one size fits all” approach.
If you’re looking for a step up from shared web hosting, virtual private server hosting or dedicated server hosting both offer plenty of pros and cons.
In today’s blog post we’re going to help you decide whether virtual private server hosting or dedicated server hosting is the right fit for you and your business.
What is virtual private server hosting?
To help put VPS hosting into more context, it’ll help if we firstly compare it to shared hosting.
With normal shared hosting, your website files and information are stored on a server alongside other peoples’ website files. The reason that it’s called shared hosting is because the server’s bandwidth and resources are all shared with other businesses.
With shared hosting, you don’t have any control over the server. It’s like renting a space in an office block, where the kitchen, bathrooms and parking lot are all shared by other people who also rent an office space there.
Shared hosting is a fantastic solution for a large number of SMEs with simple, low-traffic websites. However many people find that as their business grows, they require a more dynamic approach to their web hosting as well.
VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. With VPS hosting, you have your own space on a physical server that is split into multiple private parts. You don’t have to share resources or bandwidth with anyone else. However, within the server, there are multiple private parts that are occupied by different businesses.
Using the same office block example, this time you rent a space within the building but you no longer have to share your kitchen, bathroom or parking lot however, the overall building is still shared.
What are the benefits of VPS?
VPS hosting is a cost-effective solution that allows you much more freedom and flexibility than shared hosting without the higher costs associated with having your very own dedicated server.
You have much more control and customisation with VPS hosting than with shared hosting. You can add users, install software, change settings, or turn the server on and off.
All of our VPS packages come fully managed and start from just £24.99 a month and despite this low cost, we haven’t compromised on speed, functionality or customer support.
And the downsides?
Some VPS packages offered by other web hosting companies aren’t fully managed (don’t worry – all of ours are) – which means they require more of a time commitment from you.
Also if you run a particularly demanding, high-traffic website, it might be that a VPS isn’t the best option for you – dedicated server hosting is.
Also, don’t confuse VPS with managed WordPress hosting.
What is dedicated server hosting?
A dedicated server is just that – a server that’s entirely dedicated to you and your business needs.
With dedicated server hosting you lease the amount of server space you think you’ll need on a monthly basis.
Dedicated servers are often viewed as the “top dog” of web hosting – the most exhaustive, powerful web hosting solution there is. Instead of renting space in an office block, with a dedicated server, you essentially own the entire office block!
With a dedicated server, you have complete control over the server and you have the freedom to pick the CPU, RAM, and disk space that you need.
What are the benefits of dedicated servers?
Dedicated servers are completely customisable – you can install your own security and software and when you have one with us, you’re entitled to 24/7 priority support. They’re perfect for large, complex and high traffic websites.
Dedicated servers are much more secure because you’re not sharing server resources with anyone else. They’re also powerful enough to handle thousands of visitors per day.
Managed vs. unmanaged dedicated servers
Unmanaged dedicated servers are for customers who are happy to oversee the running of their server. The web hosting company’s responsibility is to look after everything that requires the server to run reliably – the rest is entirely up to you.
Managed dedicated servers mean that we will take care of everything for you including the hardware, performance, and security basics.
And the downsides?
The main disadvantage of dedicated server hosting is the premium price attached to the service – but this is all dependent on which company you choose to purchase one from.
We’ve worked hard to lower the price barrier to entry – we believe that everyone should have access to reliable, cost-effective dedicated server hosting.
Therefore our dedicated server packages start from a mere £29.99 a month!
Customer service
Having access to timely, friendly support is of the utmost importance when it comes to your web hosting. For both our VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting we offer priority customer support.
See what our other customers have to say about us and why we have an “Excellent” rating on TrustPilot.
So … VPS or dedicated server hosting – which is best?
The decision as to whether you go for VPS hosting or dedicated server hosting ultimately depends on you and your business needs.
For many businesses, an entire dedicated server might not be necessary for the amount of website traffic received. Similarly, if you don’t need complete control over the server in terms of software, security and hardware then VPS might be the best option for you. You always have the option of upgrading to a dedicated server later on down the line.
If you have any questions about any of the above or if you’re still on the fence about which option would be best for you, our friendly, UK based customer support team will be happy to talk through the various options with you.
