When you buy a domain name and hosting, the first decision is to select the right type of web hosting platform for your business. Two very popular hosting platforms are shared and VPS hosting. Both while being highly popular, come with their list of perks and drawbacks.
Before you choose between a virtual server or shared hosting, let us take a closer look at the VPS vs shared hosting to understand what sets them apart.
VPS Hosting Vs Shared Hosting: How Do They Differ From Each Other?
| Features | Shared Hosting | VPS Hosting |
| Resource Allocation | Shared among all users. | Dedicated resources in a virtual server. |
| Performance | Slow and high chances of lagging due to traffic spikes in any other shared website. | Stable; unaffected by traffic spikes or downtime of other users. |
| Security | Basic security | Robust security |
| Scalability | Limited; higher chances of downtime as traffic scales or spikes. | Highly scalable; the server expands as the users scale. |
| Customisation | Limited due to a shared setting. | Allowed with full root access. |
| Pricing | Low cost; good for beginners, small and average-sized business websites. | Comparatively higher than shared but more affordable than dedicated servers. |
| Technical Expertise | Minimum | High |
| Impact On Other Users | Direct; resources used by others can slow down your site. | None; everyone gets their own allocated resources . |
| Server Control | Largely controlled by the hosting provider. | Full control over server settings and configurations. |
| Best For | Beginners and small-scale websites | Advanced users and businesses |
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting as the name suggests, is a shared hosting platform where you are required to share your integral resources such as CPU, RAM and storage with other users. It is the most affordable website hosting option and works well for small websites and businesses.
Pros
- Beginner Friendly
- Provides standard set-up
- Required less technical expertise
- Affordable
Cons
- Less bandwidth and storage
- Slow
- Scalability and flexibility issues with traffic spikes
- Limited access to back-end
- Restricts root access
What is VPS Hosting?
VPS hosting is a modified version of shared hosting. Under VPS hosting everyone is sharing the same server but each website gets its own allocated resources through virtualisation technology.
The VPS server benefits also include better security and corruption of one website on the server will not affect the other sharing it. A VPS server is comparatively expensive and requires a certain technical prowess. Hence, it can be tricky for beginners.
Pros
- Grants root access to the server.
- Better security and scalability.
- Smoother performance without any lag.
- Unaffected by the traffic from other websites connected to the same server.
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Requires technical expertise.
VPS or Shared Hosting: Which One Is Better?
Which server hosting to choose depends highly on the nature of your business and your budget. If you are creating a website for your blog or if your business is still in its beta stage then you can opt for shared hosting. However, for growing business and high-traffic sites, VPS hosting with its high security and better performance and scalability, might prove to be a better choice.
Conclusion
Choosing the right hosting plan can significantly impact your performance and the growth of your business. Hence, it is essential to have a clear idea of your business and future goals regarding scalability.
If you are just starting then a shared hosting environment can be a good fit to start with. However, if you have a growing business, then a VPS server benefits can better complement that growth.