
When it comes to setting up a website or blog for your business, choosing the right type of web hosting is one of the most important decisions you will make. Your web hosting plan will store the files for your website and provide you with bandwidth to ensure those files can be accessed by your visitors.
If you pick the wrong type of hosting not only will your visitors suffer, but your bottom line will also suffer as potential customers won’t be able to get access to the information they are looking for.
With that being said here is a quick breakdown of the 5 types of web hosting and what type of business each one is best for.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is without a doubt the most commonly used type of web hosting. Not only is it inexpensive, but it also doesn’t require you deal with any maintenance or upgrades.
When you are on a shared hosting plan you will be sharing a server with several other websites. Being that you are sharing resources with other websites your site can be negatively affected by any issues those other sites have.
For example, if one website on the server suddenly gets a surge in traffic it may cause other sites on the server to slow down. Security issues can also be a problem.
While security and bandwidth usually aren’t an issue with shared hosting plans, they are something you should keep in mind when choosing the type of hosting you want to use for your website.
Shared web hosting is perfect for those who are just getting started and have very small websites. It allows you to get your feet wet without spending a ton of money. As long as you don’t mind sharing your resources with other websites you should be good to go.
Cloud Hosting
The great thing about cloud hosting is it uses multiple servers to quickly give you access to the features you need. It’s almost like having your own dedicated server without the high cost. With cloud hosting your website will be able to load faster, scale without interruptions and easily handle spikes in traffic.
It is the best option for new websites, online stores and small business owners. The one big drawback with cloud hosting is that it does not allow for customization. If you are looking for something that is more customizable you should opt for either dedicated hosting or VPS hosting. Both of which we will discuss later in this article.
Managed WordPress Hosting
If you are a wordpress blogger you should be using managed wordpress hosting. Why you ask? Well for three very important reasons. When you use managed wordpress hosting your site will load faster, it will look 10x better, and it will be able to easily handle surges in website traffic.
This makes it the perfect option for wordpress bloggers, new website owners and small business owners.
With managed wordpress hosting you will get access to wordpress expert support. That means if you run into any trouble a wordpress expert will be right there to help you out.
The only way you can use managed wordpress hosting is if your website uses wordpress as its content management platform. Any plugins that create a security issue or negatively impact site performance will be disallowed.
But don’t worry, there are literally hundreds of thousands of plugins that can be used with this type of hosting.
If you are a new small business owner both managed wordpress hosting and cloud hosting will provide you with an affordable way to build, grow and scale your business.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is like having your very own reserved parking spot at your favorite restaurant. While others can use the parking lot, no one can access your space except for you. Because of this the costs are very reasonable and you are free to do as you please within your own space.
It’s basically a shared server with more flexibility, reliability and resources than a shared hosting plan. You will also get full admin access, complete customization and the ability to fully scale every aspect of the VPS hosting plan.
The biggest problem with this type of hosting is that you don’t have total control over the activities taking place on the server. The only thing you can control is what goes on in the space that you own on the server.
If something is going on with the server it can spill over and affect your website. If you are looking for total control this is not the best option for you.
If however you are looking for something that is low maintenance, affordable and somewhat flexible, a VPS hosting plan will be a great option for your business. Please note you do need to be a bit tech savvy to use this type of hosting.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the big daddy of them all. With this type of hosting you are in complete control and are not required to share resources with any other websites.
With a dedicated server you are free to customize it anyway you see fit. It’s your server and that means you are free to set all the rules. You are in total control and all resources belong to you.
As you can imagine, dedicated hosting is very expensive. It also requires advanced technical knowledge to keep the server running properly.
If you have just launched your website chances are you won’t be needing a dedicated server. At least not right now. If you are expecting your website to grow quickly you should consider starting with cloud hosting as it can easily scale.
Dedicated hosting is best for businesses that are already well established and need the resources and freedom to manage multiple websites on one server. With it you will be able to implement your own security protocols, store a ton of data and handle millions of visitors per month.
Ready to launch your website? Check out our affordable shared hosting and cloud hosting plans to get started today!