Different Types Of Web Hosting Explained

If you shop around for a web hosting plan for the first time, you might be utterly confused by the endless options of different web hosting types.

Choosing the right web hosting for your business is a difficult task. We took that pain and compiled the list of different types of web hosting in this article.

Web hosting plans are not all about money. Because every project is different, and the requirements are also different.

Choosing the right web hosting involves analyzing your requirements and selecting a web hosting solution that aligns with them for survival and scalability.

It’s all about choosing the right amount of resources that your website needs. Anything else beyond that is a waste.

Now, let’s dive into this article to explore the various types of web hosting available on the market.

What Is Web Hosting?

Every website you visit on a web browser lives on a server. A server is like a remote computer, similar to what we are used to.

The server stores all your website pages. When you access something on a web browser, those pages are fetched from the server.

When you buy a web hosting plan, you are renting a portion of the resources of that server space ( Sometimes the whole server).

You can use that space and resources to build your websites. You need to pay monthly or yearly rent for the server space that you have occupied.

On paper, Web Hosting seems to be an easy concept, similar to our personal computer. But in reality, it is much different. It requires a different set of software and hardware to convert a personal computer into a remote server.

When you are in the market for a web hosting plan, you should choose the one that matches your requirements. You can always upgrade to a better plan when you see a spike in traffic.

Different Types Of Web Hosting

Broadly, web hosting is categorized into two types.

• Shared Hosting
• Dedicated Server Hosting

Shared hosting is further classified into the following three types.

• Standard shared Hosting
• Cloud Hosting
• Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

Standard Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is a preferred choice of many website owners. In shared hosting, a single server is shared across multiple users. Shared hosting hosts various websites; sometimes, the number is in the thousands.

Shared hosting plans are very cheap as the server cost is diluted across multiple users. If a server accommodates fewer users, the price increases for all users.

Please note that you don’t get any dedicated resources in shared hosting. All resources are shared across all users of that particular server.

At any given time, when fewer users are accessing the server, you will have access to a significant amount of resources.

However, on the flip side, you will lose access to additional resources when all users start using the server.

In shared hosting, each user hosts their website files in their space. Other users cannot access or edit those files.

There are instances when some users could break into other users’ files, but you can consider those instances as outliers.

Shared hosting has a bad reputation for speed. The reason is apparent. When multiple users use a computer, it will be slow. Right? The same concept applies to web servers.

However, some web hosts offer a good amount of resources and speed, even when using shared hosting. You need to analyze their web hosting plans before making a decision.

One of the main issues with shared hosting is the security of your websites. Indeed, other users don’t get access to your files.

But malware or viruses do not act that way. Often, mistakes by a single user can put all users of that server into trouble.

Shared hosting has its share of issues, but it remains the preferred choice due to its affordability, often offering unlimited storage and bandwidth, and, most importantly, its ease of setup.

You can get shared hosting plans for as low as $1 per month since the web hosting market is very competitive.

However, before buying, please look for the renewal rate, as most web hosts charge a bomb during renewals.

Please note that most web hosts offer the best deal when you sign up for a multi-year contract with no option for scalability in between.

This option is not bad if you can forecast your traffic stats. However, if you are unsure how things may turn around in the future, it is better to sign up for yearly plans only.

When Should You Choose Shared Hosting?

• If you are a beginner with a tight budget
• If you want web hosting for any of your hobby projects
• You are trying to learn how things work in web hosting

Positive

• You will get shared hosting plans for as cheap as $1 per month
• Usually comes with unlimited space and bandwidth
• Setting up websites in shared hosting is very easy
• Absolutely no coding skills are required
• Tutorials are readily available on the internet

Negatives

• Shared hosting does not perform well for websites with heavy traffic
• The server response time is poor
• Your website may load slowly if it is hosted on shared hosting
• Security is always a concern for shared hosting

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is also a type of shared hosting, but the difference is that your website files are stored across multiple web servers instead of a single web server.

Since your files are stored across multiple servers like a cloud, it is called cloud hosting.

The main benefits of cloud hosting over traditional shared hosting are speed, low downtime, and scalability. Let me explain why it is so.

For example, your website files are stored across 10 different web servers in 10 other countries. Visitors from all 10 of those countries will get equal speed since the server is located near them.

With shared hosting, you store your files on a single web server in one country, allowing the whole world to access them from that location. So, for sure, the speed will be compromised.

Since, in cloud hosting, you are hosting your websites on a network of servers, there is always an option for scalability.

In case of a server failure, your website can be served from a different server. So, almost no downtime.

Cloud hosting plans are not as cheap as shared hosting. However, depending on the server configuration, plans may cost as low as $5 per month to $100-$200 per month.

When Should You Choose Cloud Hosting?

• You want more speed and less downtime
• Your targeted audiences are spread across different countries
• Do you want scalability options

Positives

• Faster than standard shared hosting
• You can choose your server resources based on your needs
• Files are stored on a network of servers
• Very less downtime
• You can scale your resources anytime you want

Negatives

• No dedicated server resources, as cloud hosting is still a shared hosting
• Usually costlier than standard shared hosting
• Payment structure could be complex

Virtual Private Server Hosting (VPS)

As the name suggests, a virtual private server ( VPS) is a private but virtual server. A physical server is virtually partitioned, and each partition acts as an individual container.

Each partition acts as a full-fledged system where you can install your operating system, your web server, etc.

VPS provides a level of isolation to each account, even though they share the same physical server.

Please note that VPS is still a shared hosting, as all users share the same physical server. The only difference is that you get dedicated resources.

Compare the above image with the one I’ve shared for hosting. In the above picture, you can see four users on a single server, but each has its own space and resources.

So basically, they own a portion of a private server with dedicated resources, but all four users are still using a single server. That is why it is called a virtual private server.

Now, let’s talk about the resource allocation in virtual private servers.

For example, if a server has 10 GB of RAM and five users, each user will get 2 GB of dedicated RAM.

It’s up to you whether to use 2 GB of RAM or not, but the 2GB RAM will always be dedicated to you. In the case of shared hosting, if you don’t use any resources, they will be allocated to someone else.

The main benefit of a virtual private server is increased security and speed. With dedicated resources, you have complete control over how to use and optimize them.

Since no one else uses your space, you will get better speed than with standard shared and cloud hosting.

In most cases, VPS does not come with a control panel. You must use a command-line interface to perform your day-to-day hosting activities. So, a fair amount of coding knowledge is required if you plan to use a VPS.

The pricing starts from as low as $5 and goes up to a couple of hundred dollars per month based on your chosen server configuration.

When Should You Choose Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting?

• Your blog or website has grown, and you are getting a good amount of traffic.
• Speed is essential for your website.
• Security is a prime concern for you.
• You want complete control of your server
• Do you want more customization on the server

Positive

• You will get dedicated resources
• Better speed than shared hosting
• You can customize the hosting environment to your liking.
• Better account isolation
• You will have complete control of the server

Negatives

• A bit of coding knowledge is required
• Need to maintain your own space
• Tough to troubleshoot issues
• Way too costly compared to shared hosting

Dedicated Server Hosting

Until now, all hosting types we have discussed have shared server resources among different users. But in Dedicated server hosting, it’s an altogether different story.

Here, you rent the entire server (or sometimes a couple of servers), and no one else is allowed to share it. It’s all yours.

You can use and customize it as you like. You control each and everything. You can choose your RAM, SSD space, Operating system, and anything. You can configure the server to match your requirements.

Dedicated server hosting is the top-of-the-line hosting type, which is why it is costly. Unless you are getting a tremendous amount of traffic or running an e-commerce store, there is no point in opting for dedicated server hosting.

When Should You Choose Dedicated Server Hosting?

• Getting an enormous amount of traffic
• Running an eCommerce store

Positives

• You own a private server
• Comes with dedicated resources
• You have complete control of the server
• Best speed
• Much safer than shared hosting
• You can configure the server the way you want

Negatives

• Costly option
• Coding knowledge is required
• You should do server maintenance unless you opt for managed hosting
• Return on investment is a big hit or miss

What is WordPress Hosting?

Before learning about WordPress hosting, we need to understand why web hosts offer WordPress-specific hosting.

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems that powers over 60% of websites. So, web hosting companies will obviously offer WordPress-specific hosting to gain market share.

WordPress hosting is a sort of managed hosting where the hosting environment is optimized for WordPress.

Sometimes, you may get free WordPress-specific premium plugins and themes if you choose WordPress hosting.

In most cases, the support team of the web hosting company manages all the maintenance activities so that users do not tamper with the pre-configured hosting environment.

WordPress may come preinstalled, and there may be some dedicated support for WordPress-related issues. The hosting environment is optimized for WordPress, allowing you to get the best out of it.

Please note that you don’t need WordPress hosting to host a website that is built on WordPress. WordPress hosting simplifies your life by optimizing and configuring it to meet WordPress requirements.

Please don’t get fooled if some companies charge you more just because WordPress hosting is still a type of shared hosting.

It’s better to ask what extra features they offer with their WordPress hosting. If that makes sense, then only go for WordPress hosting.

What Is WooCommerce Hosting?

Like WordPress hosting, WooCommerce hosting is also a shared hosting optimized for WooCommerce.

Your hosting environment will be optimized for speed, security, and other aspects of a WooCommerce store.

What Is Managed Hosting?

Many of us, including myself, are unfamiliar with how a web hosting process works. We’re unsure how to maximize the benefits of a web hosting service. The result is, ” We start blaming our web host.”

That’s not fair at all. To overcome these kinds of issues, most web hosts nowadays offer a Managed Hosting service.

What that means is that every one of your web hosting services will be maintained by experts from the web hosting company itself.

Some tasks include server maintenance, software updates, security patches, backups, and other related system administration tasks.

The support team will determine the optimal server settings, selecting key variables and the best configurations for your hosting environment.

In a nutshell, they will give you the best possible setup for optimum performance. So basically, managed hosting is a kind of service rather than a different type of web hosting. You won’t get anything extra other than expert service in Managed Hosting.

But the expert service also makes sense. Right? They always go the extra mile and optimize your hosting environment to suit WordPress’s requirements. As a result, you get the best speed and experience from your WordPress blog.

Managed Hosting can come in any flavor since it’s a service. Even shared hosting can be managed if you pay a little extra for the managed service. The same applies to other types of hosting, too.

What Is Reseller Hosting?

If you run a web development agency with many clients, there is a chance that they will ask you to suggest or set up web hosting for themselves.

In most cases, they are unfamiliar with setting up a website or the technical aspects of web hosting.

It is extra work, but you are probably charging for it. It would be a one-time income for you. How about a recurring income source from the same service that you are offering?

You can buy a Reseller Hosting plan and start offering hosting services to your clients. In reseller hosting, you will have the option to determine the number of sub-accounts you can sell.

You can sell sub-accounts and earn a decent recurring income. Clients pay you directly, and you can keep 100% of that payment.

Interestingly, the leading hosting company from which you bought the reseller hosting package does not care how much you charge your clients for the sub-accounts.

Often, reseller hosting comes with a white-label option. This means your client won’t see the main hosting company branding; instead, they will see your agency branding.

Reseller Hosting is an excellent option for those looking to start a hosting business without the infrastructure and resources required by mainstream web hosting companies.

You can start with reseller hosting and upgrade to mainstream hosting when you make a lot of money from your reseller hosting business.

Conclusion: Types Of Hosting

I believe you now have a better understanding of the different types of web hosting, and you’re in a position to choose the best one for your business.

Recommending a specific hosting type without knowing your requirements is difficult because every project has different requirements.

However, if you are getting into web hosting, starting with Shared Hosting is better as the learning curve is linear.

Once you gain some experience, you will better realize which type of hosting is best for your business and can make an informed decision accordingly.

We need to consider that, until you are sure about your projected growth, you should not sign up for multi-year contracts.

If you do so, you may be stuck with that hosting company for a couple of years without any scope for scalability.

It’s a wise decision to pay a little extra for month-to-month plans until you are sure about your business growth projections.

The positive of the monthly plan is that you can switch your hosting company anytime and choose a better hosting that complements your website’s traffic spike.

To simplify your life, we have compiled a list of the 10 Best Web Hosting, which might be helpful if you are unsure which web host to choose.

I suggest starting with Cloud Hosting, such as Cloudways, and then slowly transitioning to VPS hosting if you notice a significant increase in traffic.

FAQ | Types Of Web Hosting