The right Hosting Plan can make a huge difference in the performance of a website. Every website has a unique hosting requirement and deserves a hosting service that helps it perform better and offer a great user experience. There are various types of hosting services available, and choosing between them can be confusing. Some options are Shared Hosting (Linux or Windows), VPS Hosting, Cloud Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, etc. Today, we are going to compare Linux Shared Hosting Plans with VPS Hosting services to help you choose.
What are Linux Shared Hosting Plans and VPS Hosting Plans?
In Shared Hosting, your website is hosted on a web server whose resources are shared by other websites on the server. You can choose the platform based on your site’s needs and your comfort. The two commonly available variants are Windows and Linux. Also, with Shared Hosting, the provider takes care of all the management aspects, and you are free to focus on your website.
In VPS Hosting, your website is stored on a virtual server. This is created by dividing a physical server using a virtualization software called the hypervisor. One physical server hosts multiple virtual servers, but they work in isolation from each other. Also, each virtual server has dedicated resources and complete root access, allowing you to customize the hosting environment as needed.
Which one should you choose?
| Features | Linux Shared Hosting | VPS Hosting |
| Server Resources | With Shared Hosting, there is no maximum limit on the resources available to you. The server’s resources are shared between all websites. Therefore, if the other sites on your server are not resource-intensive, then you can use more disk space, CPU, RAM, etc. for the same price. | In VPS Hosting, your virtual server has allocated resources. This means that you can use those resources without worrying about other websites needing them too. However, if you need more resources, then you will have to initiate a scaling-up process. |
| Ease of Maintenance | This is one of the simplest hosting services since all server maintenance is handled by the hosting provider. All you need to do is focus on running your website. | With a VPS, since you have the flexibility to configure your server as per your needs, you either need to be a technical expert and dedicate enough time or hire a system administrator for the same. |
| Cost | This is probably one of the most attractive features of Shared Hosting – low cost. Websites of small businesses or startups find this ideal since their IT budgets are limited. Also, Shared Hosting provides the most cost-efficient hosting service for sites that have basic resource requirements. | VPS Hosting plans are costlier than Shared Hosting plans since they offer dedicated resources, account isolation, and full root access. Also, if you are not technically savvy, then you need to opt for managed services for an additional cost. |
Summing Up
Based on the comparison above, it is easy to deduce that websites with simple hosting requirements should opt for Shared Hosting services. On the other hand, if you need a customized hosting environment for your website, then a VPS is a better option. With Shared Hosting, you simply need to move your files to the server and get going. All other technical aspects are taken care of by the provider. Having said that, it is important to choose hosting services that suit your site’s requirements. Hence, research well and choose judiciously.