As your business expands and web visitors increase, you will have no option than to seek more power and speed as well as resources to ensure that there is flow in the operations. Moving up to either VPS or dedicated hosting is usually the next logical sequence or step.
Both VPS and dedicated hosting help their customers when it comes to the growth of a website because both provide enhanced processing power, more memory and disk space as well as security and customer service that can be deployed for the smooth operational workflow of the users. Still, each one has its own characteristics and uses, thus the choice will depend on your requirements.
Both VPS and dedicated hosting help their customers when it comes to the growth of a website because both provide enhanced processing power, more memory and disk space as well as security and customer service that can be deployed for the smooth operational workflow of the users. Still, each one has its own characteristics and uses, thus the choice will depend on your requirements.
In this post, we will consider VPS and dedicated hosting and discuss their advantages and disadvantages to help you with the choice. We will also mention three leading companies for each of the types of hosting services, so you’ll be able to choose the most appropriate one for yourselves.
Table of Contents
| 1 | Differences And Similarities Of Shared Vs. VPS Vs. Dedicated Hosting plans |
| 2 | Advantages And Disadvantages Of VPS Hosting |
| 3 | Advantages And Disadvantages Of Dedicated Hosting |
| 4 | Best VPS Hosting Companies |
| 5 | Best Dedicated Hosting Companies |
| 6 | Final Thoughts |
Key Differences Between VPS and Dedicated Hosting
If after using shared servers you seek faster web hosting solutions, then VPS (Virtual Private Server) and dedicated hosting will suffice. There are, however, some important distinctions that you should know before making a choice.
VPS Hosting (Server)
Where VPS stands for Virtual Private Server, it means that many websites are hosted on a physical machine, in this case, on a VPS Hosting as there is shared hosting. The peculiarly fundamental difference is in the way a certain software known as a hypervisor is used to partition the physical server into virtual servers. With this, when the web application is hosted on multiple websites on one server, they still exist in a virtual environment.
For instance, one physical server has 1TB storage and 16GB RAM; a web host could offer that Physical server form in 4 areas of with distinct VPS. Each of them would have their storage that will be a quarter of a TB and 4G of RM. The same server can also be split in other ways, for example, one VPS can run 500GB storage, 8GB RAM along with only half other lower storage memory.
Multitenancy encourages JumpCom Gold VPS Hosting flexibility in allocation of resources. It provides a lot of the benefits of dedicated hosting, including improved security as well as better performance & control than before, minus its expensive cost. The prices for VPS Hosting can be between $5 and $15 per month, thus acting as an ideal compromise for users who have out grown shared hosting but are not ready to make use of the complete services of a dedicated server.
All in all, VPS is ideal if you feel that shared hosting is too restrictive but you don’t require all the features that come with dedicated servers.
Dedicated Hosting (Server)
As one would expect, dedicated hosting means that a single server is provisioned for the use of your site only. There is no such thing as resource sharing with any other website physically or virtually—everything on this server is yours and yours alone.
With dedicated hosting there is no resource capacity that is marked as unavailable for use by the customer as all storage, memory and processing capacity remain in control of the customer. For instance, say, your server is given out on hire with a 1TB hard disk and 16GB memory; then only 1 webpage that is centrally hosted has all access to these resources. You are free to make any alterations in order to fulfill the particular demands you might have, which means you can highly customize your server for complete satisfaction.
Nevertheless, dedicated hosting usually costs more than VPS hosting due to the number of resources and enhancement of the performance. A rough estimate of the price of a dedicated server plan is about $199 monthly.
This type of hosting is effective for medium-large companies, for sites with over two hundred thousand page views and more per month or for companies having the special need such as those in construction e commerce platforms or the banks.
Managed vs Unmanaged Options
Manoeuvring through VPS and dedicated hosting would also require a choice to be made on whether a managed option or unmanged option would be preferable. Hosting providers are able to offer two options giving variations to the clients on level of control and support as they may wish.
So, what’s the difference?
It is somewhat the same as picking between basic shared hosting and managed WordPress hosting. Basically, it is about whether or not you would like any additional support in the management of your server’s technical components.
In order to assist you in making some of the above decisions, you should reflect on the following questions:
. Am I willing to cope with running software updates on a regular basis?
• Is it going to be possible for me to administer the server and provide it with security updates in order to shield it from threats?
• Do I have the ability of pursuing logical solutions to unexpected problems as they may arise?
• Will I be able to go on standby for 24 hours on seven days of the week in the event that the website goes down?In case either you or your team does not have enough skills, time or resources for other such management responsibilities within the organization, then it is highly probable that managed hosting service is the way to go. In managed plans, hosting provider will resolve server maintenance, security, and troubleshooting issues that leave you to run your business straight away without any technical management.
Pros and cons of the VPS Hosting
Having coursed through what VPS hosting is, what comes to mind next are the merits and demerits of using this type of hosting service.
Pros of VPS hosting
. Pricing – The expense of VPS hosting is considerably more affordable than that of dedicated hosting which makes it suitable for developing websites.
• Scalability – Your business can now easily grow them and up the storage, memory, or CPU resources without the need to shift to another server. This flexibility is one of the greatest assets of VPS hosting.
Cons of VPS Hosting:
• Security – Theoretically and practically, VPS hosting is secure, but it does have an inherent risk. If a virtual server on the same physical machine gets infected with a virus, it is not impossible, though rare, that such infections may jump across virtual servers. However, this is uncommon with proper security measures.
• Complex Configuration – If you go with an unmanaged VPS plan, it can be a bit harder to get your server up and running, as there is no head start with management. Getting your site up in its entirety may take an even longer time, as in this case, there may be no technical capabilities.
Pros and Cons of Dedicated Hosting
Now let us focus on the advantages and disadvantages of using a dedicated server for web hosting.
Pros of Dedicated Hosting:
• Resources Allocation – Since it is a dedicated hosting environment, you assume all the control of the server resource hence your website performance will be very efficient and the loading speed is very fast.
• Improved Security – As other sectors or sites do not share resources with yours, the risks posed by the other websites are non-existent hence added safety in using it.
• Better Performance – Because resources are dedicated to your site, its performance will not be compromised when traffic levels peak and your website will continue to function properly regardless of high traffic levels.
• Customization & Configuration – No server settings are off-limits to your control; hence, you can change how the environment is configured baring in mind, whether it is for custom applications or security measures.
Cons of Dedicated Hosting:
• Higher Costs – It is the costliest form of hosting that is likely to be a barrier for small businesses or new websites which perhaps would want to cut their budgets in the beginning.
• Scalability Challenges – It isn’t as straightforward upgrading a dedicated server as for example VPS or cloud hosting, where such is virtually limitless. When business requirements of clients surpass the capabilities of the server used, such clients may have to move from that server to another more physically housed server.
• Technical Expertise – Where an unmanaged plan is chosen, one will require technical skills to manage and optimize the server, such tasks might mean employing proper engineers to achieve that.
Best VPS Providers
Now that you have a clear understanding of advantage and disadvantage of VPS hosting Let’s see several of the best VPS hosting services.
1.DreamHost
DreamHost offers a dependable managed VPS service that keeps your managed VPS updated with the latest security and OS updates. In case of some problems the 24/7 technical support means that you are not in the dark. In addition, every DreamHost server features SSD storage, which is 20 times quicker than the old drives, and comes with a 100% uptime guarantee.
Administrator panel is quite simple for maintaining multiple sites for DreamHost customers. And to each of the plans there are a plethora of unlimited features as per the customers’ requirements, such as:
• Web Hosting – Unlimited web and domain hosting.
• Bandwidth – Restrictions on the amount of traffic are set to zero.
• MySQL Database – The subscriber is free to distribute unlimited numbers of MySQL databases.
• SSL Certificates – Free Let’s Encrypt certificates.
• Email Accounts – Creation of accounts for email is limitless.
• Reseller and Sub-Accounts – Client account, access, and billing through sub-accounts can be done for client management.
When the need arises, the VPS can be readily upgraded by adding more RAM and SSD storage within a few seconds. In addition, there is no primary level access in the case of managed VPS by DreamHost as well. If you want such levels of control, then you might want to look into their Unmanaged VPS Cloud offering.
Price: They have the DreamHost managed VPS Hosting that starts from $15 per month but on a 3-year plan it goes down to $10 per month, with 1 GB RAM, 30GB SSD Space, Unlimited Domains, Unlimited Bandwidth and a Free SSL.
Liquid Web
Liquid Web’s managed VPS hosting is an exceptional choice for those person(s) who wishes to have the power and control that comes with the dedicated server without digging deeply into their pockets. The Cloud VPS system they have is very dynamic because it enables upward and downwards scaling of resources depending on the traffic moving through the site. This means that at the invocation of the high traffic a lot of resources can be brought in and when things are less busy these resources can be cut back. Liquid Web’s VPS servers are also known for their speed which are quicker than major providers like AWS and Rackspace.
At Liquid Web, one of their most beneficial aspects is the availability of Support. Their customer care is outstanding as their experts are reachable through phone, email, or chat all day every day of the year. Depending on your business requirements, you can order one of three levels of managed support:
• Full management: All support and management are provided.
• Partial management: Useful to some customers occasionally.
• No management: Most suitable to big organizations with IT personnel.
Not just that, Liquid Web’s VPS plans also include additional features such as integrated Cloudflare CDN for faster performance, ServerSecure, backups and DDoS protection.
Pricing: Liquid Web Cloud VPS is nearly a managed type of internet web hosting meaning that managed Cloud VPS Hosting pricing and plans begins at $59 per month 50 % discount if you go for an annual plan for 2GB RAM, 40GB SSD space, 10TB bandwidth, unlimited websites hosted, and 100GB data backup free of charge.
A2 Hosting VPS
A2 Hosting provides 3 independent VPS hosting plans appropriate to meet client’s every need.
All A2 offers to users in Managed VPS round the clock assistance is ‘a worry free plan’. In this case all the intricacies are solved by A2. This applies to the hardware, core server software, networks, security which includes patches, updates, and surplus general troubleshooting.
For users who desire a little more control, the Unmanaged VPS will be offered as a ‘hands-off’ option. In this case, root access is provided, which means that the user has complete control of the server including the type of operating system to be used. This is best suited for those developers or system administrators who want total flexibility regarding the approach to the problem.
The Core VPS takes managed and unmanaged option to a whole new level since it provides a managed VPS with root access.
Regardless of the plan you select, you will host your site on a high-end server with SSD disk space and 99.99% uptime. Furthermore, an account comes with cPanel which is a control panel popular among users due to its simplicity mainly in software, databases, files and emails management.
A2 Hosting managed plans also take care of the client with readily available support over the phone, chat and email all round the clock every day of the year, though the unmanaged plan provides limited assistance to clients.
Price:
• Core VPS (root access managed) – from $25/month with 4GB RAM, 75GB storage, data transfer 2TB, SSL free.
• Managed VPS (root access exempted) – also from $25/month with 4GB RAM, 75GB storage, data transfer 2TB, SSL free.
• Unmanaged VPS (unmanaged with root access) can be rented at only $5/month and comprises of 512MB RAM, 20GB storage, and 2TB data transfer.
Best Dedicated Hosting Providers
Let’s touch on three leading dedicated hosting providers available in the market for consumers.
Liquid Web Dedicated Hosting
At Liquid Web, you can get various types of managed dedicated hosting services that are specifically designed for you:
• Fully-managed: This option completely takes care of everything that has to do with your hosting.
• Core-managed: This is meant for people who don’t require much help and would want to get help sometimes.
• Self-managed: This best fits a large organization with a competent IT department; clients have lesser restrictions with their server.
All dedicated servers are built to suit your needs and hence are fully configurable; you can choose about installing Linux or Windows. Every server also includes High bandwidth DDoS protected CHEAP VPS with SSD storage, Cloudflare CDN, and various other advanced security features, including round-the-clock monitoring services.
The ability to root access and dedicates IP addresses will be thorough benefit appreciated by developers and system administrators equally.
In regards to customer support, Liquid web technical support is efficient and highly skilled with 24/7 finished cycle availability to assist via call, email, or chat.
Liquid Web has dedicated managed hosting services whose prices start from $199/month (or $149/month with an annual plan). This package includes an Intel Xeon Quad Core Processor Unit, 16GB of RAM, 2 x 240GB of Solid State Drive, 1TB of SATA Backup and 5TB of Bandwidth.
A2 Hosting Dedicated Managed Hosting
As part of their premium managed dedicated hosting services, A2 Hosting offers continuous monitoring of your server, and constant access to a support team which is available day and night. Control of both the boot and reboot of your server shall be made available to you. In order to increase their usability, they provide easy installation of popular CMS such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or Magento with just one click.
Global locations have the highest dedicated servers within secure data center. You can also use the Turbo Boost option that helps to improve the server and allows to load pages 20 times faster than normal for an extra £26.94/month.
Besides, WHM and cPanel were also completed with two dedicated IP addresses and Cloudflare CDN support. To developers, this A2 Hosting also offers SSH and MySQL 5.6 and PostgreSQL 9.6 software support for developers.
However, if your choice is to set your server up on your own, you will find unmanaged servers and core servers with root access for the more advanced A2 Hosting clients.
Price: The A2 Dedicated Managed Hosting plans read from as little as £109.03/month on the Sprint plan with an Intel Core i3, 8GB RAm, 2x500GB storage and 10TB Bandwidth.
Final Thoughts
Both VPS hosting and dedicated hosting represent a significant upgrade from shared hosting. Managed and unmanaged services are available from the majority of providers, enabling you to select the degree of assistance you require.
VPS hosting works best for companies needing more scalability and flexibility while dedicated hosting offers the top-notch performance of high-end single-tenant servers for those who seek nothing less than perfection.
Be certain to consider the pros and cons of each Hosting solution before selecting one that best suits your needs.