For a website to go live on the internet there is a need to invest on a suitable web hosting plan. Websites reside on a server, which is generally computers people use, but are configured to display content on the internet and deal with web traffic. Hiring a hosting service means you are renting server space and limited resources to maintain an appealing and functional website people like to visit.
There are different kinds of web hosting plans available. Price is not the only factor to consider because each site needs to differ. For example, a WordPress Blog needs to differ from an e-commerce store. Choose a plan that provides the right features and resources essential for website progress and success right from the start.
As your company grows your website also expands, so look for a plan, accordingly. Get to know the different web hosting plans in detail and make an informed decision.
Shared Hosting
It is a popular hosting plan among website owners. In this plan, multiple users will share a single server. It means one shared server [computer] hosts several websites. All the resources are shared but no one can access your private details, files, or data. Some pros and cons to consider –
- It is cheap because of the competition.
- It is limiting because server performance depends on the service provider.
- A website with heavy traffic will not benefit from shared plans.
- There is a possibility to get locked in a multi-year contract for getting the best deal.
A shared hosting plan is recommended for new website owners. By choosing an ideal provider, you can get the tools necessary to launch your website and scale down the road.
VPS hosting
Virtual Private Server includes multiple virtually-partitioned sections residing on a single server. Each VPS or section is committed to a single website. You get committed resources and access to server configuration in some cases.
VPS offers the highest isolation between the server users even if they reside on a single physical server. It even allows customizing your VPS and enjoying enhanced security and performance. VPS customization needs coding and programming skills.
Businesses that need complete control of the server without the need to spend hundreds on the dedicated plan can use VPS.
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting is similar to VPS. Rather than having your website reside on a virtual server housed on a single physical server, your website is hosted on an entire network of computers called the ‘cloud’. With this approach, you can scale server resources as needed.
Downtime and data loss are not an issue because of the cloud hosting system’s in-built redundancy. The payment structure is complicated and costly. It is not suitable for users with no experience in server configuration.
Dedicated hosting
A dedicated web hosting plan is expensive because you don’t share the server and its resources with anyone. You have full control of the server configuration and uncapped bandwidth. It is for those businesses with no concerns about the budget and needs high performance.
Managed hosting
Managed hosting plans are of different types including managed VPS, managed shared, and managed dedicated. Managed hosting includes the provider taking care of your website maintenance daily tasks like security monitoring, backups, software updates, etc.
You pay a little more but are relieved to focus on developing your eCommerce store, blog or portfolio. However, you have less control over site optimization and server configuration.
The kind of web hosting plan you choose is subjective. It depends on your business needs and goals!