If your concern at the moment happens to be “What are the different types of web hosting?” it does mean that you want to start a blog or website.
As you already know, there are so many moving parts involved when it comes to starting a website.
Niche selection, domain name, hosting, site design, content creation, content promotion, backlinks, etc., are some of the things that you will need to deal with when starting a blog.
Knowing that web hosting is such an important component for powering everything online, there are a lot of options.
As you already know, it can be intimidating.
To avoid shady comparisons, this article will go into detail to reveal what are the different types of web hosting.
Not just that, I’ll also show you the best website hosting services for each type of web hosting discussed.
Besides, you will also get the pros and cons for each of the different types of web hosting to be revealed within this post.
By the end of this article, you must have finally decided on which particular web host is right for you.
9 Different Types of Web Hosting
There are various kinds of web hosting, as you may already be aware.
You can select the best option depending on your storage, usage, and resource requirements.
Costs and hardware aren’t the only distinctions among hosting plans.
For example, you can find entire hosting services designed around specific platforms like WordPress in some cases.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most popular types of web hosting plans and see which option best suits your company’s needs.
Whether you’re just getting started with your online business or want to take it to the next level, you’ll find something that’s perfect for you.
Shared, that is exactly what shared hosting entails.
It is the simplest form of web hosting.
Shared hosting is a setup in which multiple websites are hosted on the same server.
This implies that a particular computer (a shared server) can host a large number of websites (possibly hundreds).
Even though you’ll be sharing resources with other users, you won’t gain access to their personal information files, or other data.
In shared hosting, the cost of running the server is split between you as well as the other owners using the same server, this makes shared hosting options are inexpensive.
Shared web hosting comes with its own set of drawbacks. When likened to dedicated servers, it has a slower load time. It becomes even slower as traffic increases.
There are also only a few customization options available.
A major disadvantage of shared web hosting is that the efficiency of your site will be affected by a popular website on your server.
And if you’re the high trafficked site on the server, on the other hand, you’ll be able to use a super server for a very low cost.
It’s challenging to get better performance with shared web hosting.
Shared web hosting is often sold by resellers, and web companies always have reseller accounts to offer hosting to customers.
Although shared hosting does not always have a good reputation, the quality of service you receive will be largely determined by your hosting provider.
If you anticipate your website to expand quickly, look for a shared hosting provider that also offers VPS and Dedicated Hosting plans to make future upgrades simpler (hosting providers will normally assist with the process of migration if it was an internal upgrade).
Who is Shared Hosting for?
If this is your very first time designing a website, shared hosting ought to be your preferred choice.
If you’re short on cash and want to get your site up and running quickly, shared web hosting is the way to go.
Shared hosting is ideal for small business people and bloggers who have simple websites.
This hosting type is suitable for any website that does not require a lot of on-site interaction or a lot of resources.
Pros of Shared Hosting
- Low-cost and ideal for small-business websites
- It is not necessary to have any special technical expertise.
- Pre-configured server options
- It’s ideal for newbies and small websites.
- hPanel is a user-friendly control panel.
- You don’t have to worry about server maintenance or administration because it’s all taken care of for you.
Cons of Shared Hosting
- Server configuration is difficult to control, if at all.
- A lack of storage space or the cost of upgrades
- Increased traffic on other websites will cause your website to slow down.
- Only some programming languages and environments, such as PHP and HTML, are frequently supported.
Price range
If you plan to use shared web hosting, expect to pay anywhere from $0.99 to $6 per month.
As previously stated, because the cost is shared by you and other users on the same server, this type of hosting is inexpensive.
Recommended host for Shared Hosting
2. Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
VPS hosting is a huge upgrade from shared hosting and is a nice compromise between the use of shared and dedicated server hosting.
Your website is also hosted on a shared server with a VPS hosting plan, but it does have its special space on that server with a set amount of resources dedicated to it.
If the server has 100GB of RAM, 2000GB of hard disk space, and 10 users, each will receive 10GB of RAM and 200GB of storage space.
Any site would go offline if a user exceeds the limit set for him, all the other sites will stay operational.
Certain VPS hosts will give you a slight increase in disk space or bandwidth to help you deal with a spike in traffic.
However, most won’t do so regularly because such redistribution would have an impact on other websites hosted on the same server.
VPS hosting is perfect for medium enterprises with a consistently expanding amount of websites and traffic.
Who is VPS Hosting for?
Suggested for advanced users and those who need the installation of special packages or software that are not available through shared hosting.
Consider a VPS if you want complete power over your server without paying hundreds of dollars for a dedicated plan.
These plans are also appealing because of the high level of customizability they provide.
Small and medium-sized companies that can’t afford downtime on their website should consider VPS hosting.
It’s a fantastic choice for website owners who have outgrown their shared hosting plan’s resources.
VPS hosting is recommended for websites with big files such as videos and images.
A VPS, rather than a shared server, would perform much better for interactive websites with large files.
Pros of VPS Hosting
- Server space that is exclusively yours
- Stability and scalability are two important factors to consider.
- The performance of your website is unaffected by traffic spikes on other websites.
- Root privileges on the server
- You’ll be able to use any software you want or need.
- Having your account run on a virtual machine, helps you to implement alterations without hurting others.
- A more cost-effective alternative to a dedicated server
Cons of VPS Hosting
- It is your responsibility to keep your software up to date and secure.
- Expenses are higher than for other types of hosting, particularly shared hosting.
- Calculating the number of resources you’ll need is difficult.
- You are also responsible for server performance tuning and duties.
- Installation and management of the system necessitate technical knowledge.
- There are also constraints in terms of setup and control.
Price range
As a result of the versatility that this type of hosting allows, it’s not unusual to see web hosting companies charging between $10 and $60 per month for VPS hosting.
Recommended host for VPS Hosting
3. Dedicated Web Server Hosting
A dedicated server is a physical server that you lease from a hosting company and have complete control over.
You won’t have to fear a bad buddy stealing up your resources and slowing down your website if you have a dedicated server.
The next closest thing to cloud hosting is dedicated server hosting. Nevertheless, it is a costly choice.
Dedicated servers, unlike shared web hosting, which limits your configurations and usage, provide outstanding performance, making them ideal for high-traffic websites.
The majority of site owners would choose to start with shared servers and then upgrade to a VPS or dedicated web server as their needs change.
A dedicated web server, regardless of cost, enables you to manage large amounts of traffic without experiencing any lags.
It can accommodate a rise in daily traffic of up to 40 times.
Security and faster page loading are also assured with dedicated hosting.
Dedicated web server hosting is indeed the route to go if your site is having trouble handling increased traffic and you want more assurance of security.
Who is Dedicated Hosting for?
A dedicated server would be way too expensive if you were starting a new website as a hobby.
Dedicated hosting is ideal for companies that want to enforce their own security protocols, host multiple websites on a single server, store large quantities of data, or accommodate high traffic volumes.
This is the kind of hosting solution which just makes sense for established businesses and websites that require high-end hardware.
Dedicated hosting is the best option for websites that need the highest level of performance and have the financial means to pay for it.
Pros of Dedicated Hosting
- You have the whole server to yourself.
- You have complete control over how your server is configured.
- Availability of resources is assured
- Privacy and security are improved.
- Fast load times, high uptimes, and top performance are all advantages.
- Website performance that is consistent and predictable
Cons of Dedicated Hosting
- It is a costly choice.
- For management, technical resources are required.
- Maintenance and upkeep are required regularly.
Price range
When it comes to web hosting, dedicated servers are essentially the top of the line.
Consider paying at least $100 per month at this level, and prices only rise from there.
Most web hosts, on average, charge $70-$130 per month.
Recommended host for Dedicated Hosting
4. Cloud Hosting
Things get a little more complicated when it comes to cloud hosting.
This type of hosting integrates a large number of servers into a single large virtual server for everybody to use depending on personal needs
Unlike dedicated hosting, which is more expensive and involves technical knowledge to use, cloud-based web hosting is simple to use and relatively inexpensive.
Another advantage of cloud-based web hosting is its scalability.
When your site gets too populated you can add more servers, and when traffic drops, you can decrease the number of servers.
The price structure is one of the main benefits of cloud hosting.
In most cases, you just pay for what you use.
This makes it suitable for those who work with seasonal merchandise such as holiday and Christmas items.
Due to the fact no website receives the same volume of traffic consistently, during a time of comparative leanness for your website, you do not have to pay for what you do not use.
Immediacy is another benefit of this web hosting.
In real-time, you decide how much space and other resources you’ll need.
Cloud-based web hosting is the right alternative for your hosting needs because of its immediate access to services, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Based on your server configuration, cloud hosting can be quite inexpensive or very costly.
Many large internet-based businesses, such as Google and Netflix, use this type of configuration to power their activities.
Nevertheless, you certainly wouldn’t want anything like Google or Netflix’s set up for a normal website. As you already know, server downtime degrades the efficiency of the website, in cloud hosting, there are so many servers on the network that a DDoS attack has no impact.
As a result, you’re safe from DDoS attacks with the cloud hosting model, since a DDoS attack on one server doesn’t mean your entire site has to go down.
Who is Cloud Hosting for?
Cloud hosting is a good choice to consider if you enjoy tweaking your server’s setup and need a lot of scalabilities.
For medium and large business websites that are rapidly growing, cloud hosting is also the best choice.
If your website traffic is unpredictably high and you expect it to grow steadily over the next few months or years, you should prioritize a cloud hosting plan.
Pros of Cloud Hosting
- It has a huge amount of scalability.
- Resources are available on demand.
- High-level security
- Reduced latency
- Pricing based on usage
- Value-added services are available.
- You have complete control over how your server is configured.
Cons of Cloud Hosting
- Cloud hosting payment systems can be a little convoluted.
- Security duties are shared.
- Unpredictable traffic can cause costs to rise.
- It is not recommended for users who have no prior experience configuring a server.
- Costs will rise as a result of inefficient resource use.
Pricing range
The cost of hosting your website in the cloud is determined by the amount of traffic it receives.
No two websites have the same volume of traffic or content, hence, the price you pay for cloud hosting is determined by these factors.
Recommended host for Cloud Hosting
5. Managed WordPress Hosting
WordPress is the most widely used content management system and website platform, particularly among small businesses.
However, since WordPress is a self-hosted and open-source solution, it necessitates some maintenance.
To comprehend the concept of WordPress hosting, you must first realize how widely used this particular Content Management System (CMS) is.
WordPress is a platform that powers over 30% of the internet.
Managed WordPress hosting includes several benefits for your website.
Backups can be done manually or automatically.
In a summary, managed WordPress hosting is a service in which your web hosting provider keeps your WordPress website up to date, which will help protect your website from security threats that could allow hackers access.
Due to the popularity of WordPress, most web hosting companies are required to provide excellent customer service.
The hosting provides a simple site setup as well as a stable staging environment.
It also comes with improved caching, fine-tuned and simple-to-use dashboards, and guaranteed security.
If you mostly use WordPress resources, the primary issue with using managed WordPress hosting is the lack of versatility.
Some plug-ins may not be compatible with it.
Getting the best web hosting services also costs a little more.
Remember that you don’t have to use a WordPress-specific plan to create a website on the platform.
These plans, on the other hand, are usually optimized to deliver improved performance and make your life easier.
This type of hosting is a good choice if you plan to use WordPress.
Who is Managed WordPress Hosting for?
Managed WordPress hosting is ideal for new site owners and small business owners who want a wide range of WordPress themes, templates, and plugins, as well as additional site security and expert technical support from their web host.
WordPress hosting can be an awesome buy if you’d like a plan that is built around the CMS from the ground up.
Pros of Managed WordPress Hosting
- Managed WordPress hosting enables your WordPress site to load faster, looks better, and can easily handle large spikes in site traffic, all while keeping you safe with a trained lifeguard on hand.
- If you get into trouble, there’s always someone there to help.
Cons of Managed WordPress Hosting
- If your website is built on WordPress, this option is only available to you.
- Some WordPress plugins aren’t allowed because they cause security problems, slow down the site, or are redundant, so you’ll have to stick with the ones that are (of which there are many).
- As a result of the fact that WordPress hosting takes care of the technical issues, managed WordPress Web hosting is more expensive than shared hosting.
- It’s inconvenient because websites are occasionally hacked. WordPress sites are often hacked through the backend or the use of faulty plugins or themes.
Price range
On average, you can expect to pay $15-$60 per month for this hosting service.
Recommended host for Managed WordPress Hosting
6. Reseller Hosting
This plan is designed for webmasters that would like to resell their existing web hosting.
Reseller hosting accounts are essentially shared hosting accounts with additional tools to assist you in reselling hosting space.
A reseller hosting plan enables you to start your own mini hosting company, selling hosting to your customers and earning residual income for your company.
It’s also a good choice for those who have different websites because it allows them to manage them all from one control panel.
You don’t just purchase server space with this model; you also sell it.
This is also a shared hosting model, but it allows you to have more control over the behavior of your server.
This model entails investing your money in several shared hosting accounts.
You profitably resell those to your own clients.
The majority of web hosting firms that provide this service use a white-label strategy.
That is to say, your clients will not be aware that you are reselling a hosting package.
They’ll consider you to be a well-known web hosting service provider instead.
Reseller web hosting is ideal for those who are short on cash but need high-end websites.
It entails the service provider sharing your allocated space and bandwidth with other sites.
The prospect of low costs is the major motivation for reseller web hosting’s appeal.
When contrasted to shared web hosting, it provides the most freedom and flexibility.
You don’t really have to bother about the technical side when providing customer support to the sites that use your servers.
All skilled and site maintenance services are the responsibility of your web host.
The only drawback to using reseller web hosting is the threat of widespread damage in the event of a server failure.
Having a large number of users on your server often means it takes longer to recover data if anything goes wrong.
Who is Reseller Hosting for?
If you run a company that needs to assist customers with web hosting regularly, it may make sense to bring that service in-house.
Through reseller hosting, you can charge customers directly for hosting and take care of maintenance while outsourcing the infrastructure to another business.
If you want to be successful with this business model, you’ll need at least 10 clients, else you will not be able to break even.
It’s also for people who want to make money as a web hosting affiliate.
Pros of Reseller Hosting
- You can create third-party hosting accounts and bill them directly.
- The hosting experience is entirely in your hands.
- Chance to make some extra cash
- Paying less for more websites is a great way to save money.
Cons of Reseller Hosting
- In most cases, you’re in charge of billing clients, which carries a lot of weight.
- In most cases, you will be responsible for your own maintenance and support.
- Website management for clients.
- Need lots of customers to make it actually be worth your effort and time.
Price range
Reseller hosting costs anywhere from $15 to $50 per month, depending on features and resource constraints.
Recommended host for Reseller Hosting
7. Colocation Web Hosting
You lease rack space from a data center when you colocate.
Colocation web hosting is when you own your servers and have complete control over them, but you store them in a data center.
The role of the data center is to deliver a secure operating environment for your servers.
You add your own server hardware to colocation web hosting, and the hosting company takes care of cooling, power, internet connectivity, and physical security.
This implies that you’re in charge of your own data storage, server software, and backup processes, among other things.
If the server’s hardware crashes you’re in charge of fixing it and bringing it back up and running.
You have complete control over your server, as well as accessibility to expert support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and simple scalability options.
Who is Colocation Hosting for?
If you have a medium or large-traffic website and want to cut costs, colocation web hosting is the best choice for you.
It’s also ideal for businesses in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government.
Pros of Colocation Web Hosting
- As a disaster recovery site, this is an excellent choice.
- When compared to on-premises data centers, the prices are lower.
- Increased compliance
- Complete charge of the equipment
Cons of Colocation Web Hosting
- Additional travel expenses for on-site visits
- For small businesses, it is prohibitively expensive.
- Long-term dedication
- IT knowledge is needed.
Pricing range
If you want to use colocation hosting, expect to pay anywhere from $45 to $300 per month on average.
8. Free Web Hosting
There are many free web hosting options available if you are considering starting a blog or website as a hobby rather than a business need.
You could easily start with a free or low-cost WordPress hosting plan and upgrade later if your requirements increase.
Free Web hosting refers to a service that is provided without charge.
Some web hosts offer subdomains to anyone who wants to create a website.
Among them, Blogger and WordPress are extremely popular.
When you use these free website hosting services, your site will be called yourblogname.blogspot.com and yourblogname.wordpress.com respectively.
If you want a website without an awkward site’s name, you must first buy a domain and then pay for web hosting.
Who is Free Web Hosting for?
This is basically for all those who are in dire straits but still want to try out their hands-on starting an online business.
Beginners who are still learning the nuts and bolts of blogging, and starting a website can explore this option before fully starting a paid blog.
Pros of Free Web Hosting
- It is completely free to host a website.
- When you create a free website, they use it to make money by creating ads, banners, and other kinds of advertising media.
Cons of Free Web Hosting
- Ad revenue is often shared with the website owner, and other times it is not.
- The particular plan and policy may vary from one hosting provider to the next.
- The free hosting plans do not include a domain name; instead, the owner is given a Subdomain name.
- Customer support for free Web hosting is not available to resolve technical issues.
Recommended host for Free Web Hosting
- Blogger.com (Blogspot)
- WordPress.com
9. Self Service Web Hosting
There is no excuse why you should not go for it if you have the technical skills to host your own website and the financial means to arrange everything from storage to power, cooling to protection, and so on.
The ultimate hosting package: you handle everything yourself! You purchase the servers, ensure adequate cooling, install and configure the software and power in your machine room, and ensure that everything is redundant.
Users buy and made it themselves. You are the sole proprietor of your own web hosting business.
When you use self-service web hosting, you are responsible for managing and maintaining everything on your own.
Here are some of the things you’ll need to consider:
- Server storage space in a data center or somewhere else
- Cooling
- Power, including backup
- Bandwidth
- Connectivity to the internet
- Server hardware
- Systems administrator
- Data integrity
- Backup
To ensure smooth operations, self-service web hosting necessitates extraordinary technical skills.
It would be ideal if you also know how to run a secure data center and some recovery procedures in the event of data loss or other problems.
FAQs
What factors influences the choice of web hosting types?
In the digital world, web hosts act as real estate agents.
They have server space that they can loan or rent to you for you to launch your web page or website.
In the same way that you can find various kinds of lodging in the real world, you can find various hosting options in the digital world.
Each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Five fundamental rules that determine which type of hosting is best for you are:
1. How much storage do you require?
All of your website’s data is saved on the server.
You must choose your storage space based on the intent of your website.
The amount of storage space available to you will vary depending on the type of web hosting you choose.
2. The type of bandwidth you’ll require
The bandwidth of your website determines how quickly data can be transferred.
It’s also the maximum amount of data that the server will let you and your visitors download and upload in a given amount of time. A month is common.
You must make a decision based on the intent of your website and the expected traffic.
3. Guaranteed server uptime
You may have encountered difficulties accessing a specific website as a regular internet user.
“The server is experiencing difficulties” or “The server is not responding” could be the error message.
This is often related to server downtime.
That is the amount of time a server requires for its own upkeep.
To avoid your visitors becoming annoyed, you must have a very little downtime as possible.
4. Customer support
Your web hosts must provide excellent customer service to guarantee that your website runs smoothly.
This provision should be readily available regardless of the hosting type you select.
5. Your financial plan
Various types of hosting are available at various prices.
As a result, the amount of money you want to spend on web hosting is a critical determining factor.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is a service that enables businesses and individuals to publish a website or web page on the Internet.
Sites are hosted or stored on special computers known as servers.
If you want to view your website, all you have to do is type your web address or domain into a browser.
Many web hosting companies include FrontPage extensions to help you build your website in FrontPage and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to help you easily upload web hosting files from your computer.
What is the best hosting type?
This response will be distinct for everyone.
What goes for one company, may not be great for you.
It all hinges on the kind of website you have, the resources you need, your budget, and the amount of traffic you receive.
However, once you’ve determined what you need, you can begin making decisions.
This guide’s top recommendation for each category has been given, so that’s the perfect way to begin your search.
Why are there so many hosting types?
Let’s start by distinguishing between a host and a hosting plan.
There’s no scarcity of companies offering hosting packages to businesses.
Shared, Dedicated, and VPS are the three basic types that most people are familiar with.
Three factors are used to compare these hosting options:
- The technology that was used.
- What level of user management is required?
- Extra services, such as backups, are available.
Conclusion
It’s now your turn.
So you actually have nine options to choose from.
It’s up to you to figure out what you require.
If you intend to launch a large or high-traffic website that will receive thousands of visitors each day, dedicated hosting should be considered.
If you want to start a blog or a simple website, conversely, shared or VPS hosting is the best choice.
Besides, let’s go over the options once more for you:
Shared Hosting: is ideal for newcomers and entry-level sites.
WordPress Hosting: This is a type of web hosting that is specifically designed for WordPress sites. – Liquid Web is our suggested WordPress host.
Reseller hosting – for developers or web professionals on a tight budget who don’t create daunting or e-commerce sites, or sites with custom setups.
VPS – perfect for web developers and practitioners who need scalability and customization.
When physical security and performance are needed, a dedicated server is the best option.
It is my belief that this article will assist you in choosing the best hosting plan for your website.
Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and anyone you think might need it.