The key differences between shared and VPS hosting.

Hosting can be an intimidating subject. If you’re not tech-savvy, it’s difficult to even fully understand what hosting is, let alone know what the different types are! So with our help, you will know the differences.

At Foregrid, we know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to web hosting.

Let’s start with the basics. There are many different types of hosting, but we’re going to focus on three of them: shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and virtual private server (VPS) hosting.

You can choose to have full control of your infrastructure or to let your provider manage the infrastructure on your behalf for ease of deployment.

Shared hosting means sharing a server and its resources with other sites. That’s bandwidth, storage, and infrastructure. With shared hosting, you ‘share’ space on a server with other websites. It’s like renting a room in a shared house – you’ve got your little area, but you’re part of a larger communal space. Shared hosting is the cheapest type there is. It’s got its benefits, but naturally, things can get a little cramped at times.

VPS hosting creates a virtual environment that imitates a dedicated server. That way, you get a server and all its resources to yourself, but within a shared hosting environment.

VPS hosting is where you have more than just one slice of a server. This can be thought of as renting an apartment in a building block – more rooms, more space, more flexibility, and a little more expensive. You have a greater level of control, but you’re still operating within a shared server with others.

Generally, shared hosting is for static websites – in other words, websites with fixed content that doesn’t change, no matter who visits it. Shared hosting is best for basic personal sites, like blogs, and for startups. You don’t get a wealth of features, cloud security, or ultra-fast loading speeds, but then again, you don’t need all that.

VPS hosting is a step up, and ideal for small businesses, online stores, and larger personal sites. You’ll see an increase in features, security, and performance, all for a very reasonable rise in cost. It is also great if you’re looking to grow your site. Think of it as an investment – you want to pick a plan that matches your ambitions.

Dedicated hosting is an Internet hosting option in which a physical server is dedicated to a single customer. The customer has complete control over the machine, so they can optimize it for their unique requirements, including performance and security. The hosting provider supplies the physical server and environment, the associated services, and technical support.