Do you want to get straight to the answers? These are the six types and top web hosts for each type of hosting:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- WordPress Hosting
- Hosting dedicated to your needs
- Cloud Hosting
- Reseller Hosting
Regarding selecting the best hosting for your site, you mustn’t skimp.
If you’re simply a newcomer to hosting, you must understand the various web hosting offers.
This will help you determine which type of web hosting is best for your website.
Do not rush the process.
Selecting the wrong web hosting provider can result in your site being unusable.
This’s most likely the reason why you’re here since you’re having issues with your current web host and are searching for a change.
If you wish to find out about a few of the various web hosting companies out there, you can begin by taking a look at their offerings and deciding which one suits your needs.
What is Web Hosting?
There’re many different website hosting companies and each company has its very own server.
A single server can be shared by a number of websites. Some websites even possess their own server.
Web hosting consists of 4 distinct categories:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS (Virtual Private Server)
- Dedicated Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
Additionally, there are specific categories of hosting, such as Reseller Hosting as well as WordPress Hosting. In this article, we will be covering all 6 kinds of web hosting.
How do you know which hosting option is best for your website?
You can choose the type of server that will impact your site’s performance, security, scalability, and management level.
The type of website and traffic received will also influence your decision.
A small blog with only 5,000 monthly visits may have different hosting requirements than an ecommerce site that receives 250,000 visitors per month.
You should also note that many hosting options are available at different price points, and it is important to choose a plan that fits your budget.
Below, I have explained and outlined six options for web hosting. You can use this to figure out the best hosting for your requirements.
Further Reading: Best Web Hosting Reviews – 2022
Shared Hosting
If you’re searching for a simple web hosting package, this’s most likely the most basic type because it’s best suited for beginners.
As the title indicates, a shared hosting site shares resources with various other sites on one server.
This is a good idea as most websites don’t require a dedicated server.
This is how shared hosting can be so affordable. It’s cheaper for web hosts to split resources.
Each website will therefore have a restricted amount of resources, as determined by the hosting plan.
There are some drawbacks to sharing a server among other websites.
If you happen to experience a surge in visitors to your site, you might experience difficulties with your site performance.
Sharing a server along with other web hosts isn’t generally the most effective way to host your site, and in the long run, you’ll be spending less money for less secure hosting experience.
Who is Shared Hosting For?
For those who have a couple of sites that aren’t complex in nature, shared hosting is most likely the ideal option.
People who just require a couple of content pages may want to look at shared hosting. Shared Hosting is a fantastic option for individuals working with a tiny budget, as it offers them an inexpensive choice.
This hosting type is suitable for websites that don’t need a lot of on-site interaction.
A shared web hosting plan is a good option if you don’t expect more than 10,000 to 20,000 visits per month.
Pros of shared web hosting:
- The most cost-effective web hosting.
- It is easy to set up.
- There is no technical knowledge necessary.
- Ideal for small websites and beginners.
Shared webhosting cons:
- Other websites can share server resources.
- Performance issues are beyond your control.
- Lower uptime and loading times.
- It is not scalable.
Best Shared Web Hosting Provider — Bluehost
Bluehost is our preferred shared hosting provider. It provides great features and deals. This’s the greatest place to begin if you believe that shared hosting is the best option for your site.
A really good track record has been built upon this company. Hosting Bluehost is recognized by over two million websites around the globe.
You are able to obtain a shared hosting package from Bluehost for only USD 2.95 monthly.
Additionally, you will get free marketing credits for Google Ads and Microsoft advertising together with a totally free SSL certificate, a totally free domain name, and a certificate for SSL encryption.
You are able to get in touch with Bluehost support 24/7 by email or phone in case you have a query.
VPS Hosting
If you have been using shared hosting, a virtual private hosting plan will be a great upgrade. You will still share the physical server space with other site owners in this instance. Your site, however, is hosted on an independent piece of virtual property.
You will find two keywords in this kind of hosting:
Private: you get access to private hosting resources (RAM, CPU, bandwidth) and do not share them with other people.
Virtual: your server is not an actual machine but a partitioned piece (virtual machine), set up on a “parent” server that houses other VMs alike.
Managing a VPS server is like leasing a room in a multi-store building. You aren’t permitted to make modifications to the building itself; however, you can do anything you want with your rental.
You can run any software and use any programming language with a VPS (not just PHP for WordPress). Additionally, you get bigger storage and bandwidth limits, meaning you can accommodate a lot more site visitors.
VPS hosts possess limited elasticity although. To deal with the traffic spike, some VPS hosts will temporarily increase the amount of disk space you’ve or increase the bandwidth. However, it will most likely not do this continuously because the redistribution would still impact other sites on the same server.
The verdict: VPS hosting provides the most flexibility and scalability compared with shared hosting. If you opt for an unmanaged solution, it will call for much more extensive maintenance and configurations. It is a great choice for users who want robust but inexpensive hosting.
Pros:
- Dedicated server space
- Scalability and stability
- Root access to the server
- Ability to set up any software program you would like/need.
- More economical than a dedicated server
Cons:
- Additionally, you need to manage security patches as well as software patches. Server performance tuning and “housekeeping” tasks Require technical acumen for installation/management Average price range: USD 10-USD 60 / mo.
Who is VPS Hosting For?
Medium or small businesses that need a dependable site will most likely want to choose VPS hosting. In case you’re searching for a better web hosting solution, you might want to look into this kind of dedicated server hosting.
Many individuals who wish to make customized modifications to their server configuration can make the most of a virtual private server.
A VPS can give much better performance to sites with big files, like videos.
Advantages of utilizing a VPS to host your site:
- Ressources devoted to the server.
- You are able to add customized configurations to your server.
- Faster loading times and better uptime.
- Dedicated servers tend to be more cost-effective compared to shared servers.
Cons of VPS Hosting:
- Some other websites are utilizing the same server.
- Being a shared server, it can be a little more complex to set up.
- Limitations on what you could control exist.
Best VPS Hosting Provider — InMotion
There are many VPS hosting companies, but InMotion is among the best you can find.
InMotion provides you with a root access option with many of their VPS plans, which means you can easily personalize your virtual server and make modifications as needed. This’s a fantastic option for people that are more technologically advanced.
If anybody wants to manage their VPS, InMotion provides cPanel and WHM gratis.
You will have the choice to select your data center for maximum speed. InMotion provides VPS plans which are optimized for ecommerce shops also.
All VPS plans from InMotion include a 90-day money-back guarantee, which is among the greatest satisfaction guarantees you will get in the industry.
WordPress Hosting
Whenever you utilize WordPress as a content management system, it’s optimized for WordPress hosting.
You will find two various kinds of WordPress hosting offered by most web hosts – Managed WordPress Hosting and Shared WordPress hosting.
Shared WordPress hosting works exactly the same way as regular shared hosting, except that WordPress is pre-installed.
Additionally, you get faster loading speeds, faster server caching, greater security, and better server caching with managed WordPress hosting.
The majority of the WordPress hosting plans now include a one-click installation, which is a great addition to any plan.
WordPress hosting generally has added security that is created specifically for sites that are running on WordPress. Websites hosted on WordPress, which is the most frequently used content management system (CMS), are at risk for cybercrime as it’s so commonly used. This’s a big advantage, so having additional security.
Who is WordPress Hosting For?
It is not rocket science. WordPress hosting is intended for individuals who use WordPress. If you would like your hosting to be optimized for your WordPress site, you definitely need to look into this kind of web hosting.
WordPress shared hosting signifies that several other sites will have the ability to share a server with your website. Although you will not have access to a fully optimized WordPress server, this will enable you to keep your blog operating at its best.
Additionally, they include a one-click WordPress installer that will get you up and running in a fast time. This isn’t really a big deal as most web hosts now include a one-click WordPress installer provided in cPanel. Some shared WordPress hosts may even go as far as installing WordPress for you.
WordPress hosting pros:
- Optimized for WordPress.
- WordPress pre-installed or a single click installation.
- Improved security for WordPress websites.
WordPress hosting cons:
- A lot less control and flexibility.
- Updates aren’t necessarily as smooth as they sound.
- I am sharing information along with other WordPress sites.
Best WordPress Hosting Provider — WP Engine
It is not always the best option for novices. But for people that have little experience with web hosting and plan to construct a blog or business site with high traffic, WP Engine is your best choice.
Beginning at just USD 30 monthly, WP Engine provides you with a good deal on a WordPress hosting plan. This’s another good reason I do not think it is the best option for a novice. You can buy a fantastic WordPress hosting plan for just under USD 5 per month, and you can pay only a mere USD 10.
WP Engine is recognized for its quickness as well as protection. They supply managed WordPress hosting for you, which means that things are managed on a server level.
This means that you will not have to be worried about installing a lot of plugins that will slow down your website considerably.
WP Engine has excellent customer support; that is one more reason I’d recommend them. All plans include 24/7 live chat, and a few of the higher tier plans even include 24/7 telephone support.
Each time I’ve had to get in touch with them, the quality of the assistance and the promptness with which they dealt with my questions have always been exceptional.
Dedicated Hosting
If you require web hosting, you’ll probably want to go with dedicated servers, and this’s because you and only you possess a dedicated server. Apart from this, you’ll generally get faster speeds as well as better uptime with dedicated hosting.
It will cost you the most money, however. This hosting isn’t cheap.
Your website is going to run at its best when you do this since you will not be sharing resources with other sites.
If your server has been utilized, the web hosting company has complete technical control of the server configurations. The software, configurations, and everything else you need is your decision.
Additionally, you will experience lightning-fast loading speeds and incredibly high uptime when you receive a separate server. You won’t need to be concerned about how your overall performance is impacted by the traffic coming from other sites.
Using your server is almost like owning a home. Everything is your decision, whether you would like to construct a fence, put a tree in the yard, upgrade your kitchen, or even plant a tree.
Who is Dedicated Hosting For?
The majority of dedicated hosting services are confined to large business sites.
But in case you’re only averaging under 10000 visitors a month, this hosting is certainly not something you should think about.
For those who have a separate server, it provides you with total control over everything about the server, which is one thing that is vital for large ecommerce sites. A dedicated server is needed for all kinds of security programs, and financial sites need it.
You will find various management levels for dedicated servers. Managing your server yourself could be as simple as picking a web hosting provider. Additionally, you will be in charge of maintaining the server, ensuring it runs properly, and checking for errors.
When you can pay for it, only think about a dedicated server. If you’re just beginning to develop a site, you most likely will not be able to pay for a dedicated server.
Pros of Dedicated Hosting:
- The server has full management.
- Sharing resources with other sites isn’t permitted.
- A high degree of security.
- Enhanced performance, very high uptimes, and quick load times.
Cons of Dedicated Hosting:
- This is probably the most costly type of web hosting.
- This skill requires some technical expertise.
- You are in charge of everything.
Best Dedicated Hosting Provider — HostGator
For people that require a separate server, I’d suggest HostGator. The HostGator plans are relatively cheap for the industry.
Their special pricing offers begin at USD 118.99 a month for their dedicated servers.
HostGator provides fully managed plans, and that’s among the reasons I love them. They can also help with offsite backups, data migrations, software patching, and more. All of their technicians are highly skilled. “
Additionally, they offer priority customer care 24 hours a day, and that is just how it works.
If you’ve been considering buying your server for your site, you need to check out HostGator’s offerings.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is like a hybrid version of a VPS—but more cost-effective.
Cloud hosting plans come with multiple remote servers. Each server has different responsibilities. If one of the servers is compromised or has a problem, the other servers on the network will take over those responsibilities and pick up the slack.
That’s what makes Cloud web hosting such an appealing alternative to traditional web hosting.
With cloud servers, your website will have higher uptime rates and won’t have as much unexpected downtime due to server errors. Your site will remain fluid and perform at a high level.
The best part about cloud web hosting is scalability.
With traditional hosting, there is always a constant dilemma between server resources and price. You don’t want to overpay for a plan with resources that you’ll never use, but at the same time, you don’t want to exceed the resources of a lesser plan and negatively affect the performance of your website.
This is nearly impossible to predict unless you know exactly how many page views your site will get per month.
But website traffic is never an exact science. You’ll often experience spikes or surges to your site—which is great news. You just need to make sure your plan can accommodate that traffic.
That’s why cloud hosting is the ultimate solution to this dilemma. The best cloud hosting plans allow you to scale your resources on-demand.
You pay for what you use, and you can always adjust these resources within your admin dashboard.
Who is Cloud Hosting For?
Cloud hosting is the ideal option for companies that are expanding by leaps and bounds.
A cloud hosting plan is worth looking at if your site traffic is unpredictable and you anticipate scaling it up in the upcoming months or even years.
A cloud plan is one thing worth looking at for a website with over 50,000 monthly page views. Cloud hosting is a great substitute for VPS hosting for individuals who have outgrown their current hosting contract.
The Cloud is going to allow you to keep your data in several locations rather than a single server that hosts your site or app. This’s the reason why the Cloud is very attractive. Servers such as this exist only within a virtual environment, thus the name cloud.
Pros of cloud hosting:
- A high degree of security.
- Let the resources be scaled based on the demand
- We’d like fewer unexpected downtimes.
Cons of cloud hosting:
- The cost isn’t always fixed.
- Uncertain traffic leads to increased costs.
- It features limited customization.
Best Cloud Hosting Provider — SiteGround
SiteGround is among the best choices for cloud hosting. You can select a plan which will accommodate any number of companies or web pages.
The beginner-level cloud plan consists of 4 CPU cores, 8 GB of memory, and 40 GB of SSD. You can create a cloud with as many as 32 CPU cores, 128 GB of memory, and one TB of SSD storage. Even if you do not need all of this, having the choices available to you’ll help ensure that your site is as profitable as possible.
Cloud plans are managed totally by SiteGround. Your hosting experience will be managed by their technical staff, who is going to take care of all of the complex details. This frees you from being worried about everything else.
SiteGround offers all of the upkeep you will need, so you do not have to be worried about getting updates or patches from them. Not just that, but they additionally take proactive security measures to make certain your website is as secure as possible.
Cloud plans include no-cost SSL, private DNS, free CDN, and daily backups. In case you require help, you can always turn to SiteGround’s advanced priority support.
Reseller Hosting
The function of a reseller is usually to sell hosting solutions to clients, and it is not for everyone, therefore. You will need to look elsewhere if you’re just starting and have to create a site from scratch.
You will have to look into reseller hosting plans if you wish to host several websites all by yourself.
What you’re searching for in a reseller hosting plan is white label hosting. You acquire a hosting service from a business and sell it to your clients.
You put the pricing options for your clients as the reseller, and this’s what you want. And This’s a fantastic chance to generate big profit margins because you’ll be paying the wholesale price to the provider.
Who is Reseller Hosting For?
The majority of reseller hosting solutions are supplied by and for web developers, web designers, and companies. Already these folks have clients in this space, so they might simply add web hosting to what they currently offer.
Rather than being forced to go out and purchase its own server to host the site, you are able to offer one point of entry for all of your clients.
The long-term viability of being a reseller is among the greatest elements. With regards to having a site, you need to ensure the individual knows that they are going to not need it permanently. Nevertheless, if you can convince these clients to make use of your hosting services, you can count on a good monthly income for the life of the site.
If your objective is to host a minimum of a dozen sites, then a reseller hosting strategy will be the right option. Otherwise, it is probably not worth it.
Benefits of reseller hosting:
- Your clientele is able to come to an uncapped price.
- Make an effort to create recurring income which is long-lasting.
- Enhance the services that you presently offer.
Drawbacks of reseller hosting:
- You have to make your effort and time count with a lot of clients.
- Your clients are going to come to you in case something goes wrong.
Best Reseller Hosting Provider — A2 Hosting
One of the greatest reasons I recommend A2 Hosting is because it provides incredible speed. You need to check it out!
You need to deliver high performance if you offer white label hosting to your clients. Issues with hosting will generally reflect badly on your brand, even though the hosting company is not directly responsible for your problems. Your customers will continue to get quick loading speeds on a shared server and high uptimes with A2 Hosting.
WHMCS is included with every reseller plan you buy through A2 Hosting, which many individuals like about this service. This can enable you to deal with your customers and their resources better. Some other web hosts charge a charge for this service.
A2 Hosting has got the very best client management in the industry. I’d highly recommend them. They also provide basic hosting support for all those that need it.
You need to also realize A2 hosting includes a 99.9 % uptime guarantee. After that, you can pass this data on to your customers.
Colocation
Colocation is a well-known alternative to having an in-house data center or even leasing your server from a private data center.
For a fee, you can lease your servers to a colocation facility. This fee includes everything from bandwidth to power, cooling, IP address, and server maintenance.
Consequently, you bring your very own networking equipment, servers, and storage. If the need arises, you’ll additionally be in charge of maintaining the server software, the IP / hardware, and DNS configurations replacement.
Many businesses are searching for solutions to reduce their data center size, and colocation provides one of the greatest opportunities to do this. And you would also need personnel on the ground to keep the premises.
What is the Best Hosting Type For Your Website?
This answer is going to be different for everybody. It all will depend upon just how much space you’ve on your site, just just how much cash you’ve available, and what sort of traffic you expect.
This guide has categories, and I have provided my top suggestions for every one of them, which means you can begin there.
As soon as you understand what you need, you can narrow your choices. To find out what category you fall in, here is a quick recap of the various hosting types and who they’re for:
The most economical shared hosting for a beginner-level site – BlueHost
VPS Hosting: For sites that have outgrown shared hosting. – Recommended VPS Host = InMotion
Best Hosting for WordPress – Hosting Optimized for WordPress Sites – WP Engine
Dedicated Hosting – Servers for big sites – Recommended dedicated host = HostGator
If you are selecting Cloud Host – Best for quick development of your site – Siteground
For companies, developers, and web designers – Recommended reseller host – A2 Hosting.
Further Reading: Best Cheap Web Hosting 2022– For Blog Owners on a Budget