One of the most challenging aspects of building a website is deciding on a web hosting plan. Choosing a plan that provides you with the right level of resources and features is vital so you can set up your website for success from the start.
In this article, we’ll go over four different types of web hosting available, along with their pros and cons, to help you decide the best one for you.
What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service that enables individuals or organizations to publish their website or web application on the internet. A web host provides a server to store the website’s files and makes them available to visitors via the internet.
When a website is created, the files (including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and other media) are stored on a server, which is typically owned and operated by a web hosting company. The web hosting company provides the server space, bandwidth, and other resources necessary for the website to be accessible to visitors.
There are mainly four types of hosting available in the market. Each has its own set of pros and cons in terms of features and pricing.
- Shared Hosting
In Shared Hosting, various websites are hosted on a single physical server. It is the most cost-effective option because the cost is split amongst multiple websites.
Shared Hosting should be a preferred choice if you are just starting a business or creating a website for the first time.
Pros:
- You can easily find plans starting at just Rs. 69/month.
- Your small to medium-sized sites can perform good with Shared Hosting.
Cons:
- Shared plans often don’t perform well for high-traffic websites.
- Less flexible than others.
- Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
Like Shared Hosting, websites that use VPS share the same physical server as other websites. However, each VPS tenant has its own virtually partitioned space that acts as a complete system with guaranteed dedicated resources just for your website. So, you often get more memory, storage, and processing power as well as access to that server’s configuration.
If you want full control over your server without spending too much money on a dedicated plan, VPS is the way to go.
Pros:
- You receive complete dedicated resources for your website.
- You may be able to tailor your VPS to your specific requirements depending on your host.
Cons:
- It can be difficult to calculate the amount of resources required.
- Configuring a VPS often necessitates some technical knowledge.
- Dedicated Hosting
With Dedicated Hosting, your website will have exclusive access to a single physical server. So, you will have complete control over its configuration, and the web hosting provider will simply house it for you.
This kind is best suited for established websites or businesses with high traffic that require access to powerful hardware. If you own a small or medium-sized business, you don’t need to pay a huge amount each month to rent a dedicated web server for your business.
Pros:
- You get access to the entire server
- You can usually configure your server to your preferences
- Strong database support
- Unlimited software support
- Powerful e-mail solutions
- Complete root access to your servers
Cons:
- It is an expensive choice.
- It requires advanced skill sets to control the server.
- Cloud Hosting
Unlike Shared Hosting, websites that use Cloud Hosting are not hosted on a single server. Instead, your website is hosted by a network of connected virtual and physical cloud servers, guaranteeing greater flexibility and scalability.
With cloud, you can easily scale your server’s resources as needed. Furthermore, due to the system’s built-in redundancy, this type ensures little to no downtime and data loss.
Pros:
- It offers a high level of scalability.
- You can personalise your server as you see fit.
Cons:
- It is not suitable for users who are unfamiliar with server configuration.
Once you have understood and chosen your preferred web hosting, your next step is to find a suitable provider. Prefer choosing one that is also a domain registrar to keep all your services under one roof. You can explores service providers like Bigrock that offer a number of affordable plans with unique features that you need to build your website.
