Which is Best? Shared vs Dedicated Hosting: Are you new into website business? Looking for a good service to host your website? Welcome to the hosting guide. There a lot of debate is we can see in Google, forums about the shared and dedicated hosting services.
You do not just go ahead and hire a web hosting company. There are different things that you need to settle first before doing so and one of this is selecting the correct hosting package. The latter, in particular, is important in the sense that it affects the overall performance of your website.
It holds true that there are different packages out there, each of which offers features and a set of pricing options. However, the most common ones are none other than shared hosting and dedicated hosting. Let’s take a look at these two and find out their differences.
Before going to start the topic, here are the important features we look for in shared hosting.
- Bandwidth & Disk Space.
- Sites Hosted on the Server.
- Price.
- Technical support.
- CPanel availability.
- Security.
- Response time and performance.
Overview of Shared vs Dedicated Hosting
Shared hosting is without a doubt one of the most go-to hosting packages. In this type of hosting, thousands of sites are stored and hosted on a single server; hence, the name. Think about this hosting as something that is similar to renting an apartment. The property’s amenities are shared with everyone else renting it.
Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Here, none of the resources is shared. You are the sole user of the server, including its many features, amenities, or software. It can be likened to the idea of buying and owning a house. There is no need to worry about sharing the driveway or swimming pool to anyone else.
What You Need To Keep In Mind
It is worth noting that both types of hosting come with different pros and cons. And just because a shared hosting can be cheaper compared to dedicated hosting, it does not necessarily make it a better option. That is why it is important for you to determine which one is suitable for your site’s needs and wants.
How do you do this? How can you tell which hosting type is right for, let alone the company to hire?
For starters, you should read reviews. Let’s say you are looking at Godaddy shared hosting. You need to search and read Godaddy shared hosting review, so you can see what other website owners are talking about its plans and services.
Another thing that you need to do is ask the company directly. For instance, you are interested in its shared hosting for now. However, you know that sooner or later, your traffic can go up. In this case, you want to make sure that the company offers a flexible dedicated hosting plan. Otherwise, it is better to start with a company that does than feel sorry in the end.
Advantages of Shared Hosting vs. Dedicated Hosting
First, let’s discuss the advantages that shared hosting offers. Its affordability is what really makes this hosting plan popular. The same thing can be said for its unlimited disk space. Meaning, there is no need for you to worry about your account becoming full – there is always space available.
In addition, this hosting offers easy to understand dashboard where you can configure the account settings all on your own. Lastly, shared hosting allows you to run your site swiftly. Within hours, your website is ready to cater to visitors.
Next on the line is dedicated hosting. As mentioned above, it is the complete opposite of shared hosting. The coolest thing about it is that it is able to withstand heavy traffic. Its load times are not compromised despite getting higher volumes of visitors. And since its resources are not shared, you get access to 100 percent of its processing power and other features. As such, you get to have optimal performance, which, in turn, can greatly help in Google rankings and SEO, among many others.
Conclusion
It cannot be denied that both hosting packages offer different advantages. And while the other may look better at some aspects, it does not necessarily mean it is the better choice. At the end of the day, what you really need to consider is the current state of your website.
Do you have tons of visitors on a daily basis and, if so, is it affecting your site’s load times? If this is the case, then you need to consider upgrading to dedicated hosting. Is this your first time putting up a website and you really do not have concrete technical knowledge? If yes, then a good start is shared hosting.
Again, choosing a hosting package is an important decision, especially since it can be detrimental to your site’s success. Having the correct package will enable your site to perform at its best without the burden of reducing your site’s traffic and conversion rates.
If you do not have the budget right now – and it is your first time setting up a website – there is nothing wrong about considering a shared hosting. Still, you need to consider the possibility of getting a huge amount of traffic in the near future. In that case, you need a web host that can support you on this when there is a need for a dedicated server.