What is VPS hosting?

Shared hosting plans are a popular choice for small businesses—they’re low-cost and don’t require complex server management. However, they may no longer serve a growing business. This is because shared hosting plans can’t keep up with increasing website traffic, and you may notice this when your website slows down during traffic spikes. This likely means you have outgrown your current hosting plan and may need to explore other options, such as Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting, to unlock your website’s potential.

What Is VPS Hosting?

You can choose from different types of web hosting, including shared, cloud, and dedicated, when building a website. Each type caters to different business requirements. VPS hosting, for instance, offers a balance between dedicated and shared hosting. It can be used when a website has outgrown the capabilities of a shared solution but is not yet ready to have a dedicated server. In this setup, a physical server is divided into multiple VPSes. Each VPS operates independently and has its own processor, storage, and operating system. Think of it like having an apartment in a building instead of sharing a room with other people. So, its virtualization technology ensures that other users’ activities do not affect your website.

Types of VPS Hosting

You can choose from three options when looking into VPS hosting solutions for your website.

Managed VPS

You can consider a managed VPS hosting solution for your business if you do not have a dedicated IT team. Here, your web hosting provider manages and maintains your VPS for you.

Unmanaged VPS

An unmanaged or self-managed VPS solution is the way to go if you want to take up complete responsibility for a server’s management and maintenance. Your hosting provider will only provide a physical server where your VPS is installed.

Semi-managed VPS Hosting

This type ensures you get a mix of user control and hosting provider assistance. While you manage everyday server administration work like configuration and software installations, your provider takes care of hardware maintenance, security updates, and other server management work.

What Is VPS Hosting Used for?

You can use VPS hosting for a lot of things. For instance, most high-traffic websites like eCommerce sites have VPS hosting servers running in the background, offering a highly stable environment for customers to make secure payments. Besides that, their high stability and performance make them useful for hosting private servers for gaming sessions. Their isolated environment and affordability also make them good options for building and testing applications and code. Plus, VPS can work as your image, file, or email server when you need secondary storage.

Pros and Cons of VPS Hosting

Pros of VPS Hosting

Guaranteed Performance

A virtual server environment gives you complete control over software installations and configurations. This invariably boosts website performance.

Isolation

Your VPS works independently from other servers. This prevents resource interference from other users using the same physical server but different VPSes.

Scalability

You can easily adjust server resources to prevent downtime as your website grows.

Security

Each VPS works in isolation with a dedicated resource, which lowers the risk of security breaches.

Cons of VPS Hosting

Technical Knowledge

You might find virtual servers difficult to handle if you are a beginner, as you may require some level of server administration skills.

Cost

VPS servers are pricier than shared hosting solutions, so they might not be the best option for small businesses.

Time-consuming

You may have to spend a lot of time on server maintenance, security, and updates if you use semi-managed or unmanaged VPS hosting.

Downtime risks

Issues with the physical server hosting your VPS can impact all virtual servers.

VPS Hosting Vs. Other Types of Hosting

Parameters	VPS Hosting	Shared Hosting	Dedicated Hosting
Best For	Moderate-traffic sites for small to medium-sized businesses	Small businesses or personal sites	High-traffic enterprises and resource-intensive applications
Technical Expertise	– Some technical skills needed- May need to manage settings and updates	– Easy to use- No technical skills needed- Managed by hosting company	– Advanced skills needed- May need to manage everything or hire an expert to help
Resource Allocation	– Access to a part of the server’s CPU, memory, and storage- Others can’t use your share	– Shared user access of CPU, memory, and storage- If others use more, you get less	– Complete access to CPU, memory, and storage
Security	– Medium security- Separate space ensures fewer shared problems- Ability to set up your own security tools	– Low security- Shared server space can threaten safety- Less control over security settings	– High security- Individual server allows for data control and safety
Customization	– Moderate customization- Ability to change settings and install software	– Limited customization- Ability to change basic settings- No access to server setup	– Full customization- Ability to control all aspects, from software and hardware to server setup
Pricing	– Mid-range- Recommended for small and mid-sized businesses	– Affordable- Recommended for small businesses	– Expensive- Recommended for large businesses

When Should You Switch to VPS?

You might need VPS hosting if you expect a huge surge in your website traffic. A few other indicators can also help you decide whether you need VPS.

• You want advanced security features offered by VPS, like firewalls, SSL certificates, and daily backups.
• You don’t have the budget to switch to a dedicated hosting solution.
• You want to add more content to your site and require higher storage capabilities.
• You plan to set up an online store that has secure payment options.
• You want more control over your server by installing custom software or using advanced programming and server configurations.
• Your old servers have internal errors and face frequent downtime issues.

How Much Does VPS Hosting Cost?

Several factors affect your website hosting cost. These include the number of resources, such as CPU, RAM, bandwidth, and storage, your VPS uses, your chosen provider, and the features and tech support available. On an average, you can expect to pay between $10 and $100 per month for your VPS. You may also have to pay an initial set-up fee. It is also important to watch out for hidden charges and fees for extra services or features.

How To Choose a VPS Hosting Provider

Choose one that gives you services worth your money. For this, you have to prioritize support, reliability, and performance. Make sure to shortlist providers known for their fast server speeds, high uptime, and responsive customer support. Additionally, factor in specific business and website needs, budget, technical expertise of your team, and the level of control you need over your VPS.

Read more: Best Web Hosting

Is VPS Hosting Secure?

Yes. Virtual private servers offer secure hosting. The security comes from each virtual server running in isolation from the others. This means your server is protected from resource-intensive attacks, such as denial-of-service attacks directed at another virtual server within the same physical server. Besides that, you can follow best security practices, such as antivirus, firewalls, and two-factor authentication, for added security.

FAQ

Will my website be faster on a VPS?

Yes. Your website can work faster with a VPS, as the resources allocated to you improve performance and load times compared to shared hosting.

Is VPS hosting good for running multiple websites?

Yes. You can run multiple websites at once. You also have more control and resources.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my VPS later?

Yes. Most providers are flexible and let you change resources by upgrading or downgrading your VPS.

How long does it take to set up a VPS hosting plan?

Your VPS hosting plan can take a few minutes to a couple of hours to set up. This depends on your provider and whether you have chosen any customizations.