If you’re starting a website for the first time and are looking for a new hosting service, things can seem a bit perplexing. As there are so many different types of hosting services to choose from.
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This is why to help you avoid this confusion and quickly find the perfect solution, I have made a list of the various hosting service options below and discussed their pros and cons in detail.
Shared hosting:
As the name suggests, shared hosting is a service where multiple customers share a server. It’s the most popular form of hosting as it significantly reduces pricing when you share a server with others as opposed to paying for an entire server for yourself.
Pros
- Very affordable. Most shared hosting services cost less than $10 per month.
- Easy to set up. Most shared servers offer one-click installation for content management systems such as WordPress. You also get other benefits such as free website builders and email from some hosts.
Cons
- Slow loading times. As you are sharing the host with other sites, your loading times will suffer. This can affect SEO performance and conversion rates.
- Frequent crashes. All it requires is for one of the sites on your server to receive extra traffic for it to crash. This frequently happens because you’re all on a shared host.
Shared hosting is a great option for anyone who is just getting started and is testing the waters or if you have a tight budget. When I started my first website I went with this option because I had a tight budget. Once my budget increased, I moved to a dedicated host. You can do something similar.
You will find hundreds of affordable web hosting solutions like Hostinger and Bluehost that offer shared hosting. Look around the web and see which one suits you and your budget best.
Website builder hosting:
Nowadays, instead of using a CRM such as WordPress, many people are opting for builders such as Squarespace and Wix as they are much easier to use and offer free hosting. You also have platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce that offer templates and builders for ecommerce stores. These include free hosting too.
Pros
- You get top quality hosting along with the builder. It ensures that your site loads quickly.
- A very easy to use builder helps you build a good website on top of the hosting platform.
Cons
- Builder hosting services cost a lot more than shared hosting.
- It’s harder to design custom websites as flexibility is low.
VPS hosting:
VPS (virtual private server) hosting is a hosting service that is a step above shared hosting and a step below dedicated hosting. Here you will be sharing a server with other sites, but they are fewer. As a result, you will enjoy benefits such as faster loading times for only a fraction of the cost of a dedicated hosting service.
Pros
- Faster loading times will benefit search engine performance and conversion rates.
- Costs less than a dedicated server.
- Option to make custom changes to your server.
Cons
- You are still sharing your server with other websites.
- Customization options are limited.
A VPS hosting service is a good option to upgrade to (from a shared hosting service) after your site begins to get more traffic and when you have a higher budget. It will suit people who don’t want to make too many custom changes to their server.
Dedicated hosting:
Dedicated hosting is a hosting service option where the entire server is just for you. You don’t share it with anyone else. If you want the fastest load time this is the service you should go with. As the server only belongs to you, you can also make a lot of modifications.
Pros
- An entire dedicated server for you ensures you get the fastest load times without any downtimes.
- You can customize the server any way you please. You can also add in more integrations.
- Some providers even offer better security to protect your website and files.
Cons
- It’s expensive. This is the option that costs the most.
- You need some technical knowledge or a hosting expert to get the most out of this service.
If you have the budget and want a top-performing website, this is the service you should go with. It will cost more, but if your site performs better, you will get more traffic and at the same time improve your conversion rate, so you will see a positive ROI immediately.
WordPress managed hosting:
WordPress managed hosting is a special hosting service for WordPress users. The hosting and the entire back end is built mainly with WordPress users in mind. Even the customer support team usually consists of WordPress experts who ensure you get a premium service all throughout.
Pros
- Made specifically for WordPress users.
- Usually includes a team of experts to help you out with your WordPress related problems.
- Layers of security to protect your WordPress website.
- Very fast load times.
Cons
- It’s expensive as it usually comes with a dedicated host.
- It can be restrictive as you can make fewer modifications.
If you run a WordPress site, a managed WordPress hosting service such as WP Engine is the best option. But this can turn out to be expensive if you’re just starting out. Therefore, in the meantime, you can try out a cheaper option labeled as shared WordPress hosting. This offers some of the benefits of managed hosting, but your site will be hosted on a shared server. You can upgrade to a managed dedicated server after you save up.
Reseller hosting:
Reseller hosting is the option where you can buy the hosting service wholesale and then sell it to someone else. It’s best suited for marketing and design agencies that want to host their clients. Agencies can buy the service at a fixed rate and then give them to their clients as part of an all-inclusive package.
Pros
- Helps agencies create a nice all in one package that attracts more clients.
- Can be more affordable.
Cons
- It can affect loading times as some agencies might host your site on a shared host.
Not all sites will list reseller hosting as reseller hosting on their website. Some will list it as an agency package for agencies with a main account and subaccounts to host sites of clients. If you’re an agency owner make sure you take your time to find the right host as migrating all the sites later (if you aren’t happy with the service) will require a lot of work.
Conclusion:
These are the different types of hosting services available. Make sure you take the time and pick the best one that suits your business. Most of the hosting companies offer trials. You can try them out for a few weeks to a month before you make a decision.