Your Business Website is everything. If it is down, your brand and business can be majorly affected. There are several web hosting companies that can provide varying types of hosting services for your website. These options vary from virtual private servers (VPS) to standard shared hosting.
One of the major distinctions in these services is between shared web hosting and cloud web hosting. Both these services are tiered at a similar level, providing web hosting functions, but through completely different processes. While some may argue one is better than the other, the type of hosting that works for your business depends largely on your individual needs.
There are some major differences between shared and cloud hosting. Understanding the distinction can help you choose the best service type for your business.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
The difference between shared and cloud hosting lies in how each is organized.
Shared hosting servers are the servers with multiple websites on them. Web hosting companies build and maintain these servers, and they place a bunch of websites on them. This means if your website is hosted on a shared server, it is racing for the same resources as many other websites. Some companies pack a ton of websites onto each server, which can slow down your website speed and performance. It can also present some limitations in security.
The Shared hosting service is also provided in two ways: Single Account Shared Hosting and Dedicated account Shared Hosting.
In Single Account Shared Hosting, multiple websites can be hosted under a single user account. Such hosting is also known as Multi Domain Hosting or Multi Website Hosting. This means that the race of resources between websites gets worsened since limited resources are assigned to each user account by the web hosting provider. For instance, a multi domain hosting account may have 1 or 2 CPU cores with few GB RAM and 1Mbps IO speed. A developer might host 50+ websites in the same account and offer that hosting service on very cheap rates and selling it as Cheap Web Hosting. Website might work fine for few users, but as the traffic increases, website will face lag and slow loading speeds which will take customers away as well as will have adverse effects on SEO rakings. Thus, for people looking for an answer of Why my website is loosing customers and Why my website is looking google ranking, this may be one of the primary issues.
In Dedicated Account Shared Hosting, you will get a separate user account for your website wherein your website can enjoy all resources assigned by the web hosting provider. This is, no doubt, a better solution but again you need to make the decision wisely. Many Web Hosting Providers are hosting such web hosting accounts at cheap prices which might attract you, but Website performance and website security is again a crucial question here. In this, website loading speed depends on the quality of servers, network provider of web hosting company, resource allocation and many other factors. Again, every cheap Web hosting provider might not be offering the best platform which may again result in losing customers and loosing google rankings.
Then what is the best option for getting high website performance? Cloud Hosting is the latest trend in this regard and is definitely the best option. However before going to Cloud, there are other options too which are no doubt, better than shared hosting but are expensive as well.
Virtual Private Server also called VPS hosting is another solution which facilitates you with a dedicated virtual machine with far more resources as compared to the Shared Server. However, this option is far more expensive too and at some time will also impose limit a limit of resources since the physical machine is still same for several virtual machines.
Dedicated Server is preferred solution if you are looking for high performing website or want to setup your own multi domain hosting service. However, this service is too expensive and required technical expertise for best optimizations. Although some companies offer good and easy-to-use solutions with pre installations of WHMCS and other solutions, still financial expenses is a great concern.
Cloud hosting is a service that exists on multiple servers. Instead of on one shared server, your site is hosted in the cloud. This means the company can bounce your website hosting between servers as it adjusts to performance spikes and other stresses. Cloud hosting is more dynamic than shared hosting and other hosting solutions, and this means it can perform better and be more secure than some shared hosting services. Another key feature is that you can choose the node closest to your target audience which ensures faster delivery of web pages, thus faster page loading time.
WHICH IS BETTER?
As always, the short answer to this question is that it depends. The service that works better for your business will hinge on your needs. If you're looking for an inexpensive hosting option that has solid features and can handle your current traffic levels, shared web hosting may be a great option for your business.
Shared hosting is the traditional method of hosting and can be a good cost-effective option for many smaller businesses. It also can be easier to use when it comes to features.
Cloud hosting is the best preferred solution against all the above discussed. Cloud hosting is ideal if you experience high traffic or spikes in visits or if you need in-depth security features.
Cloud hosting services come packed with more security and performance features, while shared hosting services can provide the deal that a small business needs for a basic website. With Cloud Hosting Services, because you are not dependent on a single dedicated server, if any issues arise, your site can easily and quickly be migrated to another server.
We strongly recommended cloud hosting solution for e-commerce businesses and businesses with high traffic demands as well as for any website that strives for faster website loading and better google ranking.