There are various types of web hosting available today. But, I am going to discuss about the two most prominent and widely used web hosting, which are shared web hosting and dedicated web hosting. Shared hosting is a type of hosting in which many websites are hosted on a single server. If you have opted for shared hosting, then your website will be together on one main server along with many more websites that have also signed up on that shared web hosting. Well, it is a cheaper mode of getting your website live, but there are various drawbacks as well, which we are going to discuss later on. The chances of downtime are increased in the shared web hosting.
So, that was a brief introduction about shared web hosting. Now, let us talk about the dedicated web hosting, which is the exact opposite type of web hosting, as in this, your website is not shared with others. Your website will consume the entire space, bandwidth and other parameters. You will have fun hosting your website in the dedicated web hosting.
When business owners create their website, they are offered to choose from the above two web hosting types. If you are having confusion in taking the decision as to which web hosting would be more appropriate for you, then here are some key differences between the dedicated hosting and shared hosting.
Websites Hosted on the Server: In shared web hosting, there are multiple websites hosted on a single server, whereas on the dedicated web hosting, your website will be the only website hosted on the server.
Bandwidth or Disk Space: In shared web hosting, you will get a limited amount of disk space and bandwidth, as other users are using them as well. Moreover, you will be charged on surpassing the allotted amount of disk space and bandwidth. In dedicated hosting, the disk space and bandwidth will be allocated to you only, so there is no sharing and no limitations on the usage of both the parameters.
Costs: With shared web hosting, the server resources are shared among the users who are connected to the server, so the operating cost will also get divided among the users, thus making it cheaper for you. On the other hand, a dedicated server is dedicated to you only, hence you will have to pay more for using the resources.
Required Technical Skills: In shared web hosting, a person doesn’t necessarily need the technical skills, as the maintenance and security of the website are managed by the shared web hosting provider. With a dedicated web hosting, you will be the one who will solely responsible to manage your website, so if you don’t have the adequate skills, then you won’t be able to manage your website in a proper way.
Security: In shared hosting, you don’t have to install firewalls or other security applications and programs. The company will do these things for its users. Whereas, securing a dedicated server will be up to you. Managing and controlling security programs will be in your hand. There are less chances of acquiring virus, spyware and malware.
Blacklisting Of Website: In the shared hosting, the risk of getting blacklisted by the servers is high because a shared server can be used in bad practices, such as spamming, which will get the entire IP address blacklisted. Whereas, with a dedicated web hosting, you will not get blacklisted unless you indulge in any unethical internet practices.
Performance and Response Time: A huge amount of traffic can be generated in the shared hosting because many users share the same server. This will drain the bandwidth and reduce the response time and loading time. This doesn’t happen on the dedicated server, as there is no need to share resources.
Level of Control: You will get more control over your website in a dedicated server, as you can easily add the preferred programs, scripts and applications. Moreover, you will also have enhanced flexibility and security, which is extremely beneficial from the users’ perspective.
Budget is one of the deciding factors that help a person choose the type of hosting he/she needs to choose. No matter which of the above two web hosting you choose, it is imperative to make an informed decision.