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Shared hosting and dedicated hosting are types of web hosting. These two types of web hosting are the complete opposite of each other. While shared hosting involves hosting many websites in one server, dedicated hosting involves hasting your website in a dedicated server. There are instances where shared hosting is the ideal option, and there are others where dedicated hosting is the best option.
In the sections that follow, we are going to explore the differences between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. We’ll explore the various instances where shared hosting would be the ideal option, as well as the instances where you should go for dedicated hosting.
Shared Hosting
As we’ve already established shared hosting is about a single server that accommodates many websites. There are many reasons as to why you could opt for shared hosting as opposed to dedicated hosting. We’ll explore a couple of them below.
Costs
Setting up a website, and getting hosting services costs money. Shared hosting is the cheapest option among all the types of hosting available. As such, most people will opt for shared hosting if they are working with a tight budget. The fact that shared hosting is affordable does not mean that it is low quality. If you are working with a reputable web host, you would not have to worry about the quality of services.
Easy Website Set-up and Maintenance
Shared hosting makes it quite easy for you to set up and maintain your website. It is important to note that most websites that are hosted on a shared server are light. Shared hosting not only makes it easy for you to put them up, but it also makes it quite easy for you to customize your website. Most web hosts are compatible with website building apps such as WordPress and Drupal. These apps make it possible for you to create attractive and unique websites, even if you are not a coding expert.
There are a couple of other reasons why you could opt for shared hosting, but the two discussed above are just about the most significant ones. That brings us to the discussion on what kind of websites should be hosted on shared servers.
While the benefits outlined above are great, they don’t imply that you can host any kind of website on a shared server and enjoy them. They’ll be enjoyed if the website is ideal for shared hosting. What kind of website are these?
- Light Websites – we’ve already mentioned a thing or two about light websites. Light websites do not require a lot of disc space. They don’t need a lot of bandwidth either. That means that it would not be smart to pay a lot to host such a website in a dedicated server, while it makes no difference from when it is hosted on a shared server.
- General Information Websites – General information websites that do not have any sensitive data can be hosted on a shared server. Keep in mind that there are security issues that are associated with shared hosting because you do not have control over how the other websites on your server are being handled. They can be used as infiltration conduits to other websites on the server.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting, as the name suggests, involves having your website on a dedicated server. That means that there is no other website on that server. There are many benefits to having dedicated hosting. There are a few cons as well. Let’s first explore a couple of reasons why it would be best for you to have your website on a dedicated server.
Security
Security is arguably the most important aspect of dedicated hosting. You’ll find that most companies and institutions have their websites hosted on a dedicated server. The main reason they need dedicated servers is to guarantee the security of the websites. When you have dedicated hosting, the entire server is in your control, and it is easy for you to employ all the security protocols that you believe are essential.
Security is a very essential aspect of your website if it carries private information and data. For instance, portals need to be well secured to ensure that no one has access to private information and data. As such, websites that carry sensitive information and data are better off hosted on a dedicated server.
Enough Space for Heavy Websites
If you are setting up a heavy website with a large volume of data, dedicated hosting is the way to go. A shared server would not have the capacity to hold such volume of data, and produced it when it is prompted to do so. Just as we’ve mentioned in the case above companies and institutions will always have their websites in dedicated servers because such websites carry a lot of information. They are heavy websites that require ample disk space. A dedicated server ensures such websites have fast loading speeds.
From the discussions above, it is quite clear which websites should be held in dedicated servers. Keep in mind that dedicated hosting will cost a lot more. The costs of shared hosting are a tiny fraction of what dedicated hosting costs. These costs are necessary to safeguard your information and to ensure you have a high-quality website. As we mentioned in the beginning, shared hosting and dedicated hosting are the complete opposite of each other.
Conclusion
In summary, shared hosting and dedicated hosting are all great hosting options so long as you choose the right option for your website. Each has its own benefits and demerits. The demerits only apply if you choose the wrong option for your website. As evident from the discussions above, the kind of websites that should be hosted on a shared server are completely different from those that should be hosted on a dedicated server. There should not be any confusion with regard to where you should host your website. If you are seeking any kinds of web hosting, we recommend Blue Host, which is one of the best web hosts in the industry.
