If you’re a business owner, then cloud hosting is likely something that has crossed your radar.
But have you ever thought about how much cloud hosting costs?
Cloud hosting could be an affordable or costly solution depending on your needs.
I’m Garrett, and I’ve spent the last decade working in the hosting industry at a (handful) of big-box hosting companies.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the financial implications of opting for this type of web hosting so that you can make an informed decision before choosing a provider!
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways
- Cloud hosting costs can range from very cheap to quite expensive, depending on your exact needs.
- Depending on the performance, cloud hosting costs can range from $5/month to over $200.
- Generally speaking, cloud hosting tends to be more affordable than other types of web hosting when used at scale.
- As cloud technology continues to improve over time, the costs associated with cloud hosting will likely come down.
How Much Does Cloud Hosting Cost?
Generally speaking, pricing for cloud hosting can vary depending on the provider and your needs.
On average, most companies will pay an estimated $5 to $200 per month based on their plan selection, with additional fees for traffic and bandwidth usage.
However, several factors, such as ram, processor, storage, and bandwidth, can influence this cost.
For example, higher plans will offer more RAM and processor power, making them a better fit for companies that need more resources than the average user.
Types of Cloud Hosting Payment Methods
Hourly
Some cloud hosting providers offer hourly billing.
This type of payment structure is excellent for businesses that don’t need a full cloud server all the time but still want access to resources when needed.
Monthly
Most cloud hosting companies offer monthly payments ranging from $5 to over $200.
Yearly Subscriptions
Year-long subscriptions are available and can offer a cost savings of up to 30% off of the monthly subscription.
In conclusion, cloud hosting costs vary depending on the provider, resources needed, and billing structure (monthly or yearly).
Is Cloud Hosting Cheaper than Web Hosting?
Typically, when people refer to “web hosting”, they are talking about shared hosting.
Shared hosting is an inexpensive option where many websites are hosted on the same server.
Cloud hosting is usually more expensive due to its flexibility and scalability.
That said, if you need the flexibility of cloud hosting, then it might be worth the extra cost in terms of the features offered.
How Much Does Cloud Hosting Cost Per Month?
Several factors go into the cost of cloud hosting on a month-to-month basis (most of which are listed above), including:
- Number of Websites
- Storage
- Bandwidth
- Ram
- Resources
- WordPress Options
Cloud Server Pricing Comparison
Let’s break down some of the top cloud hosting companies and compare the pricing and value of their hosting offerings.
How Much is Hostinger Cloud Hosting?
In this comparison, we’re looking at the most expensive and least expensive options for Hostinger hosting.
Cloud Startup: $9.99/Month
- 300 Websites
- 200 GB SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Free Domain ($7.99 value)
- Unlimited Free SSL
- Daily Backups ($25.08 value)
- Performance
- 3 GB RAM
- 2 CPU Cores
- Dedicated Resources
- Dedicated IP Address
Cloud Enterprise: $29.99/Month
- 300 Websites
- 300 GB SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Free Domain ($7.99 value)
- Unlimited Free SSL
- Daily Backups ($25.08 value)
- Performance
- 12 GB RAM
- 6 CPU Cores
- Dedicated Resources
- Dedicated IP Address
As you can see above, you get four times the ram and three times the CPU cores for three times the price.
How Much is Cloudways Cloud Hosting?
Cloudways has several service offerings, including VULTR, AWS, and Google Cloud. For this example, we’ll be using AWS.
AWS Basic: $36.51/Month
- RAM 2GB
- vCPU 2
- Storage 20GB
- Bandwidth 2GB
AWS Advanced: $274.33
- RAM 16GB
- vCPU 4
- Storage 20GB
- Bandwidth 2GB
Again, the more you pay, the more you get. However, notice the pricing difference between Hostinger and Cloudways.
Cloudways has more offerings and variance in pricing.
How Much is Dreamhost Cloud Hosting?
Dreamhost is our last comparison for this post. Dreamhost offers several different types of hosting options as well, but here is their cloud hosting.
512MB Ram Server: $4.50/Month
- 1 vCPU
- 80 GB SSD Disk
- Free Bandwidth
- 100 GB Block Storage
8GB Ram Server: $48/Month
- 4 vCPU
- 80 GB SSD Disk
- Free Bandwidth
- 100 GB Block Storage
The only difference between the packages here is the vCPU and the ram size. However, there is a HUGE gap between 512MB and 8GB of ram.
FYI there are 1,000 megabytes in a gigabyte.
After looking at the different cloud hosting companies, you can see that pricing for cloud hosting varies drastically based on the features offered and your specific needs.
It’s essential to weigh out the pros and cons of web hosting versus cloud hosting and consider all the features and costs associated with it.
In this example, Hostinger has the best bang for your buck, but dozens of cloud hosting options exist.
Check out our post on the best cloud hosting providers to see more.
Cloud Hosting Cost Comparisons
Ultimately, the cost of cloud hosting depends on what type of plan and features you need.
Regardless of your specific needs, cloud hosting can be more expensive than web hosting due to its scalability and flexibility.
However, if you are looking for a robust hosting solution with dedicated resources, it might be worth the extra cost regarding features and performance.
Cloud Hosting Vs. VPS Hosting Costs
When deciding between cloud hosting and VPS hosting, it comes down to scalability, resources, and cost.
Typically VPS hosting is more expensive than cloud hosting when comparing apples to apples.
VPS hosting requires you to purchase a larger package and it is not as scalable as cloud hosting.
Cloud hosting may be the better option if scalability and resources are more important than cost when considering your hosting needs.
You can see this example from Hostinger.
Cloud Hosting Vs. Dedicated Server Costs
When looking at the cost of cloud hosting versus dedicated servers, it’s important to understand the differences between them.
Dedicated servers are generally more expensive than cloud hosting solutions because they offer more resources, and you don’t have to share server space with other customers.
However, cloud hosting can be more cost-effective because it offers scalability and is easily upgradeable.
Here’s an example of Dreamhost’s dedicated server options.
As you can see, there is a significant price difference! Starting at $169/month.
When people refer to “web hosting,” they most likely refer to shared hosting. So when you’re looking at cloud hosting vs shared hosting, that’s what they’re referring to.
Shared hosting is the most cost-effective hosting option because it allows you to share resources with other customers on a single server.
You can find shared hosting for as low as $2/month, making it one of the cheapest web hosting solutions.
However, if you need more than basic features like scalability, security, and flexibility, then cloud hosting could be the better option for your business.
Cloud hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, but you also get access to more resources and features.
Keeping with our examples, here are Hostinger’s shared hosting plans (starting at $1.99/month).
Which Cloud Hosting is Best?
The best cloud hosting depends on your specific needs and budget.
The costs associated with cloud hosting vary significantly depending on your chosen provider and the features offered.
Research and compare different providers to find the one that fits your budget and offers your desired features.
It’s also important to pay attention to the details when comparing cloud hosting providers, such as RAM and disk space available for each plan, as well as the cost differences.
We’ve done some heavy lifting for you and created a post about the best cloud hosting options.
What Cloud Hosting Company is Cheapest?
When finding the cheapest cloud hosting option, consider your needs and budget.
It’s essential to look at the features offered for the price point and compare different providers.
Hostinger has the best bang for your buck regarding cloud hosting costs, but dozens of cloud hosting options exist.
Here are a few of the cheapest cloud hosting providers.
Dreamhost: $4.50/Month
Cloudways: $12.00/Month
Hostinger: $9.99/Month
Conclusion
Cloud hosting costs can vary dramatically depending on your needed features and resources.
When researching cloud hosting providers, compare different options to find the one that fits your budget and desired features.
Remember to look for additional details when choosing a provider, such as RAM and disk space for each plan.
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