Types of Web Hosting Explained

Are you confused about web hosting? Not sure what types of web hosting are right for you and your website?

Don’t stress: We’ve got all the answers! 

Having built several websites over the past few years, I am no stranger to web hosting services.

I have found that there are many fascinating types of web hosting available, and each one has advantages depending on the type of website you need.

Here we’ll be demystifying the types of web hosting and looking at their advantages, helping you get the most out of your hosting experience. So let’s jump right in!

What Is Website Hosting?

Website hosting is the web service that allows individuals and organizations to access websites from the internet. 

How does web hosting work? 

• Web hosting involves a web host (an individual or company) connecting the server, domain name, and website to the internet.
• These servers store the data associated with websites, such as HTML files, images, videos, audio files, and other essential content types.

Several types of web hosting are available, from shared to dedicated hosting and even specialized solutions such as cloud-based or virtual private servers.

By selecting the right kind of web hosting platform for your needs, you can ensure that your website runs smoothly.

What are the Six Types of Web Hosting?

No matter what your business needs – large or small, basic or complex – there are types of web hosting that can meet your needs.

From reliable and cost-effective shared hosting to powerful virtual private servers, there is an option for everyone.

Let’s look at the most common types of web hosting solutions and their benefits so you can understand how web hosting works.

cPanel Hosting

cPanel hosting is a popular type of web hosting for small businesses, startups, and individual website owners.

It’s attractive because it offers an easy-to-use interface and often comes with more features than other types of web hosting. 

For instance, using cPanel, you can easily: 

• View your website files
• create email accounts and FTP accounts
• manage databases and SSL certificates

All from one web page! 

Most types of web hosting have a control panel that makes managing your site easier – cPanel specializes in offering an efficient and user-friendly service for their customers. 

What is It?

Whether you’re looking to launch a personal website or a high-traffic eCommerce site, cPanel web hosting can make it easier. 

• With cPanel hosting, users can access the “control panel” website management program available through the cPanel platform.
• This software suite lets users set up and configure their web servers and settings intuitively, allowing them to navigate their website-related needs easily.

With the addition of Linux-based web hosting, cPanel is unbeatable in providing customer satisfaction when managing sites and having helpful technical support on standby.

Features

• Automatic backups: set up and configure automated backup schedules with a few clicks.
• Intuitive control panel interface: easily manage files, databases, and other website settings without coding knowledge.
• Easy website builder tools: create and publish a stunning website in no time with the help of drag-and-drop page builders and pre-made themes.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: easy to use and understand.
• Large selection of features: customize your website without needing coding knowledge.
• Automatic backups: ensure your data remains safe and secure.
• Advanced security protocols: secure hosting protects your website from malicious attacks.

Cons

• Not suitable for high-traffic websites.
• Can be expensive compared to other types of web hosting.
• Limited scalability due to the shared hosting environment.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is the perfect solution if you have more than one website and are looking for reliable types of web hosting. 

Cloud hosting allows you to quickly switch resources between different cloud environments, meaning you can instantly adjust the size of your hosting in response to changing needs. 

It’s also possible to use different types of technology depending on your project, giving you maximum versatility in designing systems. With all this in mind, it makes sense why more and more people are opting for cloud hosting today.

What is It?

A cloud host uses several virtual servers to store and manage multiple sites and provide businesses with an added level of reliability.

If one server experiences an issue or high traffic, the remaining will take over, ensuring your website remains operational and runs smoothly. 

This is particularly beneficial for those with multiple websites or those running larger sites like eCommerce shops that need guaranteed customer reliability.

Features

• Unlimited resources: you’ll never have to worry about running out of disk space, memory, or bandwidth again.
• Multiple server types: give your website the best possible performance by selecting from various hosting types
• High uptime rates: your website remains online even if one server experiences an issue.

Pros

• Scalable: quickly scale up or down as needed without switching hosting types.
• Can handle high traffic: VPS hosting is great for websites that experience a high volume of traffic or need more resources than shared hosting can provide.
• Less downtime: VPS hosting is less likely to experience downtime than shared hosting, as it’s isolated from other websites.

Cons

• More Expensive: VPS hosting can be more expensive than shared or dedicated hosting, depending on the resources needed.
• Root Access Not Guaranteed: some VPS hosting providers may not offer root access, which could limit your ability to make certain changes.

VPS Hosting

VPS hosting is a type of web hosting that’s a great fit for those looking for something between shared hosting and dedicated hosting.

It offers users more control over their environment than shared hosting, as the server space is typically split into distinct virtual compartments.

On top of this, VPS hosting often allows you to make upgrades or scale back according to your needs or requirements.

What is It?

VPS hosting stands for “virtual private server,” and it’s essentially a hybrid of the two types of hosting mentioned above.

Rather than having a shared hosting environment, VPS hosting allows you to have your own dedicated space on a virtual server. 

Your website is stored on the same physical hardware as other websites, but each partition is isolated and treated like its own mini-server. 

Features

• Unlimited resources: you can scale up or down as needed to ensure your website always has the resources it needs.
• Secure environment: with VPS hosting, you have complete control over who has access to your server and data, allowing for added security.
• Dedicated IP address: this gives you a dedicated IP address for your website, which can help with SEO and other types of online marketing.

Pros

• Root access: you’ll have complete access to the server, giving you full control over how it’s used and configured.
• Dedicated server space: you’ll have more control over your hosting environment than you would with shared hosting, allowing for added flexibility.
• Can handle high traffic: if your website experiences a large number of visitors, VPS hosting can provide the resources.

Cons

• Expensive: VPS hosting can be more expensive than shared or dedicated hosting, depending on the resources needed.
• Learning curve: due to the complexity of VPS hosting, there may be a steep learning curve for beginners. You might want to look into a web hosting service for beginners before you jump into the deep end.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is an excellent option for those who don’t yet have the resources to utilize types of hosting such as VPS and dedicated hosting and you’re looking for cheap web hosting.

Shared hosting offers affordability and quality performance for small-scale websites.

Since your share the server with multiple users, technical maintenance becomes less labor-intensive.

What is It?

Shared web hosting is a type of web hosting that works by giving each user a portion of the same server.

This allows multiple websites to be stored on the same physical hardware while still giving users space and resources. 

Features

• Affordable: shared hosting is one of the most affordable types of web hosting available
• Same server: since multiple websites are stored on the same physical hardware, technical maintenance is easier
• Shared resources: with shared hosting, you’ll share the same resources as other users

Pros

• Low maintenance: since the server is shared among multiple users, it’s easier to maintain and manage.
• Reliable performance: shared types of hosting are reliable enough for most websites with moderate to low traffic volume
• Cost-effective: shared hosting is one of the most affordable types of hosting available

Cons

• Not customizable: while you can make some basic changes to your hosting setup, more complex configurations are not possible
• Limitations in resources: since you’re sharing the server’s resources with other users, you may experience a limitation regarding bandwidth and memory usage.
• Possible security risks: as with any shared service, there is the potential for security breaches due to multiple users accessing the same server.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is the highest tier of types of web hosting and is often considered one of the best hosting services.

• Dedicated hosting gives clients the advantages of their own server and total hardware resources, meaning that performance and speed are significantly better than other types of hosting making it one of the fastest web hosting products.
• For those looking for more control over their website, dedicated hosting can also provide greater customization options for a more tailored user experience.

With its many benefits, it’s not surprising that dedicated hosting is increasing in popularity.

What is It?

Dedicated hosting is a type of web hosting where website owners rent an entire server from a hosting provider. 

• This means the owner has exclusive access to server resources like bandwidth and storage space.
• This option gives you all the power of having an on-site server, but with the added perk of getting professional support from your web host. 

Dedicated servers are ideal for large online businesses with a lot of traffic.

Features

• Server management: business owners can rest assured knowing their website is in good hands with a team of IT experts supervising and maintaining the server
• Administrative access: business owners get unfettered access to the server and its resources
• Server Configuration: you can tailor the settings to your website’s needs

Pros

• Total control: You can customize and configure your server as needed.
• Excellent performance: since no other websites use the same hardware resources, performance is better than shared hosting types.
• Reliable security: since the entire server is dedicated to one user, there is greater security and privacy of data

Cons

• Higher cost: due to their exclusive access and additional resources, dedicated types of hosting can be more expensive.
• Technical knowledge required: setting up a server can require some technical knowledge.

Reseller Hosting (Bonus)

If you’re planning on starting an online business, reseller hosting may be the perfect option.

This option is more affordable than getting your own dedicated server, and you get full admin access so you can customize the hosting experience to suit your needs.

If budget and flexibility are top-of-mind for you when setting up an online presence, then reseller hosting should be a serious consideration!

What is It?

With reseller hosting, you purchase or rent space from a web host and sublease that space to other users who need their own websites.

You provide customer service and technical support, acting as intermediary between the web host and your customers.

If you are a web admin or developer looking to capitalize on your knowledge by providing hosting services to your customers. In that case, a reseller hosting plan might be your ideal solution.

Features

• Disc Space: you have the option to purchase extra space from a web host to meet your needs
• Branding: you can create your own branding and customize the hosting control panel
• Client Management: organize clients’ information in one place for easy access

Pros

• No maintenance: web hosts are responsible for maintenance and technical support
• Flexible: you have complete control over the types of features and services that you offer your customers.
• Profitable: you get to keep the profits from what you charge your customers for hosting services

Cons

• Limited server access: since you are sharing a server with other users, you may have limited access to certain configurations and settings.
• Higher cost: depending on the types of services provided, reseller hosting can have high startup costs
• Technical knowledge required: some technical know-how is necessary to configure the server

Conclusion

When looking for types of web hosting, there’s no “one size fits all” answer. 

Every website has different needs and requires a set of hosting features that work best for their case.

Finding the right type for your website depends on your hosting needs.  

Take the time to understand the types of hosting available, and you’ll be much closer to finding the perfect website host. 

Now I’d like to hear from you; what types of web hosting have you used in the past, and what has been your experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

Types of Web Hosting FAQ