Shared hosting, VPS or dedicated server: choosing by workload

Hosting decisions are easier when you start from the workload rather than the product list.

Shared web hosting

Many websites share a server, managed by the hosting provider through a control panel. It is economical and requires little technical knowledge. It suits company websites, blogs and small content-managed sites.

Virtual private server (VPS)

A VPS gives your application its own allocation of CPU, memory and storage on a shared physical server, isolated from other customers. It suits business applications, custom software, APIs and sites with growing traffic, or software with specific requirements.

Dedicated server

A whole physical server for one customer. It suits high-traffic platforms, large databases and workloads that need predictable performance or strict isolation.

Questions to ask

• How many users or requests at peak?
• Does the application need specific software versions or background workers?
• Who will apply updates and manage security?
• What are the backup and recovery requirements?

Start right-sized

It is usually straightforward to move from shared hosting to a VPS, or to scale a VPS, as needs grow.

Compare options on MavenHost (opens in a new tab), or ask us to plan your hosting.