VPS vs. Cloud hosting:
Which is the better option?

Since hosting is so important to the operation of a website, it is important to pick the right type

By Debashrita Majhi

November 11, 2021

Any online business owner is familiar with the concept of web hosting. Hosting providers store the files of your website on their servers. This allows virtual visitors to access your site, as all the files transfer from the server to their browser. Since hosting is so important to the operation of a website, it is important to pick the right type. We will be delving into VPS and cloud hosting to determine which is the better option for your business.

The Importance of Web Hosting

Some people may not consider web hosting to be an important decision, but this could not be farther from the truth. A good web hosting provider will make sure that your website is live and operational as much as possible. Typically, this should be at least 99.90% of the time. The host should also keep your website safe against hackers and malware.

A good web hosting provider will make sure that your website is live and operational as much as possible.

Hosting providers should also offer a variety of web hosting types. Common examples include shared VPS, dedicated, cloud, and reseller. For small to mid-size companies that have plenty of room to grow, VPS and cloud hosting are the best options.

VPS, or virtual private server hosting

With VPS, a single server will host multiple websites. Each website will have a private portion of the server, so they all get an equal portion of resources. A website on a VPS will have better security than one on a shared hosting plan. This is because there are fewer opportunities for hackers to infiltrate the sites on the server since they are separate.

A good hosting provider will constantly be monitoring your website for signs of malicious activity. For instance, sites like GreenGeeks offer a 24/7 monitoring service for their VPS plans. They are looking for DDoS attacks, phishing schemes, and malicious downloads, among other things.

‘A website on a VPS will have better security than one on a shared hosting plan.’

Advantages of VPS
VPS offers more customization options for users. With a VPS plan, you will have root access to the server. You will also be able to control the operating system and customize certain software. This is important to some users who have the technical knowledge and know what they want.

Disadvantages
Performance for a VPS will never be flawless. If a server were to go down, your website will be offline for at least a short period.

Cloud Hosting

When it comes to cloud hosting, there are several physical servers involved. All the servers are in different locations but connect through a virtual network. Your website will be drawing power from resources that are spread around the country or the world.

Advantages of cloud hosting
The major advantage of cloud hosting is that there is no risk of your website going down. If one server were to fail, another server will pick up the slack, and the service will instantly resume. There is a similar principle when it comes to resource allocation. If your website requires additional resources, it will draw upon the resources in the server cluster. This will ensure your website has high performance and fast speeds, which clients will appreciate.

‘With cloud hosting, your website will be drawing power from resources that are spread around the country or the world.’

Another advantage of cloud hosting is that you have the option of only paying for the resources that you use each month. The pay-as-you-go model differs from traditional hosting plans where you pay a monthly or annual rate.
Disadvantages

Your website is entirely web-based, which means that it is not impenetrable to hackers. Ultimately, there will always be an opportunity for a malicious attack. You will need to keep your website as secure as possible by keeping your anti-virus software up-to-date and performing routine scans.

Cloud hosting tends to be the more difficult option to set up. Unless you have technical knowledge, you may struggle. Certain hosting providers do offer additional set-up support for a fee.

The Verdict

Overall, both VPS and cloud hosting are good options for a website. You should use a VPS when you want to build a completely customized website and have control over the options. You should also think about a VPS when you aim for a consistent amount of traffic without anyone experiencing any lags or delays.

Alternatively, you should use cloud hosting when you have fluctuating traffic each month. An example of this might be an eCommerce site that experiences a spike in traffic during holidays. For cloud hosting, you should keep track of how much you are paying each month. On a pay-per-use basis, you will be saving money for the resources you do not end up using. If your company starts to grow and you end up paying considerably more each month, that would be the time to switch to a new plan.

Images: Pixabay

Read other articles about Technology