Are you looking for a reliable web hosting package? Well, you are not alone! Web hosting is a rapidly growing industry, with new customers arriving every day.
Virtual Private Server hosting and dedicated hosting are two distinctive types of hosting services. If you’re torn between getting a dedicated server or a VPS server, here is a small comparison between the two.
Understanding the difference between VPS and dedicated hosting will offer you valuable insights regarding the service you need for your digital journey.
Dedicated Hosting: Definition
Dedicated hosting is a hosting solution that provides a whole physical server to house your website or web application. The web hosting provider exclusively provides hosting resources, including bandwidth, storage, CPU and memory, for your website.
A dedicated server offers complete privacy because there is no server or resource-sharing involved in the process.
VPS Hosting: Definition
VPS hosting, i.e., virtual private server hosting, creates a virtualised environment on a physical server, partitioning into multiple independent virtual servers. Each VPS operates as a standalone server with dedicated resources.
A VPS server hosting plan offers a balance between shared hosting and dedicated hosting, i.e., affordability and performance.
Difference Between VPS Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting
| Parameters | VPS Hosting | Dedicated Server Hosting |
| Server Structure | A hypervisor uses virtualisation to divide a physical hosting server into multiple virtual servers. Each virtual machine/server houses a website or web application. That being said, unlike shared hosting, VPS hosting doesn’t share resources. Each virtual server is allocated with exclusive resources. | One physical server hosts one website or web application. As the name suggests, the hosting resources are also dedicated to a single website. |
| Server Security | The best VPS providers ensure optimal security from their side, making VPS hosting secure to a large extent. However, shared physical server environments can pose few threats. | Dedicated server hosting provides superior privacy and security since the server is exclusive to the client. This reduces potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, enhanced customisability allows you to fortify your server according to your security needs. |
| Customisability | A VPS server allows moderate customisations. The degree of freedom usually depends on the provider’s policies. However, you may experience limitations due to the shared environment. | A dedicated server is highly customisable. It offers complete control over server configurations, hardware and software. |
| Instant Scalability | With the best VPS server, scalability is easy. It allows you to add or reduce resources like CPU, RAM, storage or bandwidth without any downtime. | With dedicated hosting, scalability means upgrading hardware. This might lead to downtime and additional costs. |
| Cost Considerations | VPS hosting is cost-effective because the server and resources are virtually shared among multiple users. | Dedicated hosting is expensive because of the exclusivity, security and privacy the server provides. |
Summary
Before going into the decision-making process, understand that no hosting solution is better than the other. Some solutions align with your needs, and some don’t. You must find the one that fits your expectations.
While dedicated hosting offers stability, customisability and privacy, VPS hosting offers flexibility and cost-efficiency. So, make your decisions based on your priorities and hosting needs.