Cloud Hosting Vs. VPS - Which Comes Out on Top?

Cloud Hosting shares server space with other websites, but resources for all sites are split across multiple different servers.

VPS Hosting (virtual private server) also shares server space with other websites, but the server will be partitioned off into your own private environment.

Both share many similarities relating to performance, cost and support, yet they differ in several key areas such as scalability, infrastructure and technical knowledge required.

It’s easy to get confused between the benefits that each hosting option offers yyour business website, but comparing the two is crucial for anyone looking for more than shared hosting.

In this article, we will give a point by point comparison of the two to find out which one is best for you.

Resource Allocation

• Cloud hosting
  Efficiency is the name of the game with cloud hosting, and resources are spread across multiple servers at any given time.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS offers a hefty amount of processing power, but this is still restricted to what’s available on just one server.

Verdict
Cloud hosting
This is a close one as while VPS hosting generally has more resources per site, cloud hosting applies those resources more efficiently.

Performance

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting has been designed for speed, and if one server suffers performance issues, websites can easily draw on resources from multiple other servers.
• VPS Hosting
  In a VPS environment, your website is segregated virtually from other users. This means no one will ever be able to tap into your resource and affect performance.

Verdict
Cloud Hosting
While both options offer great performance, cloud hosting takes the win because it's just that little bit more flexible than VPS.

Traffic volume

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting can much more easily scale up to handle large spikes in traffic by dipping into the server pool during busy times.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS infrastructure is well suited for large amounts of traffic, but you’ll need to plan ahead as the solution is designed to cater to stable levels. If visitor numbers spike above your average, you might get slow-down.

Verdict
Cloud hosting
Again, cloud hosting wins this one for its level of flexibility when dealing with peaks and troughs in traffic.

Security

• Cloud hosting
  While cloud solutions are very secure, you’re still sharing your space across multiple servers and are open to attacks from the web. You can, however, install additional third-party security options to your site.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS is an incredibly secure form of hosting. Your site is completely segregated from other sites on the server, and you have far more customization options to add additional protective measures to the server.

Verdict
An easy win for VPS here, and its segregated environments offer one of the most secure hosting types on the market.

Control

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting is generally quite limited when it comes to control. Most users opt for a managed service, where all maintenance, patches, and software are covered for you.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS offers a lot more in terms of control, and users have the opportunity to take charge of all software that gets placed on the server, as well as manage their own maintenance issues.

Verdict
VPS
VPS hosting certainly offers a lot more in the way of control, but you should be aware that you’ll need some technical expertise to get the most out of it.

Server Administration

• Cloud hosting
  For the most part, server administration is handled by the data host and you won’t need to lift a finger. Although you can take charge of some limited admin tasks via your website control panel.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS hosting offers both a fully managed service and your own customization options. In a managed service you’ll delegate all server admin to the data host, while those looking for customization will find they have total freedom.

Verdict
Draw
It’s difficult to choose between the two here as both offer quite different services based on different needs and skillsets. For newbies, we’d recommend cloud hosting, but web development veterans might want to go for VPS.

Scalability

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud solutions are the most easily scalable of all hosting types. Since your site isn’t restricted to the resources of just one server, you can scale up almost instantly as your site traffic grows, and vice versa when you get a drop.
• VPS Hosting
  Each VPS hosting package assigns you a set amount of bandwidth and storage space. If you want to scale up you’ll need to plan in advance and upgrade to a better package.

Verdict
Cloud Hosting
Having a whole network of servers to draw from, often across different data centers, means scaling up is incredibly easy for cloud-hosted sites.

Price

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting is a little more expensive than shared hosting options, but it won’t necessarily break the bank and prices can be as low as $3.50 per month.
• VPS Hosting
  VPS solutions tend to be a little more expensive than cloud options, but it really depends on what you want to get out of the platform. You’ll obviously pay a lot more for expensive customizations, but you can easily find packages on par with cloud solutions.

Verdict
Draw
While VPS is usually a little pricier than cloud hosting, it’s difficult to award the prize to either. Both cater for different needs and you’ll usually only pay for what you need.

Technical knowledge needed

• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting is newbie-friendly and you don’t need a lot of prior knowledge about web hosting to get involved. Although there are a few customization options for the more technically-minded to get their teeth into.
• VPS Hosting
  Those that want a fully customized service, have bespoke software, or want to tweak and optimize servers will need a lot of specialist knowledge. Or, at the very least, need to hire in expertise.

Verdict
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting is much easier to get to grips with, although you can still opt for a managed VPS solution if you don’t have the technical knowledge to run it.

Customer Support

• Cloud hosting
  You’ll have access to a knowledgeable in-house team of experts that can answer any technical or maintenance issue. Service agents can even answer questions about the best plug-ins for your site.
• VPS Hosting
  A VPS solution will most often use the same customer service teams as its cloud counterpart, so you can expect a very similar level of service.

Verdict
Draw
As customer service starts to become standardized right across the industry, there’s very little between these two hosting options.

• You want more customization
  If you’ve got a few years of hosting experience under your belt, are dabbling in bespoke systems, or simply want more control over the security measures on your server, you might want to consider a switch to VPS
  
  
• More flexible scalability
  If traffic to your site has become too unpredictable and your VPS package can no longer cope with traffic spikes, we’d highly recommend switching to a cloud package.
  You can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan in just a few clicks, and the multiple servers are perfectly set up to deal with fluctuating bandwidth requirements
  
  
• You’ve outgrown shared hosting
  The most common switch to either cloud or VPS hosting is because sites have outgrown shared hosting packages. This is common in growing businesses and those with popular eCommerce stores. Either of the two alternatives is a good place to start, and it all depends on your personal preference in how much control you’d like

Cloud hosting and VPS hosting are both incredibly popular choices for those needing more than shared hosting, and it’s tough to pick a clear winner especially since your business needs are unique.

Our recommendation is to thoroughly consider what you want to get out of your site and go for the option that best meets your needs.

If you’re looking for flexible management of traffic, easy scalability and want to get set up quickly, cloud hosting is highly recommended.

However, if you’re after more customization options, enhanced security and a little more control over your servers, then VPS might just be the solution for you.