If you're new to the world of web hosting it can certainly be confusing to pick your way through the different options available. To help you identify the differences between web hosting and cloud hosting, we’ve put them head-to-head to help you decide which will work the best for your website.
What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a catch-all term that covers any type of hosting where your website’s data and files will be stored. Most types of web hosting involve holding this information on a single server, and the type you choose is in some ways dependent on your site’s storage requirements. The most common forms of web hosting include:
Shared - Your site is housed alongside other organizations in a shared environment
VPS - Similar to shared hosting, but you’ll get your own segregated slice of the server
Dedicated - A server all to yourself. Designed to accommodate big businesses with large amounts of traffic
Managed - A host will manage all aspects of your website maintenance and security
What Is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting involves a number of different websites sharing space and bandwidth across multiple servers in one or more data centers. If any one site receives a spike in traffic it can easily draw on the server pool for additional resources. This makes cloud solutions the most easily scalable form of hosting.
Cloud Hosting Vs. Web Hosting: Brief Comparison
Common Features
Flexibility - Whichever plan you opt for in the end, there’s usually a good chance you’ll have a high degree of flexibility to upgrade or switch plans with ease
Both cover different types of website - Both web hosting and cloud hosting cover a huge range of different types of website, from small businesses up to popular eCommerce stores
Access to 24/7 customer service - Hosting platforms understand the importance of keeping your site operating 24/7, and strong customer service is becoming the industry standard
Differences
Server infrastructure - While most web hosting options will have your site on just one server, cloud solutions draw on a large pool of different servers. This spreads any resource strain across the whole data center
Scalability - Cloud hosting is easily the most scalable hosting option there is. Being able to tap into additional processing power at any time makes it easy to handle spikes in traffic, while other web hosting options can take a little more time to upgrade
Flexible pricing - Costs fluctuate depending on how much bandwidth you actually use when you choose cloud hosting
Point By Point Comparison
Resource Allocation
- Cloud hosting Cloud hosting is the king of efficiency when it comes to resource allocation. Since websites share processing power across multiple servers, any spikes in traffic are easily covered.
- Web Hosting Web hosting comes with a lot of options, but most generally tend to sit on just one server. This means resource allocation lacks the flexibility of a cloud counterpart.
Verdict
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting is highly adaptable when it comes to resource allocation, and being able to draw on multiple servers at any given time makes it our winner.
Performance
- Cloud hosting Performance is generally pretty solid in most cloud hosting solutions. However, it does start to struggle a little if you’re a particularly large business.
- Web Hosting Under web hosting solutions you’ll find a huge range of performance ratings, each designed to meet different niche requirements.
Verdict
Web Hosting
Web hosting meets every performance need you can think of. From small blogs right up to multinational corporations.
Traffic volume
- Cloud hosting Cloud hosting is great for organizations that expect regular fluctuations in traffic. The server pool infrastructure is designed to cater to large traffic spikes as well as unexpected drops.
- Web Hosting You’ll need to plan ahead when using most types of web hosting as your package will usually have a prescribed traffic limit. You can opt for a dedicated server that can handle huge amounts of traffic, although this can be pretty expensive.
Verdict
Cloud Hosting
Through a combination of flexibility and reasonable pricing, cloud hosting takes the win.
Security
- Cloud hosting While advances in cybersecurity technology have come a long way in recent years, websites in cloud environments do tend to be a little more vulnerable than other hosting types as they’re exposed to the wider internet.
- Web Hosting Different web hosting solutions offer up a wide range of different security options. You can opt for full customization via a VPS or dedicated solution, or let the data host take care of everything.
Verdict
Web Hosting
With certain types of web hosting it’s possible to create fully tailored and incredibly secure websites. If you have the money and expertise, you can create Fort Knox levels of protection.
Control
- Cloud hosting Cloud hosting solutions generally limit the control that users have over the back end of the website and restrict your ability to install software and programs onto the server.
- Web Hosting Shared hosting, much like cloud hosting, is very restrictive in terms of control, but VPS and dedicated solutions offer much more flexibility for users.
Verdict
Web Hosting
Web hosting simply offers a lot more in terms of what you can do to your site, although this depends on the package you choose and how much you’re willing to spend. However, you’ll need some impressive technical skills to get the most out of a site.
Server Administration
- Cloud hosting For the most part, the data host takes care of any server administration for you. This includes ensuring uptime, fixing maintenance issues, and applying security patches.
- Web Hosting How much server administration you do is all dependent on the type of web hosting package you pick. Some, like shared hosting, cover all admin for you, while in VPS and dedicated solutions you’ll be expected to do much more.
Verdict
Draw
It really depends on what you want to get out of your solution in terms of administration. Cloud solutions are great for taking the stress out of hosting, while other options offer far more in terms of customization.
Scalability
- Cloud hosting Cloud hosting is built for scalability. Since it draws from multiple servers at once, it can be instantly scaled up or down to match any spikes in traffic or website usage.
- Web Hosting Web hosting options often come with more processing power than cloud options but are usually more difficult to scale and require a little bit of planning.
Verdict
Cloud Hosting
An easy win for cloud hosting here given just how easy it is to scale up your site. If you need more bandwidth or storage it’s usually a case of contacting customer service and it’s done instantly.
Price
- Cloud hosting Cloud hosting is becoming more reasonably priced all of the time, and you can sometimes even find offers close to shared hosting packages at just a few dollars per month.
- Web Hosting There’s a huge price variance among different web hosting options, from tiny shared hosting sites costing $3 per month, right up to dedicated servers at several hundred dollars.
Verdict
Draw
Price all depends on what you want out of your website here. If you want a huge enterprise website, you’ll need expensive dedicated servers, while smaller sites will be more than happy with cloud solutions.
Technical knowledge needed
- Cloud hosting You don’t really need any technical skills to get started in cloud hosting, but it does help to have some experience if you’re planning to dabble with customization options.
- Web Hosting You’ll need some significant web hosting knowledge to handle both VPS and dedicated solutions, while shared options are great for newbies.
Verdict
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting keeps things simple, and the low barriers to entry make it our winner here.
Making the Switch Between Hosting Types
Your plan is too expensive
If you’re finding your current plan too costly, you might want to consider switching to a shared hosting option. This is a particularly good choice for smaller websites that don’t need too much processing power.
You’ve noticed a slow-down in your site
This is usually a sign that you don’t have enough bandwidth or processing power. Or, you could be receiving more visitors than your site can handle. A cloud solution is a good choice here
You need something more scalable
If you have unpredictable levels of traffic, or expect spikes in visitors at certain times in the year, then a cloud hosting option would be perfect for you
You need a lot of processing power
For very large enterprises, corporations, and multinational companies, you’ll definitely benefit from a dedicated server. These are built to handle huge amounts of traffic and have very generous storage allowances
What Other Web Hosting Types Are There
Shared Vs. Cloud Hosting
Shared hosting is perfect if you don’t have a very big website. It’s cheap, easy to set up, and hassle-free. Cloud hosting on the other hand is a step up in terms of processing power.
Cloud Hosting Vs. VPS
VPS hosting is well suited to experienced web developers, and those that are looking to make more detailed customizations and modifications to the back end of their sites. Cloud hosting is easier to set up, and cheaper, but doesn’t have the same level of control.
Summary
Cloud hosting is a great option for both brand new websites as well as more established organizations. The level of flexibility and scalability, combined with a reasonable price point will ensure it remains a popular choice.
However, that doesn’t mean we can easily dismiss other forms of web hosting. Each is there to fill a very specific niche and, depending on your business needs, you might want to go down another route.
For example, shared hosting is perfect for brand new businesses, while VPS is a go-to choice for people looking for more control over the applications that can be installed on the server. We’d always recommend thinking about the needs of your website before taking the plunge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are uptime guarantees different between different hosting types?
No, Verpex has a 99.99% uptime guarantee regardless of which hosting package you choose.
If I move my site to Verpex do I need to change domain name?
No, we make the transfer process easy and you can keep your current domain name.
Do I need any technical knowledge to get started?
This depends. For cloud and shared hosting, you can jump in with no prior experience, but those choosing a dedicated or VPS option should have some technical skills under their belts.
What is bandwidth and how much do I need?
Bandwidth refers to how much data is accessed when a visitor lands on your site. The more data on your site, such as videos, images, and text, the more bandwidth you’ll need. You can discuss options with our customer service representatives.
