With web hosting, you upload your website into an environment provided by the host. It can be a good starting point for a business website if the supported technologies meet its needs.
With a VPS, you manage a separate operating system and are responsible for more configuration and maintenance. It can be appropriate for custom applications or tasks requiring a dedicated server environment.
Before choosing, list your application's technology, storage needs and expected load. These provide a meaningful basis for comparing plans.
How to compare
| Szempont | Web hosting | VPS |
|---|---|---|
| Environment | A preconfigured service | Your own operating system |
| Application | Fits the supported technologies | An environment you can customise |
| Maintenance | As specified in the service plan | An operator responsibility, under a separate agreement |
| Planning | Domains, files and mailboxes | CPU, memory, disk and network |
Three questions to guide your choice
- Can the application run in the web host's supported environment? If so, this may be the simpler starting point.
- Do you need background processes, custom packages or system settings? Consider a VPS for these requirements.
- Who will handle updates, backups and troubleshooting? Clarify this before choosing.
Specific situations that can guide your choice
| Requirement | A reasonable starting point | What else needs clarifying? |
|---|---|---|
| A business WordPress website | Web hosting that meets the requirements | PHP version, database, backups, storage and email sending. |
| A custom background process or system component | A VPS or application hosting that supports the technology | Process supervision, updates, network access and operational ownership. |
| Growing load on an existing website | Measure and inspect the application first | Is the slowdown caused by CPU, database, network or code issues? |
| No system administration capacity | Web hosting or a documented managed service | Exactly what does the provider manage, and what remains the customer's responsibility? |
Compare more than the monthly price
Include licences, backup storage, updates and troubleshooting work alongside the server price. The extra freedom of a VPS can mean more responsibility. Compare web hosting limits with your actual technical requirements, not just a generic plan name.
- Request a written list of supported runtimes and plan limits.
- Record who is responsible for the application, operating system and backups.
- Test functionality and the database in the new environment before migrating.
