eCommerce websites are usually designed for high traffic volumes. These sites require reliable web hosting due to their multiple financial requirements. Virtual Private Server (VPS), which is the most popular type of hosting, is the next.

This article will take a deeper look at shared and VPS hosting in order to show what they are and why the latter are a better option for eCommerce websites and online stores.

Types of web hosting

There are many options for web hosting. Although they are primarily used to store your website’s data, there are many differences between them. Shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting are the most popular types of web hosting.

Shared Hosting

As of 2020, the market for shared hosting was worth more than $22 billion

As the name implies, shared hosting is a way for multiple websites to share the physical server and software applications. They also use the same resources (e.g. disk space, CPU, RAM) This means that all sites are in the same boat. Everyone is affected if the boat sinks.

One good example of shared hosting is sharing a swimming pool with others. If the pool isn’t too crowded, you’ll have a great time. You should be aware, however, that the pool gets crowded if there are more people.

Why choose shared hosting?

There are many reasons shared hosting is so popular and dominates a large portion of the web hosting industry.

Affordable

The cheapest hosting option is shared hosting. You are basically renting space on an existing server to others. This allows web hosts to offer cheap shared hosting.

It’s easy to get started and use 

Hosting is easy with shared hosting. It is simple and fairly standard. You’ll likely only need to focus on the front-end and not much at the back. You can also use the tools provided by most shared hosting environments to manage your website. Because it requires little technical knowledge, shared hosting is more user-friendly.

Managed Infrastructure

The technical details are not something you need to worry about. The support team will take care of all technical details, including system downtimes, maintenance, upgrades, and so on. A specialized team will be available to assist with more complicated issues. This allows you to focus entirely on your core business, which is what you should do.

Why not share hosting?

There are always two sides of a coin. The same goes for shared hosting.

Restrictive

Although shared hosting is simple and straightforward to use, it can be very restrictive. You have limited options. You do not have root access and have very limited access to the backend. You will need permission to modify anything. Because you could have an impact on other sites, this is important.

Limited Resources

High-load websites will use more server resources. As fewer resources are available, this will impact the performance of other websites. This can be detrimental to your website’s performance as it is dependent on others.

Security

Security is an important concern. Although your website may have its own domain, the fact that the directory is shared with other sites makes it easy to link your site to those websites. All sites on the same server can be in danger if hackers gain access to the main directory or hack into them.

Keep in mind that shared hosting means all websites hosted on the same server will automatically have the same IP address. If the IP address is blacklisted, it will likely be due to the fault or negligence of another site. In this case, your website will “inherit” the label of malicious and be blacklisted.

What is shared hosting?

However, shared hosting is best for blogs or websites that aren’t very popular. If you have a simple eCommerce site and don’t have the budget, then shared hosting might be a good option. This is the best choice for new websites that don’t expect a lot of traffic in the near future.

Virtual Private Server (VPS).

VPS Hosting Conceptual Diagram (source : Namecheap

Technically, a Virtual Operating System (VPS) is a virtual operating environment that runs within a parent server. This virtualization technology creates software-simulated machines that can exist in their own isolated environments. VPS can provide dedicated resources for each user.

Hypervisors allow virtualization to be achieved. Hypervisor (also known as virtual machine monitor (VMM) is software that creates and manages virtual machines (VMs). You will still share the same server but you will each get your own virtual partition. This means that resources are always available for you and not shared. You won’t be affected by other websites sharing the same server, as you will each get a set of resources that is specific to your site.

Why use VPS?

VPS is very popular because of its many benefits.

More Control

You can install the software that you require and then uninstall them whenever you wish. The software is configured according to your needs. You build the websites and databases. You are responsible for managing the users. You are also responsible for security, including updates and fixes.

You can make changes to the server without having to go through the web hosting provider, unlike shared hosting.

Stronger Security

A VPS is more secure than shared hosting because it is a closed environment. A virus/malware can infect other websites on shared hosts, and even your own. You’ll be responsible for what isn’t your fault.

VPS solutions are not affected by such issues because they offer a unique and isolated environment for each user.

Performance Enhancement

As we have already explained, VPS uses virtualization technology. This means your site has a dedicated virtual partition. These resources are not shared and your site’s performance will not be affected by them.

You don’t need to worry about a website experiencing a spike in traffic. You can also easily increase the resources as needed. A VPS is simply more reliable and stable.

Why not VPS?

Greater control means greater responsibility. This is also true for VPS.

You will need more technical knowledge

There are managed VPS options on the market. However, if control is more important to you, you will want to manage your VPS solution. You will need the knowledge and skills to manage VPS solutions. If you are not a system administrator, it’s best to avoid a VPS.

More expensive

VPS generally comes at a slightly lower price than shared hosting. VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, but this is not surprising. VPS hosting is still preferred by many because it offers greater reliability, security and performance than shared hosting. It is also generally less expensive than dedicated hosting.

What is VPS used for?

Companies that have outgrown shared hosting often use VPS. VPS hosting is a better choice if your business grows quickly and you expect more traffic in the future. VPS hosting is the best choice for those who want stability, security, and performance.

VPS Hosting vs. Shared Hosting: Which is best for your eCommerce Store?

Conceptual Diagram: Shared Hosting vs. Virtual Private Servers (source: Monovm).

It is not the same thing to know whether VPS or shared hostings are right for you. We will now discuss several factors that make VPS hosting a better choice for eCommerce websites and online shops.

Security

Website security is vital. Your site could be affected by errors on another site that uses shared hosting. Your site could be affected by other sites’ server activities, which can put it at risk for hacking, viruses, and other security problems.

VPS hosting is a way to avoid this. Each site has its own space and is isolated from all its neighbors by having its own IP address. It is rare for a virus to bypass the hypervisor and make all VPS servers vulnerable. VPS hosting is much more secure than shared hosting.

VPS hosting is a good choice for eCommerce store owners as they don’t want their online stores to be affected by the activities of others.

Speed and Performance

These plans are generally limited in resources because they only have a small portion of the system resources. This can happen and sites sharing the same server could monopolize resources, causing slowdowns to your site. Therefore, shared hosting is better suited to static sites with low traffic.

VPS is different in that each site is given its own space, and resources are allocated to your site only. This means your site’s performance will not be affected by other sites. VPS is more efficient than shared hosting.

If you are looking for reliable eCommerce hosting options that your business can trust, then your site shouldn’t be subject to the resource usage of others. A new eCommerce website may not have much traffic. However, eCommerce websites display multiple products in one place, along with the media content. This can make the site heavy. To ensure uninterrupted connections, you will need more resources.

Your eCommerce store should be responsive. Your visitor bounce rate, conversion rates, and website speed all have a direct correlation. Your website’s speed can have a negative impact on your visitors’ ability to stay on your site to browse your products and make purchases. They will just go!

Search Engine Optimization also has an impact on speed. Pages with high bounce rates are delisted by Google. You need your eCommerce store to rank high and perform well. VPS hosting is the clear winner in this category.

Control

VPS hosting is a better option if you want to take control of your website or need more options. Root access is granted to the server so that you can create your own Operating System (OS), and other software to improve your site’s security and performance.

You can make and modify configurations without the need to ask permission from the web host. A VPS has very few restrictions.

For shared hosting, however, you are limited to standard server configurations. The server environment is fixed and you won’t be able to control it. This may not be the best solution for you if your site has more complex requirements.

Online stores are not just a run-of-the mill operation. To ensure a successful store, there are many elements that must be seamlessly integrated into it. This includes the payment gateway. It would be more beneficial to have more control over your website so that you can customize your store as you wish.

Shared hosting is not the right choice for your online store.

Server Administration

You will not need to do any technical maintenance if you choose shared hosting. The hosting provider will set up the server and install the software. They also manage the servers and make any necessary upgrades or fixes. They effectively manage the backend.

VPS hosting, on the other hand, is more complex as it requires advanced technical knowledge to manage the back-end. If you don’t have the technical skills, managed VPS hosting is an option. You can be more hands-off while your web hosting provider handles the technical aspects. This allows you to focus on your eCommerce business and not have to maintain the server’s core. Scalability

VPS hosting allows for flexibility in scaling. Your hosting provider allows you to add/remove resources quickly. They are however limited by the hardware available on the parent server. VPS hosting could be a great investment if you are able to predict the growth of your site.

For shared hosting, however, plans are not as flexible. The limitations placed on bandwidth and disk usage vary by hosting provider. You can upgrade your plan but this will depend on how resources are divided among users.

VPS hosting is generally easier to scale up than shared hosting. This is especially important for online shops. You need to be able to scale up or down as needed to run a successful online store.

Pricing

Because they are shared, shared hosting plans can be very affordable. VPS solutions are available in many configurations. They are typically made from the most advanced hardware to provide the most diverse configurations possible for users.

VPS hosting is still a good option for eCommerce stores, even though it’s a bit more expensive. Because shared hosting can result in greater sales and revenue than the relatively smaller savings. When it comes to eCommerce, remember that cheaper is not always better.

Conclusion

You should now have an understanding of shared hosting and VPS hosting. VPS hosting, which is more suitable for larger sites and smaller businesses, is better for startups and personal websites.

VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting but you get more control over your resources and better performance. VPS is the best option for eCommerce.