Shared Hosting vs Dedicated Server

Dedicated servers are perhaps the pinnacle of the hosting industry, as they are the most powerful web server, and dedicated hosting plans offer more control than any other hosting plan. Shared hosting plans are exactly the opposite, and provide very little control over server administration, and the amount of resources that can be used at any given time is extremely limited in comparison to dedicated hosting. Nonetheless, both hosting types have their uses and millions of sites are operated successfully on shared hosting accounts every day.

Pricing

Shared hosting plans cost about a tenth of the price of a dedicated hosting plan – on average they are priced at $5-$15, depending upon the hosting provider and specific plan. When pre-paid annually these costs can be reduced even further. Thus, the true cost of most shared hosting accounts is about $85 for the year. Dedicated hosting plans start at about $99, but can cost up to $200 per month depending upon the server and plan features. Fortunately dedicated servers can be purchased on a monthly basis and there is no need to pay for a year in advance. Thus, the true cost to being using a dedicated server is approximately $120 to $150 per month on average.

Support and Security

The support offered with a dedicated hosting account is unparalleled in the web hosting industry, and the control that the webmaster has over the server is unmatched by any other kind of hosting. Hosting companies understand that they need to be dedicated to their dedicated server clients, as they are the premium members of the company. Nonetheless, most hosting companies will provide adequate for shared hosting as well, but it is not uncommon to see dedicated hosting customer take precedence over shared hosting customers when waiting for a service rep on the phone.

Web Hosting Features

The features of a dedicated hosting account are outstanding. There are almost no limits to what can be done with these powerful servers. Software configurations, IP addresses, and server performance are all top notch. Some dedicated servers will come with up to 5 IP addresses by default, and free registration for 3-5 domains. Dedicated hosting plans also include a tremendous amount of bandwidth and disk space. While most shared hosting accounts claim to offer unlimited bandwidth and disk space, this is simply a gimmick in many cases.

Reliability

Dedicated servers stay online almost 100% of the time, with the only downtime being the result of a server attack or some other unusual event. Since most dedicated server plans are fully managed, you’ll have access to a team of qualified web hosting professionals that will oversee your web server and assure that it is operating smoothly. With shared hosting the server needs to be reset and administrated on a regular basis in order to keep it operating correctly for the hundreds of different websites that are operating on it. Both plans are considered to be reliable solutions when purchased from the right company, however dedicated hosting is the clear winner.

Recommendations

Any serious online business owner should set their goals towards purchasing a dedicated server plan eventually. Running a large website or many successful websites on a shared hosting plan is simply not plausible. Shared hosting plans are great for beginners, but there will come a time when an upgrade will be absolutely necessary, at which point a dedicated server is most definitely the ideal solution.

Related Articles