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Web Hosting Comparison

Finding the right web hosting solution for your business is important. You need a plan that will provide enough power to run your website efficiently, while also operating at the right cost. There are several different options for web hosting that businesses can choose from. Whether your business is just starting a website, or if you are looking for an upgrade in their plans, you will need to compare web hosting solutions to determine the right plan for your business.

StatCounter strives to provide valued members with detailed analytics that allow them to monitor the success of their website. Members can see where their traffic is coming from and what pages are performing best on their site. It is important to see how visitors interact with your site so you can make informed decisions in the design and infrastructure. Before you begin optimizing your website, it is crucial to have a web hosting plan that will give your business the tools to create an online presence. Here is a look at different web hosting plans and how businesses benefit.

Suggested Reading

No matter the business, web hosting plays a crucial role in your success. It is important to stay informed on your decisions and find the right solution for your business. Please learn more from the articles we’ve provided below:

Fundamentals of Web Hosting

For businesses, it is crucial to have some sort of web presence. Approximately 40% of the world’s population is on the Internet and businesses that don’t have a website are missing out on an incredible amount of opportunities. A website serves as your online base to create an impression and spread the word about your products and services. For many businesses, they can even create a web store with ecommerce tools and sell directly from their site.

A web hosting service is used by businesses to have their websites accessible to the world via the Internet. They provide a lot of servers that can connect people to the information businesses host in the form of websites. Data is stored on a web server and that data is accessible when visitors enter the corresponding URL or domain name. There are several different options in the types of web hosting available to get your website online.

Types of Web Hosting

For the most part, businesses are going to be choosing between 3 different types of web hosting: shared hosting, VPS, and dedicated web hosting. Each of these solutions offers a lot of different benefits to businesses so it is important to see which solution is going to work best for you. Here is a look at each of the main three types of hosting and their pros and cons for businesses.

Shared Web Hosting Environment

Most people and businesses start web hosting on a shared web hosting environment. This is a shared server that can hold up to 1000 different users. It is the most cost-effective option for businesses to start their web hosting especially if they are just learning the ins and outs of hosting.

  • Pros:
    • Low Operating Cost: It is incredibly inexpensive to use a shared server. Businesses can easily fit their website into their budget and upgrade features or add domains without breaking the bank.
    • Great For Beginners: Because the service is so cost-effective, businesses can quickly get a feel for web hosting without enormous investments. They can start developing, choose their domain, and create a site for their business.
    • Ecommerce: Many free web hosting options don’t allow you to add ecommerce to your website. A shared web hosting plan will give your business the ability to sell products and services online.
  • Cons:
    • Over-Subscribing: A lot of users get placed on every server. If there are too many sites on a single server, this could slow down the performance of everybody in the environment.
    • Shared Resources: Everybody on the server draws from the same resources. If there are any users pulling too many of the resources, it can crash your site.
    • No Unique IP’s: Blocks tend to be handled on an IP level so if there are suspicious sites within your server, your site can be blocked by accident.

 

Beginner Tips

Shared web hosting is a sound place to start a new website. While there are some free hosting solutions available to you, these will give your website a subdomain of the hosting provider which can make your site look unprofessional. Shared hosting is a cost-effective way to get your website up and running with ease.

Virtual Private Servers

A VPS is a hybrid type of web hosting that gives businesses unique resources on a shared server. The servers are limited to 20 users and each user is partitioned so they have their own private environment. This plan tends to be more expensive than a shared server, but it does offer more power and control over your website. It is a good step up if your business has outgrown the shared environment.

  • Pros:
    • Dedicated Resources: Your business will have its own resources that only you have access to. No more risks of losing connection to your website because of lack of resources.
    • More Control Over Server: Businesses gain access to the server when they are on a VPS. This allows them to make more alterations to the server in the form of updates and adding software or applications.
    • Better Security: Add the security tools and features you want for your website. You can implement better security measures to make sure your website meets your security standards.
  • Cons:
    • Cost: This is a pricier option than shared web hosting. The monthly costs of your website will increase by quite a bit.
    • Resource Allocation: Some VPS providers do not allocate resources effectively on the server. This can cause problems if a particular site is working at peak levels.
    • Unmanaged vs Managed: A VPS will either be managed by the user or by the host. If the user is managing the server, they will need to have plenty of technical knowledge to do so. A managed environment will cost extra because of the labor the provider performs.

 

Dedicated Server Hosting

This is the most personalized form of web hosting because users will have complete control over an entire server. This is an excellent option for businesses that have large scale online work. They will be able to run multiple sites with no dips in performance.

  • Pros:
    • Complete Control of Server: A dedicated server belongs solely to the company it is leased to. Your business will be able to control every aspect of the server and customize it however you see fit.
    • Performance and Reliability: The resources are utilized solely by your business. That means your site will always be performing at its fullest capacity and can be reliably reached by visitors.
    • Security and Support: Get extensive control over the security features and help from the web host’s support team if needed.
  • Cons:
    • Expensive: A dedicated server is going to cost your business a lot more in monthly fees. Take into account the amount of work that needs to be dedicated to the technology and if you need to hire people to manage that work.
    • Setup and Maintenance: Your business will spend more time getting your system setup. The server will also require more maintenance. If you are managing the server yourself, you will be spending more time making sure your server is up to date.
    • Technical Experience: Whether you are managing your server or having it managed, it is important to have technical experience to make sure your server is being used to it’s fullest potential.

 

1&1 is the trusted domain and web hosting provider of StatCounter, and with affordable plans, they surely have a web hosting solution that is right for your business. Better yet, most of 1&1’s hosting plans come with an SSL certificate for added security. You can learn more about 1&1’s dedicated server plans here.

The Best Web Statistics With StatCounter Tools

After you have chosen the optimal web hosting option for your site, you’ll need a way to track your progress. The tools StatCounter provides are designed to give the best insight on your website so you can make decisions toward web design and infrastructure. You will have the ability to see where traffic is coming from and what pages are performing the strongest. Your business will have a deep understanding of the flow of traffic and how visitors are interacting with your site.

If you ever need any help with our tools, you can contact StatCounter member support by completing the form below.

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