When you decide to launch the website of your small business, the choice of hosting plan is a critical decision. Since the website resides on the web server, the performance of the server dictates that of your site. Today, we are going to talk about small businesses having WordPress websites and looking for the right web hosting in India. While there is a range of options available, two of the most popular ones are Shared Linux Hosting with cPanel and WordPress Hosting. We will compare these two options to help you make an informed decision.
Shared Hosting and WordPress Hosting
In Shared Hosting, you rent space on a web server for your site. The provider offers space on the same server to multiple websites. Hence, the computing power and resources of the server are shared between all sites on the server. Since the server is shared, these plans are the cheapest compared to the other hosting types. Hence, they are more popular among new and small business websites.
Shared Hosting services are platform-agnostic. This means that you can host a website developed on any platform on these plans. However, every platform has a specific hosting requirement. For example, WordPress has certain hosting needs, while Wix has different requirements. Hosting providers ensure that they offer services required to run any website efficiently. However, a platform-specific hosting plan can offer benefits that a platform-agnostic one cannot.
WordPress Hosting is a web hosting service dedicated to WordPress websites. It is available in managed and unmanaged variants. You can get WordPress Hosting in Shared plans, Dedicated Server plans, Cloud-based plans, etc.
Choosing between Shared Hosting and WordPress Hosting
If you are not using WordPress as the CMS, then Shared Hosting is the obvious choice. However, if you are using WordPress, then here some pointers to help you choose between Shared Hosting and WordPress Hosting services:
- Cost
Shared Hosting plans are the cheapest web hosting services. WordPress Hosting, being dedicated to WP, has a team of specialized professionals ensuring smooth operations. While the price of Unmanaged WP Hosting plans are similar to a Shared Hosting plan, the site owner is required to perform multiple maintenance tasks making it time-consuming. Hence, many WP site owners opt for a Managed WordPress plan.
- Business size
Shared Hosting is suitable for new websites, startups, and small businesses with minimal hosting requirements. Think about businesses that start small and grow with time. Shared Hosting is ideal for them. On the other hand, a website of a medium-large business based on WP, like an online store, requires specialized hosting services. In such cases, WordPress Hosting is a better idea.
- Customizability requirement
Both Shared Hosting and Managed WordPress Hosting have certain limitations in being able to customize the site or hosting environment for enhanced performance. Unmanaged WordPress Hosting offers more control and customizing options. Hence, site owners must weigh this aspect carefully before deciding.
- Security
If you are opting for WordPress Hosting on a Shared Server, then the security issues arising from a problematic neighbour are the same as in a Shared Hosting service.
- Support
With Shared Web Hosting, the support team is experienced in handling different types of platforms and content management systems. Hence, if you are using WordPress now and decide to change it after a few months, then you can expect the support team to continue providing basic service. On the other hand, with WordPress Hosting, the support team is specialized in WP, making it difficult to get support for any other platform.
Conclusion
The choice boils down to using WordPress as the CMS. If you are certain of using WP for a long time, then you might want to consider WordPress Hosting services. However, businesses are dynamic as they have to adapt to the changing market scenarios. Hence, a Shared Hosting plan is preferred by most site owners since it offers flexibility to change the CMS at any time. Also, ensure that you choose the hosting provider carefully.
