VPS vs Shared Hosting: Which Is Right for You?

The Core Difference

Shared hosting places your website alongside hundreds of others on a single server, sharing CPU, RAM, and bandwidth. VPS hosting gives you a dedicated slice of a server — guaranteed resources, better performance, and full root access.

When to Choose Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is ideal when you're just starting out, have low traffic (under 10,000 monthly visitors), and don't need server-level customisation. It's typically cheaper starting at $2-5/month.

When to Upgrade to VPS

Upgrade to VPS when: your site is slow due to neighbour activity, you need to install custom software, you're running an ecommerce store, or you're managing multiple websites.

Cost Comparison

Entry-level shared: $3-7/month. Entry-level VPS: $5-15/month. The performance gap is significant — VPS can be 3-10× faster.