In the world of eCommerce, cyberattacks are a looming threat, particularly targeting online stores. Shockingly, statistics reveal that a significant 32.4% of all cyber attacks are aimed squarely at eCommerce websites.
The reason behind this alarming trend? These platforms store a treasure trove of sensitive user information, making them prime targets for malicious actors.
If you’re running an eCommerce business, knowing about different web hosting types is essential. There’s shared, dedicated, VPS, and more to consider. With all these options, you might wonder which one offers the best mix of affordability, security, and efficiency.
The answer? VPS, or Virtual Private Server hosting. It strikes a balance between shared and dedicated hosting, giving you the best of both worlds.
Let’s explore why VPS is the top choice for eCommerce hosting.
Understanding Virtual Private Server Hosting for eCommerce
In the VPS setup, one physical server is partitioned into several distinctive segments or sections. These compartments are each a separate server, meaning that they have unique resources like CPU, RAM, and storage. With VPS hosting, your site will not struggle for resources with other websites as it does with shared hosting.
Also, the operations of each VPS are independent of each other and, therefore, more secure and stable. Furthermore, you have unrestricted root control, enabling you to manage the server and settings specifically for the requirements of an eCommerce site, for example, large traffic, secure purchases, and large databases.
Simply put, VPS hosting offers the security benefits of a dedicated server but at a lower cost. It also shields your site from security threats commonly associated with shared hosting.
Key Benefits of Choosing VPS Hosting for Your Online Store
As presented in the article above, the most important advantages of VPS hosting for eCommerce websites include cost efficiency, increased reliability, and security.
Here are a few more benefits of VPS hosting that will surely convince you to choose it for your eCommerce website:
1. Improves Performance and Speed
eCommerce site performance can significantly improve when it is hosted on VPS because your website has its own specified CPU, RAM, and storage, and it does not overwork a shared host during your sales events.
This is quite helpful in minimizing the website’s bounce rate (the average bounce rate of eCommerce websites is 38.7%) and making the overall shopping experience easy for your customers.
2. Enhances Website Security
Security is the most important factor for eCommerce sites because you have customers’ personal information. In shared hosting, your site is on the same server as others, which poses a high risk of data compromise, but VPS hosting changes this and gives you your own space.
With VPS, you have the autonomy to establish robust security measures tailored to your needs. This includes setting up firewalls and implementing stringent protocols such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to safeguard online transactions.
3. Makes the Website More Scalable and Reliable
VPS hosting is convenient, and you can add or reduce the resources depending on the growth of your business or during the holidays—a massive influx. In simpler terms, with VPS hosting, your site has some measure of capacity to allow for a burst of traffic to flood the site without crashing.
Also, you deal with reliable results and achieve high uptime, which means your store is always open for customers online.
4. Offers More Control and Customization
With VPS hosting, you have the full capability of regulating your server environment. Depending on your needs, you can optimally select any software to fully incorporate into your eCommerce platform, regardless of the platform you are using.
This level of control is often useful for site performance tuning and diagnostic purposes, such as identifying whether a particular element on your site, such as a plug-in or add-on, is causing a problem.
Detailed Comparison: Shared Hosting vs VPS vs Dedicated Hosting for eCommerce
The detailed analysis of these three web hosting types will help you understand why VPS hosting is the most suitable web hosting type for medium- to large eCommerce websites and also for relatively new eCommerce sites looking to scale up:
Hosting Type |
Shared Hosting |
VPS Hosting |
Dedicated Hosting |
Resource Allocation |
Shared resources among multiple websites | Dedicated resources (CPU, RAM, storage) within a shared physical server | Entire server dedicated to one website |
Performance |
Varies, can be affected by other sites’ traffic | Consistent, higher performance with dedicated resources | Maximum performance with full server resources |
Security |
Lower as shared environment increases risk | Enhanced, isolated environment with custom security | High, full control over security configurations |
Scalability |
Limited, constrained by shared resources | Easily scalable by adjusting VPS resources | High, but requires server upgrade or migration |
Control |
Limited control, managed by the hosting provider | Full root access, control over server configurations | Complete control over the entire server |
Cost |
Most affordable, low monthly fees | Moderate cost, more expensive than shared hosting but cheaper than dedicated | Most expensive due to exclusive use of server |
Ideal For |
Small eCommerce sites with low-traffic | Medium to large eCommerce sites needing reliable performance and security | Large eCommerce sites with high traffic and resource demands |
Different Kinds of VPS Hosting for eCommerce Sites
When choosing VPS hosting for your eCommerce website, it’s crucial to understand the different types available, which include the managed, the self-managed or unmanaged, and the semi-managed types.
Here’s a snapshot of each type:
1. Managed Virtual Private Server Hosting
Out of all hosting plan types, it can be asserted that Managed VPS Hosting will be most suitable for eCommerce websites. In this type, management tasks such as security updates, installation of software, and monitoring of performance tasks are provided by the hosting provider.
Consequently, this helps one to be free and concentrate fully on the management of their online store since they do not need to think of the aspects that entail the management of a server. Managed VPS hosting provides an optimal web environment with protection to the site, speed, and reliability, which helps the customers maintain their trust.
2. Unmanaged Virtual Private Server Hosting
Unmanaged VPS hosting means that you are the only person in charge of your server, and that being said, it entails certain risks.
All activities related to management and maintenance of the servers fall under your portfolio, which entails applying security patches as well as updates of various necessary software and general troubleshooting.
While this can be economical, particularly for individuals who have adequate technical skills, it can be cumbersome and time-consuming for eCommerce businesses that require a massive focus on sales and customer support.
3. Semi-Managed Virtual Private Server Hosting
Semi-managed VPS hosting is between fully managed and unmanaged options. The hosting provider manages some of the routine administration duties, including setup and basic level monitoring, while the user addresses other specialized functions.
This choice is slightly more technical but allows the user the necessary amount of control as well as convenience.
The Bottom Line: Which Type of VPS Hosting to Choose for eCommerce?
For online stores that cannot afford any form of downtime, security breach, or low performance, managed VPS hosting is the perfect solution. You benefit from professional server management because the operations of your store will be handled on your behalf, allowing you to dedicate your time to expanding your eCommerce business.
If you run an online shop and need reliable performance without worrying about technical issues, go for managed VPS hosting. If you’re thinking about upgrading to VPS, team up with Digital Pacific.
We offer different plans, such as cPanel Managed VPS, Linux VPS, and Microsoft VPS, all with super-fast SSD storage, top-notch processors, and security features.
Head over to our site for more info!
