Greatest VPS internet hosting plans

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In a world full of different web hosting options, VPS hosting is a popular choice for websites in different categories.

Upgrading to a Virtual Private Server (VPS for short) will dramatically improve the performance of your website if you currently have a shared hosting plan.

For those of you who are starting a new site from scratch and expecting a lot of traffic to start with, getting a VPS hosting plan out of the window is also a viable option.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of web hosting providers in the market today. This is why finding the right web hosting plan for your website can be such a difficult decision. Fortunately, you've come to the right place. This guide is everything you need to know about VPS hosting.

The Top 5 Options for VPS Web Hosting

  1. HostGator
  2. Moving
  3. Go Daddy
  4. Media temple
  5. InterServer

How to choose the best VPS hosting plan for you

As mentioned earlier, the list of web hosting providers appears to be a mile long. But in terms of actual competitors, there are a few dozen at most. The list is even shorter when it comes to VPS hosting.

However, when shopping for and evaluating various VPS hosting providers, you need to consider the following factors:

Site performance metrics

Website performance must be a top priority for anyone looking for a VPS plan. The term "performance" can be quite subjective, but there are two metrics that are most important:

  1. Operating time
  2. speed

Most people looking for a VPS upgrade from a shared hosting plan they have outgrown. Uptime and speed are the first two factors that are affected when sharing server resources with other websites.

You want to make sure your VPS plan suits your traffic needs. If performance is degraded at scale, you will have to look elsewhere. Many web hosting providers offer you a guaranteed uptime rate. However, these offers usually come with some contingent liabilities (e.g. planned outages).

Some websites cannot afford downtime or slow loading times. If you fall into this category, make sure you are getting a premium VPS plan. If you'd rather save some money, just know that your website's performance can be affected.

Dedicated resources

Technically, you are still sharing server resources with other websites on a VPS hosting plan. However, the number of sites on the same main server is much less compared to shared hosting. In addition, each virtual server has its own dedicated resources.

When evaluating plans, keep the following in mind:

These resources have a direct impact on the speed and availability of your website (see above). If you are using your resources to the full, you cannot expect your website to run at its maximum performance.

Optional root access

Not everyone needs root access. This feature is only really important if you are a developer or need the ability to make custom changes to your virtual server at an advanced level.

If so, then you should look for a self-managed VPS plan. Most people will be better off with a fully managed plan (no root access required here). It's also worth noting that you can find fully managed VPS plans with optional root access, but this feature isn't really used by the average user.

operating system

On the technical side, there are two main options for VPS hosting: Windows VPS and Linux VPS.

A Windows-based platform gives you levels of access and performance that is similar to a dedicated server. If you have a self-managed plan, you can install popular Windows databases and applications such as Microsoft SQL, ASP, SharePoint, and ASP.NET.

With a Linux VPS, your virtual servers support web functions such as PHP, MySQL and POP3. Since Linux is an open source operating system, these hosting plans are usually cheaper. You could possibly convert your Linux server to a Windows server, but the opposite would be much more complex.

Customer service

Customer support piggybacking on our last point, especially if you have a fully managed plan.

You want to make sure your web hosting provider has your back. What if something goes wrong? Who do you contact if you have a problem or question? How do you solve a time sensitive problem?

If your website crashes at 10:00 PM on Friday evening and you wait to contact a customer service representative at 9:00 AM on Monday morning, it won't hurt. Look for a VPS provider with 24/7/365 support via phone and live chat.

Features like free migrations from another provider or hosting type to your new VPS plan also fall into the support category. Some hosting providers are undoubtedly better than others when it comes to customer service.

budget

The price of VPS web hosting varies significantly from provider to provider and plan to plan. We've seen VPS hosting plans start as low as $ 6 a month. Other plans start at $ 250 + per month. Most of you will likely be somewhere between these two extremes.

In many cases, you can expect to get what you pay for.

When you sign up for the cheapest VPS hosting plan you can find, don't expect extremely high uptime rates and fast page load speeds. For those of you in need of as many dedicated resources as possible, just know that they come at higher prices.

So you have to weigh your performance and your resource requirements against your budget.

The different types of VPS web hosting

Basically there are two different types of VPS hosting: managed and unmanaged plans. Below, I'll explain the differences between these options and give you more information on alternative web hosting options (to make sure a VPS plan is right for you).

Managed VPS

If you're not very tech-savvy and don't have a dedicated IT team, a managed VPS plan is definitely the best option for you. In short, you don't really have to do anything on your own. You can only focus on running your website while the hosting provider takes care of the server behind the scenes.

Here are some examples of what most VPS hosting providers will do for you with a fully managed plan:

  • Set up the server from the beginning
  • Install your control panel, applications, and operating system
  • Handle all application updates and operating system updates
  • Server monitoring and maintenance
  • Automated backups
  • Security patches

Some providers offer a little more, or maybe even a little less, but this is generally what you should expect if you go for this type of VPS plan.

Unmanaged VPS

An unmanaged or self-managed VPS is just the opposite of a managed plan. You are completely alone in installing your software, control panel, security, maintenance, updates, and everything else listed above.

If you are experiencing a hardware failure or failure, don't expect a lot of support from your hosting provider either. This type of VPS plan is really for those of you who need full customization at the server level.

Self-managed plans tend to be cheaper too, as the hosting provider doesn't have to do nearly as much.

Other types of web hosting

VPS hosting is not for everyone. If you are new to the world of web hosting, let me quickly take a moment to discuss your other options.

  • Shared hosting – Shared web hosting is the best option for new websites that are not expecting a lot of traffic. You share resources with other websites on the same server. These plans are cheap, but performance can be an issue. If another site on your shared server has a spike in traffic and is consuming the shared resources, it can affect the availability and loading speed of your site.
  • Cloud hosting – Cloud hosting is pretty similar to VPS hosting. Think of this as a hybrid version of a virtual private server. Cloud plans contain multiple remote servers, each with different responsibilities. If something goes wrong with one of these servers, the others will bridge the gap and keep your site running smoothly. Cloud hosting is generally cheaper than VPS hosting, and it's easier to scale resources as needed. However, customization is limited with cloud plans.
  • Special hosting – Dedicated hosting is the top of the line in the world of web hosting. It is designed for large websites with a lot of traffic. As the name suggests, you have a server completely dedicated to your website. This also gives you ultimate control over server-level adjustments. Dedicated hosting comes at a higher price, but the performance is second to none.

With that in mind, let's dive into the best VPS hosting plans on the market today:

# 1 – HostGator Review – The Best for Reliable VPS Hosting

HostGator has been around for about two decades. The hosting provider operates more than 2 million websites worldwide.

As one of the most trusted names in the web hosting industry, you really can't go wrong with a HostGator VPS plan. Here's a look at the different plans and prices:

HostGator's VPS hosting plans include full root access and dedicated resources. You also benefit from features such as:

  • Complete customization and complete control of your virtual server
  • Free external backups of your server data every week
  • Script installers, site templates, and development tools
  • Unlimited domains, databases, email addresses and FTP accounts
  • Scalability of CPUs, RAM and storage space
  • Exceptional customer support, 24/7/365

In addition to traditional web hosting, HostGator's virtual private servers are widely used for e-commerce websites, test beds, gaming, and heavy application use.

All plans are backed by a 45-day money-back guarantee.

# 2 – InMotion Review – Best VPS Plans for Ecommerce Websites

InMotion offers a wide variety of VPS hosting plans. They offer managed VPS hosting and self-managed cloud VPS hosting, both with Linux SSD servers.

Managed plans start at $ 29.99 per month, and the entry-level self-managed VPS starts at $ 5 per month.

Most of you will benefit from the managed plans as these virtual servers are instantly optimized for e-commerce. These plans are configured for speed and reliability with ecommerce platforms like WooCommerce, Magento, Prestashop, and more.

Other benefits of using InMotion for VPS hosting include:

  • Free private SSLs and scheduled snapshots
  • Update the settings for databases, emails and domains with cPanel
  • Security updates and server management (with a managed plan)
  • DDoS protection and secure SSH keys (with a self-managed plan)
  • Fast and automatic software installations like NGINX

Overall, InMotion's virtual private servers are fast and reliable. Even the managed plans have full root access. InMotion's 90-day money-back guarantee is arguably the best in the hosting industry.

# 3 – GoDaddy Review – Best Self Managed VPS Hosting

GoDaddy is a name that usually stands for domain registration and controversial marketing strategies.

However, if you are in the market for a self-managed VPS plan, this is a top option to consider.

GoDaddy's standard RAM VPS plans start at $ 4.99 per month. High memory plans start at $ 9.99.

The self-managed plans are perfect for developers and system administrators. Some of the features and benefits of using GoDaddy's virtual private servers include:

  • Full root access with SSH keys
  • Command line for complete performance and flexibility
  • Scalable performance options and a variety of custom server configurations
  • Unlimited hosting accounts with easy management
  • Easy monitoring and alarm notifications
  • DDoS protection and free SSL certificate
  • Ability to choose your data center (North America, Asia Pacific, EMEA)
  • Backups and recovery console

These plans are great for testing environments, database servers, resource-intensive apps, email servers, and administrators running multiple websites.

While GoDaddy has fully managed VPS plans starting at $ 99.99, the self-managed option is definitely the standout feature of this provider.

# 4 – Media Temple Review – Best Managed VPS Hosting Plans

For businesses, ecommerce websites, agencies, and resellers, Media Temple is my top pick for managed VPS hosting.

The professionals at Media Temple take care of all technical aspects of server administration. So you can focus more on your website and your company.

In addition to having the best customer support team in the world of web hosting, your Managed VPS plan offers the following benefits:

  • You can choose your control panel (cPanel or Plesk) and your version
  • MySQL, PHP, Python and Perl are preinstalled
  • Customize your virtual server with any Linux-based app, software or operating system component
  • With the built-in reseller tools you can easily resell your hosting to customers
  • 99.99% uptime guaranteed
  • Scale your server resources as needed with just a few clicks

Media Temple's servers are fast and reliable. These managed VPS hosting plans start at just $ 55 per month.

# 5 – InterServer Review – The Best Cheap VPS Hosting Plans

InterServer is definitely not the most popular name in web hosting. For those of you who want an affordable VPS plan, InterServer is worth a closer look.

This hosting provider offers managed and unmanaged VPS hosting from just $ 6 per month.

Let's take a closer look at some of the features, benefits, and highlights of using InterServer for VPS hosting:

  • Over 450 cloud apps are supported with one-click installations
  • No restrictions on accessing or updating data
  • Full root access with complete control over your operating system and control panel
  • Automatically redirect server problems to another node
  • 99.9% availability guarantee
  • No inbound or outbound site transfer fees
  • Remote backup service for data security

Unlike other hosting providers on the market today, InterServer doesn't offer a free trial or money back guarantee. However, they do offer monthly pricing so you can cancel at any time.

These servers are not performing as well as some of the other plans on our list. However, if you are paying lows, performance at the highest level is likely not your first priority.

Summary

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is a great option for websites that have outgrown a shared hosting plan.

Which VPS is the best? Naming just one as a top choice is a difficult task. However, you will be happy with the options on this list. Just make sure you follow the methodology outlined earlier in this guide to help you choose the best VPS plan.

For self-managed and managed plans, there is something for everyone on my list.

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