When you start your own online business, you need to get a web hosting option to host your website’s data. However, there are three main web hosting options available: shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated server hosting.
If you will be choosing between VPS and dedicated server hosting, you will have to choose between getting managed Vs unmanaged hosting services.
In this blog post, we will discuss in detail the main differences between managed Vs unmanaged hosting to help you make up your mind.
Managed Vs Unmanaged Hosting
As the name implies, with managed web hosting services, your hosting provider will be responsible for handling all the vital tasks such as backups, maintenance, security management, monitoring and installing updates.
Managed web hosting can be an ideal option for you if you don’t have much experience in IT or cyber security or if you have a small business with no dedicated IT team. Also, you will have the opportunity to contact tech support in case you have any issues with your website.
On the other hand, with unmanaged web hosting, you will be responsible for all the previously mentioned tasks which will require close and around-the-clock monitoring from you or your IT team.
Meanwhile, unmanaged web hosting can be more cost-effective than the managed option, it’s not an easy task to keep your eye on the hosting server setup, maintenance, and keeping security standards up to the desired level to keep your website functioning normally. It’s also of high importance that you have at least basic knowledge of IT, servers, and cyber security.
What Are the Advantages of Managed Hosting?
- Easy to use and access by non-technical users.
- The ideal option for small businesses which don’t have an IT team.
- Using fully managed hosting services would give you the opportunity to focus on other tasks in your business.
- Tech support is available 24/7 to help you if you get stuck with any issues.
- No need to worry about regular maintenance, installing system updates, or security.
- CDN, backups, and other features are usually pre-configured as part of your managed hosting plan.
What Are the Disadvantages of Managed Services?
- Using managed services comes with extra cost, which makes it not a cost-effective option for startup businesses.
- Limited access to the configuration options of the account.
- Minimal flexibility when you try performing any configuration changes.
What Are the advantages of Unmanaged Hosting Services?
- More cost-effective than using managed hosting which can help you save money on your web hosting services.
- The user can have full control of the server.
- This is an ideal environment if you are hiring a server for testing and development.
- Server customization is allowed by users with full access to the control panel.
What Are the Disadvantages of Unmanaged servers?
- Managing a server requires at least basic IT and Cyber security knowledge.
- If you don’t possess the knowledge, then you would need to hire someone to be responsible for monitoring your server which comes with extra cost.
- More time and effort are consumed for managing the server which can stop you from following up properly on other tasks.
What is Shared Web Hosting and is it considered Managed or Unmanaged Hosting Service?
Shared web hosting is a hosting type where multiple websites share a single server and its resources. It is considered the most popular and cost-effective hosting type among users. Shared web hosting is considered a fully managed hosting type.
Due to the fact that you share a server with other users, you don’t get the opportunity to configure the account to meet your business needs.
What is The Difference Between Dedicated Server Hosting and VPS?
In VPS hosting, multiple users share a physical server, however, virtualization technology is used to allocate specific resources to each user. On the other hand, using Dedicated server hosting means that a specific server (or set of servers) is dedicated to one user only and this user has full control over the server’s resources and configuration.
Which Option Should I Choose, For My Business, Managed or Unmanaged Hosting Services? 
If you are just starting your online business and you have no experience in web hosting management, then going for managed hosting would be considered a great option. This would give you the time and opportunity to manage other aspects of your business without being overloaded with tasks. Also, a single mistake related to security or hosting management can cost you a lot when it comes to money, assets, user experience, and your website’s credibility.
How Do I Choose a Managed Service Provider?
you can Choose a Managed Service Provider according to:
Experience and Reliability
When you choose your hosting service provider, you should pay close attention to how long they have been in the market. This would give you a clear understanding of their experience in the web hosting industry. Also, being in the market for a long time can mean that they have a well-trained and experienced team of professionals to help you with your business in case you need to do any upgrades to meet your business growth.
Customers Reviews
Reading current or previous customer reviews about the hosting provider you are choosing is very important as it can give you more information about their service and customer support.
Security
A good hosting provider will make sure that your data is well-secured against any attacks or unauthorized access and that the security levels of the server meet your needs. Also, it’s of high importance to make sure that the hosting provider is performing regular backups to save the latest version of your website and retrieve it easily in the event of unforeseen security-related incidents.
Contact us today at HostSailor to know more about our different plans for managed and unmanaged hosting services.