Shared, VPS, dedicated: what are we talking about?
Shared hosting splits one server among many customers: simple and economical, but with no guaranteed resources. A VPS divides a physical server into isolated virtual machines, each with its own resources and root access. A dedicated server reserves an entire physical server for you: no sharing, all the power for you.
What sets a dedicated server apart
- 100% reserved physical hardware — no resource neighbors
- Maximum raw performance (CPU, RAM, storage) for heavy workloads
- Full control: root access, choice of operating system, reinstallation on demand
- Ideal for virtualization, computing, and large databases
- Complete hardware isolation, useful for compliance and security
Quick comparison
| Criterion | Cloud VPS | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | Guaranteed, shared on the host | Entire hardware reserved |
| Provisioning | A few minutes | A few minutes to a few hours |
| Root access | Yes | Yes |
| Scaling up | Plan change | Higher-tier hardware |
| Use cases | Websites, apps, containers | Heavy workloads, virtualization, computing |
How to decide?
Start with a VPS if your workload is moderate and variable: you can change plans in a few minutes as you grow. Move to a dedicated server when you saturate a large VPS, when you need the full power of a machine, or when hardware isolation is a prerequisite. When in doubt, it is better to start flexibly (a VPS) and then switch.
Not sure how to decide? Describe your workload (traffic, applications, database) to our team: they will point you toward the best-sized VPS or dedicated server, with no unnecessary extra cost.