Opening an eCommerce website is easy if you are familiar with the terminology and technology. Creating an online store with the help of WooCommerce requires you to buy a domain, hosting service, and SSL certificate. Do you know what a hosting service is and how it works? There are two major types of hosting, managed and shared. Now how will you know which one is better for your business? WooCommerce shared vs managed hosting is a very old debate, and we here to put an end to it.
A hosting service provides you with a server to get your site on the World Wide Web and also space to store your website’s data. A hosting service is responsible for security, performance, maintenance, etc and thus is crucial for opening an online store.
In this article, we will try to explain shared and managed hosting in simpler terms, and also suggest which is better for your business. Let’s get started.
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Managed VS Shared Hosting: Pros and Cons
Let’s take a brief overview of WooCommerce managed vs shared hosting to find out what they are and what features they provide.
Shared Hosting
In shared hosting, a single web server is used to host hundreds of websites together. This means that along with your site, other sites will also be running on the same server. Now you might be thinking, where is the benefit in that? And you are not entirely wrong. Shared hosting platforms are preferred because they are cheap but it could also lead to slow site or performance issues which are not even your website’s fault!
Pros
- It is an economical option and you have to pay slightly less than managed hosting.
- Technical operations like performance, maintenance, and security are handled by hosting service providers.
- It is suitable for small businesses, blogs, personal sites, etc.
Cons
- Site performance and speed can be affected by problems or overload on other sites.
- It is not suitable for large businesses or sites that receive higher traffic.
- Limited bandwidth.
- More susceptible to security breaches.
- Lack automated backups and updates.
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Managed Hosting
Managed WordPress hosting provides a dedicated hosting service that takes care of all technical operations such as security, performance, speed, maintenance, etc for your business so you can work on other aspects. No other website will be running on your server and thus you won’t have to deal with problems caused by other websites.
Pros
- Provides automatic updates and backups for better security and data safekeeping.
- Supports high traffic websites and provides better performance by built-in server caching.
- Provides a custom-made dashboard.
- Provides premium expert support 24/7.
- It gives high-level control over your business.
Cons
- It is costly and expensive as compared to shared hosting.
- To ensure security, you might be restricted to use certain plugins and extensions.
- Only allows WordPress websites.
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WooCommerce Managed VS Shared Hosting: Major Difference
Let’s discuss some of the major differences between WooCommerce managed and shared hosting to see which one is better for your business.
1. Maintenance
When it comes to site maintenance, you either are an expert or need professional help to get the job done. Hosting is crucial for smoothly running your eCommerce business and thus no chances or errors are acceptable. With shared hosting, your site maintenance is not a top priority for the service providers as there are hundreds of sites being managed on a single server, whereas in managed hosting, you get a dedicated server and maintenance. Thus, the end decision depends on how good you are at managing WordPress.
2. Cost
The major difference between WooCommerce shared vs managed hosting is the cost. Maintaining your budget is very important when running any type of store. Thus, your choice between these two hosting options can depend on price as well.
It’s no surprise that shared hosting is considerably cheaper than WooCommerce managed hosting. For example, SiteGround provides a shared hosting plan for $3.95 only with a limited bandwidth and storage capacity. Whereas, managed hosting starts from $25 and could go as high as $400. Also, let’s not forget the many advanced features you get with managed hosting so it’s worth it in the end.
3. Performance
Performance is another crucial factor for successfully running your eCommerce site. In shared hosting, performance is affected by the hundreds of other sites running on your server and for optimization, you need to install plugins, set up CDNs, etc. Whereas in managed hosting, all of these processes will be carried out automatically, and worrying about performance issues won’t be a thing.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your business needs and requirements, but for a growing business with a growing customer base, it is better to use WooCommerce managed hosting as it has multiple advantages over shared hosting. Let’s discuss these in more detail.
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Why is WooCommerce Managed Hosting Better?
1. Scalability
As mentioned above, if you have a business that is growing and has increasing demands day by day, then WooCommerce managed hosting is the better choice for them. With managed hosting, there will be no limit of bandwidth, the number of visitors per day, and no performance issues.
2. Custom Dashboard
Since managed hosting is a dedicated server provider, there are many things custom-made for you and your business. Similarly, your dashboard is also custom-designed and filled with amazing features. It includes all functions in a single window that are easy to navigate and explore. For example, you can check analysis reports, set up staging sites, and update plugins and extensions.
3. Better Security
WooCommerce managed hosting provides you with optimum security to protect your data and customer’s confidential information so you don’t have to worry about malware and security breaches. Managed hosting provides detailed checkups daily, malware scans, and prevents malicious activities, something which you won’t find in shared hosting services.
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Final Words: Which is Right for your Business?
The debate between WooCommerce shared vs managed hosting might be old, but it’s still relevant. The ultimate choice depends on your business needs and requirements. A shared hosting plan is suitable for small businesses with low traffic and fewer requirements, it is also beneficial if you want to run multiple sites together and have a low budget.
Whereas, WooCommerce managed hosting is suitable for medium to large growing businesses with increasing requirements. It is also beneficial if you have a large budget and prioritize speed, performance, and security above all else.
There are many hosting providers available to help you out and guide you through the right plan for your business.
