Hi! I want to help you understand one of the most important topics for any online project — the choice of hosting. This is not just a technical issue. This is the foundation of your website, its speed, reliability and security. A mistake at this stage can cost you much more than you will save on a cheap tariff.

I will guide you through 10 key questions that will help you make an informed choice without overpaying for unnecessary functions, but also without saving on critical things. This is a practical guide based on my experience that will help you find the perfect balance and lay a solid foundation for your online success.

What type of hosting do I really need?

Choosing the type of hosting is the first and most important decision. For clarity, I would compare this with the choice of housing: from a communal apartment to your own mansion.

• Shared hosting (virtual hosting). Imagine that you live in a large "communal apartment" along with hundreds of other sites. You share one physical server and all its resources — processor time, RAM, disk space. This is the most affordable option, and it is ideal for small projects such as personal blogs, business card sites, or startups with up to 3,000 visitors per day. However, this solution has a significant drawback: if one of your "neighbors" experiences a high load, it can negatively affect the performance and accessibility of your site. You are not immune from crashes and slowdowns, but even so, this type of hosting is popular and more people use it, and choosing it would not be a mistake, especially if you are just starting a journey into the world of hosting.
• VPS (Virtual Private Server). It's already like owning a separate "corner" in an apartment building. Several clients are still hosted on the same physical server, but thanks to virtualization technology, each one is allocated a guaranteed amount of resources (CPU, RAM, disk space). Your virtual server is completely isolated from the "neighbors", which provides much greater stability and security. This is an excellent compromise between price and performance, which is suitable for growing businesses, online stores, and projects with consistently high traffic. If you have already tried Shared Hosting and want to gain more control over the server and what exactly to place on it, for example, Team Viewer or some other application, then VPS is a very good choice. However, you need to understand that you need to have at least minimal technical knowledge, or you will need time to learn how to work with your OS installed on the server.
• Dedicated-hosting (dedicated server). This is your "own house" where you are the sole owner. You rent an entire physical server with all its resources, which gives you maximum performance, security, and complete configuration control. This is the choice of large companies, high-load portals, and projects that require the highest level of reliability. The cost of such a solution is much higher, and its administration requires deep technical knowledge. You can hire a professional or take server management from a company that you rent a dedicated server from, many companies use server management because this is a good solution because your server will be protected 24/7.

• Cloud hosting (cloud hosting). To continue the analogy, this is "flexible rental housing." The resources are not tied to a single server, but are distributed over a network. You pay for the resources actually consumed and can instantly scale them depending on the load. This is an ideal solution for projects with unpredictable traffic or seasonal spikes, but cloud infrastructure management can be more difficult than traditional servers.

Choosing between these types of hosting is a strategic decision, not just a matter of price. For example, the low cost of Shared Hosting can result in hours of downtime and loss of reputation if your site starts to grow or encounters a "noisy neighbor." At the same time, choosing a Dedicated server for a startup is an excessive investment that will not pay off. For most growing projects, a VPS will be the optimal solution, as it offers flexible and gradual growth without having to migrate to completely new hardware. It is the VPS that is used by most users whose projects are not particularly large or they need reliable resources, but only for a month. 

Below is a table with prices and other information, prices as well as control over the server are unique for each hosting, what I have indicated in the table are our prices for services and our description of control.

What determines the server speed and how to estimate it?

The loading speed of your website is a key factor that affects SEO positions and customer retention. The faster your site reacts and provides access to visitors, the better because a slow site not only scares away visitors, but also decreases in search results. Server performance is determined by several critical components: hardware, software, and network infrastructure.

Hardware support

1. Drives (SSD vs. HDD). The type of disk your data is stored on is crucial. Traditional HDDs (hard drives) use rotating magnetic disks, which makes reading and writing data a slow process that takes 5,000-10,000 microseconds. In contrast, SSDs (solid-state drives) use flash memory, which provides almost instant data access in just 40-100 microseconds. SSD read/write speeds reach 550 MB/s, while HDD speeds reach up to 125 MB/s. This makes SSDs 3-5 times faster, which is critical for the performance of dynamic websites, e-commerce, and databases. Our servers use high-performance SSDs, namely NVME SSDs, which are many times faster than conventional SSDs, which allows us to achieve maximum query processing speed.
2. The processor (CPU). The processor is the "brain" of the server. Its performance depends not only on the number of cores, but also on their frequency (speed). For single-threaded applications like PHP, which cannot spread the load across multiple cores, high frequency is much more important. Switching to a processor with a large number of slower cores may even reduce performance in such cases. For multithreaded tasks, for example, for web servers processing multiple simultaneous requests, the number of cores is more important.
3. Random access memory (RAM). Lack of RAM can be the main bottleneck for your server. (To be honest, this applies even to ordinary PCs, for example, I lack my 32GB and already have a need to upgrade to 64GB.) RAM stores data and instructions that the CPU needs quick access to. If there is not enough memory, the processor is forced to stand idle while waiting for data to be loaded from a slower disk. Increasing the amount of RAM allows the server to handle more simultaneous tasks and distribute the load, which significantly improves overall performance. There are different types of RAM, such as DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5. More and more companies and users are starting to use the latter and are satisfied with its speed.

Software and network support

The speed of the server is not only due to hardware. Code optimization, caching and data compression technologies, as well as the geographical location of server centers play an important role. For example, using CDN (Content Delivery Network) allows you to store copies of your content on servers around the world so that users receive data from the server closest to them. This reduces response time and improves the user experience. Thanks to this technology, you get quick access to information from different parts of the world.

How does payment work, and what to choose: hourly or monthly?

Flexibility in payment can be a decisive factor, especially for startups and projects with varying workloads. There are two main models, each with its own advantages.

• Hourly payment (Pay-as-you-go). This model allows you to pay only for the actual time of resource usage, usually billed per hour. It is an ideal option for projects that do not require continuous server operation, such as development, testing, hackathons, or other short-term tasks. You can quickly deploy a server, use it, and then stop it without overpaying for downtime. Such flexibility allows you to significantly save your budget and simplify infrastructure management. However, for a continuously running server, hourly payment may eventually turn out to be more expensive than a fixed monthly subscription, so you should choose which payment method to use only after understanding how long your project will run.
  
• Monthly payment. You pay a fixed amount at the beginning of each month and gain access to a certain amount of resources for the entire period. This model provides cost predictability and simplifies budgeting. It is ideal for stable projects with constant load, such as online stores, corporate websites, or gaming servers with a large online presence. Often, providers offer additional bonuses such as free domains or SSL certificates, as well as significant discounts when paying for a longer period, for example, a year.

The choice of payment model depends on your business processes. For example, a development team testing a new application only a few hours a week will benefit from hourly billing. However, if you have a large online store that needs to operate 24/7, a monthly payment will be more profitable and convenient. It is important to understand that for a constantly running server, hourly billing may be more expensive. In addition, with hourly billing, the user must constantly ensure that the server is not left running idle, which creates additional administrative overhead. Also, if your balance runs out, the server may shut down at the most inconvenient moment.

We offer servers with flexible payment options that adapt to your needs: you can choose either hourly or monthly billing to pay exactly for what you use. And for those looking for a long-term solution, we have a great offer — when paying for a server annually, you get 2 months free

How to avoid hidden charges?

Cheap hosting may seem attractive at first glance, but often a low initial price hides a number of additional expenses that eventually make it the most expensive option. Here are the most common "traps" to watch out for:

1. Sharp price increase upon renewal. Many providers offer a very low price for the first year, for example, $3 per month, but when renewing, the cost can sharply rise to $10 or more. Even an additional $2 can be unpleasant, and when prices increase to $10, there is no desire to continue using such hosting. Nevertheless, in the end, you find yourself "tied" to the host and forced to overpay or spend time and effort migrating your website.
   
2. Fees for basic features. Some providers lure customers with low prices but then charge extra for what should be standard, such as SSL certificates, backups, or dedicated IP addresses. Without these features, your site will not be secure and cannot function properly. Therefore, when choosing a provider and package, clarify with support — preferably in writing via email — what exactly is included in the price. Having written confirmation guarantees that everything will be as stated.
   
3. Penalties and commissions. The tariff conditions may include additional charges for exceeding traffic or disk space limits. There may also be fees for restoring a website from a backup or transferring to another host.
   
4. Non-transparent refund policies. Carefully review the refund policy. Some plans may have heavily limited refunds, while others may not provide refunds at all, especially if you paid for several months or a year in advance. There have been cases where you rent a server from a company, and everything works fine for the first couple of months. Then they offer you to switch to annual payment as a “better deal,” but in the end, they deceive you and may simply stop providing service, claiming you violated their terms of service. It’s important to understand that if you did indeed violate the ToS, it’s your fault — but if the termination was unjustified, unfortunately, you’ve encountered a dishonest company.
   

The most expensive hosting in the long run is not the one that costs more but the one that cuts corners to offer the lowest price. Saving on hardware quality, lack of technical support, or basic security features inevitably leads to downtime, website slowdowns, or even hacks — resulting not only in financial losses but also in the loss of customer trust. Ultimately, an apparent saving of a few dollars may turn into much greater financial losses due to downtime and reputational damage. True savings lie in investing in reliability and transparent conditions where you know exactly what you are paying for.

What protection does my project need?

The security of your website is not optional — it is a necessity. Even if you have a small blog, it can become a target for hackers. A proper hosting service must provide multi-level protection against a wide range of threats.

Basic level of security

• SSL/TLS certificates. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a technology that creates an encrypted connection between the user’s browser and the server. The presence of an SSL certificate is indicated by a “padlock” in the address bar and the prefix https://. It protects confidential data such as passwords and payment information from interception. In addition to protection, SSL increases customer trust and improves your website’s SEO ranking, as search engines prioritize secure sites.
  
• Backups. Regular backups are your “insurance” in case of unforeseen circumstances. They allow you to restore your website in case of a hacking attack, hardware failure, or accidental data deletion.
  
• Firewalls. This is a “digital guard” that monitors and filters network traffic, preventing unauthorized access and blocking suspicious activity.
  

Protection against DDoS attacks

A DDoS attack (Distributed Denial-of-Service) is an attempt to disable a website by overwhelming it with a flood of “junk” traffic that imitates real user requests. We have already written an article about this, which you can read here.

I personally recommend reading it so that you have a clear understanding of what DDoS attacks are and how to protect yourself from them.

Do I need a control panel, and which one should I choose? (cPanel vs. Plesk)

A control panel is a graphical user interface (GUI) that simplifies server and website administration, saving you from the need to work with the command line (CLI). This makes management much more accessible, especially for beginners. The most popular panels are cPanel and Plesk.
As before, you can learn more about them and decide which suits you better by visiting this link
In short, the choice between these panels is essentially a choice between “habit” and “convenience.” Experienced administrators accustomed to cPanel may prefer its traditional interface. Beginners and users managing WordPress websites will likely find Plesk more suitable due to its intuitive design and powerful specialized tools

Who will handle administration? (Managed vs. Unmanaged)

This is one of the most important questions that determines how much time and effort you will spend maintaining your server. There are two main approaches:

• Unmanaged hosting. The provider gives you a “bare” server with a pre-installed operating system. All responsibility for configuration, updates, security, monitoring, and backups rests with you. This is the cheapest option and gives you full control over the server environment. It suits experienced developers, IT professionals, or companies with their own system administrator who want to save money and have the necessary expertise.
  
• Managed hosting. This option means the provider handles all routine administrative tasks. It includes automatic updates, security configuration, regular backups, and 24/7 monitoring. Managed hosting is more expensive, but it saves you the headache and allows you to focus on growing your business instead of technical maintenance. It is an ideal choice for beginners and small or medium-sized business owners without an internal IT department.
  
• One-Time Management. This is also a solution if you need help configuring something essential for your work. The price is usually determined by the provider.
  

The choice between managed and unmanaged hosting is primarily a choice between “time” and “money.” Saving on an unmanaged plan may result in significant time spent troubleshooting issues and, in severe cases, lead to website downtime, data loss, or hacking. Paying for managed hosting is essentially an investment in reliability and your own time. Ultimately, it can be more cost-effective than paying a specialist to urgently fix a problem you couldn’t resolve on your own.

How to evaluate the quality of technical support?

The quality of technical support is just as important as server speed. In a critical situation, when your website is down, the expertise and responsiveness of support specialists can save your business from financial losses.
Here are several criteria to consider:

• 24/7 availability. For any online project, especially if your audience is in different time zones, round-the-clock support is critical.
  
• Qualification of specialists. The support team should consist of experienced professionals capable of solving complex technical problems rather than simply providing template responses.
  
• Communication channels. A good provider offers multiple contact options — online chat, Telegram, ticket system, or phone line. This shows a serious attitude toward customers.
  
• Response time. In the event of an outage, every minute of downtime means lost revenue. The response to your request should be as fast as possible.
  

High-quality technical support is an expensive part of infrastructure that requires hiring highly qualified personnel. That is why cheap hosting providers often offer only the “bare minimum” of services, unable to solve serious issues promptly. Investing in hosting with strong and responsive support is an investment in your business’s continuity and stability.

Should I pay for a year upfront, or is it a trap?

This question often causes doubts, but with the right approach, paying for a year in advance is a smart and cost-effective decision.

• Savings. The main advantage of long-term payment is significant savings. You can get a discount of 5% to 20% compared to monthly payments.
  
• Bonuses. Many providers reward customer loyalty by offering additional bonuses: a free domain, an SSL certificate, extra disk space, additional RAM, and sometimes even a more powerful server for the same price.
  
• Convenience. By paying for hosting for a year, you eliminate the need to think about monthly payments and can fully focus on your project. In fact, many users switch to annual payments after several months of using a provider.
  

The main risk lies in getting “locked in” with an unreliable provider. Therefore, before paying for a year, make sure of their reliability: read reviews, check how their technical support works, and most importantly, see whether the company offers a money-back guarantee. You can also use the server for a few months to evaluate its performance before switching to an annual plan. This approach minimizes risks and maximizes benefits.

Since we believe in the quality of our services, we offer a special deal: when paying for a server annually, you get 2 months free. This makes our offer not only convenient but also incredibly advantageous for long-term planning.

What should I do if my project grows?

The success of your project means increased traffic, and your hosting must be ready for it. Therefore, even at the selection stage, it is important to ensure that the provider offers flexible and convenient scaling solutions.

• VPS hosting. This type of hosting is the most flexible for scaling. You can easily increase the number of CPUs, the amount of RAM, or disk space without having to migrate to a new physical server. This allows your hosting to grow along with your project, avoiding downtime or unnecessary complications.
  
• Dedicated hosting. In the case of a dedicated server, scaling is a much more complex process. It requires physical hardware upgrades, which can be costly and cause temporary downtime.
  

Proper planning for the future means saving today. Choosing hosting that doesn’t offer flexible scaling solutions can become a serious obstacle to your business growth. When you “outgrow” your current plan, you’ll have to spend time and money on migration. This can result in SEO losses, downtime, and poor user experience. Conversely, a provider offering easy scalability becomes not just a service supplier but a reliable partner helping your business grow rather than slowing it down.

Conclusion: The final formula for choosing hosting

Choosing hosting is not about finding the cheapest plan but about finding the optimal balance between price, performance, reliability, and flexibility. Use these 10 questions as a checklist to make decisions based on facts and the real needs of your project.

1. Evaluate the type of hosting that suits you best to avoid overpaying for unnecessary resources while ensuring you have enough to operate smoothly.
   
2. Pay attention to hardware (SSD, CPU, RAM), as it directly affects speed.
   
3. Choose a payment model that matches your goals: hourly for short-term needs, monthly for stable growth.
   
4. Be wary of hidden charges and choose providers with transparent policies.
   
5. Ensure your hosting has multi-level protection against cyber threats and high-quality, responsive technical support.
   
6. Don’t be afraid of long-term commitments if you trust the provider, as this can lead to significant savings.
   
7. Always plan for growth and choose solutions that can easily scale.
   

Our servers combine high performance, flexible payment models, and multi-level protection. We built them so your project can grow without limits.

Author: Anatolii Cohaniuc