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Shared vs semi-dedicated vs VPS vs dedicated: which hosting do you need?

Four hosting types, one question: how much of the server do you need — and how much of it do you want to manage yourself? Here is how to choose, without the jargon.

Updated 7 min read

The short answer

  • Cloud (shared) hosting — for most websites: blogs, business sites, portfolios and small online shops. We manage the server; you manage your sites.
  • Semi-dedicated server — for busy sites that have outgrown shared hosting but whose owners still don't want to run a server.
  • KVM VPS — for developers and businesses that need their own isolated server, custom software or root access.
  • Dedicated server — for high-traffic projects, large databases and workloads that need an entire physical machine.
Not sure? Start with cloud hosting — it comes with a 30-day free trial and no credit card, and you can move up to a semi-dedicated server, VPS or dedicated server later without starting over.

Side-by-side comparison

Cloud hostingSemi-dedicatedKVM VPSDedicated
Server resourcesShared, pooledGuaranteed share, fewer accounts per serverGuaranteed vCPU & RAM, own kernelEntire physical machine
Who manages the serverWe doWe doYou (with root) or HepsiaYou (with root) or Hepsia
Root / SSH accessNoNoYes, with any panel except HepsiaYes, with any panel except Hepsia
Control panelHepsia, includedHepsia, includedHepsia (free), cPanel (paid) or noneHepsia (free), cPanel (paid) or none
30-day free trialYesYesNoNo
BillingAnnualSee plansMonthlyMonthly, 3 or 6 months
Best forMost websitesBusy sites, agenciesDevelopers, custom appsHeavy traffic, big databases

Cloud (shared) hosting

On shared hosting, many accounts live on the same platform and share its resources. That is what keeps the price low — and because we run and maintain the servers, you never have to think about operating system updates, security patches or server software.

Every VeloServers cloud hosting plan includes unlimited disk space and traffic, a free domain name, a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, the Hepsia Control Panel and a 1-click installer for WordPress and 50+ other apps.

Choose it if

  • you run a blog, a company website, a portfolio or a small shop;
  • you want to manage websites, email and domains — not a server;
  • you want to try everything first: the 30-day free trial needs no credit card.

Semi-dedicated servers

A semi-dedicated server works like shared hosting from your side — same control panel, no server administration — but your account gets a guaranteed slice of CPU and RAM on a server shared by far fewer accounts. Traffic spikes on other accounts don't slow your site down.

Choose it if

  • your site has outgrown shared hosting (slow pages at peak times, resource limits);
  • you host many sites for clients and want predictable performance;
  • you still don't want root access or server maintenance.

KVM VPS

A virtual private server gives you your own isolated environment with its own kernel. With KVM virtualization, the vCPU and RAM in your plan are guaranteed to you, and you can run custom software, choose your operating system and — with any control panel except Hepsia — get full root access over SSH.

Our KVM VPS configurations currently range from 2 vCPU and 4 GB of guaranteed RAM up to 8 vCPU and 32 GB, with operating systems such as AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE and FreeBSD installed for you at signup.

Choose it if

  • you need software or settings that shared hosting doesn't allow;
  • you are comfortable with Linux server administration — or you pick the free Hepsia panel to manage it without root;
  • you want dedicated-style isolation at a fraction of the cost.

Not sure how big a VPS you need? See How much RAM does a VPS need?

Dedicated servers

A dedicated server is a whole physical machine that no other customer shares — its CPU, RAM and drives are yours alone. Our configurations currently range from 4-core Intel Xeon servers with 16 GB of RAM to 16-core Xeon machines with 64 GB of ECC memory, each with two drives you can run in RAID.

Choose it if

  • you run high-traffic sites, large databases or resource-heavy applications;
  • you need consistent performance with no virtualization layer at all;
  • compliance or security rules require hardware no one else uses.

Choosing a drive setup? Read RAID levels explained.

When should you upgrade?

  1. Pages slow down at busy times even after caching — move from cloud hosting to a semi-dedicated server.
  2. You need software, ports or settings the control panel doesn't offer — move to a VPS.
  3. Your VPS is permanently near its CPU or RAM limit — move to a larger VPS or a dedicated server.

The platform is fully scalable, and moving an existing site to a bigger plan — or from another host — is handled by our support team at no extra charge.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between shared hosting and a VPS?
Shared hosting pools server resources across many accounts and the provider manages the server for you. A VPS gives you your own isolated environment with guaranteed vCPU and RAM, your choice of operating system and — with any control panel except Hepsia — full root access, but you are responsible for the software you install.
Is semi-dedicated hosting the same as a VPS?
No. A semi-dedicated server keeps the managed, control-panel experience of shared hosting but with guaranteed resources and far fewer accounts per server. A VPS is a separate virtual machine that you administer yourself.
Which hosting type has a free trial?
Cloud hosting and semi-dedicated plans include a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. VPS and dedicated servers are billed monthly and don't include a trial.
Can I move from shared hosting to a VPS later?
Yes. You can move to a semi-dedicated server, VPS or dedicated server as you grow, and our team migrates your sites at no extra charge.

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