What hosting to choose in 2025? Comparing shared, VPS and cloud
Hosting is the foundation of a website. There are three options for where to host: shared, VPS, or cloud.
Mistake with hosting is expensive:
- Choosing the cheapest plan? Be prepared for slow loading and load problems.
- Overpaying for unnecessary resources? Money goes to waste.
- Do not think about scalability? At the moment of site growth, you will have to urgently move.
In 2025, the requirements for speed and stability have increased. Customers will not wait for the site to load - they will go to competitors.
In this article we will analyze three of these options: shared-hosting, VPS and cloud. How do they differ, what are the pros and cons? Which hosting to choose for a business, blog, online store or SaaS?
Let's break it down so you don't overpay and suffer from an overloaded server.
Shared hosting: cheap, but with limitations
What is it?
Shared hosting is the simplest and most budget-friendly option. One physical server serves hundreds of sites that share resources: CPU, RAM, disk space.
In shared hosting, shared resources are distributed among multiple users
Suitable for whom?
- Personal blogs and business card sites
- Landing pages and small corporate sites
- Small online stores with a low traffic rate
Pros:
- Minimum price - from 100-300 rubles per month
- Simplicity - does not require technical knowledge, administration on the provider's side
- Quick start - the site can be deployed in 5 minutes
Minuses:
- Shared resources - if a neighboring site loads the server, your site also slows down
- Limited performance - if traffic increases dramatically, hosting may not be able to cope
- No flexibility - you can not fine-tune the server, put custom software
Conclusion: Shared-hosting - a good start for simple sites. If your project is growing, it is better to look in advance in the direction of VPS to avoid problems with overload and speed.
VPS: more freedom and power
What is it?
VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a virtual server with dedicated resources. Unlike shared-hosting, there is dedicated power: processor, RAM, disk space. No one can “steal” them, even if a neighboring site suddenly gets a huge load.
In a VPS, the physical server is clearly divided: each user gets his own “piece” of resources that only he uses.
Suitable for whom?
- Online stores and business websites that need stability and speed
- Projects with custom software (chatbots, CRM, analytics)
- Developers who need flexibility in customization
- Medium and large corporate websites
Pros:
- Dedicated resources - no one prevents the site from working stably
- Flexibility - you can install any software, customize the server for your tasks
- High performance - the site works fast, even under heavy load
- Suitable for SEO - search engines rank fast sites higher
Minuses:
- Requires administration - without basic knowledge of Linux or Windows Server will be difficult
- More expensive than shared-hosting - prices start from 500-1000 rubles per month.
- Responsibility for customization - you will have to keep track of updates, security
Conclusion: VPS is the golden mean. It is more expensive than shared-hosting, but many times more stable. If performance and flexibility are important, but there is no desire to deal with customization, you can take Managed VPS, where tech support helps with administration.
Cloud hosting: scalability and fault tolerance
What is it?
Cloud hosting is a distributed network of servers working as a single system. If one server fails, the load is redistributed to the others. This makes the cloud the most flexible and fault-tolerant option.
In the cloud, a network of interconnected servers ensures that sites are stable
Suitable for whom?
- Large online stores, marketplaces
- SaaS services and web applications
- Fast-growing startups
- Projects with sudden spikes in traffic (e.g. seasonal promotions)
Pros:
- Scalability - resources increase as the load grows
- Fault tolerance - the site continues to operate even in the event of hardware failure
- Payment for actual usage - you can regulate costs
- Flexibility - server capacity can be adapted to the project's objectives
Minuses:
- More expensive than VPS - costs can be higher than a fixed rate when load is high
- Difficult to configure - need DevOps specialist or ready-made Managed Cloud solutions
- Dependence on provider - infrastructure is managed by the provider
Conclusion: Cloud hosting is ideal for large projects that need scalability and stability. But it is more complicated to set up and can cost more if you misallocate resources.
Comparison of Shared, VPS and Cloud Hosting
To make your choice easier, here's a summary table with the key features of each type of hosting service.
Parameter | Shared | VPS | Cloud hosting |
|---|---|---|---|
Price | Cheapest (100-500 rubles/month) | Medium (700-10000 rubles/month) | Dynamic, depends on load |
Productivity | Shared resources, may depend on neighbors | Guaranteed resources, not dependent on other clients | Automatically scales to load |
Flexibility | Minimal (standard settings) | Configuration can be changed, software can be installed | Maximum, adaptable to the project |
Speed | May drop due to server overload | Stable, depends on you | Load balancing, high speed |
Administration | Not required | Basic Linux/Windows Server skills required | Often requires a DevOps specialist |
Fault tolerance | Low | Medium (depends on redundancy) | High (load transfer between servers) |
Suitable for: | Blogs, lendings, small sites | Online stores, corporate sites, projects with their own logic | Large SaaS projects, marketplaces, web applications |
Conclusion:
- Shared hosting - suitable for small projects and sites without complex logic.
- VPS - the golden mean: high performance, control and stability.
- Cloud hosting - for scalable services with variable load.
Which hosting service to choose in 2025?
The choice depends on the project objectives, budget and level of technical expertise. Let's find out which option is best for your case.
A small website, landing site, or blog
You need shared hosting
- Cheapest (from 100 rubles per month)
- Easy setup
- Does not require administration
But if traffic increases dramatically, the site can “lie down”. In this case, it is better to immediately look in the direction of VPS.
Online store, corporate website, service with user base
You need a VPS
- Dedicated resources - no one takes your power
- Flexible customization for any task
- Good speed and stability
Minimal administration skills are required, but you can choose Managed VPS, where the provider takes over management.
Web service, SaaS platform, marketplace
You need cloud hosting
- Scalable - capacity grows with the project
- Fault tolerance - no risk of your site going down
- Pay for actual resource usage
Not suitable for everyone - if you have a predictable load, may be more expensive than VPS.
Where to get a VPS with good support?
If you need a VPS with 24/7 tech support, we recommend LikeVPS.
- Real tech support - they help you with settings, not just write you back.
- Stable servers - high speed and reliability.
- Flexible tariffs - you can choose the best option for your project.
- Minimum entry threshold - just start and work.
Choose a VPS with support, not a headache. Try LikeVPS.
Summary
The right hosting choice in 2025 is a balance between price, power and convenience.
Shared hosting is a cheap option for small sites.
VPS - for business, online stores, projects with high load.
Cloud hosting - for scalable services and SaaS-platforms.
Mistakes in the choice of hosting can cost traffic, customers and nerves. Choose consciously!