Choosing the best hosting type for your website is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when building or scaling your online presence. It affects everything from site speed and reliability to cost and control - and it can make the difference between a site that runs smoothly, and one that struggles.

If you’ve been researching options, you’ve likely come across the phrases “shared hosting ” and “VPS hosting” (Virtual Private Servers). These are two of the most widely used hosting solutions, and each has its own strengths, weaknesses and ideal use cases.

This guide will walk you through the differences, help you weigh up shared vs VPS, and give you the clarity you need to make a confident, well-informed choice.

What is shared hosting?

Shared hosting is the classic form of web hosting. Your website lives on a server that also hosts many others - all sharing the same pool of system resources like CPU, RAM and storage.

It’s a bit like living in a flatshare. You each have your own room (your website), but you share the plumbing, electricity and kitchen (the server's resources). When things are running smoothly, it’s cost-effective and convenient. But if one flatmate throws a loud party (or gets a spike in traffic), everyone else can feel the effects.

Benefits of shared hosting

Low cost – Ideal for individuals or businesses just getting started.
Minimal setup – Hosting is fully managed and requires little technical knowledge.
One-click installs – Platforms like WordPress are usually ready to install in moments.
Good for static or low-traffic sites – You won’t be paying for more than you need.

Limitations of shared hosting

Slower under pressure - if several sites on the server are using the maximum amount of resources at the same time, it may affect the performance of your site.
Lack of root access – You won’t be able to install anything at server level, like custom PHP modules, alternative web servers or different MySQL versions.
Fewer resources – Each account has fixed limits, so performance is capped compared to a VPS.
Security implications - Krystal's shared hosting uses CageFS to isolate accounts, but there is still the risk that one compromised site could increase risks for others on the same server. A VPS can have even stronger separation.

Shared hosting works best when simplicity matters more than control. It’s a strong starting point for:

Small businesses
Sole traders
Brochure sites
Landing pages
Portfolio sites
Personal blogs
Testing and learning environments
Other low-intensity websites

At Krystal, our shared hosting is powered by 100% renewable energy and built on high-performance cloud infrastructure - so even budget-friendly plans are reliable, sustainable, fast and secure.

What is a VPS (Virtual Private Server)?

A Virtual Private Server, or VPS, offers a more powerful, private environment than shared hosting. While multiple VPSs still live on the same physical server, each one is isolated and allocated its own guaranteed resources.

It’s like moving from a flatshare into your own self-contained townhouse. You’re still on the same street, but you’re no longer sharing the boiler, kitchen or electricity. What’s yours is yours.

Benefits of VPS hosting

Dedicated resources – CPU, RAM and disk space are reserved for you alone.
Consistent performance – Your server isn’t affected by what other sites on the network are doing.
Root access – Gives you full control over server settings, configurations, and software.
Customisation – Install exactly what you need, and fine-tune performance and security.

Limitations of VPS hosting

More responsibility – A self-managed VPS gives you full control, but also means handling setup, security and maintenance yourself. If that sounds daunting, Krystal also offers fully managed VPS hosting where we take care of everything for you.
Higher initial cost – You’ll have to pay more than you would for a shared hosting package, particularly upfront. But that come with more flexibility, dedicated resources and greater peace of mind - so it’s often worth the investment.
Requires technical knowledge - You’ll need to be comfortable managing a server, or willing to learn. That said, we offer a helpful beginner’s guide to setting up a VPS to help you get started with confidence.

VPS hosting is ideal when control, performance and scalability are a priority. It’s a great fit for:

Agencies managing multiple clients
Business sites with regular or unpredictable traffic spikes
Growing online stores
Web applications or custom setups
Anyone who needs full server access or advanced configuration

Krystal’s VPS platform runs on powerful, cloud-native infrastructure and includes generous dedicated resources, full root access and the freedom to tailor your environment - with or without our help.

Shared hosting vs VPS: side-by-side comparison

Here’s a quick overview to help compare shared hosting and VPS server options.

Feature	Shared Hosting	VPS Hosting
Cost	Lowest monthly cost	Higher upfront, more value as you grow
Performance	Shared resources; can fluctuate	Consistent, dedicated resources
Control	Limited access to settings	Full root access, custom configurations
Scalability	Fixed resources with limited scaling	Easy to scale resources as needed
Security	Shared environment; reliant on others	Isolated setup with enhanced security
Best for	Blogs, small sites, early-stage ideas	Growing businesses, high-traffic websites

How to choose the right hosting for you

Not sure whether shared hosting or a VPS is right for you? These three questions can help clarify things:

How much traffic do you expect now - and later? If it’s low and steady, shared would work well. But if you’re expecting growth, a VPS could be the safer bet in the long run.
How comfortable are you with technical tasks? Shared hosting is mostly hands-off. A VPS (especially unmanaged) requires more involvement and some knowledge of how to run a server. Managed VPS plans offer the best of both.
What do you need your site to do? Simple static sites do well on shared hosting, especially if you don’t need to update them often. Complex sites, apps or integrations typically need the control and resources that only VPS can offer.

Example decisions

A personal blog or local artist portfolio? → Shared hosting will do the job well.
A busy online store or fast-scaling SaaS product? → You’ll want VPS hosting from the start.
A WordPress agency with multiple clients? → VPS is your best choice for isolation and performance.

When to upgrade from shared to VPS

Most websites start on shared hosting. But many eventually reach a point where it no longer fits.

Here are some signs that it might be time to move to a VPS:

Your site slows down at busy times
You’re hitting limits for memory, disk space or CPU
You want to install custom tools or modify server settings
You’re launching a high-demand feature, campaign or app
Your host recommends an upgrade due to load or growth

Expert tip:

Choose a provider that offers free migrations and easy upgrades, so moving to a VPS isn’t a disruption.

At Krystal, we’ll handle the entire transition for you, and help you scale without downtime or data loss.

Summary and next steps

Choosing between shared hosting and VPS isn’t about which one is “better” - it’s about what’s better for you right now.

If you're looking for an easy, low-cost way to get online, shared hosting is a great entry point. But if your site demands more control, faster speeds, or room to grow, a VPS server gives you the tools and flexibility to do it right.

We offer both shared and Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting - each powered by 100% renewable energy and supported by our award-winning UK team.

When you’re ready to explore your options, just head to our Shared Hosting and VPS Hosting pages, or have a chat with our friendly expert support team - we’ll be more than happy to help you find your fit.

How to choose between shared hosting and VPS