The question we hear most often at support is “hosting or VPS?”. The answer depends on three things: what you run, how much traffic you have and who administers it.
Shared hosting – when it just has to work
On shared hosting we maintain the server, PHP, database, backups and security updates. You get a panel to add domains and mailboxes and install WordPress in one click.
Pick hosting if:
- you run a company site, blog or shop with up to a few thousand visits a day,
- you use PHP (WordPress, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Joomla, Laravel),
- you do not want to administer a server or track OS updates.
At Hosteam every plan runs on NVMe storage with per-account CPU/RAM limits, so neighbours never slow your site down.
VPS – when you need your own system
A VPS is a virtual server with its own operating system, root access and guaranteed resources. Install anything: Node.js, Python, Docker, your own database or a game server.
Pick a VPS if:
- your application is not “a regular PHP site” (Node, Python, Go, .NET, containers),
- you need custom web server, cache or queue configuration,
- traffic is unpredictable and you want to scale with a slider,
- someone will handle OS updates and security (or you want to learn).
When to move from hosting to a VPS
Signs hosting is getting too small:
- The site regularly hits the CPU limit shown in the panel.
- You need Redis/Elasticsearch or a background process.
- The shop sees more than ~10k visits a day at peak.
The move does not have to be a leap – we help migrate the site, and on the VPS you can install an admin panel to simplify daily tasks.
Summary
| Shared hosting | VPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | us | you |
| Any software | no (PHP) | yes |
| Scaling | change plan | CPU/RAM/disk slider |
| Starting price | lower | higher |
Still unsure? Send us a description of the project – we will advise, and if after a month it turns out to be the wrong pick, we will move you to the other option.