The right hosting depends less on traffic than on what your website is made of and who will look after it. A brochure site built from static files needs very little server. A WordPress site with plugins needs a server that runs PHP and a database, and someone to keep that software patched. Pick the option whose maintenance burden you can actually carry.
The four categories in plain terms
Hosting is the computer (or service) that stores your website and answers visitors’ requests. The categories below differ mainly in how much of the stack you control and how much the provider handles.
| Type | What you get | Control | Who maintains the server software | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Your site sits on a server with many other sites | Low | The provider handles the server, you handle your site | Small sites with modest needs |
| VPS or cloud server | A virtual machine with its own resources | High | You, unless you pay for a managed service | Custom applications, teams with technical skills |
| Managed hosting | A host tuned for one platform, often WordPress | Medium | The provider handles server updates, backups and often caching | Businesses that want WordPress without server work |
| Static hosting | Pre-built files served from a content network | Low on the server, high on the build | The provider; there is little server software to patch | Marketing sites, documentation, landing pages |
Shared hosting
You rent a slice of a server alongside other customers. It is the least demanding option to start with, and usually the least flexible. Resources are shared, so a busy neighbour can affect your performance, and you generally cannot install server software of your choice. WordPress’s own hosting requirements suggest asking a host to run PHP under your account’s own username rather than a shared server user, which improves security. That is a useful question to put to any shared host.
VPS and cloud servers
A virtual private server gives you your own allocation of memory and processing, plus administrative access. The trade-off is responsibility. Operating system updates, firewall settings, backups and monitoring become your job, or the job of whoever you pay. Unmanaged VPS plans are cheap for a reason.
Managed hosting
Managed plans bundle server maintenance, backups and caching for a specific platform. You give up some freedom, such as installing arbitrary software, in return for fewer late-night problems. For a business running WordPress with several plugins, this is often the sensible middle path.
Static hosting
A static site is built into plain files ahead of time and served as they are. There is no database to attack at request time and little server software to patch. Astro’s deployment guide describes the common workflow: connect a Git repository to a host, which rebuilds and republishes the site on each commit, with the build output in a dist folder by default. Sites that need server-side rendering use an adapter and an “on demand” host instead. Static hosting suits sites where content changes by publishing, not by visitors submitting data.
Match the hosting to the website
Start from the software, not the price list.
- List what the site runs on. WordPress needs PHP, a database (MariaDB or MySQL) and HTTPS support, according to the WordPress requirements page. A static site generator needs only somewhere to put files.
- Check supported versions. WordPress notes that older PHP and MySQL versions are end-of-life and may expose a site to security vulnerabilities. A host that cannot offer current versions is a red flag.
- Decide who patches what. Write down who updates the server, who updates the CMS and plugins, and who restores a backup. If the answer is “nobody”, choose a managed or static option.
- Consider dynamic needs. Forms, bookings, logins and shops need some server-side logic. That can come from a CMS, a managed platform or separate services, but it must come from somewhere.
- Plan for growth sensibly. Moving later is possible, but easier when the domain and DNS are under your control. See domain names and DNS basics.
Questions to ask any host
- Which PHP and database versions are supported, and how long are old ones kept?
- Are backups automatic, how often, and where are they stored?
- Is HTTPS included and renewed automatically?
- Where are the servers, and does that suit your audience? A content delivery network can reduce the distance problem for visitors far from the server.
- What happens to your site if you leave: can you export everything?
Honest limitations
No hosting type fixes a slow or badly built website. Speed also depends on images, scripts and page design, which is covered in website speed and Core Web Vitals. Static hosting is not suitable for every project, and managed hosting locks you to one platform’s conventions. Cheaper plans usually cost you time somewhere else.
For a longer look at how site architecture affects your hosting choice, see Astro vs WordPress.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Technology division builds business websites and landing pages and offers maintenance and care. If you are weighing hosting for a new build or a redesign, get in touch and see the Technology page for what the division covers.
Sources
- Requirements, WordPress.org
- Deploy your Astro site, Astro Docs
