If you are hosting a large number of websites, or if you are hosting a few websites with a decent amount of traffic, (or if you just like control), a virtual private server might be right for you.

What is a virtual private server?

A virtual private server, commonly referred to as a VPS, is a private server that you have total control over. It is called a virtual server because it isn’t a physical server – it is a virtual server created on a physical server. This doesn’t really make a difference, virtual servers can perform as well as physical servers unless you are doing activities that require high CPU or memory usage. The private server means that the server is only yours – only you have access to it (and the support team at the hosting company). You don’t have to keep it that way though – you can host other people with it if you wish. Most shared hosting plans are on a virtual private server, so it’s perfectly acceptable to host other people on your virtual private server.

When do I need a virtual private server?

You never really need a virtual private server. There are many hosting plans available, many of which provide unlimited (or seeminly unlimited) resources. It’s really nice to have a virtual private server, though. You are in control of your own things with a virtual private server. This might make things difficult for you, if you don’t have a lot of experience with these things. Personally, I have having control over DNS and Apache. You can host many websites on your VPS. There is usually no reachable limit on storage space and no limit on the amount of domains.

Sometimes a virtual private server can be expensive. You should only get one if you know how to use one and you would like to have it – don’t buy one if you are still deciding.