Guide · 7 min read
Shared, semi-dedicated, VPS or dedicated: which hosting do you need?
A plain-English guide to the four hosting layers, what each one is for, when to move up, and what it costs.
Hosting is sold in layers. Each one gives you more resources and more control, and asks a little more of you in return. Picking the right layer saves money today and avoids a painful migration later. Here is how to think about it.
The four layers at a glance
| Layer | You manage | Resources | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Your site only | Shared, with fair-use limits | Websites, blogs, small shops, email | €3.44/mo |
| Semi-dedicated | Your site only | Guaranteed share of CPU & memory | Busy sites and stores that outgrew shared | €30.91/mo |
| VPS | The whole server OS | Dedicated vCPU, RAM, disk | Custom stacks, apps, root access | €20.57/mo |
| Dedicated server | The whole machine | All of it | Heavy, sustained workloads | €61.92/mo |
Prices are live from our catalogue, shown in EUR.
Shared hosting: start here
Shared hosting puts many accounts on one well-managed platform. The provider looks after the operating system, security updates, the web server and backups; you look after your website. For most new projects, a company site, a portfolio, a blog, a small online store, it is the right first layer.
Signs it is still the right fit: pages load quickly, you rarely hit limits in your control panel, and you do not need software beyond what the platform offers.
Semi-dedicated: more room, same simplicity
Semi-dedicated hosting runs on the same kind of managed platform, but with far fewer accounts per server and a guaranteed share of CPU and memory. You get noticeably more headroom without taking on server administration.
Move here when: your site slows down at peak times, you run a store or membership site with steady traffic, or your shared plan's CPU limits are becoming a regular event.
VPS: your own server, virtually
A virtual private server gives you your own operating system with root access. You can install any software, pick your Linux distribution, run background workers, Docker or custom services. The trade-off: you are responsible for updates, security hardening and backups, unless you add a control panel or a managed-services package.
Move here when: you need software or versions the managed platform does not provide, long-running processes, or full control over configuration.
Dedicated server: the whole machine
A dedicated server is physical hardware that only you use. It suits sustained heavy workloads, large databases, high-traffic applications, video processing, and cases where isolation or licensing requires a physical machine. Because stock is limited, availability varies by location; our dedicated page shows live stock.
A quick way to decide
- Do you need root access or custom system software? If yes → VPS or dedicated. If no → continue.
- Is your site busy enough to hit resource limits regularly? If yes → semi-dedicated. If no → shared hosting.
- Is your workload heavy and constant, around the clock? If yes → dedicated server.
Not sure how many websites and mailboxes you need? The plan finder picks the cheapest shared plan that fits in two taps.
Frequently asked
Is semi-dedicated hosting better than a VPS?
Neither is “better”, they solve different problems. Semi-dedicated gives you guaranteed resources while the platform is managed for you. A VPS gives you root access and full control, but you are responsible for the server software.
When should I upgrade from shared hosting?
When your site is regularly slow at busy times, when you hit resource limits in your control panel, or when you need software the shared platform does not offer.
Do I need a dedicated server?
Usually only for sustained heavy workloads, large databases, strict isolation requirements or software licensed per physical machine.