Understanding the jargon surrounding web hosting plans is one of the biggest barriers to entry for potential website owners. When researching web hosting providers, you've probably come across the terms "self-managed hosting," "semi-managed hosting," and "fully managed hosting." But what do they really mean?
In this article, we'll explain the difference between these three types of hosting services to help you determine which one is right for your specific needs.
Self-Managed Hosting: The Most Common and Cost-Effective Option
Hosting services are commonly compared to household properties: Shared hosting is like renting out an apartment, VPS hosting is akin to owning a condo, and renting a dedicated server is like buying a house.
To borrow an analogy from a helpful HostingAdvice article on the subject, managed hosting is the equivalent of a handyman or maintenance team for your property. Whether you live in a shared environment or own your own server space, someone is responsible for initial website setup and ongoing maintenance.
In the case of self-managed hosting, also known as unmanaged hosting, that someone is you. Setting up your website and handling ongoing maintenance both fall under your purview, just as you'd be responsible for unpacking your belongings, repairing the leaky faucet, or replacing the air conditioning filters regularly in an apartment, condo, or house.
Self-managed hosting is the most basic and affordable type of web hosting. It's perfect for those comfortable with server administration and looking for complete control over their server.
If you choose self-managed hosting, you'll need to be proficient in web hosting administration tasks, including installing software, such as WordPress or Magento, setting up firewalls, and configuring server security. Now, this is made simpler by many of the best web hosting providers, which offer cPanel (or a comparable hosting control panel) to help customers administer their hosting setup.
That said, the vast majority of hosting services are self-managed. While this may sound like a lot of work, it's actually not too difficult for someone with basic technical skills. Additionally, there are many resources available online to help with these tasks.
Managed web hosting has grown from being a $12 billion industry in 2010 to boasting $81 billion in market size in 2020, according to G2 statistics. The biggest advantage of self-managed hosting is that it is much cheaper than fully managed hosting plans.
Fully Managed Hosting: The White-Glove Service Experience
With fully managed hosting, the web hosting provider is responsible for the physical server, network, infrastructure, and most application/software maintenance. The hosting provider will also provide 24/7 support for server issues. However, you, the customer, are largely focused on the website content, design choices, and any marketing that accompanies owning your website.
In other words, a fully managed hosting service is like the concierge at a five-star hotel. The hotel is responsible for the physical room and will provide 24/7 support for any and all issues with your environment, such as a broken TV, a noisy air conditioner, missing toiletries, or room service requests.
Fully managed hosting is the most expensive type of web hosting, but it's also the most hands-off. It's perfect for those who want someone else to take care of the server administration and don't want to be bothered with server issues.
As the name implies, fully managed hosting plans include everything needed to keep a website running smoothly. Customers can focus on their business while the hosting provider takes care of all the technical details.
Fully managed hosting plans often include additional features and services such as daily backups, malware scanning and removal, firewalls, and premium software add-ons. They also typically offer more support than self-managed or semi-managed plans. However, all of this comes at a price: Fully managed hosting plans are usually much more expensive than other options. The managed hosting
Semi-Managed Hosting: The Happy Medium
With semi-managed hosting, the web hosting provider is responsible for the physical server, network, and infrastructure and some software maintenance such as updates to the WordPress core but maybe not plugins. The additional maintenance features vary by provider and plan. You, the customer, are responsible for whatever's left, plus your website content, design, and marketing.
In other words, semi-managed hosting is like having an awesome landlord or handyman in your apartment or condo community. The building owner or condo association is responsible for the physical building, and the association may provide complimentary cable, but you're still responsible for everything inside your unit. But your beloved handyman is on-call to provide limited support for issues such as a broken elevator or a leaky faucet.
Semi-managed hosting is a good option for those who are comfortable with basic hosting administration but need some help with server issues or advanced troubleshooting. It's also a good option for those who want more control over their server than what's offered with a fully managed hosting plan.
Semi-managed hosting lies somewhere in between self-managed and fully managed plans. With a semi-managed plan, the hosting provider will take care of some tasks (such as security updates and backups) while the customer is responsible for others (such as website content).
Semi-managed hosting plans are a good option for those who want some help with the technical aspects of running a website but don't want to pay for a fully managed plan. They are typically more affordable than fully managed plans but more expensive than self-managed plans.
Understand What You're Paying For
When comparing different hosting plans, it's important to understand what you're paying for. In general, self-managed plans are the cheapest while fully managed plans are the most expensive. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
- Self-managed or unmanaged hosting comes with the most responsibility at the lowest price tag. You'll likely pay $3 to $10 for an unmanaged shared hosting plan, $15 to $30 per month for an unmanaged VPS plan, and north of $50 per month (depending on the CPU, RAM, and other server resources) for a dedicated server hosting plan without managed services.
- Semi-managed hosting is priced in between self- and fully managed hosting services. Expect to pay a modest monthly premium for any hosting plan in this category.
- Fully managed hosting plans are the most expensive but come with the most administrative perks and peace of mind. Don't be surprised to find fully managed hosting services starting at $50 and quickly reaching hundreds of dollars per month.
The best option depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you're unsure which type of plan is right for you, it's always a good idea to contact the hosting provider and ask questions about their services before deciding. If you can't get a hold of anyone to get the answers you need, that's an answer in itself.
Hopefully, this article has cleared up confusion about managed hosting service offerings, empowering you, as the consumer, to make a confident purchasing decision. Happy hosting!