Choose VPS at the moment it is not an easy task, there are simply many hosting providers who offer their services everywhere, promotions for the first month, cheap tariffs and free support, but what is hidden behind the screen of low rates and will you end up paying double with your reputation and lost orders? In this article, we will answer these and other questions.
When you choose a VPS for your online store, you make a key decision, which is comparable to buying an apartment in a good or bad area, where in a good area you will find peace and orderly development - life without failures and downtime, and in an unlucky area - stress and sadness - loss of customers and nerves.
The rented virtual server directly affects the performance, security and reliability of your e-commerce project. But how to choose a VPS when at first, there is no way to overpay for high-quality solutions from branded providers without losing quality? In this article, we will analyze what is important to consider when choosing a VPS, what mistakes to avoid and what to pay attention to in order not to overpay for VPS rental, but at the same time get stable and fast server operation.
What is VPS and why is it needed?
VPS is a virtual server that runs on a physical server divided into several virtual machines using a hypervisor (such a program). This solution helps save money compared to renting a physical dedicated server - example, while providing greater flexibility and resources than regular hosting (which in turn was also divided into clusters). Previously, VPS was ordered only in case of high traffic, but at the moment, even simple Woocommerce can no longer handle regular hosting, failures occur and the hosting software simply “cuts off” visitors - literally visitors are given an error or 403 or 505.
Let's look at the advantages of VPS:
1. Isolation: Resources are at your disposal only
Each virtual environment on a VPS operates independently of the others, reducing performance and security risks.
2. Flexibility: customization and management
You can configure the server for specific tasks, install the necessary programs and select the operating system, we will talk about the operating system below.
3. Low cost: not always great
Compared to a dedicated server, a VPS will be cheaper, but will provide more resources than shared hosting.
4. Selecting software and operating system: Linux or Windows
When choosing a VPS, you can choose which operating system you prefer: Windows Server or Linux. The choice of Windows VPS or Linux VPS depends on which stack you are using, for example, if you have a product written in .NET, it is obvious that you should use a VPS with the Windows operating system, more details about Windows VPS at the link https://sidata.com.ua/ru/windows-vps/.
You also have the option to choose a Linux distribution, be it the stable Debian or the latest Ubuntu.
How to choose an inexpensive but high-quality VPS?
Let's look at the key points that you should pay attention to when choosing an inexpensive but high-quality VPS.
1. Let's start by analyzing your needs
Before you start looking for a suitable VPS, it is important to understand what resources you really need, what traffic will be at the start, what advertising budget you will master, what functionality will be from the start and whether it will be revised in the next couple of months or years. You should not focus only on the minimum hosting requirements, you need to think several steps ahead and take a reserve.
Now what characteristics should you pay attention to?
Processor (CPU): If you plan to work with a large number of requests or complex calculations, you will need a more powerful processor. For example, you have a complex catalog, with many filters, relationships, connections (colors, modifications and all this affects the price) then in this case it is better not to skimp on the CPU, because it is the CPU that will have to process all this instantly, and if it slows down, what will be the result? That's right, the visitor will freak out and leave the site, and this is equivalent to a loss, because you have already invested in this client the price for attracting him.
Random Access Memory (RAM): The more RAM, the more tasks the server can process at a time. If the CPU processes requests, then where should this processing take place? It takes place in RAM. If you expect up to 100 visitors a day and they will all visit the site evenly, then you don’t need a lot of RAM, but if they come in groups, then it’s better not to save here, otherwise the site will start to slow down and you will lose everyone. So, for small sites with up to 100 products, 2-4 GB is enough, for large projects with 1000 products, you need at least 8 GB or more.
Disk space (SSD or NVMe): NVMe drives provide higher performance than SSD, but they are more expensive. Choose SSD if you care about performance, if you see HDD - do not take VPS with them, for an online store, they are outdated and too slow. HDD are only good for storing files, nothing more.
Data transmission channel: This is an important point if you work with a lot of traffic. The more bandwidth, the faster your site will load. It is better to immediately pay attention to providers that have a 1 Gbps channel.
2. Quality of technical support
An inexpensive VPS is, of course, good, but what if something goes wrong? This is where it is important to understand that support plays a key role. It is necessary to evaluate in advance how quickly and effectively they will be able to help you in case of problems, and there will be problems, it is important that they guide you free of charge and promptly indicate what the problem is.
Some companies offer 24/7 support via chat, phone, and email. The faster the technical support responds, the better. In the case of inexpensive VPS, it is important that not only the prices are attractive, but also the technical support is up to par, this is very important. After all, you yourself do not understand VPS management and are unlikely to be able to deeply understand the problem.
Don't forget to also clarify what language the support works in and whether there are specialists available who can solve non-standard problems for an additional fee; find out the cost of such work in advance.
3. Check reviews and reputation
Reviews are a vital part of the VPS selection process, especially when it comes to budget options. It is important to understand that both positive and negative comments can be found online, and it is important to be able to filter them.
How to find honest reviews?
- Look for independent resources where real user opinions are published. An example of such sites is a hosting provider forum or specialized sites like HostingReview.com or uk.hostadvice.com
- Check comments on social networks. You should pay attention to what users write on the provider's Facebook or Twitter pages. Often, real reviews can be found in discussions on these platforms.
- Monitor the dynamics of reputation. If the provider is constantly fixing problems and working to improve the service, this is a positive sign.
Why are reviews important?
Reviews give a real idea of how the provider solves server problems, how stable its service is, and how the support works. For example, if on one resource you see that all the clients praise the fast technical support, and on another they complain about long responses - this is an important signal.
4. Cost and quality match
Cheap VPS may look attractive, but it is important to understand that for a low price you may not get the best resources and support, especially hosting providers are guilty of selling your resources to your server neighbor. It is important to find a balance here: choose not the cheapest VPS, but the one that offers the best combination of cost and quality.
Don't be fooled by the lowest price. Cheap hosting providers can hide unpleasant surprises - from weak technical support to the lack of necessary software, be it the latest version of MariaDB or PHP. To avoid disappointment, make a thorough comparison between providers on key parameters, such as the processor, RAM and disk space.
5. Testing the service
Some hosting providers offer free tests of their VPS or at least a money-back guarantee within a week. This is a chance to check in practice how the server works, how stable it is in real conditions.
Feel free to take advantage of this and test it before making a final decision. For example, you can install your online store on a VPS and see how it works under load using a loader service such as loadforge.com or pingdom.com. This will help you assess how suitable the server is for your needs.
6. Clarify security details
VPS security is an issue that should not be put off for later. When choosing a cheap VPS, you need to make sure that the hosting provider provides the necessary protection.
- Firewall. Check if your provider provides basic protection against external threats.
- Security updates. Find out how often your server receives security updates.
- Backup. It is important that you have the ability to make regular backups of your site or that they are made automatically on a regular basis.
In the case of low-cost VPS, you need to check whether there are additional security options. For example, if the provider only offers basic protection, you will have to set up additional security measures on your VPS or install Cloudflare.
So how do you choose the right VPS?
Choosing an inexpensive but high-quality VPS is a task that requires attention and careful preparation. It is necessary to consider not only the price, but also the resources, quality of support, reputation and security.
1. Don't chase the cheapest price
Choose what suits your requirements and will not harm the quality of the site.
2. Check reviews - this is an important aspect to avoid falling into the hands of scammers or unscrupulous providers.
3. Test the server - If possible, use the free trial period to make sure that the VPS is working stably.
4. Make sure it is safe — data protection must come first.
Thus, by approaching the choice of VPS consciously and paying attention to all key points, you will be able to find a reliable provider with a good price-quality ratio.
Just contact us and we will help you choose the best solution for you.
