Shared hosting is for websites. A VPS is for running a server.
If your site is a normal WordPress install, brochure site, small shop, or static project, shared hosting is usually the simpler and cheaper choice. ArkHost Web Hosting already handles the web server, control panel, backups and common site requirements.
Choose a Linux VPS when the limits of shared hosting are the problem, not the price.
Choose a VPS when you need control of the stack
- You need to install packages or services that a shared hosting account cannot run.
- You are deploying a Node.js, Python, PHP, Go, Java or similar application with its own runtime.
- You want to run Docker containers, a reverse proxy, a queue worker, a scheduled job, a webhook receiver or a persistent bot.
- Your application needs a database, cache or background worker sized for its own workload.
- You need to control firewall rules, operating-system updates, users and SSH access.
- You want a separate staging, development or testing server that behaves like production.
An ArkHost Linux VPS is a KVM virtual machine hosted in Europe. It has allocated RAM and NVMe storage, a dedicated IPv4 address, and the ability to reinstall the operating system from the VPS control panel. Connect over SSH and run the software you choose.
Do not buy a VPS to avoid basic site maintenance
A VPS gives you more control, but it also gives you more work. You are responsible for installing updates, securing SSH, configuring the firewall, monitoring the application and keeping your own off-server copy of important data.
For a normal CMS site, shared hosting is usually the better answer. You do not need root-level control to publish a website. Move to a VPS when the application needs it.
Common reasons customers move to a VPS
- Custom application: an API, SaaS product, internal tool or web app that needs its own runtime and deployment process.
- Containers: one server for a Docker Compose stack instead of trying to force it into a shared hosting account.
- Automation: an agent, integration, scraper, worker or scheduled process that must stay online.
- Performance isolation: a busy application that needs its own memory allocation and storage instead of sharing an account-level environment.
- Server access: a developer or technical team that needs SSH, system packages and control over the operating system.
Start with the workload, then size the VPS
Do not select a plan by CPU-core count alone. A database-backed application or several containers can need more memory long before it needs more CPU. A project with uploads, logs or local database backups can run out of disk before either.
Start with a plan that leaves room for the operating system and normal growth. Measure memory, CPU, disk and traffic after deployment. Upgrade when the data shows a limit. ArkHost publishes the limits of every Linux VPS plan before you order.
