When you first signed up for a web hosting plan, you probably started off with an affordable, shared hosting plan. In other words, you rented a space on a huge server and you share that space with several other small to medium-size website owners.
While shared hosting is sufficient for many website owners, it’s possible your website, or development goals, will outgrow a shared hosting plan and you need to scale your server size.
If this is the case, congratulations. It means you’re getting more traffic, you want to start a gaming server, or perhaps you need a virtual dev environment for testing.
Whatever the reason, it indicates growth and that’s awesome.
While upgrading to a VPS hosting plan comes with more control, extra flexibility, and additional security, it’s also true that it can come with extra costs. This begs the question, “How much does VPS hosting cost?â€
The short answer is, it depends, but it can run you anywhere from $19.95 per month to $39.95 per month to start. To answer in more depth, this article will review:
- What VPS hosting is and whether or not it’s right for you
- How much different VPS hosting plans cost
- The add-on features that are worth considering
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What is VPS hosting and is it right for you?
When it comes to web hosting, you want to make sure you pick the web hosting plan that fits your needs and goals. Otherwise, you’ll either end up over-paying for features you don’t need, or may not have the functionality or space to support a growing site.
First, and as a quick review, VPS stands for virtual private server. A virtual private server runs several partitioned virtual machines on a bigger server, but each is fully private and acts like a smaller dedicated server.
In other words, with a VPS you get the enhanced control, root access, and added security of a dedicated server. However, you don’t have to pay the full price of a dedicated server for space that you might not even come close to needing.
If you know you’ve outgrown shared hosting, here are some scenarios to help you decide if a VPS plan is right for you:
- You are seeing traffic surges. If your website started out with little traffic, but is suddenly getting more simultaneous visits, a VPS is a great idea.
- You want to build a gaming server. If you want to host an online game for yourself and other gamers, a VPS is an affordable option. You won’t have to pay dedicated hosting prices, and you’ll have enough RAM to support a high-quality gaming experience.
- You know your website will grow quickly. If you know your website is about to get a lot of new traffic, and you don’t want to risk downtime, upgrade to a VPS.
- You want to install your own software. Shared hosting is somewhat limited when it comes to allowed software. If you want to install your own software, modules, or apps, then VPS is the right hosting plan.
- You want a virtual dev environment for testing. If you want to test your own development, then VPS hosting is perfect.
If any of the above scenarios apply to you, then you’re in the right place.
How much does VPS hosting cost?
Now that you know you need a VPS hosting plan, let’s talk about how much it will cost. At HostGator, there are three different VPS hosting plans. The reason? Every website owner has different needs, and we work to accommodate your needs.
The main difference in HostGator’s three plans is how much CPU, RAM, and disc space you may need.
If you’re not sure, you can always contact one of our customer support members, and we can help you find the perfect plan. Here is a look into the three different VPS plans and their starting prices.
1. Snappy 2000 VPS Hosting Plan
The Snappy 2000 plan comes with 2GB of RAM, 2 cores CPU, 120 GB of disc space, unmetered bandwidth, and 2 dedicated IPs.
If you need more storage than a shared web hosting plan offers or want root access, the Snappy 2000 plan is perfect for you.
Price: Starts at $19.95 per month
2. Snappy 4000 VPS Hosting Plan
The Snappy 4000 plan comes with 4 GB of RAM, 2 cores CPU, 165 GB of disc space, unmetered bandwidth, and 2 dedicated IPs.
This is the plan we recommend most, especially for people who want to try out a VPS hosting plan. It gives you enough storage to build a robust website, but leaves room for you to scale.
Price: Starts at $29.95 per month
3. Snappy 8000 VPS Hosting Plan
The Snappy 8000 plan comes with 8 GB of RAM, 4 cores CPU, 240 GB of disc space, unmetered bandwidth, and 2 dedicated IPs.
If you plan on starting a gaming server, then you’ll need to start with the Snappy 8000 hosting plan. This is also the perfect VPS plan for someone who wants to host multiple websites. Finally, if you’re seeing huge surges in traffic and plan to accept payments, then Snappy 8000 is for you.
Price: Starts at $39.95 per month
What features do I need with my VPS plan?
While the Snappy 2000, Snappy 4000, or Snappy 8000 are comprehensive plans, there are some features and add-on services we recommend every website consider.
Let’s take a closer look at the top four things you should make sure you have with your VPS plan.
1. Domain
The good news about HostGato is you get a free domain name with every HostGator web hosting plan. When you have a VPS plan, you also have the ability to host unlimited domains. These domains can be your additional website domains or domains for clients or friends.
If you plan to host multiple domains, start with the Snappy 8000 plan.
2. Domain privacy
When you sign up for your hosting account and register your domain, you enter personal details into the WHOIS database.
Domain privacy protection is an add-on service that protects your personal data. It’s $14.95 per year for this service and we recommend it to everyone.
3. SSL certificate
Another benefit of HostGator web hosting is you get a free SSL certificate. SSL stands for secure sockets layer and it’s a security technology that encrypts communication between web browsers and servicers.
HostGator offers this for free to help protect your website’s sensitive information, including customer data, credit card numbers, and more.
4. CodeGuard
CodeGuard starts at $2.00 per month and absolutely worth the small added expense. CodeGuard includes daily automatic backups to help protect your site from viruses, hackers, and unintended coding problems.
Here is what you get with CodeGuard:
- 1GB Of Storage
- Up To 5 Websites
- Unlimited Databases
- Unlimited Files
- 3 Restores Per Month
It also includes daily monitoring and full protection to keep your data safe.
Get affordable VPS hosting with HostGator today!
If you’re ready to take your website to the next level, upgrading to a VPS hosting plan is a wise decision.
The VPS hosting plans at HostGator start at anywhere from $19.95 per month to $39.95 per month and offer additional control, flexibility, more storage, and easy scaling. Check out our VPS hosting plans today!
Ashley R. Cummings is a professional freelance writer specializing in SaaS, tech, and advertising/marketing. In a previous life, she was a Russian teacher at Brigham Young University, a corporate trainer, and a grad student—all at the same time. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling the world with her 2 kids and husband, reading poetry or taking a deep dive into the fabulous world of comedy. Connect with her on Twitter at @ashleyrcummings.