Your website needs a place to “live”: on a server. But what exactly is a VPS, and how does it differ from regular web hosting? That sounds technical, but one simple comparison makes it suddenly very clear: a cake. 🍰
A server is a cake
Imagine a server as a big, delicious cake. The cake represents all the computing power of that server: the processor (CPU), the RAM, and the storage. Everyone who has a website or application on that server gets a slice of the same cake. The only question is: how is the cake divided up?
- Shared hosting: The cake isn't cut into pieces. All the websites on the server take what they need. Usually there's enough for everyone, but if one neighbor suddenly eats a lot, there's less left for the rest.
- VPS (Virtual Private Server): The pie is sliced up in advance. You get your own slice, with a fixed amount of CPU, memory, and storage. No matter what your neighbors do, your slice remains yours.
- Dedicated server: You get the whole package. No neighbors—all the computing power is yours alone.
Try it yourself: the cake simulator
Use the options below to switch between shared hosting and a VPS, scale your site up or down, and click “Traffic at the neighbors’!” to see what happens when another website on the server suddenly gets a lot of visitors.
Your Own Piece of the Pie: VPS MT3
Your portion has been pre-cut and set aside. No matter what your neighbors do, this processing power is yours to keep.
How does a VPS work from a technical standpoint?
Behind the scenes, a piece of software—the hypervisor—runs on a powerful physical server. It divides the server into multiple virtual servers. Each VPS receives:
- a fixed number of CPU cores for computing power;
- a specific amount of RAM (working memory);
- dedicated NVMe storage for your files and databases;
- Your own, secure environment. With Minty Hosting, you can easily manage it through Plesk.
Because each VPS is isolated from the others, you’ll hardly notice what other customers are doing on the same physical server. You can run multiple websites, online stores, or applications on it, and you can scale up simply by upgrading to a larger plan.
Shared Hosting vs. VPS vs. Dedicated Server
| 🧁 Shared hosting | 🍰 VPS | 🎂 Dedicated server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cake | Everyone gets a slice of the same cake | Your own cut piece | The whole cake is yours |
| Computing Power | Shared with other websites | Guaranteed CPU Cores and RAM | All server resources |
| Having trouble with the neighbors? | Sometimes, when the server is busy | No, your piece is still yours | No, there are no neighbors |
| Management | We'll take care of everything | Custom Environment with Plesk | Fully customized, including managed services |
| Ideal for | Websites and smaller online stores | Growing online stores, multiple sites, apps | Large platforms and resource-intensive applications |
| View | Web hosting | VPS Private Server | Managed server |
Which cake is right for you?
🍽️ Which cake is right for you?
Answer three questions and find out which hosting plan is right for you.
What do you want to post online?
How many visitors do you expect?
How much control do you want?
Check out web hosting →
Check out WordPress hosting →
View VPS packages →
View managed servers →
- 🧁 A cupcake: web hosting: Web hosting is ideal for a website or small online store. You share the server with others, we handle the management, and you save money. Check out web hosting
- 🥧 A key point: WordPress hosting: Do you run WordPress or WooCommerce? If so, WordPress hosting with the WP Toolkit is a great choice, with room to grow. Check out WordPress hosting
- 🍰 Your own slice of the pie: a VPS: You need guaranteed computing power or want to host multiple websites or applications in one place. With a VPS, you get your own isolated space. View VPS packages
- 🎂 The whole package: your own server: High traffic, resource-intensive applications, or specific requirements? Then a managed or custom server—all to yourself—is the right choice. Check out managed servers
When is a VPS the right choice?
- Your online store is growing and needs guaranteed speed during peak times.
- You want to host multiple websites or clients on a single dedicated environment.
- You're running an application that requires more processing power or custom settings.
- You don't want to be at the mercy of how busy your neighbors are.
For a standard website or small online store, web hosting or WordPress hosting is usually more than enough and more cost-effective. If your project grows, you can easily switch to a VPS (Virtual Private Server). And if you want the whole package, check out a managed server or build your own server using the server configurator.
Need help choosing?
Not sure which option is right for you? We'd be happy to help you figure it out and assist you with custom hosting solutions. Contact us or call 023 230 5815.
