A VPS or Virtual Private Server is a fantastic alternative for those Webmasters who need the extra programs and features that come with a dedicated server but don’t have the budget to lease a dedicated server from month to month. A VPS hosting offers all of the elements you can expect to find on a dedicated server such as control panels, shell access and the standard features you’d find on shared hosting. A VPS will typically cost less than half of that of a dedicated server, which is a huge draw for Webmasters working to a budget.

A typical VPS performs in the exact same way as a dedicated server. You’d have access to a full control panel for which to administer your websites and would also have shell/command line access to perform more complex server functions. By having such access privileges, you can also customise your server to suit your needs by installing and maintaining your own applications. A VPS will give you the complete freedom that most shared or reseller hosting accounts can’t give you.

Performance wise, a VPS can perform just as well as a dedicated server. That when coupled with the cost and options available make it one of the more popular choices in web hosting.