Alexis Kestler
Hi there! If you run a growing small or medium business, you‘ve likely outgrown the limited resources of shared hosting. It‘s time to upgrade to a managed VPS (virtual private server) plan that can efficiently handle increasing traffic while providing better performance, security, and flexibility.
I‘ve been helping businesses select ideal web hosting solutions for over 5 years. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore what managed VPS hosting is, its key benefits, when to upgrade from shared hosting, and most importantly – the top 11 managed VPS providers worth considering for SMBs like yours.
What is Managed VPS Hosting?
Let‘s first understand what managed VPS hosting involves.
A VPS is a virtual machine that mimics a dedicated physical server, except you don‘t have to pay for the full cost of a dedicated server. The hosting provider uses virtualization software like KVM or Xen to allocate slices of the resources of a powerful underlying physical server to create multiple virtual servers.
Each VPS gets its own share of compute capacity, storage space, memory, bandwidth – which is dedicated just for your usage. It‘s like getting a portion of a large server all to yourself!
With a managed plan, the hosting provider takes care of all server administration tasks like:
- OS installation, updates and security patching
- Resource optimization and performance tuning
- Configuration of firewalls for security
- Malware monitoring and DDoS protection
- Daily backups and disaster recovery
- Troubleshooting any issues
- Scaling up resources when needed
So you avoid the headache of handling the infrastructure yourself and can fully focus on your applications and business!
Managed VPS hosting provides the advantages of dedicated servers without the high costs. But compared to shared hosting, it offers greater flexibility, customization and most importantly – guaranteed dedicated resources.
Key Benefits of Using Managed VPS Hosting
Let‘s discuss the major benefits of switching to managed VPS hosting when compared to shared hosting:
Guaranteed Dedicated Resources
With shared hosting, hundreds of accounts are packed onto a single physical server. Your site‘s performance thus depends on activity from other "neighbor" sites consuming capacity. One resource-intensive neighbor site can slow down your site.
But with a managed VPS plan, the reserved resources like compute, memory, storage and bandwidth are guaranteed just for your usage. No one else eats up your allocated capacity. This ensures consistent high performance.
Increased Flexibility and Customization
Shared hosting plans impose various restrictions in what you can do, to maintain stability across accounts. But with a managed VPS, you get full root access just like a dedicated server.
You can fully customize and tune the virtual server as per your application requirements – install custom software, change kernel parameters, run security audits etc. This added flexibility is a boon for advanced implementations with specific needs.
Enhanced Security and Isolation
On shared servers, hundreds of accounts reside together. So if one account is compromised, others are easier to attack. There is minimal isolation.
With managed VPS hosting, your virtual server is completely isolated using private virtual networks. Your data resides only on your allocated storage. This added security separation protects your site if vulnerabilities arise on other accounts.
High Uptime and Reliability
With quality managed VPS providers like InMotion Hosting and A2 Hosting, you can expect guaranteed uptime of 99.9% or higher. Quick auto-recovery from server issues minimizes downtime.
Such high reliability is harder to achieve on shared hosting where any problems on the physical server affect many accounts together. Managed VPS hosting thus delivers maximized website availability.
Easy and On-Demand Scalability
As your business grows, website traffic increases. Shared hosting has limited ability to scale and accommodate this easily. You may have to totally migrate plans.
With managed VPS accounts, you can simply upgrade to a higher resource package or add more nodes horizontally to create a cluster. Such smooth on-demand scaling ensures your hosting keeps pace with business growth.
Access to Expert Support
Good managed VPS providers like Liquid Web have expert support teams available 24/7 to help with server issues, security, backups, and configurations. Getting such capable technical assistance is invaluable.
So in summary, managed VPS hosting empowers growing SMBs by providing greater performance, flexibility, reliability and support over shared hosting.
11 Best Managed VPS Providers for SMBs and Startups
I‘ve assessed over 25 top VPS hosting providers based on key criteria like server resources, uptime, security, support responsiveness, data center locations and costs.
Here are the 11 managed VPS solutions that I recommend most for small and medium businesses looking to upgrade from shared hosting:
1. InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting tops my list for SMBs, with their high-performance managed VPS plans, excellent uptime, rapid support and intuitive management.
Their entry-level VPS-1000HA-S plan starts at just $27.99/month. It includes:
- 4 vCPU cores
- 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 75GB NVMe SSD storage
- 10TB bandwidth
InMotion provisions servers on cutting-edge hardware with 100% SSD storage for maximum speed. Their average page load time is a blazing fast 200ms!
You get intuitive management via cPanel or the easy InMotion custom panel. All plans include dedicated IPs, free SSL, backups, and 35+ optimized software stacks like LAMP, MEAN, Ruby, etc.
InMotion‘s network backbone handles 40Gbps bandwidth, ensuring rapid data flows. Their global data centers maintain 99.9% uptime, with expert support responding in as little as 15 minutes via phone/chat.
I recommend InMotion managed VPS hosting for their combination of latest hardware, blazing speeds, and exceptional service. Their plans empower SMBs to smoothly scale and deliver great user experiences.
2. Bluehost
Bluehost is among the largest web hosting companies, known for their user-friendly shared plans. Their managed VPS solutions are also a great option for SMBs.
The Starter VPS plan begins at just $19.99/month providing:
- 2 vCPU cores
- 2GB DDR4 RAM
- 30GB NVMe SSD storage
- 1TB bandwidth
Bluehost builds their VPS infrastructure on powerful Intel Xeon processors using RAID-1 SSD storage. Resources like RAM and storage can be upgraded seamlessly with just a few clicks.
The easy-to-use control panel enables effortless management and One-click installs for over 125 apps. All plans include dedicated IPs, unlimited websites, SSL certificates, and 24×7 expert support.
With 17 data center locations globally, page loading times are consistently fast across regions. For new users, their $100 Google Ads offer helps drive initial traffic.
For SMBs seeking a trusted brand with intuitive VPS hosting, positive user reviews and helpful support, Bluehost is a great choice.
3. A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting is renowned for their ultra-fast managed VPS hosting leveraging cutting-edge hardware and software optimization.
The entry-level Swift VPS plan begins at $25/month and provides:
- 4 vCPU Cores
- 4GB DDR4 RAM
- 75GB NVMe SSD storage
- 5TB bandwidth
A2 Hosting provisions virtual servers on advanced AMD EPYC processors clocking speeds up to 5.2GHz. Their hypervisor optimization and DDos protection deliver max performance.
Users can pick data centers in Asia, Europe or North America based on audience geography. Turbo Boost feature offers up to 20X faster page loads by caching static assets in RAM.
With free migrations, config back-ups, anycast DNS and 24/7/365 support, A2 Hosting provides easy yet high-performance managed VPS hosting for SMBs.
4. Liquid Web
Liquid Web is renowned for its managed VPS hosting fine-tuned for eCommerce stores and custom applications needing fast speeds and maximum reliability.
Their Starter VPS plan begins at $59/month and provides:
- 2 vCPU Cores
- 4GB DDR4 RAM
- 50GB NVMe SSD storage
- 10TB bandwidth
Liquid Web builds their VPS plans on high-capacity Dell servers with all-SSD storage and Cloudflare edge delivery. This enables superfast page load times averaging sub-500ms.
For mission-critical needs, they offer 100% uptime SLA with 15 minute response for urgent issues. Managed firewall, backups, dedicated IPs, and SSL are included.
Their hands-on professional services assist with migrations, security audits, app optimization and more. For SMBs that need high-reliability infrastructure with expert support, Liquid Web is worth the premium.
5. HostGator
HostGator is a popular shared hosting provider among SMBs now expanding into robust managed VPS solutions.
Their entry-level Snappy 2000 plan starts at just $19.95/month and includes:
- 2 vCPU cores
- 2GB DDR4 RAM
- 120GB SSD storage
- Unmetered bandwidth
HostGator utilizes 100% renewable energy for their global data centers. Customers can pick regions like US, India, Netherlands etc. for location-optimized performance.
VPS resources can be upgraded easily anytime. Each plan includes dedicated IP, unlimited domains, SSL certificate, SSH access, and cPanel control panel.
Their in-house technical staff offer 24×7 assistance via phone, chat and tickets. For SMBs seeking budget-friendly yet fully managed VPS hosting, HostGator is a great choice.
6. GreenGeeks
GreenGeeks is one of the most environmentally friendly hosting providers, using 300% renewable energy across their infrastructure.
Their baseline Pro 1 VPS plan starts at $40/month and provides:
- 2 vCPU cores
- 3GB DDR4 RAM
- 80GB NVMe SSD storage
- 5TB bandwidth
Larger businesses can opt for higher-tier VPS plans with more resources. An integrated CDN and advanced caching result in 30% faster speeds.
GreenGeeks offers secure hosting across AWS and DigitalOcean data centers. Every account includes dedicated IP, cPanel access, a free Wildcard SSL certificate, SSH login and automatic daily backups.
With a 99.98% uptime SLA and average 10 minute support response via multiple channels, GreenGeeks delivers fast, secure, and eco-friendly managed VPS services.
7. iPage
iPage is a well-known shared hosting provider. Their VPS hosting plans offer a cost-effective method for SMBs to step up for better performance and growth.
The starter plan is just $19.99/month providing:
- 2 vCPU cores
- 2GB DDR4 RAM
- 60GB NVMe SSD storage
- 1.5TB bandwidth
One-click scaling allows seamless upgrading of RAM, cores, and storage as needs grow. Free daily backups provide disaster recovery capabilities.
Each iPage VPS plan includes cPanel, dedicated IP, unlimited MySQL databases, $150 ad credits and 24/7 support. For lean startups seeking affordable managed VPS hosting, iPage is worth considering.
8. DreamHost
DreamHost is a managed VPS provider with robust 100% renewable-powered infrastructure. Their plans offer excellent uptime and performance.
The starter plan is priced at $10/month and provides:
- 1 vCPU core
- 1GB DDR4 RAM
- 30GB NVMe SSD storage
- 1TB bandwidth
Seamless vertical scaling allows upgrading resources anytime. The panel enables effortless management, one-click installs, and unlimited MySQL databases.
DreamHost uses advanced SSD storage for fast speeds. With a 100% uptime SLA and quick 24/7 support, they deliver reliable managed VPS services.
9. Kamatera
Kamatera offers developer-friendly managed VPS solutions backed by high-capacity enterprise hardware.
Their starter VPS plan is priced at just $4/month and includes:
- 1 vCPU core
- 2GB DDR4 RAM
- 20GB SSD storage
- 1TB bandwidth
Custom-tailored VPS packages are available for configuring resources as needed. Their infrastructure comprises high-performance Intel Xeon processors, all-NVMe SSD storage, and 25Gbps network.
Kamatera VPS plans include a managed firewall, DDoS protection, free SSL, DNS management, daily backups and 24/7 monitoring. For infrastructure flexibility at affordable rates, they are worth considering.
10. Hostinger
Hostinger provides budget-friendly managed VPS hosting plans optimized for new businesses with smaller growth needs.
Their Premium VPS plan starts at $7.45/month with:
- 2 vCPU cores
- 2GB DDR4 RAM
- 20GB NVMe SSD storage
- 2TB bandwidth
Easy one-click upgrades are available for additional requirements. The plans include cPanel, Varnish caching, CDN, regular backups and 24×7 support.
Hostinger uses premium Dell servers for their infrastructure across the globe. For lean startups wanting reliable managed VPS hosting at low cost, Hostinger is a decent choice.
11. Hostwinds
Hostwinds delivers capable managed VPS solutions backed by strong infrastructure monitoring, scaling and support.
Their Starter VPS plan begins at $8.24/month providing:
- 1 vCPU core
- 1GB DDR4 RAM
- 30GB SSD storage
- 1TB bandwidth
Seamless upgrading of resources is available anytime as needs evolve. Hostwinds provisions new accounts rapidly so businesses can get started quickly.
Other key features include SSD storage, backups, enterprise firewall and 24×7 support. For affordability along with expert managed services, Hostwinds is recommended.
Choosing the Best Managed VPS Provider
With the wide range of options, how do you select the managed VPS provider ideally matched to your business needs?
Here are some key criteria I would evaluate:
Server Resources – Assess the computing power, RAM, SSD storage, bandwidth allotted across plans. Pick resources fitting your workload.
Uptime History – Look for consistent 99.9% or higher uptime across data centers. Minimum downtime ensures uninterrupted operations.
Page Speeds – Fast page loads retain visitors. Ensure low latency connectivity and SSDs for speed.
Support Responsiveness – Review response times and support channels like live chat, phone, tickets.Prompt assistance is invaluable.
Security Provisions – Verify security features like DDoS mitigation, managed firewalls, regular patching, backups and SSL certificates are implemented.
Server Locations – Ensure provider has data centers close to your target users for faster local performance.
Scalability – Evaluate options to vertically scale resources or add more nodes as your needs grow. Smooth scaling is vital.
Cost – Balance plan costs with the value derived. Avoid over-provisioning resources you won‘t fully utilize.
Doing in-depth research across these parameters for your specific use case will help identify the ideal managed VPS provider matching your technical and business requirements.
When Should Growing Businesses Upgrade to Managed VPS Hosting?
Many SMBs start out on shared hosting plans due to lower initial costs. But as website traffic and database sizes increase, the limited resources lead to slowdowns.
Here are some signs indicating you should upgrade to managed VPS hosting:
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High CPU and Memory Usage – Consistently hitting 90%+ utilization on the shared server will degrade performance during traffic spikes.
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Slow Page Load Times – Average page load times exceeding 2-3 seconds frustrate visitors. Increasing latency indicates shared hosting limitations.
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Frequent Downtime – Shared accounts on the same server together suffer any infrastructure issues. Frequent downtime impacts business operations.
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Security Concerns – On shared servers, websites are vulnerable to attacks on other accounts on the same infrastructure.
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Customization Needs – Restrictions of shared plans prevent installing custom software, changing configs etc.
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Difficulty Handling Traffic Spikes – Shared servers reach load capacity much sooner. Traffic spikes from events like promotions easily overwhelm them.
By upgrading to managed VPS hosting, you can benefit from dedicated resources to comfortably accommodate growth in traffic, database sizes and complexity – while enjoying higher customization and security. The investment is well justified by long term gains.
Final Thoughts
I hope this detailed guide has provided you clarity on what managed VPS hosting entails and how it benefits growing SMBs compared to shared hosting.
Key providers like InMotion Hosting, A2 Hosting and Liquid Web offer robust managed VPS plans fitting different needs and budgets. Assess them based on your specific requirements and business goals.
With in-depth research, you can identify an ideal managed VPS hosting provider that will effectively power the next stage of expansion for your SMB. Leveraging dedicated resources and expert management will unlock greater performance, security and growth potential.
If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out! I‘m always glad to help fellow businesses find the best hosting solutions.
