What’s the Difference Between Website Hosting and a Server?
Getting a website online requires procuring hosting services and a server infrastructure. However, the exact distinctions between these two components can seem blurry, especially for first-time website owners.
In this article, we’ll clearly differentiate key aspects between website hosting and servers to eliminate any confusion.
What is Website Hosting?
Web hosting is an internet-based service in which website files and content can be accessed via the internet. When one buys a web hosting plan, they are paying to rent space to keep data for the site.
Web hosts are commercially-operating companies providing hosting facilities and technology, and resources in making a site operational. Their primary functions are to maintain the server at work 24/7 and the safety of the files and data on the site, as well as the transmission of the data, i.e. photos, texts, and other files, to browsers.
Common examples of web hosting services include shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting and managed WordPress hosting. Hosting is an operating expenditure that scales to needs and budgets.
What is a Server?
A web server is a computer which saves, processes and transports web files to web browsers. It is a software and hardware which allows them to reply to the World Wide Web usingthe Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
They take in and send the requested page to the browser. To give you an example, Google Chrome. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) are also other web server mechanisms used in the file processing that takes place in storage or email.
While both web hosting and servers are essential components of getting a website online, it’s important to understand the distinction in the context of web hosting vs server—hosting is the service that provides access and storage, whereas servers are the physical or virtual machines powering it behind the scenes.
Companies can choose to own and manage their servers fully. More commonly, required server infrastructure is leased via hosting plans since this represents a scalable operating expense rather than a huge capital expenditure.
Key Differences Between Web Hosting and Server
Here are the main ways website hosting and servers differ:
| Aspect | Website Hosting | Server |
| Definition | A service that lets you store your website files on a server to make them accessible online. | A physical or virtual machine that stores, processes, and serves website data. |
| Function | Provides access to server space along with maintenance, support, and features. | Executes backend operations and delivers website files when requested. |
| Ownership | Rented from a hosting provider; no need to own physical hardware. | Can be owned, rented, or managed depending on the use case. |
| Technical Knowledge | Little to no needed; managed by hosting companies. | Requires technical expertise to manage, maintain, and secure. |
| Types Available | Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Cloud Hosting. | Can be standalone (dedicated) or part of a cloud or shared infrastructure. |
| User Access | Through user-friendly panels like cPanel or dashboards. | Accessed using command-line interfaces or remote server tools. |
| Maintenance | Handled by the hosting provider. | The user or IT team must handle updates, backups, and security. |
| Flexibility | Limited customisation, based on hosting plan. | High flexibility and control over system configuration. |
| Best For | Blogs, small business sites, and users wanting a simple setup. | Large websites, apps, or enterprises need complete control and custom setup. |
| Real-World Analogy | Renting a flat with all services included. | Owning the entire building and managing everything yourself |
Conclusion
Web hosting provides the managed services layer for delivering websites and applications using underlying server equipment maintained by the hosting company. Servers power the infrastructure while hosts package platforms to publish and manage sites.
So, rather than purchase depreciating server hardware outright, it makes sense to use managed hosting plans, benefiting from constantly updated infrastructure. This frees you to focus on creating high-impact sites rather than becoming a server expert!