The Difference between General Web Hosting and Application Hosting

Many people don’t realize, but there are different types of hosting around on the Internet. The main type that people think of is general web hosting. But there’s another type that many people don’t know of; that’s application hosting. So, what’s the difference between the two? And how do you know which one is right for you? Knowing which choice to make between these two types of hosting is easy once you know the difference between the two, as they are very different.

General web hosting is when a customer can upload their website’s data onto a web host’s server. The server will allow your website to function properly and run live all (or at least most of) the time. The server will also be your portal to your website, as you’ll need to access it to make changes to your website, update it, or perform other website maintenance.

There are many different types of servers and web hosts, and they all come at different prices. Those fees are typically charged monthly or yearly, although some web hosts also offer quarterly payment plan options. When choosing which web host to use for you and your website, you’ll have many things to consider and you’ll need to take your time determining which one to choose. But if you want to have a website, you’re going to need a web host to help you do it.

Application hosting on the other hand, is completely different. This type of hosting refers to when a company provides hosting for one particular piece of software or program. This application will be hosted online, where individuals can access it through a login typically.

Hotmail or Facebook or examples of different types of application hosting; although the type marketed as actual software to businesses or individuals usually charges a fee. This fee, unlike web hosting, is usually pay-per-use, in which the individual will only pay for the exact amount that they use. Payroll applications, human resource management systems, blog hosting, and e-commerce applications are all just some of the different types of application hosting that is available.

One similarity that application hosting and general web hosting do have in common is that when looking for a provider, you need to be sure they provide excellent customer service. Whether it’s your website that’s experiencing trouble, or you can’t log in to your payroll software, you want to be sure that you’ll have help when you need it. And that’s something that’s becoming more difficult to find as online business continues to emerge.

Whether or not you want to use application hosting or general web hosting will completely depend on what you need to use the hosting service for. If it’s just for one particular software or program, then application hosting will be able to provide you what you’re looking for. However, if you need to get your website up and running, then it will be a general web host that you’re searching for. And of course, as both types of hosting become more popular, more people will continue to use both of them.