Managed or Unmanaged Hosting: Which is For You?

There are many considerations to make when launching a website, including choosing the right domain name and selecting a trustworthy hosting provider. However, there is one more thing to keep in mind: managed or unmanaged hosting? Which one should you pick?

Many modern hosting providers offer these two types of environments, but what are the significant differences? What makes a hosting plan managed? Which type is the best for your website? We plan to answer those questions and dive deep into the differences between managed and unmanaged hosting.

In this post, we’ll break down what each option means, compare pros and cons, and help you decide which one is best for your needs.

What is Managed Hosting?

While both Managed and Unmanaged Hosting have everything you need to launch a website, Managed has one distinct advantage: you don’t have to worry about maintaining the server or your website.

And that is where the main difference lies. The hosting provider manages nearly all technical tasks in a managed environment. As the user, you get a hands-off experience, allowing you to focus on your website and its content instead.

Here’s what a host usually does in a managed environment:

• Server Setup and Configuration: You don’t have to set anything up yourself; the host handles the server and configures it.
• Automatic Updates: The host handles all updates, including the core files for your website, its additional software or themes, and the server’s operating system and its complementary software.
• Backups: Managed solutions typically perform daily or weekly backups of your site. It also normally includes a simple way of restoring from a backup.
• Monitoring and Security: The host is responsible for installing, maintaining, and monitoring all security features (firewalls, malware scanning, intrusion prevention, etc.).

The best part of all this is that you don’t need any technical knowledge if issues do arise. The host’s support team handles everything for you, 24/7. You don’t need to lift a finger.

What is Unmanaged Hosting?

On the other hand, you have Unmanaged Hosting, which puts many of the technical tasks needed to run a site and server in the user’s hands. Now, why would you want that when someone else can do everything for you?

Not having to bother with server and website setup and maintenance is something many users want, but some want precisely that. An Unmanaged environment offers flexibility and control that a managed one often doesn’t. It’s a bare-bones service that many website owners prefer because of that added freedom.

With an Unmanaged Hosting plan, you will have a lot of responsibilities, such as these.

• Installing an operating system.
• Applying software and security updates.
• Setting up firewalls, malware prevention, monitoring tools, and other security measures.
• Running, verifying, and restoring backups.
• Troubleshooting downtime and performance issues.

Of course, these responsibilities might change depending on your chosen hosting provider. Sometimes they’ll hand over the server with an operating system and some basic software installed, for example. Or they may offer limited technical support.

However, for the most part, the server and website’s health is entirely in your hands. As we mentioned, there are upsides to this, and the biggest one is that you get to do what you want with your server. You can install any software, run any application, and modify everything to your liking.

Key Differences of Managed and Unmanaged Hosting

You might have already surmised what the primary difference between these two types of hosting is. However, some nuances are worth mentioning. We’ve compiled them in the table below for your convenience.

Feature	Managed Hosting	Unmanaged Hosting
Server Management	Handled by the provider	You handle server updates, maintenance, etc.
Security	Provider offers proactive monitoring	You are responsible for the server’s  security
Backups	Automatic & included	Manual or user must set up their own solution
Customization	Limited, with choices approved by the provider	You have full control over server software and configuration
Support	24/7 expert assistance	Limited or no technical support
Cost	Higher fee, due to the managed features	Cheaper, but you are wholly responsible

As you can see, it all comes down to whether you want to get your hands dirty. A managed solution will spare you from constantly monitoring and updating your server and software, and worrying about security and backups.

However, a managed solution is also more expensive than its unmanaged counterpart. It is also more restrictive in terms of freedom and customizability. That’s because managed hosting plans use a rigid software stack that users are rarely allowed to change. It ensures the solution is safe and optimized, and that the support team can be of instant assistance.

On the other hand, an unmanaged hosting plan gives you all you need to create your own personalized hosting environment. With it, you can add any software or configurations you need to accommodate your needs.

To that end, both have their pros and cons, and both are useful for different types of users.

However, there is one last type of hosting that we want to briefly mention here. We’ll call it “semi-managed” hosting for simplicity, and it involves aspects of both managed and unmanaged hosting. Our plans are the perfect example of semi-managed hosting, as we handle the server infrastructure, while our customers are responsible for their website maintenance.

Which One Should You Choose?

As with everything else in web hosting, the type of solution you choose depends on your particular use case. Before picking one, consider what you are trying to create, the website or app you’re building, and its specific needs.

You should also ask yourself the following questions, in no particular order:

• Am I technically savvy enough to run our own server?
• What’s my budget?
• Do I have the time to handle technical issues?
• Will I need custom software?
• Is the website critical to my business? Is uptime non-negotiable?
• Do I just want to experiment and tinker with the server?

Depending on how you answered those questions, you should arrive at a conclusion about the type of hosting you need. Here are a few broad use-case scenarios for each type.

• Choose Managed Hosting If:
  • You are a small business without an IT team, but need guaranteed uptime.
  • You have a small website, such as a blog or portfolio, that doesn’t require advanced resources or software to run.
  • You have a small to medium e-commerce business where uptime and customer security are critical.
  • You want peace of mind that professionals handle the technical side of things.
• Choose Unmanaged Hosting If:
  • As a software developer, you require full root access to create your tools or products.
  • You have a strong IT team behind you who can handle the configuration and maintenance of the environment.
  • You have a website that requires custom software for its functionality.
  • You are someone who wants to learn how to manage your own server, tinker, and experiment.

Where you start is up to you. For example, many businesses start with a managed solution to save themselves time and effort from having to manage it. When they grow and acquire an IT team of their own, they move to an unmanaged environment for greater flexibility and reduced costs.

There is no single one-size-fits-all solution, and that’s a good thing. Some websites need certain server features, while others don’t. Which ones does your site need?

Choose What’s Right For Your Site

In the end, the choice between Managed and Unmanaged Hosting boils down to this one simple question: Do you want to manage your server yourself?

If your answer is “yes,” then an unmanaged solution is perfect for you. You gain greater flexibility and control over the environment at a lower cost. However, if you answered “no,” then you should consider a managed plan. It is more convenient and secure, and the support team handles everything for you.

In other words, if you want to focus on growing your site without worrying about technical stuff, choose managed. However, if you prefer hands-on control, then unmanaged is the solution for you.