# Shared hosting or a VPS: which one do I need?

> Shared hosting vs VPS: resources, root access, updates and price compared. Velumhold sells 3 shared plans from $2.49/mo, no KYC, paid in crypto.

- URL: https://velumhold.com/shared-hosting-vs-vps/
- Last updated: 2026-11-02
- Publisher: Velumhold (https://velumhold.com)

What changes between a shared hosting account and a virtual server: resources, root access, upkeep, security updates and price, and who needs which.

**Quick answer — Shared hosting or a VPS: which one do I need?**

Shared hosting puts many sites on one server that the host runs for you. A VPS gives you your own virtual server, with more control and your own upkeep. Shared hosting suits ordinary websites and WordPress. A VPS suits custom software or heavy load. **Velumhold** sells shared hosting only: 3 plans from $2.49 a month on the yearly term, with no KYC and payment in crypto.

## How do shared hosting and a VPS compare at a glance?

| Point | Shared hosting | VPS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What you rent | An account on a server that many customers use | A virtual server of your own, on a physical machine shared with other virtual servers |
| Resources | Sites compete for memory, disk space and processing power | An allocation of the machine's resources that is yours |
| Isolation | Little separation between customers | Each virtual server is isolated from the others |
| Control | A control panel for files, domains, email, databases and SSL | Custom software and custom configurations |
| Maintenance | The host runs the server | Unmanaged: you do all server tasks. Managed: the host does core updates, maintenance and software installs |
| Security updates | The host patches the server. You update your own site software | Unmanaged: you patch the whole server |
| Skills needed | A browser and a control panel | The Linux command line, server security, DNS, mail setup |
| Price | Velumhold: $2.49 to $4.99 a month on the yearly term | Varies by provider and size, plus your time or a management fee |
| Best for | Blogs, business sites, WordPress, email on your domain | Custom software, heavy load, special server settings |

## What is shared hosting?

**Shared hosting is an account on a server that many customers use.** The host runs the server software. You run your site. On a shared server, websites compete for memory, disk space and processing power (Amazon Web Services).

A Velumhold plan is a shared hosting account. You manage everything from a web control panel: files, domains, email accounts, databases, SSL and backups. Give an SSH public key at checkout for SFTP and SSH, or leave it blank; the panel login always comes with the account. NVMe SSD storage on every plan. Automatic daily backups of files and databases, kept for 7 to 30 days depending on the plan; restore one from the control panel or ask support.

## What is a VPS?

**A VPS, or virtual private server, is a virtual machine that uses a portion of a physical server's resources.** You get your own allocation of them, and you can install custom software and custom configurations (Amazon Web Services). That freedom comes with upkeep, covered below.

## What does root access mean, and do I need it?

**Root is the all-powerful account of a Linux system.** Processes run by the superuser, user ID 0, skip the kernel's permission checks (Linux man-pages). With root you can install any software and change any setting. You can also break the system or open a security hole.

A shared server has many customers, so none of them gets root. You get the control panel instead. According to Velumhold's survey of 2 November 2026, 9 of the 15 shared-hosting sellers it read use cPanel, and 3 of the 18 hosts sell no shared hosting at all, only VPS, dedicated servers or domains. If you need root, you need a VPS. Velumhold does not sell one.

## Who handles security updates on shared hosting and on a VPS?

**On shared hosting the host updates the server, and you update your site.** On an unmanaged VPS, the owner takes care of all the server responsibilities and maintenance, which covers the whole server and not only the operating system. On a managed VPS, the host handles core updates, maintenance and software installation (Amazon Web Services).

Ubuntu Server installs security updates automatically by default, through the `unattended-upgrades` package. It does not reboot by default (Ubuntu Server documentation). Someone has to plan that reboot. Your own site software, such as WordPress and its plugins, is yours to update in both cases.

## Does a VPS make my site faster?

**Not by itself.** Amazon Web Services says a site's performance may start to degrade as traffic increases, and that compute-heavy sites perform much better on a VPS. A VPS also keeps other customers' load out of your allocation. Check your own traffic and load before paying for more.

## Who should choose shared hosting, and who a VPS?

**Choose shared hosting if:**

- You run a blog, a WordPress site, a portfolio or a business site.
- You want email on your own domain without running a mail server.
- You prefer to leave server care to the host.
- You do not use the Linux command line.

**Choose a VPS if:**

- You run custom software that a control panel does not offer.
- Your traffic or processing load outgrows shared resources.
- You need to change server settings yourself.
- You, or someone you pay, can run the server.

Velumhold sells shared hosting only. If you outgrow it, moving is a copy and a DNS switch: see [how to move a website](https://velumhold.com/move-your-website/ "How do I move my website to a new host without downtime?").

## How much do shared hosting and a VPS cost?

**A VPS adds the cost of running it: your time, or a managed plan.** VPS prices vary by provider and size, so compare the monthly price, the renewal price and what is managed.

Velumhold shared hosting costs $2.49, $3.74 and $4.99 a month for Tulle, Chiffon and Velvet on the yearly term. The same term renews at the price of your order. See the [price index](https://velumhold.com/web-hosting-price-index/ "How much does web hosting cost with crypto in 2026?") for 18 hosts.

## Velumhold shared hosting plans, price per month

Paid from a crypto balance. No ID, no card, no phone number.

| Plan | Quantity | 30 days | 3 months | 6 months | 1 year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tulle | 1 website · 20 GB NVMe | $3.56 | $9.61 (−10%) | $17.08 (−20%) | $29.90 (−30%) |
| Chiffon | 10 websites · 50 GB NVMe | $5.35 | $14.44 (−10%) | $25.68 (−20%) | $44.94 (−30%) |
| Velvet | Unlimited websites · 75 GB NVMe | $7.14 | $19.27 (−10%) | $34.27 (−20%) | $59.97 (−30%) |

In every plan: Free SSL · Daily backups · Email accounts · WordPress installed on request · No KYC

**Before you pay**

- Minimum top-up $1. Top up once in crypto, then buy any plan from your balance.
- Credit on your balance does not expire and renews any of your hosting accounts. When a top-up is only made to reach the minimum, the unspent part comes back on request within 30 days of payment, in USDT or USDC. The rest of a balance is not paid out unless the law requires it.
- Credited once your payment is checked on the blockchain. Typical network confirmation time: BTC ≈ 20 min · USDT TRC-20 ≈ 1 min · USDT ERC-20 ≈ 5 min · USDC ERC-20 ≈ 5 min · ETH ≈ 5 min · SOL ≈ 1 min · LTC ≈ 15 min · XMR ≈ 20 min

## Shared hosting vs VPS: FAQ

### Is shared hosting enough for WordPress?

For a typical site, yes. Pick “WordPress, installed” at checkout and the account arrives with WordPress set up on your domain; pick “Empty account” to upload your own site. Plans and prices are in [WordPress hosting paid in crypto](https://velumhold.com/wordpress-hosting-with-crypto/ "Where can I get WordPress hosting paid in crypto?").

### Can I upgrade from shared hosting to a VPS later?

Yes, as a move: copy the files and the database to the new server, test it, then switch DNS. Velumhold sells shared hosting only. See [how to move a website](https://velumhold.com/move-your-website/ "How do I move my website to a new host without downtime?").

### Do I get root access on shared hosting?

No. A shared server has many customers. At Velumhold you get a control panel, and SFTP and SSH if you give a key: You manage everything from a web control panel: files, domains, email accounts, databases, SSL and backups. Give an SSH public key at checkout for SFTP and SSH, or leave it blank; the panel login always comes with the account.

### Is a VPS more secure than shared hosting?

A VPS is isolated from the other virtual servers, which is where its security comes from. On an unmanaged VPS you also do the patching, so it is only as safe as you keep it. On shared hosting the host patches the server.

### Does Velumhold sell VPS?

No. Velumhold sells shared hosting only: Tulle, Chiffon and Velvet. Private web hosting for websites and WordPress: a hosting account with a control panel, email accounts and databases, paid in crypto with no KYC.

### Can I pay for hosting with crypto and no KYC?

At Velumhold, yes. No KYC, at signup or at any later point: no ID, no selfie, no documents, no card, no phone number. You pay in BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, XMR from a prepaid balance.

## Sources

1. [What is VPS? Virtual private server explained](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/vps/) — Amazon Web Services (checked 2026-11-02)
2. [capabilities(7), Linux manual page](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/capabilities.7.html) — man7.org (checked 2026-11-02)
3. [Automatic updates](https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/how-to/software/automatic-updates/) — Canonical, Ubuntu Server documentation (checked 2026-11-02)

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Velumhold: Velumhold is private web hosting for websites and WordPress, paid in crypto with no KYC: no ID, no selfie, no card. Each account comes with a control panel, NVMe storage, free SSL, email accounts and daily backups, in Reykjavik (Iceland), Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Bucharest (Romania). It is run by DomaineGoat LLC, a company registered in Panama. On the yearly term, each plan is priced at least 25% under a named comparable plan from 3 no-KYC crypto hosts, read on 2 November 2026.