Cloud Hosting vs CDN, Which One Should You Get?

Cloud Hosting vs CDN, Pros and Cons!

Comparing Cloud Hosting vs a CDN is almost like comparing apples and oranges. Like apples and oranges are classified as fruit. Although Cloud Hosting and CDNs are both cloud-based and have some similarities, they also have quite a few differences as well.

Therefore, the best way to go over the Cloud Hosting vs CDN debate is to go through the Pros and Cons of each below.

Cloud Hosting Pros and Cons.

Pros:

• Enhanced speed, efficiency, and security.
• Cloud hosting can boost performance and stability since it pools resources from multiple machines across distributed data centers.
• Cloud Hosting tends to be very scalable, making it an ideal choice for businesses that are experiencing rapid growth and need to quickly add resources.
• Cloud hosting makes it easy to maintain reliable uptime, since backups and redundancy can be automated.
• Cloud hosting tends to be quite affordable, since this model takes advantage of economies of scale.

Cons:

• Although Cloud Hosting is generally quite affordable, you really need to keep on top of it. Costs can add up over time due to increased storage space usage and unexpected fees related to data breaches or downtime.
• If you don’t have strong technical knowledge or a reliable IT team on hand, you may find it difficult or even impossible to manage your cloud account effectively.
• Maintaining consistent cloud quality can be difficult due to fluctuating weather patterns and seismic activity.
• Cloud Hosting involves sharing resources with multiple sites or users rather than having dedicated hardware as in other hosting arrangements.
• Cloud-based websites may also run the risk of being affected by occasional outages or slowdowns on other sites hosted on the same platform.

CDN Pros and Cons.

Pros:

• CDNs allow websites to load more quickly and efficiently by caching data and serving content closer to the user. Thus reducing bandwidth and loading times while improving overall performance and keeping website visitors engaged.
• CDNs use powerful algorithms that detect potential traffic bottlenecks or outages and automatically redirect traffic to alternate servers. This helps to prevent downtime and improves reliability.
• Most modern CDNs use advanced encryption techniques and robust security protocols to help keep users’ data protected at all times.
• CDNs provide important security benefits by helping sites deal with frequent Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Cons:

• Many users express concerns about security when using CDNs. They worry that if their data is stored on servers located all over the world, their information could potentially be accessed by hackers or cybercriminals.
• CDNs use multiple servers which requires additional maintenance and management time. These can be costly for small business.
• Additionally, CDNs rely on third-party infrastructure. This brings more potential points of failure and increases the security risks associated with accessing customer data.

If you were going to choose either Cloud Hosting vs a CDN based on cost alone. Then a CDN in my opinion would be the winner. Why?

Because unlike Cloud Hosting, you can actually get a CDN for your website for free. 

Don’t get me wrong there are also paid versions of CDNs out there. Paid versions of CDN’s also have many other benefits that free CDNs do not offer. 

However as far as Cloud Hosting, there are no free options for Cloud Hosting your website. That is basically the main difference when comparing Cloud Hosting vs getting a CDN.

In this post, I’m going to go over what the key similarities and differences are when comparing Cloud Hosting vs a CDN as well as answer some frequently asked questions regarding the two.

How is Cloud Hosting similar to a CDN?

Cloud Hosting is similar to a CDN in the fact that they both use servers that are in the Cloud in order to perform their tasks. 

This means they use the server or servers are located in data farms that are scattered throughout the world. 

This is different from traditional web hosting where servers are usually located away from the offices of the web hosting provider. 

Your web hosting provider more than likely leases or rents out server space to use for either cloud hosting a website and it’s files or if it’s a CDN provider or caching service then it may lease or rent space on numerous servers throughout the planet.

Although it may be a little confusing to distinguish between how a Cloud Hosting plan differs from a CDN plan because they both basically use servers in the Cloud, there are also a few major differences in the tasks they perform.

What is the difference between CDN and Cloud Hosting ?

A CDN, content delivery network, is basically a network of servers scattered throughout the world. 

These servers pull duplicate copies of your website’s static files including images, text etc. from your original web host server. 

Since these CDNs are scattered throughout the planet, a user who wishes to access your website from their physical location will receive your website’s files through their browser from the closest CDN server. 

So basically your user is able to access your website and it’s content from the server closest to their physical location. 

This means that your website will load much faster into their browser than it would from its original server location.

Cloud Hosting on the other hand also uses servers that are based in a data center. These data centers are basically known as “the Cloud”. 

Unlike Shared, VPS or even a Dedicated Server Hosting, a cloud server is not a single machine or server but a series of servers which share resources. 

For example, if you have a shared server you are basically sharing one machine with other websites. If that server goes down or is hacked, then that throws your website offline to say the least. 

Whereas with Cloud Hosting your websites files are stored on more than one server in the data center. 

So if one server goes down, your site doesn’t go down it’s functions are simply processed from another server within that cloud network. 

In addition, if your website grows in traffic or experiences surges in traffic etc. it can use additional resources, disc space and processing power from that other servers in that cloud network.

Can I get a free CDN?

Yes, you can get a free CDN. Even with the basics, the free CDN will still typically store parts of your blog like images on servers throughout the world so that it’s closer to the person browsing your site. 

When they want to access your site, it will take less time for their browser to send and receive data over the server. 

That data will also load the page, due to the proximity of the server where your files are duplicated and stored on, to the user much faster. Most free plans do this. 

As far as paid CDNs, I will get into more of that below. But in general, you’ll get more bang for your buck.

CDN vs Self Hosting, which is better for your site?

This is a question that plagues many website owners. Here’s a quick CDN vs Self Hosting rundown of the pros and cons of each option:

CDN:
– Pros: Faster loading times, improved security, easier to manage
– Cons: Can be more expensive, less control over content

Self Hosting:
– Pros: More control over content, can be cheaper
– Cons: Slower loading times, more difficult to manage

CDN vs self hosting, so which is better for your site?  If speed and security are your top priorities, then a CDN is probably the way to go. However, if you’re on a budget or you need more control over your content, then self hosting might be a better option.

Ultimately, the best way to choose is to weigh the pros and cons for yourself and decide which option is best for your particular situation.

Can I get free Cloud Hosting for my WordPress website?

Unfortunately, I know of no free Cloud Hosting providers for WordPress websites. 

There are of course free hosting services like Blogger or even Google Sites that do provide free hosting. 

But I know of no self-hosted web hosting providers that offer Cloud Hosting services for free. This of course is unlike getting a free CDN. 

This is why getting a free CDN is almost a no-brainer. Many companies offer free CDNs as well as upgrades to paid CDN plans which offer additional services to enhance their CDNs which I will go into below.

Free CDN vs paid.

Getting a free CDN for your WordPress website is practically a no-brainer. 

You get all the known benefits of a CDN at virtually no cost. 

However, actually increasing numbers of WordPress website owners who have discovered the benefits of getting a paid CDN think of their discovery as some long-held secret. 

You see, a CDN can do so much more than simply serve your website’s static files from a server closest to your user.

There’s a whole host of added security features as well as caching features for your WordPress website. 

Check out Cloudflare’s free vs paid CDN plans.

Do I need a CDN along with Cloud Hosting ?

No, you don’t need a CDN along with Cloud Hosting. 

However, if you’re already paying for Cloud Hosting, why not add at least a free CDN to your website. 

In fact, if you went ahead and got a paid CDN along with your Cloud Hosting plan it will super charge your website. 

It will have so much more power, speed as well as security. All well worth the little extra cost.

Cloud Hosting vs CDN final thoughts.

As you can see pitting Cloud Hosting vs a CDN is really a waste of a perfectly good matchup. Why? 

Well as you can see you don’t need to choose one or the other, you can simply get both. 

Even though there are literally no Cloud Hosting plans that are free, there are free CDNs you can add to your WordPress website which you can enhance not only the Cloud Hosting option of your choice, but any Hosting plan for that matter. 

However, if you really want to supercharge your WordPress website and take your hosting to a new level, then why not get a Cloud Hosting plan along with a paid CDN. 

If you’re going to take your WordPress website speed and functionality to a whole new level, you might as well do it right. It’s much cheaper than you think.