Can't decide which hosting package to go for? That's understandable because in today's market, there are various hosting packages to choose from. Sometimes, it can be confusing. Let's take a look at the various packages so that you have a clearer idea about the features of each type of package.

1. Shared hosting.

This is the most affordable type of hosting that you will find in the marketplace. Shared hosting means that hundreds of sites may be hosted on the same machine. This is perfectly fine as long as there are no sites that hog up resources. Unfortunately, it's very hard to prevent webmasters from hogging resources because software is become more and more resource intensive due to sophistication. If you are considering setting up a blog of a static website, then this package is for you. However, if you are thinking of setting up a community site, then a more powerful package may be more appropriate.

2. Reseller hosting.

For reseller packages, you will get more resources allocated to your account. Of course, the prices are slightly higher when compared to shared hosting, but still highly affordable. Reseller packages are ideal for web designers or freelancers who need to take care of hosting for their clients. Instead of pointing their customers elsewhere, they can take care of all the hosting needs by providing hosting services themselves. They can do this by signing up for a reseller account. A reseller account allows them to setup customer accounts and operate like a web hosting company. If you want to share or sell your hosting with someone else, this is the package that you should go for.

3. Virtual private servers (VPS).

VPS are servers that are setup specifically for you. Note that other sites may also be hosted on the same machine. However, only you have access to the dedicated resources. Once resources have been assigned to you, others will not be able to use those resources. In many ways, a VPS operates in a similar fashion as a dedicated server - except that it's less powerful. For medium sized sites, this is the ideal solution. Some webmasters also like to customize their server settings and a VPS allows them to do that without them having to pay the full costs for a dedicated server.

4. Dedicated servers.

Finally, you have dedicated servers. These are servers that serve you and only you. There are no other customers on the same server. You have full control and access to all the server resources. If you intend to run some powerful software or if you have an active website, then this solution is for you. Some organizations prefer to have their own dedicated servers for security reasons.

If you are hosting your site on a shared environment, the whole machine may go offline just because an innocent webmaster uploads a compromised script.

Therefore, for many companies, dedicated hosting is the safest and most secure option. Of course, many of these companies don't mind paying the heftier hosting fees.

Be sure to visit review sites for discount coupons. A 20% discount is a huge chunk off the monthly fees, especially for dedicated hosting.