What is managed hosting?
Managed hosting is where a hosting company does all the technical stuff (installation, updates, maintenance etc) behind the scenes, and if something technical goes wrong they will fix it for you.
You remain in control of the service, typically through an easy-to-use website, the hosting company just deals with the techy stuff.
What kind of services can I run through managed hosting? Where can I discover managed hosting providers?
There are lots of different online services available through managed hosting, here are some directories that include information about the services themselves and links to providers too:
- Social networks of all kinds
- Websites, clouds, blogs, online office tools etc
- Messaging, calling, email etc
Click on these categories to find out more.
Is it expensive to use a managed hosting company?
No, it’s actually surprisingly cheap! A typical online service done through managed hosting starts from around 5 to 10 euros a month in total, though this can vary a lot depending on which hosting company you choose and which service you want to run. This price includes everything except a domain name.
Are there any additional fees?
If your service starts expanding significantly and uses a lot more resources every month, you may need to pay for a bigger monthly plan. You can ask your hosting provider about this in advance, they will give you advice you which plan is suitable for you.
Is it still my service if someone else is doing the technical stuff?
Yes, you own the service and you are in control of it, usually through an easy-to-use website. You’re the captain of the ship, and the managed hosting service is the engineering department.
Do you have any tutorials for setting up services through managed hosting?
Yes, here are a couple of step-by-step easy-to-understand tutorials:
- How to create your own Mastodon server through managed hosting
- A beginner’s guide to creating your own Nextcloud server through managed hosting
A lot of the information in these guides will also apply to other services on managed hosting.
What about domain names? Are they something I need to get as well?
You don’t technically need a domain name, but it’s a really really really good idea to get one. If you’re unfamiliar with domain names, you might want to read this easy-to-follow guide to creating and using domain names.
The alternative to a domain name is using the hosting provider’s free subdomains, but that locks your service into staying on that hosting provider. It’s better to use your own domain name so you can change providers if needed (see the section below for more info).
If a managed hosting provider goes bad, can I move my service to another managed hosting provider?
Yes. You can move your service from one provider to another if you make sure both these two things are in place beforehand:
- Ask the managed hosting provider if they allow database exports of services. This is really important to do before you sign up with them, as it’s database exports that allow a service to move seamlessly from one provider to another. You don’t need to be techy to move databases, you just need to make sure this option is available if needed.
- Make sure you are using your own domain name instead of relying on the provider’s own subdomain.
If you make sure these two things are okay before you start your service, you should be able to move to another provider in the future if needed. The new provider will help you move the database and adjust your domain name settings so that the service transfers seamlessly.
Asking about database exports is also a potentially good way to check if a hosting provider is reliable. If a provider makes it easy for you to leave, it shows they are serious about providing such a good service that you won’t want to leave.
Is managed hosting just for non-technical people?
Managed hosting is for anyone who doesn’t want to do the techy stuff. This might be people who aren’t familiar with the technical side of things, but it can also be techy people who don’t want to do their own maintenance. Either way, it lets you focus on running the service instead of having to troubleshoot obscure technical settings.
If managed hosting companies are for-profit, doesn’t that spoil the purpose of growing your own services?
Managed hosting providers are generally independent companies rather than tech giants. If a provider becomes part of some nasty corporation in the future, you can move your service to an independent provider instead.