What is cloud hosting?#
With traditional hosting, your site depends on one physical server. With cloud hosting, the site runs on a cluster of connected servers. If one fails, another takes over, and resources can be increased or reduced quickly.
Example#
Imagine a store that gets several times its normal traffic during a holiday sale. With cloud hosting you can temporarily raise RAM and CPU, then return to the previous level when the sale ends.
Advantages#
- Fast scalability
- Higher reliability because it does not hinge on a single machine
- Billing is often based on usage
- Usually lets you create several servers and a private network
Limitations#
- Unpredictable costs if usage is not controlled
- More complexity than shared hosting
- Some cloud providers may be unavailable in certain countries because of sanctions or payment restrictions
Difference from a VPS#
Any VPS can also run on cloud infrastructure, but "cloud hosting" usually means a ready-made service focused on reliability and scalability. Both can be considered virtual machines; the difference lies in the level of management and the billing model.
Where it fits#
Sites with fluctuating traffic, growing stores, and applications for which downtime is costly.