Managed web hosting means that the provider runs the server for you: it applies operating system updates, watches the server and handles backups, while you look after your websites. This page explains how managed web hosting differs from shared hosting, from an unmanaged VPS and from a dedicated server, using the providers' own documentation.
The word managed is not standard. Providers include different tasks under it, so the comparison below uses their written scope pages. If you are choosing between shared hosting vs VPS, or between managed vs unmanaged VPS, start with the question of who does which task.
Managed web hosting, shared hosting, unmanaged VPS and dedicated server in short
- Shared hosting: many customers use the same server and its resources. The provider runs the server.
- Unmanaged VPS: you get a virtual server with an operating system, and you run it from there.
- Managed VPS or managed web server: you get a virtual server, and the provider runs the server layer. You run your sites.
- Dedicated server: you get a whole physical machine. It can be unmanaged or managed.
| Task | Shared hosting | Unmanaged VPS | Managed VPS or managed web server | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system patching | Provider. Hosterion says administration costs are split between the customers on the server | You (stated by InMotion and Hosterion) | Provider (stated by Hosterion, Ginernet, hosting.com and Liquid Web) | You on an unmanaged server (hosting.com); provider on a managed one |
| Server monitoring | Not described in the sources we read | Provider watches hardware and network only (InMotion) | Provider watches services, load and disk (Hosterion, Ginernet) | Provider watches the network, you watch the server (hosting.com) |
| Backup restore | Daily backups listed on hosting.com shared plans; restore method not stated | You (hosting.com: full control over manual backups) | Differs by provider, see the scope table below | You on an unmanaged server |
| Root access | No (Hosterion) | Yes | Differs: yes at Ginernet, Liquid Web and InMotion; no at hosting.com | Yes on an unmanaged server |
| Resources | Shared with other customers (hosting.com) | Dedicated CPU and RAM stated by hosting.com and InMotion | Same as VPS | The whole physical machine, nothing virtualised or shared (hosting.com) |
| Application code and content | You | You | You (stated by Ginernet and hosting.com) | You |
Sources: hosting.com, InMotion Hosting, Hosterion, Ginernet and Liquid Web pages opened on 7 November 2026. Cells say which provider states the point.
What managed web hosting and the other models mean
Shared hosting
hosting.com explains that on shared hosting the resources are spread across many customers on the same server, so performance can vary with what the others do. Hosterion adds a cost point: licences and administration are divided among all the customers on a shared server, which keeps the price low. As of November 2026, hosting.com shows shared plans from $1.49 per month as a Black Friday offer, with its Starter plan listing 5 websites and 15 GB of NVMe storage.
Unmanaged VPS
Hosterion describes an unmanaged VPS as a virtual server delivered with the operating system installed; from that point you do the administration. InMotion states that with its self-managed VPS the customer has full responsibility for the operating system, software and security, and that its support covers the hardware, network and data centre only. InMotion lists this model as best for developers and teams with system administration experience.
Managed VPS and managed web server
Liquid Web describes managed VPS hosting as the provider taking over the technical side of the server, including set-up, updates, security, monitoring and 24/7 support. It also sells a self-managed level, where the customer is responsible for everything beyond the infrastructure, and a middle level it calls core managed. This is the model that most agencies and small businesses mean when they search for managed server hosting.
Dedicated server
hosting.com describes its dedicated servers as bare metal: nothing virtualised, nothing shared, with the physical machine reserved for one customer. By default they are unmanaged, with root access, and patching, software stack and security are the customer's task while the provider keeps the network and hardware running. The provider also offers managed dedicated servers. The plan page we read did not show a monthly price.
What "managed" covers at three providers
We read the managed-service pages of three providers. All three say they patch the operating system and watch the server. They differ on restores, on root access and on what counts as your side of the line.
| Question | Hosterion | Ginernet | hosting.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS and panel patching | Yes, including proactive and emergency installation of critical security updates | Yes, for the OS, cPanel and the software ordered | Yes, OS and software patching on an ongoing basis |
| Monitoring | Automatic monitoring of services, disk, memory and load | 24/7 monitoring of services, load and disk | 24/7 server-level monitoring |
| Backups and restore | Backup set-up, plus a monthly test that simulates a site restore | Daily copy to a backup disk; restore of a whole account only. With the JetBackup add-on, remote copies every 6 hours and restores of single files, mailboxes or databases | Daily backups to a separate server; self-service restore from the control panel |
| Security tooling named | Firewall rules against brute force, ModSecurity rules; malware scan on request | cPHulk against brute force by default; Imunify360 and CloudLinux are paid add-ons | Firewall, CloudLinux account isolation and Monarx malware protection |
| Your side of the line | Support covers site set-up and site-related troubleshooting | Websites, applications and their code and content, and day-to-day account work | Application code, CMS plugin updates and content |
| Root access | Not stated on the page we read | Included | Not provided |
InMotion shows a fourth pattern. Its managed VPS includes server set-up, patching, daily backups and 24/7 support, and a paid add-on called Premier Care adds advanced security, 300 GB of backup storage and access to senior administrators. Ask for the scope in writing, because managed web hosting at one provider does not equal managed web hosting at another.
Security responsibility in each model
AWS publishes a shared responsibility model that is a useful reference for any server you do not run yourself. AWS states that it is responsible for the infrastructure that runs its services, and that the customer who runs an EC2 virtual server manages the guest operating system, including updates and security patches, the application software and the firewall configuration.
An unmanaged VPS follows the same split: the provider protects the hardware and network, and you protect everything above it. Managed VPS hosting moves the operating system layer to the provider by contract. The application layer stays with you in the scope pages we read: Ginernet lists websites, applications, their code and content as the customer's task, and hosting.com lists code, plugins and content as the customer's. A hacked WordPress plugin is therefore your problem in every model.
Cost and skills required
- Shared hosting: lowest price, as the administration cost is divided among customers. Little server knowledge is needed, and managed web hosting of this kind needs even less. You get no root access and shared resources.
- Unmanaged VPS: a lower price than managed, but you need Linux administration skills or must pay someone who has them.
- Managed VPS: a higher price because administration and the control panel licence are paid for. The price difference between self-managed and managed plans at one provider is a rough guide to the cost of the management layer; read the provider's current pricing page. Hosterion says a VPS costs more also because of the licences dedicated to that server.
- Dedicated server: the provider pages we read did not show a price. Plan for the highest cost and for the same administration choice: unmanaged needs a system administrator.
We do not show InMotion prices on this page. We could not independently re-verify them: the provider shows several price variants per plan and our check of the plan pages was not conclusive. Read the provider's pricing page before you compare.
When each model fits
- Shared hosting fits a small site with modest traffic and no need for custom software.
- Unmanaged VPS fits a developer or a team with a system administrator, who wants full control and a lower price. Hosterion itself points customers who already have Linux administration to its unmanaged brand.
- Managed VPS or a managed web server fits agencies, freelancers, resellers and businesses that have outgrown shared hosting, host many sites and have nobody to patch and watch a server. Hosterion and hosting.com both describe this need in these terms.
- A dedicated server fits workloads that need consistent performance and large disks. hosting.com says a cloud server is better when you need to scale up and down quickly.
Where PFHW fits, and where it does not
Our Managed Web Server is the managed VPS model with the control panel included. It is a dedicated virtual server in a Tier III data centre in Vilnius, with PFHW installed and our engineers managing it. Our management covers network edge configuration, system metric monitoring, firewall maintenance, OS security patches and backup administration. You keep control of your sites and application code. Backups are nightly and incremental, on a separate storage array, with one-click restore. Plans run from €29 per month (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) to €99 (16 vCPU, 32 GB RAM), billed monthly, excluding VAT, with no contract and no price rise on renewal. The panel has no limit on sites or accounts.
It fits agencies, freelancers and resellers who want managed web hosting and want the panel cost inside the price. It is not shared hosting, because vCPU and RAM are dedicated, and it is not an unmanaged VPS, because we run the server layer.
There are honest gaps. PFHW has no automatic certificate issuing (no AutoSSL or Let's Encrypt), so certificates are uploaded or bought from us. Email is a separate add-on and not part of the server price; webmail, autoresponders, email filters and spam-filter settings live on the separate mail server, not in the PFHW portal. There are no mailing lists, no hotlink or leech protection and no per-account dedicated IP management. The portal is in English only at present. There is no server-to-server account transfer tool; accounts come in as a cPanel package file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between managed and unmanaged VPS?
On a managed VPS the provider installs, patches and monitors the server, and on an unmanaged VPS you do this yourself. InMotion and Hosterion both describe the unmanaged model as the customer taking over from the point the operating system is installed.
Is managed web hosting the same as shared hosting?
No. Shared hosting means many customers on one server and shared resources. A managed web server gives you a server of your own and the provider runs the server layer.
Shared hosting vs VPS: when should I switch?
hosting.com suggests switching when your site outgrows shared resources, needs custom software or needs the isolation of a VPS. If you do not want to run a server, choose a managed VPS.
Does a managed VPS include backups?
Providers say yes, but the details differ. Some run daily copies and let you restore from the panel, some test restores monthly, and some restore a whole account only unless you add a paid tool.
Do I get root access on a managed VPS?
It depends on the provider. Ginernet, Liquid Web and InMotion state that root access is included, and hosting.com states that it is not provided on its managed plans.
Related resources
- Managed VPS hosting compared by vCPU
- Managed cPanel versus managed PFHW
- Agency hosting for multiple clients
- How much server do your websites need
- Why web and mail servers should be separate
Sources
- Amazon Web Services, Shared Responsibility Model
- hosting.com, managed Linux VPS and what fully managed means
- hosting.com, dedicated servers
- hosting.com, VPS hosting and when to switch from shared hosting
- Hosterion, managed VPS scope, managed versus unmanaged
- Ginernet, what management covers and what it does not
- Liquid Web, managed VPS and management levels
- InMotion Hosting, self-managed versus managed VPS table and prices
- InMotion Hosting, managed VPS scope and prices
- CloudAcropolis, Managed Web Server