The infrastructure determines how quickly the store processes requests, how it behaves under load, whether updates can be released safely, and how difficult it is to scale the project as the business grows.
As a result, it's not enough for a store to choose a plan based on CPU, RAM, or disk space alone. Two servers with identical specs can deliver completely different results depending on configuration, architecture, caching, database, network, and who is responsible for setting them up.
Magento supports complex catalogs, large product volumes, ERP and CRM integrations, multiple payment and shipping methods, multiple storefronts, and significant traffic volumes. That means the infrastructure has to match not only current load but also how the store will grow.
At Planeta Web, we select, configure, and maintain Magento infrastructure for specific eCommerce projects. We work with cloud, VPS/VDS, dedicated servers, and infrastructure from major cloud providers, depending on requirements, budget, and load.
You can research on your own which type of hosting fits your store, or go straight to reaching out to our team. Tell us about your project's load and where it's headed, and we'll help determine the optimal infrastructure. Fewer server experiments, more time for growing your eCommerce business.
What Magento hosting is
Magento hosting is the server infrastructure set up to run Magento. It includes not just the server itself but the entire set of components the store depends on: operating system, PHP, database, web server, caching, file system, network, backups, and security tools.
For a simpler CMS, it's enough to install the site on ready-made hosting and use standard settings. Magento, on the other hand, requires a more precise approach. The platform is sensitive to CPU performance, available memory, disk speed, database performance, and proper server environment configuration.
For example, if the catalog holds tens of thousands of products, the store syncs regularly with an ERP, and the number of concurrent users spikes several times over during ad campaigns, the server has to handle more than just page loads. It processes database queries, API calls, background processes, indexing, checkout, and other Magento operations in parallel. That's why we treat hosting as part of the store's architecture, not as a separate technical service.
Which hosting solutions work for Magento
Magento projects use several main types of infrastructure. These are not a progression from worse to better - each option serves its own purpose.
VPS
a virtual server whose resources are allocated within the provider's physical infrastructure. It's one of the more affordable ways to get control over the server environment.
This option can work for a small Magento store or a project with moderate load, when price matters more to the business than maximum headroom for performance.
Magento VPS solutions are available from providers such as DigitalOcean, GoDaddy, Mirohost, and others. But the mere existence of a VPS plan doesn't mean the server is ready to run Magento. You need to look at CPU, RAM, and disk specs, the options for configuring the server environment, and who will be responsible for administering it.
A VPS should be evaluated on more than just the plan's price. It's important to understand how predictably it receives resources and who is responsible for configuring the operating system, Magento, and server components.
VDS
is also a virtual server, but it allocates resources more strictly for a specific environment. This reduces dependence on the load of other virtual machines.
This approach can make sense when a store needs predictable resources but a fully physical server isn't justified yet. VDS solutions are available, for example, from GoDaddy and Ukrainian hosting providers such as Mirohost.
The difference between VPS and VDS often depends on the specific virtualization technology and the provider's terms, so we don't recommend choosing between them based on the plan name alone. You need to analyze what resources are actually allocated to the store and how stable they are under load.
Dedicated server
a physical server fully dedicated to a specific project.
This is a good option for Magento stores with high or consistently heavy load, when you need full control over resources and configuration.
Providers that offer dedicated servers suitable for Magento include Hetzner, GoDaddy, and other data centers and hosting platforms. Hetzner, in particular, is often considered an alternative to expensive cloud infrastructure when a project needs a powerful physical server but doesn't need to scale resources constantly.
In some scenarios, a dedicated server can be significantly more cost-effective than cloud. If a store doesn't need constant scaling up and down, paying for a complex cloud architecture doesn't always make sense. Analyzing the current infrastructure and load usually clarifies whether a dedicated server makes sense, giving you the capabilities you need at substantially lower cost.
Cloud hosting
infrastructure made up of virtual resources and services that can be scaled to match project needs.
This is especially useful for stores with uneven load. For example, regular capacity is enough most of the month, but load spikes sharply during Black Friday, a seasonal sale, or a major ad campaign.
AWS is one example of this type of infrastructure, and we work with it fairly often on projects.
Its advantage isn't just a large pool of resources, but the ability to build a complex architecture and scale it to match business needs. At the same time, this kind of infrastructure requires a competent DevOps specialist, since individual AWS services have their own logic and configuration.
Managed Magento hosting
means the team is responsible not just for leasing server resources, but for the technical management of the environment.
This work can include migration, configuration, monitoring, updates, security, backups, scaling, performance optimization, and incident response. These functions are the core components of managed Magento services.
There are providers on the market that specialize specifically in managed Magento hosting or eCommerce infrastructure, including Nexcess Magento Hosting, Hypernode, and Akoova. Their approach differs from a regular VPS or dedicated server rental: part of the technical work is already included in the service, so the business doesn't need to handle the entire infrastructure administration cycle on its own.
Akoova, for example, specializes in Magento and AWS and can be an interesting option for projects that need not just cloud infrastructure but a team that understands the specifics of the Magento environment. Nexcess and Hypernode focus on ready-made managed environments for eCommerce, which can be convenient for companies without their own DevOps team.
For a business, this is a fundamental difference:
Unmanaged hosting: the provider gives you the infrastructure, and you're responsible for Magento and the server from there.
Managed hosting: the infrastructure becomes the responsibility of a specialized team.
That's why companies with their own DevOps team can deliberately choose unmanaged infrastructure to get more control. A business without an in-house infrastructure specialist often benefits more from a managed approach, since it doesn't need to hire someone separately to support the server around the clock.
How to determine what infrastructure your store needs
There's no universal best Magento hosting. AWS may be justified for one project and an unnecessary expense for another. A store with relatively stable load may be better off on a dedicated server, while a project with sharp traffic spikes needs cloud architecture. That's why before choosing, we analyze the project itself, not the name of a plan.
Load
We care not only about the number of visitors but the nature of the load. For example, 100,000 visitors a month and 100,000 visitors arriving at once during a sale are two different infrastructure challenges. That's why we don't recommend simply "getting 16 GB of RAM" without understanding exactly what it's needed for.
CPU, RAM, and disk performance
Resource balance matters for Magento. Insufficient RAM can create problems when PHP processes, the database, and other services run simultaneously. A slow disk affects database and file system operations. Insufficient CPU performance becomes a bottleneck during peak loads. For example, 2-4 cores and 8-16 GB of RAM for small and mid-sized stores, and 8-32 cores and 32-64 GB of RAM for larger projects with NVMe SSD or more resources. But this is only a reference point, not a universal specification - the actual configuration depends on the architecture and load of the specific store.
Server location
The physical distance between the user and the server affects network latency. But that doesn't mean the server has to be in the same country where the business is registered. For example, a server in Germany can sometimes be more cost-effective than local infrastructure in terms of price and specs, while a CDN can help deliver static content to users in other regions. Keep in mind that choosing a region also requires accounting for data storage requirements and local regulations.
Peak load
If a store generates a significant share of its annual revenue during a few major campaigns, the infrastructure needs to account for exactly those periods. A regular server may run perfectly well on a Monday morning and stop keeping up the moment a sale starts. For these projects, cloud or another scalable architecture may be justified. But scaling has to be designed in advance: simply upsizing the server after checkout has already stopped responding isn't a strategy.
Security requirements
Magento infrastructure has to protect not just the site itself, but also store, customer, and order data. We factor in firewalls, secure SSH access, server component updates, SSL/TLS, backups, and other protective measures. Having these components in place is also part of the criteria for reliable Magento hosting outlined in the source material. It's also worth noting that security doesn't end with installing a firewall - the system needs to stay up to date, and infrastructure changes need to be monitored.
The server is also affected by:
the number of products and categories;
the number of concurrent users;
order frequency;
data import and export;
cron jobs;
integrations with ERP, CRM, and other systems;
catalog search and filtering;
the number of Magento store views;
background processes and indexing.
What we do with Magento infrastructure
Good hosting doesn't end the moment a server hands you an IP address.
At Planeta Web, we look at infrastructure together with the Magento project itself - its code, integrations, load, and business scenarios.
It's important for the development team to have a controlled environment. Git, CLI, and staging let you verify changes before they reach production instead of testing a new version directly on the live store. Having these developer-friendly tools is also one of the criteria for quality Magento hosting.
Depending on the task, we can work at different levels of the infrastructure:
select a server or cloud provider based on the project's actual needs;
design the server architecture;
configure the environment for Magento;
migrate to new infrastructure;
optimize the server configuration;
set up caching and a CDN;
work with the database and server services;
set up a staging environment;
set up backup and recovery;
set up monitoring;
ensure a secure deployment process;
maintain the infrastructure after launch.
Migrating Magento to a new server
Migration is more than just copying files and a database. Before migrating, you need to define the new environment's architecture, prepare the server, check version compatibility, transfer the data, and configure DNS, caching, and all the necessary services. Before migrating, you need to define the new environment's architecture, prepare the server, check version compatibility, transfer the data, and configure DNS, caching, and all the necessary services. It's especially important to properly plan the cutover moment. For eCommerce, even a few minutes of downtime can mean lost orders. That's why we plan migrations to minimize downtime and verify the store works correctly before the final switch.
Optimizing existing infrastructure
Not every problem calls for a new server. Sometimes a store runs slowly because of misconfiguration, inefficient caching, database issues, or poorly placed architecture components. In that case, replacing the server only adds cost without fixing the root cause. That's why we first analyze the current environment, find the bottleneck, and determine exactly what's limiting performance. Only then do we decide whether optimization, a configuration change, scaling, or a full migration is needed. A good example is the migration of a Magento store from Nexcess to different infrastructure. After moving to a server on the West Coast of the US, the team saw roughly a twofold improvement in Time to First Byte, even though the network ping to the new server was initially longer. This is a good illustration of why evaluating hosting by geographic proximity or a single metric alone doesn't work.
Monitoring, backups, and support
A Magento store shouldn't be left unsupervised after launch. Monitoring lets you spot problems before users do: rising load, resource shortages, service errors, disk issues, or other anomalies. Backup serves a different purpose - recovering after a failure or mistake. For eCommerce, it's not enough to just have a backup; you need to know exactly what can be restored from it and how long that takes. Regular backups and a clear recovery process are also among the basic requirements for Magento hosting. Support can also be organized in different ways. For some companies, a team that responds to requests under an SLA is enough. For critical eCommerce projects, continuous monitoring and proactive response - where the team spots a problem before the client even reports it - can matter more. We pay particular attention to backups. A backup shouldn't be stored on the same production server it's meant to protect. If that server fails or its file system runs into trouble, backups stored on it can become inaccessible too. That's why backups are stored on separate infrastructure - for example, another server with fewer resources or a dedicated storage system. Its job isn't to run the Magento store, but to reliably hold backups and stay accessible if something goes wrong with the production environment. This is why managed infrastructure is more involved than classic administration. It's a model of responsibility for keeping the infrastructure operational as the store grows - from monitoring and updates to backups, recovery, and incident response.
When to change your Magento hosting
It's worth considering an infrastructure change if a store regularly runs into problems that can no longer be explained by code or isolated bugs.
A more expensive server doesn't always mean better infrastructure. If a Magento store doesn't need dozens of cloud services, complex elastic architecture, or constant scaling, a dedicated server can be the more sensible choice. Conversely, if load keeps changing, a cheap fixed server can end up costing the business more through losses during peak periods.
Common warning signs include:
the site slows down during peak load;
the server regularly maxes out available CPU or RAM;
TTFB keeps increasing;
checkout becomes unstable;
cron and other background jobs fail to complete on time;
deployment becomes risky;
backup and recovery have never been tested;
the team lacks access to the necessary server tools;
the current provider limits the configuration you need;
cloud infrastructure costs have grown out of proportion to the value it delivers. This last point is especially important.
How to choose the right Magento hosting
We recommend starting not with the question "which hosting is best?" but with three others:
What does the store need right now?
What load does it handle, what integrations does it use, how much data does it process, and what problems come up in the current infrastructure.
What will it need in a year?
If the store plans to enter new markets, grow its catalog, launch new store views, or see substantial traffic growth, the infrastructure needs headroom for that growth.
Who will manage it?
If a company has a strong DevOps team, it can get full control with unmanaged infrastructure. If it doesn't have one, managed Magento hosting can be far more efficient in terms of total cost of ownership. This last factor is often underestimated. A cheap server stops being cheap once you have to separately hire specialists to configure, monitor, update, and respond to incidents on it.
Hosting that works for the business, not just for staying online
The purpose of Magento hosting isn't just to keep the site up.
Properly built infrastructure lets a business sell without technical constraints: handling peak traffic, loading pages faster, releasing updates more safely, scaling the store, and forecasting infrastructure costs.
For the client, the outcome is simple: the store runs reliably, pages load quickly, orders go through, and the team can keep improving the product instead of constantly fighting with the server.
FAQ
Do you have to use cloud hosting for Magento?
No. Cloud isn't automatically better than a dedicated server or VPS. If a store's load is stable, it may be more cost-effective to run on a powerful physical server than to pay for a complex cloud architecture. Cloud becomes especially useful when load varies significantly or the business needs to scale its infrastructure.
What's the difference between regular hosting and Magento hosting?
Magento has much higher requirements for the server environment than a simple corporate site or blog. Performance depends on the database, PHP processes, cron, caching, search, indexing, and integrations. That's why what matters for Magento isn't just having a server, but how correctly it's configured for the store's specific architecture.
Can Magento be migrated from AWS to a dedicated server?
Yes. If analysis shows that a store no longer needs the capabilities of a complex cloud architecture, migrating to a dedicated server can significantly reduce infrastructure costs. That said, it's important not just to transfer the files and database, but to recreate the necessary Magento configuration, caching, search, cron, web server, and other environment components.
Which is better for Magento: Hetzner or AWS?
There's no universal answer. Hetzner can be more cost-effective for a project with stable load that needs a powerful dedicated or virtual server. AWS makes more sense when you need complex cloud architecture, scaling, and a range of infrastructure services. The choice should be based on the store's architecture and load, not on the provider's popularity.
Does a Magento store need a dedicated DevOps specialist?
Not always. If you're using unmanaged VPS, VDS, dedicated, or complex cloud infrastructure, someone has to be responsible for the server and its security - either an in-house DevOps engineer or an outside team. With managed Magento hosting, the provider or a specialized team takes on part of that work, so you may not need a dedicated DevOps hire on staff.