Why You Should Host Your Apps on the Cloud-Choosing the Right Server Host

There are two types of web-hosted apps, mobile apps, and web apps.  Cloud-hosted mobile apps provide you with limited functionality when you use them without an internet connection. However, enabling Wi-Fi or mobile data access on your iOS or Android device opens up a wide range of additional features.

Web apps, on the other hand, don’t function without a stable, fast, and secure internet connection. You must have a web browser to use web apps because you can’t install them on phones, laptops, desktops, or tablets.

Cloud Hosting for Mobile and Web Applications

Web hosting for mobile apps begins with app stores, with Google Play Store and Apple App Store hosting millions of web-dependent mobile applications. Cloud-hosted mobile apps on your smartphone allow you to perform feats not possible on native apps, such as:

• Send and receive photos, videos and text files to and from anyone, anywhere on earth
• Seamlessly communicate with loved ones, friends and colleagues via video or audio calls
• Upload and download photos, videos, audio, documents and other content on secure servers
• Fast access to up-to-date information such news reports,  user stats, market research and much more
• Stream live video and audio podcasts conveniently from any location and to any destination

While not exhaustive, this list shows that web-hosted mobile Applications are integral to how you utilize the extensive resources of the internet.

Similarly, web apps allow you to use the immense data processing and storage capabilities of the web. Many web apps are online versions of cloud-hosted mobile apps that offer the same functions. Furthermore, websites feature many task-specific web applications that provide you with product or service-related functions. Web apps include quote estimators, currency converters, video conferencing apps, and online payment apps.

Levels of Cloud Hosting for Web and Mobile Apps

The level of cloud hosting you need for your web or mobile app depends on the functionality that the app offers to users.  For a task-specific web-hosted app, such as a quote estimator, you require a basic cloud hosting plan that caters to your app's low data processing needs.

If your app doesn’t need to store user data but must handle large data volumes, such as a news app, then you require an advanced cloud hosting package for the app.

However, if your web or mobile app provides users with both dedicated data processing and cloud storage functionality, as seen in social media apps, then you require a comprehensive cloud hosting plan.

To cater to the three levels of cloud hosting, cloud hosting companies provide you with three hosting plan categories: -

Shared Cloud Hosting

Choosing a shared hosting plan means your app shares resources with other applications hosted on the server. Consequently, your app receives limited bandwidth, data processing, and storage resource allocation on a shared server. This outcome is okay if your app offers limited online functionality to users.

However, a shared hosting plan from an usual seller such as Bluehost or GoDaddy is inadequate if your app features processing-intensive functions and provides users with content storage capability. Despite this shortcoming, shared cloud hosting plans are cheap because server costs are split among several clients.

Dedicated Cloud Hosting

Going for a dedicated cloud hosting package is advisable if your mobile or web app provides users with multiple data processing functions and multimedia file storage. Choosing this cloud option guarantees that your app can use all the bandwidth, processing, and storage resources available on a dedicated server. While dedicated hosting ensures your app performs optimally, this cloud hosting option is expensive and, therefore, unsuitable while on a tight budget.

VPS Cloud Hosting

VPS or Virtual Private Server hosting is your middle ground alternative to shared and dedicated hosting. As with dedicated hosting, a VPS hosting plan ensures your app gets additional bandwidth, processing, and storage resources, whenever higher user traffic causes a spike in demand for simultaneous multi-user access.

This feat is achievable despite the use of shared server resources because the VPS allows your app to access bandwidth, storage, and processing from multiple separate physical servers. While VPS hosting costs more than shared hosting, this middle ground alternative is considerably cheaper than dedicated hosting.

How to Choose the Right Cloud Hosting Provider

Your final choice of web hosting provider should offer you a cloud hosting package that gives your web or mobile application optimal online functionality. Key considerations include: -

API or Application Programing Interface

The API allows you to add, edit, and remove functions on your app using a dedicated control panel. You can also use the Admin API to vary how different user accounts access app features, add and delete login passwords, reduce or increase cloud resources allocated to different app functions and so forth

Secure Cloud storage

The cloud hosting provider for your web or mobile app should provide secure storage for content uploaded by users. Such content includes photos, videos, audio files, documents so forth. The size of cloud storage you require for your app depends on the storage features it offers to users.

Adequate Bandwidth Allowance

Choose a server host with a hosting package that allocates ample bandwidth allowance to your app. Doing so ensures that your app retains its full functionality even when high user traffic leads to a spike in demand for concurrent multi-user access.

Dedicated data Processing

Data-intensive functions on your app require dedicated processing resources on the cloud. Hosting providers allow you to assign varying processing capabilities to different app features via dedicated App Engine service.

Cloud Security

You should ensure that any data generated by users of your app gets stored on secure servers. Doing so keeps hackers cannot retrieve personal user information by intercepting app communication or directly attacking host servers. Sensitive details include user names, passwords, account numbers, residency information, user photos, and more.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Your web or mobile application is likely compatible with mainstream operating systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, users might still have trouble accessing all the features on your app if host servers don't avail the same level of compatibility. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your cloud hosting provider caters to your target operating systems.

Customer Support

Whenever users encounter issues with the features of your app, it should be possible to reach your cloud hosting provider at any time. This implies that your provider should avail 24/7 customer support to ensure you can resolve app performance issues irrespective of time or day of the week.

Benefits of Cloud Hosting for Apps

Hosting your mobile or web application on the cloud avails notable benefits to anyone using your app. These cloud-derived benefits include:-

Short turnaround time for data processing functions

Processing intensive functions on your app, such as video and photo conversion, execute faster when you host your app on the cloud. Short turnaround time is possible because both data retrieval and processing take place on powerful host servers.

Unlimited functionality

There is no limitation to the vast array of features you can add to your web or mobile app when you host it online. Cloud hosting allows you to seamlessly add new features, enhance existing capabilities, and remove non-essential functions using a dedicated control panel.

Access to AI-powered tools

You can use various AI-powered tools to further enhance user experience on your cloud-hosted web or mobile app. These powerful machine learning algorithms can make suggestions on related products or services, provide solutions to user queries, and offer useful information on using the different features available on your app.

Data retrieval from multiple devices and locations

Hosting your mobile or web application on the cloud allows users to access your app from multiple devices, including smartphones, laptops, desktops, and other browser-capable devices. Furthermore, users receive full use of the app from any location.

Conclusion

You now know why your web or mobile apps require hosting and what to look for when choosing the right cloud hosting provider. Luckily, choosing either Bluehost or HostGator ensures you get the best cloud hosting plan for your web or mobile app. You can read a comprehensive comparison of the cloud hosting services offered by these two reputable and established hosting companies by clicking here.