Hosted Vs. Cloud Ecommerce Platform: Which is Better?

First thing first! Cloud-based ecommerce platform is not the same as a hosted solution. Hosted applications are installed on a remote server and accessible via a VPN (virtual private network). You will need network infrastructure to run hosted applications. Whereas cloud applications are web-enabled technologies that require only a server installation and an Internet-enabled device on the client side.

Various factors need to be considered when determining the Best ecommerce software between the two. Cloud and hosted software is evaluated with respect to the following 3 parameters:

Scalability and Flexibility

When it comes to scalability and flexibility, cloud ecommerce wins hands down. Hosted applications are more difficult to scale due to their inherent complexity. In a cloud-based environment, a single version of the software serves multiple customers. Each customer or organization has its own secure and exclusive virtual computing environment. As the number of customers (tenants) increase, you have to simply allocate excess resources, which would be shared across all customers.

Unlike hosted solutions, a cloud-based model deploys a uniform hardware environment, which is much easier to scale as its usage increases. Moreover, as far as its accessibility is concerned, it is extremely flexible. You can access your cloud ecommerce platform from any internet-enabled device be it laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Maintenance

From installation to monitoring, to continual upgradation, you are fully responsible for maintenance related activities in a hosted environment. It is your job to ensure that the system is running smoothly. On the other hand, vendor who offer cloud Best ecommerce completely handle the task of maintaining and managing the system. Also, for a cloud-based model very little infrastructure is needed on your side.

Cost

In a hosted ecommerce, the server capacity is specifically allocated for you. The hardware and software is purchased particularly for your needs. You may either own or rent the server. In either case, the initial investment is significantly high. Also, the maintenance can get expensive even if you assign someone else to manage it. On the other hand, cloud ecommerce is a subscription-based business model in which you pay for their services on a monthly basis.