Cloud computing is a combination of computerization and internet technology, where data ranging from small to large scale is stored on internet servers, which allows us to access our data from various locations and through various platforms.
SaaS is one of three types of cloud computing services that are commonly offered by cloud service providers. The three types of services are SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Let’s discuss in more detail.
1. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS), this type of cloud service is provided in the form of software. Examples of SaaS are Google Apps (Docs, Sheets, etc), Office 365, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
In SaaS services, service users only need to use the application without having to understand and take care of how the data is stored or how the application is maintained, because this is a service provided by the service provider.
Benefit
Users can immediately take advantage of the service for free or by paying a rental fee without having to invest in in-house development or buy relatively expensive licenses.
The availability and reliability of the application is guaranteed by the service provider. Users only need to focus on their data. The only devices needed by the user are a computer and the internet.
Disavantage
The user does not have full control over the rented application. Users cannot arbitrarily change the features provided because SaaS is multi-tenant so that the features created are general features (cannot be specific to the needs of certain users). In some applications, customization can be done with limited scale and functionality.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS), Cloud services of this type are provided in the form of a platform that users can use to create applications on it. Examples of PaaS are Amazon Web Service, Microsoft Azure, Facebook, etc. The things that PaaS service users can do are building applications, uploading applications, testing, and managing configurations.
Benefit
Users can create their own applications with many available features such as platform security, OS, database systems, web servers, and application frameworks. Users can focus more on application development.
The main feature of PaaS is usually high scalability. When the application that we uploaded begins to be used by many users, the PaaS service will automatically scale our application to be better at serving our application users. Meanwhile, when the application is quiet again, it will be scaled again so that the fees paid really match what we used at that time.
Disavantage
The security features provided by PaaS services are platform security, not our application security. So we still have to take into account the security risks of our own applications.
3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), an IaaS-type Cloud service is basically a physical box of servers and virtual computers. IaaS provides enterprises with computing resources including server, network, storage and data center space.
Benefit
Users do not need to physically buy computers and equipment, perform routine maintenance, and perform device configurations.
Disavantage
Users must be connected to the Internet to use it, and if additional resources are required, they must contact the service provider. Users take care of their own OS, security, applications, databases, frameworks, etc. because only servers and networks are provided.
The following is a visualization of the explanation above:
In general, the disadvantage of using Cloud Computing is that users have to be connected to the Internet and the confidentiality and security of the data that we place on the Cloud. But the use of Cloud Computing also has many benefits such as easy access (only by connecting to an internet network), cost efficiency, high flexibility, and ease of monitoring with an interface that is usually also provided by Cloud Computing service providers.
Cloud Computing is now starting to penetrate in various aspects, one of which is starting to be implemented in the world of education. Cloud computing enables universities to cut the cost of purchasing hardware and software and save on expenses for recruiting IT personnel.
Top 3 Best Cheap Cloud ASP.NET Core Hosting
1. ASPHostPortal – Best ASP.NET Core Cloud Hosting
ASPHostPortal is a recognizable web hosting company with a large variety of hosting solutions, Windows hosting included. While cloud hosting is what makes ASPHostPortal a widely known provider, its Windows hosting options are also very competitive. The provider is among the most affordable options for those who are looking for the best ASP.NET Core Cloud hosting.
The provider offers some of the best value-to-money proportions by offering all-inclusive Cloud ASP.NET Core hosting plans. It includes:
- Plesk control panel, which is the standard for ASP.NET Core hosting in the same way that cPanel is the standard for Linux operations.
- Windows Server 2016/2019 OS is already included, which keeps your expenses low. Many other hosts require you to purchase an OS as an extra.
- Support for the majority of programming languages and scripts, including ASP, ASP.NET 2.0 (3.5, 4.0, & 4.7), PHP, SSICurl, GD Library, MVC 5.0, & AJAX.
- Latest ASP.NET Core
- Support latest MSSQL database. As customers, you can choose to use MSSQL 2022, 2019, 2017.
ASPHostPortal has 4 basic cloud ASP.NET Core hosting plans: Cloud Zero starts at $1.99/mo, Cloud One at $3.39/month, Cloud Two at $5.94/month, and Cloud Three at $11.46/month. If you need more features, you can also check their cloud ASP.NET advanced hosting plans.
Most user start from Cloud One plan as it has come with MSSQL and MySQL database while Cloud Zero can only host website without any database. Cloud One plan feature such as
- Unlimited sites. In this plan, you can host unlimited websites with 1 single account only
- 2 GB disk space with 20 GB bandwith. It is very enough for small websites to run
- Unlimited email accounts powered by SmarterMail with 200 MB email space. The basic plan supports SMTP, POP3, and IMAP along with webmail access. With an advance plan, you can have access to other features such as mailing list, auto subscribes and many more advanced features.
ASPHostPortal ASP.NET Core Hosting server performance
ASPHostPortal Cloud ASP.NET Core hosting server performance is quite average, as expected for shared hosting.
The uptime remained at 100%, which is an exceptional result to start with.
At the same time, the average response is only around 150-200 mbs. It’s a great speed to loadyour website or app.
This leads me to conclude that ASPHostPortal will be suitable for you if you want to host your ASP.NET Core website.
2. HostForLIFE.eu – Premium European ASP.NET Core Hosting
HostForLIFE.eu is another great European Cloud hosting provider that specializes in ASP.NET Core hosting with a focus on security and reliability. They have good reputation in Europe for ASP.NET Cloud hosting solution and their price is quite affordable for new user or even developer.
HostForLIFE.eu, when it comes to Cloud hosting plans, is a high-end solution with a set of various features:
- Plesk control panel is included for ease of use and top-level functionality.
- Windows Server 2019 and MSSQL 2019 Express are in the package as well. These are among the latest versions of Windows OS and database available.
- Kaspersky antivirus is counted in for protection which is especially important for Windows-based software.
- You can host unlimited sites without any worry in this plan. There are no disk space and bandwith restriction too.
- Each plan has support latest ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, and also Classic ASP.
- Each plan also comes with email hosting. You can create email accounts easily via their control panel. It has support POP3, SMTP, and also webmail.
HostForLIFE.eu has 4 packaged Cloud ASP.NET Core hosting plans starting at EUR 3.99/mo. You can go up to EUR 44.99/mo initially and scale as needed with 5-years subscriptions.
An interesting fact is that HostForLIFE.eu guarantees (on a written agreement) to answer all inquiries in 10 minutes. Meanwhile, ticket support has guaranteed response rates of 10 minutes. This is especially important if you have a commercial project where every minute means business.
Support might be great, but not the money-back policy. HostForLIFE.eu simply doesn’t have one. So it’s the courtesy of the billing team to decide whether to refund for unused service time or not if you decide to cancel.
HostForLIFE.eu Windows ASP.NET Core Hosting server performance
HostForLIFE.eu demonstrated great performance results. And while the 100% uptime guarantee was slightly breached, I cannot complain.
The average first byte time is 0.175s which is very good. Plus, it remained very stable, without any high peaks, showing HostForLIFE’s reliability.
So in terms of performance, HostForLIFE.eu definitely meets the high expectations that were dictated by the price.
All in all, choose HostForLIFE.eu if you have a mission-critical project on the way. It will be the best fit for businesses developing ASP.NET Core web-based apps and heavy Cloud-based sites.
3. WindowsASPNETHosting.in – Cloud ASP.NET Core Hosting Partner in Asia
WindowsASPNETHosting.in is one of the very few providers that offer affordable cloud ASP.NET Core hosting on shared servers and scalable Windows hosting on private virtual servers infrastructure. You can easily pick and choose how powerful you want your hosting to be. Plus, the prices are some of the lowest you’ll find.
ASP.NET hosting is more of a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s 1 plan priced at INR 123.49/mo for as long as you need. It includes:
- Plesk control panel is included.
- Support for Classic ASP, NET Framework 3.5, 4.7, & 4.8, latest ASP.NET Core, Silverlight, Microsoft Access, ODBC, and ASP.NET MVC 4,5,6.
- 2 GB storage, 10 GB bandwith, 1 domain
Apart from cloud ASP.NET Core hosting, dedicated server and VPS hosting plans support Windows as well. So scalability options are there. Just keep in mind that they will require you to pay for Windows and the control panel separately.
Another thing to consider is the refund policy. Yearly and longer plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee, while shorter – 48h to claim your money back.
WindowsASPNETHosting.in ASP.NET Core Cloud hosting performance
During 2 months of monitoring, WindowsASPNETHosting.in perform very stable, it is only take 0.255s to load the site, if we compare it to other competitors, WindowsASPNETHosting.in win on their class.
To conclude, WindowsASPNETHosting.in is among the best options for ASP.NET Core cloud hosting. However, keep its shared hosting for personal stuff – the software is less than optimal though very good for the price.
Final Verdict – Best Cheap Cloud ASP.NET Core Hosting 2023
While the choice of the best cheap Cloud ASP.NET Core hosting providers is pretty limited, each of the hosts we tested has something that might be perfect for your project. So let’s quickly recap the strengths and best uses for each:
- ASPHostPortal is beginner-friendly, reliable, and offers excellent value for money, thanks to all essentials being included. Hosted on shared servers, it’s best for smaller projects.
- HostForLIFE.eu offers the best cheap cloud ASP.NET Core hosting option for commercial use. It’s highly reliable options with many safeguards to keep your project online and secure at all times.
- WindowsASPNETHosting.in has good prices and all-inclusive plans mainly on shared servers. This is a great option for personal use, while VPS and dedicated hosting are available to businesses.
Generally, there’s no one-size-fits-all hosting solution. Each website has its own needs. It’s up to you to determine which one of these Cloud ASP.NET Core hosting providers fits the bill. What sort of technologies do you need? Do you require full access to the server? What kind of bandwidth will your website command once it goes live?
Each of these hosting companies offers plans that vary by price and functionality. If your website looks like it may expand, your hosting provider also needs to adapt to that need. Trying to determine “the best” ASP.NET Core hosting relies on figuring out which one is “the best” for your website.
