Should You Choose a Managed or Unmanaged Server in 2025?

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Deciding on server management types is one of the most important considerations for any business or website. It directly impacts your performance, security, and even your peace of mind! You have to choose either a managed or an unmanaged server. In a managed server, the hosting company handles all of the technical work for you, including installation and continued support. But in an unmanaged server, everything is up to you. In this article, we explore the key differences between a managed vs unmanaged server and help you choose the best and most correct choice based on your level of technical knowledge, your business needs, and your budget.
 

What is a Managed Server?

With managed server hosting, you outsource server management and server maintenance to your hosting company. In this case, the hosting company takes on 100% of the responsibility of installation, configuration, patching, upgrading, monitoring, backup, and technical support for your server. A fully managed server is suitable for an individual or a team without the time or technical ability to do server management and who prefers not to juggle system setup and upgrades with their actual business. 

The big advantage of a self-managed server for users is that it eliminates the stress and technical complexity. Instead of spending your time solving technical issues, you can safely focus on growing your business. 

Want to skip the server headaches? Explore our fully managed dedicated servers and let our experts handle the technical side while you focus on what matters most.

Pros and Cons of Managed Hosting 

Best managed servers provide a hassle-free experience for you and your business, but they also have their drawbacks. So, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of managed servers.

Pros of Managed Servers

• Ease of VPS management: Since your server is managed and maintained by the service provider, you can easily focus on expanding your business and stay away from technical complexities.
• Immediate resource provision: Using the best managed servers, resources such as the OS, RAM, and CPU are allocated immediately when the server is launched or as traffic increases.
• Automatic Software and Security Updates: In managed server services, the server administrator is responsible for timely updates to the operating system, software, and security patches. So, your server will always stay secure and up to date.
• Regular Backups: In managed servers, backup is done regularly and automatically. This way, in case of any problems or data loss, you can easily recover your data.
• Advanced Security: Managed server services usually include advanced security features, including firewalls, antivirus, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and even tools to prevent DDoS attacks. 
• Faster Configuration and Setup: Managed server providers usually help you with the initial setup and configuration of your server, and they will make some adjustments to suit your business’s specific needs.

Cons of Managed Servers

• Limitations on supported operating systems and software: A fully managed server follows a specific framework, and you cannot receive support outside of the specified framework.
• Higher cost: Managed hosting is generally priced higher than unmanaged hosting due to the added value of expert support and services provided by the hosting provider.
• Less control: You may be limited in making some deep changes or implementing specific settings because the host has pre-defined policies or frameworks.

Check out our Managed Forex VPS guide to see why managed hosting is ideal for time-sensitive, high-performance tasks.

What is an Unmanaged Server?

In contrast to a managed server, an unmanaged server puts all the responsibility on you or your technical team. In this case, the web host is only responsible for providing the physical server and the primary operating system used. Other things like software updates, maintenance, automated backups, and control are left to the customer. Customers who have a technical background and are familiar with working with servers usually find this hosting plan more suitable, but why? 

The answer is simple: complete control and lower costs. In this case, you do not pay the provider to manage your server. Additionally, Unmanaged VPS servers come with root access so you can change practically anything. This option is great for professional developers, technical startups, or organizations with complex and specific needs. 

Explore our top VPS server management tools to simplify and streamline unmanaged server maintenance.
 
Pros and Cons of Unmanaged Servers
Similar to managed servers, there are advantages and disadvantages to unmanaged services, which we will discuss in this section. Here you can see the unmanaged server benefits:

Pros of Unmanaged Servers

• Complete control: With an unmanaged server, you are completely free to install and run any software, version, configuration, and structure you want. 
• Lower cost: Since you are performing tasks such as technical support, monitoring, and updates yourself, you pay less compared to a managed service.
• No dependency on support: In unmanaged servers, you don’t have to coordinate with support for a series of changes or settings. You can apply the changes you want whenever you want, without having to wait.

Cons of Unmanaged Servers

• High technical knowledge required: Setting up, maintaining, and securing a server requires proficiency in Linux (or similar operating systems), networking concepts, and server security.
• Higher risk: If you don’t install security patches on time or have incorrect configurations, you may face serious problems such as intrusions or downtime.
• Time-consuming: Troubleshooting, installing, and maintaining a server is time-consuming and can distract the team from its core tasks.

Now, let’s take a quick look at managed hosting vs unmanaged hosting in a table format.

Managed vs Unmanaged Servers: Key Differences

In short, choosing one of these two depends on your background and skills. But there are also some points and differences that can guide you in choosing between the two. You can see the key differences in a managed vs unmanaged server in this table:

Support

The most important difference between these two types of servers is their support. Unmanaged virtual servers offer no support or very basic support. In these services, the host is only responsible for setting up and installing the basic operating system of the server. You are responsible for installing the software, the installed software, and technical issues related to the software. 

Scalability

Scalability means the ability to increase resources in the shortest possible time. There is not much difference between unmanaged and managed VPS in terms of scalability. Any reputable provider should keep all virtual server customers happy by allocating enough resources to them. However, a managed hosting provider comparison can help you identify which hosts offer the best scalability options, along with reliable support.

Control

In terms of control, an unmanaged VPS is very similar to a dedicated server because you have control over the server’s hardware resources. As long as you follow the host’s terms of service, they won’t restrict your unmanaged VPS in any way. On the other hand, a managed VPS will give you the freedom you need, but there are some technical limitations imposed on you by the host. This is a typical example of the differences you'll find when comparing managed hosting vs unmanaged hosting.

Our guide on what is dedicated server shows you why they're great for full server control.

Price

Generally, the price of a managed VPS is higher than that of an unmanaged VPS. The reason for this is the cost of server support and management in a managed virtual server. In an unmanaged virtual server, you have full control of the server, and the server provider only has to maintain the server's uptime. However, as the VPS market becomes more and more competitive, the difference between these two types of services is often reduced to just a few dollars.

If you're leaning toward unmanaged VPS or want full control, learning how to handle a server is essential. Read our step-by-step guide on using and managing a dedicated server to build your technical confidence.

When Should You Choose Managed Hosting?

If you do not have a technical team to manage your server and want to focus on growing your business, managed hosting is a suitable consideration. When you buy a managed server, a team of experts will manage your infrastructure 24/7. This is a significant advantage if you depend on site availability (uptime). If you are developing and expect rapid growth, managed hosting also enables you to scale your infrastructure and grow with your business without any technical concerns.

If the number one goal is to grow the business, while building the company and not worrying about security patches, performance monitoring, and similar managed services, managed hosting is best for you.

When Should You Choose Unmanaged Hosting? 

But if you have an experienced technical team and want maximum control over your server, unmanaged hosting could be the right choice for you. This type of hosting is designed for projects that require special configurations, running custom scripts, or installing software outside of the usual framework. In addition, you no longer need to pay extra for server support and management. Of course, in this case, you should be prepared to do everything yourself, from installing the operating system to security updates, backups, and monitoring.

You just need to be sure that you can identify and fix the problem in an emergency without requiring immediate support. Otherwise, this freedom can come at a high cost to your business. 

To make an informed decision, check out our detailed comparison of dedicated servers vs cloud servers and find out which option truly fits your technical needs.
 

Cost Comparison: Managed vs Unmanaged Servers

As we’ve seen, managed hosting is more expensive than unmanaged hosting, sometimes by as much as 50%! The reason is clear: with managed hosting, you’re not just renting server space, but you’re also getting a full suite of technical services, such as constant monitoring, backups, operating system updates, and security management. That’s why managed servers often start at around $30 to $70 per month, and depending on the level of service, this can be much higher. While you can get an unmanaged server for as little as $5 to $15. 

Although unmanaged hosting might appear to be less expensive at first, it can wind up costing you much more in the long run. These expenses may include the need to hire a professional, security concerns, or even downtime. 

If you're considering your options, you can Buy Dedicated Server from MonoVM based on the level of control and assistance you need.

Conclusion 

We have come to the conclusion of the comparison of managed vs unmanaged server, and it is fairly clear that your choice between these Server management types will depend on three key factors: the technical ability of your team, your budget, and what your project needs. An unmanaged server can be less expensive and provide you with much more flexibility if your team has decent technical experience. However, if your priority is business growth and you don't want to worry about technical issues, then selecting a managed server with professional support, high security, and easy management is the right strategy for you. The fact is that neither option is better than the other; the best option is the one that meets your technical ability, business requirements, and resources.