An Internet Protocol (IP) address, is a series of numbers used to identify a device on a network. A dedicated IP address is a type of IP address that is only assigned to one single domain. They are often offered as an add-on with VPN services.
In this guide, we explore whether your website needs a dedicated IP, as well as the best deals to consider.
What’s the difference between a dedicated IP and a shared IP address?
The difference is the number of users assigned to it. A dedicated IP is exclusive to a single account, whereas a shared IP address is shared between multiple domains.
Shared IP addresses are often common to shared hosting accounts, hosting multiple websites on the same server. This means all these websites share the same IP address. However, is possible to have a shared IP without a shared server.
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How do dedicated IP addresses work?
Dedicated IP addresses work by allocating a single IP address to a single user. This means they are faster because when someone clicks onto your website, the server doesn’t have to search for your website. Shared IP addresses, however, require the server to waste time searching through many other websites, causing a lag.
Is ‘dedicated IP’ the same as ‘static IP’?
No. but there is some overlap. An IP address can be static or dynamic.
A static IP address stays the same over time, whereas a dynamic IP address can change over time.
A dedicated IP address is very often static, which allows other computers to find your server more reliably when connecting to the router. However, this is not always the case, and you can have IP dedicated addresses which are dynamic.
Do I need a dedicated IP address for my business?
Yes, if you receive a lot of traffic or send a large volume of emails.
It can be helpful to think about not only your current needs but your future ones too, and if you see your traffic increasing in the foreseeable future, a dedicated IP address could help you with your loading times.
Lag times can severely impact businesses, as they can be a huge barrier for customers. Customers can get bored or frustrated and click off your page.
If your business sends a large volume of emails you should consider using a dedicated IP address. This means anything above 100k emails a year. This is because a dedicated IP has a better ‘reputation’, meaning email services such as Gmail are less likely to send these emails to the spam folder.
What are the benefits of a dedicated IP address?
The main benefit of a dedicated IP address is performance. Your dedicated IP address will lead to faster website speeds, less lag times, fewer connection issues, and the inability of other websites to affect the performance of yours.
Another benefit is that you will get the flexibility to add, edit and view files at any time.
How do I get a dedicated IP address?
Most VPN providers will offer a dedicated IP address as an add-on. These tend to be static and private. Sometimes you might have to opt in, and perhaps pay a very small fee.
Other providers offer dedicated IP addresses for free, but these tend to come with limitations. For example, a dedicated IP might be public, meaning someone else can use it when you log off.
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Does the type of IP I use impact my SEO?
No, your SEO is completely unaffected by the type of IP you use.
What are the downsides of a shared IP address?
Smaller websites may not have problems with a shared IP addresses. Unliked dedicated IPs, they come with limitations such as:
- Longer load times
- Some software incompatibilities
The problem of longer load times amplifies the bigger your site gets. The more traffic you receive, the longer the load times will be when you use a shared IP address. This means that switching to a dedicated IP address could help businesses to gain higher conversion rates and lower abandon rates.
How much do dedicated IP addresses cost?
A dedicated IP address can cost from £2-£200 per month, depending on your hosting provider, but on average they cost around £35 for a small batch. Prices tend to depend on server configuration and resources.
You can get a good deal by subscribing to a VPN plan and getting your dedicated IP address as an add-on.
Which providers offer the best dedicated IP addresses?
NordVPN, PureVPN, and PrivateVPN are the best providers of dedicated IP addresses. They are VPN services which allow users to opt into dedicated IPs.
NordVPN
- Dedicated IPs in 5 locations
- ChaCha20 encryption
- Extremely fast speeds
NordVPN offers dedicated IPs in 5 locations, in Europe and the US. This is a great benefit to an already impressive VPN service. It offers some of the best available speeds, and it makes setting up a dedicated IP very easy, although a special subscription is required for this.
Nord offers a 30 day free trial, which is a great way to see if it could be a good fit for your business.
PureVPN
- 7 dedicated IP locations
- Very affordable
- Fast WireGuard performance
PureVPN offers dedicated IPs in the US, UK, Singapore, Malta, Germany, Australia, and Canada. This service costs an extra fee per month, on top of their VPN, but it is extremely easy to apply this add-on – you just need to add it during checkout.
Although not always as fast as NordVPN, PureVPN offers a great VPN service as well as a fast WireGuard protocol.
PrivateVPN
- 9 dedicated IP locations
- No add-on purchase needed
- Good speeds
The best thing about PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP service is that you do not need to purchase any additional add-ons. They also offer it in nine locations: Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Switzerland, UK, US, and France.
The reason that PrivateVPN did not top this list is because the dedicated IPs it offers are public, not private. This means that other users can use them, as long as it is not at the same time as you. When you disconnect, someone else can use your IP.
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