Best VPS hosting providers: what to look for
VPS hosting gives you dedicated resources on a shared physical server, with better performance and more control than shared hosting at a lower cost than a dedicated server. The best VPS hosting providers offer predictable pricing, fast network connectivity, easy server management, and responsive support.
Disclosure: What's Hosting operates a GoDaddy reseller storefront. Competitor guides are editorial research, not products we sell.
Overview
For unmanaged VPS hosting, DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode (Akamai) are the most widely recommended by developers and technical users. All three offer hourly billing, clean web interfaces, API access for automation, and data centers in multiple regions. DigitalOcean's Droplets start at $6 per month for a 1GB RAM instance. Vultr and Linode offer comparable pricing and performance.
For managed VPS hosting where the provider handles server updates, security patches, and configuration, SiteGround's cloud VPS plans and Cloudways are popular options. Cloudways sits between the major cloud providers (DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Linode, Vultr) and the user, providing a management layer that handles the server administration.
OVH and Contabo offer budget VPS plans with generous RAM and storage specifications at low prices, making them popular for users who want large VPS resources at lower cost. The trade-off is typically less polished support compared to DigitalOcean or Vultr.
When choosing a VPS, look for: SSD storage (NVMe is best), guaranteed RAM (not burstable), multiple data center locations, clear pricing with no surprise charges, and a network uptime guarantee of 99.9% or higher. For managed VPS, also evaluate how quickly the provider responds to support requests.
Cheap VPS hosting: what to look for and what to avoid
Cheap VPS hosting is genuinely available from several reputable providers at $5 to $15 per month for entry-level instances. The key is distinguishing between VPS plans that are cheap because the provider is efficient at scale, and plans that are cheap because they oversell resources or cut corners on hardware and support.
DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode (Akamai) are the most recommended budget VPS providers for developers and technical users. All three offer SSD-based VPS instances starting around $5 to $6 per month, with transparent pricing, solid network performance, and good documentation. These are cloud VPS products: well-maintained infrastructure at competitive prices.
Hetzner (a German provider) offers very competitive VPS pricing for European deployments. Its CX series starts around €4 to €5 per month for 2GB RAM with decent CPU allocation. Hetzner has expanded to US data centers. For users in or targeting Europe, Hetzner often delivers the best price-to-performance ratio.
Budget providers like Contabo offer very large amounts of RAM and storage at low prices (4GB RAM VPS starting around $4-5 per month). Independent reviews note that performance can be less consistent than DigitalOcean or Hetzner, particularly CPU performance under sustained load. For non-time-sensitive workloads, Contabo offers strong raw specifications at low cost.
When evaluating cheap VPS options, check: whether the VPS uses SSD or NVMe storage (faster) or HDD (slower), whether RAM is guaranteed or burstable, the data center location relative to your audience, what support is included, and whether there are overage charges for bandwidth. A VPS that looks cheap but charges per-GB bandwidth overages can become expensive under traffic.
Common questions
What is the cheapest good VPS hosting?
Contabo and OVH offer very low prices for high-spec VPS instances. For better support quality at a modest price, Hetzner and Vultr are excellent options starting around $5 to $6 per month.
Is managed or unmanaged VPS better?
Unmanaged VPS is better for experienced users who want full control. Managed VPS is better for users who want VPS performance without the responsibility of server administration. Managed plans typically cost more.
How do I choose between VPS providers?
Compare the specs (RAM, CPU, storage, bandwidth), data center locations, support quality, pricing transparency, and whether billing is monthly or requires annual commitments. Test support response time before committing to a provider.
What is the cheapest reputable VPS hosting?
Hetzner and Vultr offer some of the lowest prices among reputable providers at $4 to $6 per month for entry-level instances. DigitalOcean's Droplets start at $6 per month and are widely trusted for quality.
Is cheap VPS hosting reliable?
It depends on the provider. DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Hetzner are reliable despite low prices. Very cheap providers from unknown companies may oversell resources, leading to inconsistent performance. Stick to well-reviewed providers.
What is the minimum spec I need for a WordPress VPS?
A 1GB RAM VPS can run a low-traffic WordPress site. For better performance and headroom, 2GB RAM is the practical starting point. More RAM and CPU help if you are running multiple plugins or handling significant traffic.