The best VPS and cloud hosting
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A VPS (virtual private server) gives your site its own slice of a server (guaranteed CPU, memory and storage) instead of sharing them with hundreds of neighbours. It's the next step up from shared hosting, and it comes in two very different flavours.
Unmanaged VPS providers like DigitalOcean and Vultr sell you a bare Linux server from a few dollars a month, billed by the hour. You install and secure everything yourself. Managed options like Cloudways and ScalaHosting add a control panel, security, backups and support so you get VPS performance without the sysadmin work. The cards below show the entry plan for each, with real prices.
At a glance
| # | Host & plan | Intro | Renews | 3-yr cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hostinger Cloud Startup | $7.99 | $25.99 | $288 |
| 2 | Cloudways DigitalOcean 2 GB | $11 | $11 | $396 |
| 3 | ScalaHosting Managed Cloud VPS Build #1 | $29.95 | $54.95 | $1,678 |
| 4 | Vultr Cloud Compute 0.5 GB | $2.50 | $2.50 | $90 |
| 5 | DigitalOcean Basic 512 MiB | $4 | $4 | $144 |
Our picks
Cloud Startup plan
Beginners and small sites that want the lowest upfront cost and an easy panel.
- 30-day money-back
- Free domain
- Backups: Weekly on Premium; daily on Busin…
DigitalOcean 2 GB plan
Growing sites that want cloud performance without managing a server.
- 3-day free trial, no card required
- Backups: Automated (configurable)
Managed Cloud VPS Build #1 plan
Sites outgrowing shared hosting that want a managed VPS without cPanel costs.
- "Anytime" money-back guarantee for unused time
- Backups: Daily
Cloud Compute 0.5 GB plan
Developers who need servers in many regions cheaply.
- Billed hourly: stop paying any time
- Backups: Paid add-on
Basic 512 MiB plan
Developers who want a clean, cheap Linux server.
- Billed hourly: stop paying any time
- Backups: Paid add-on
Managed or unmanaged?
Choose unmanaged if you're comfortable with SSH, Linux updates, firewalls and backups, or you're deploying an app with Docker or a framework. It's the cheapest way to get serious performance.
Choose managed if you want a faster, more isolated home for a WordPress or PHP site without becoming a system administrator. You'll pay more per gigabyte of RAM, but the provider handles the stack.
How much VPS do you need?
- 1 GB RAM: a small app, a personal project or a low-traffic WordPress site with caching.
- 2-4 GB RAM: a busy WordPress or WooCommerce site, or a few small sites.
- 8 GB+: high-traffic stores, multiple client sites or databases under load.
Cloud providers bill hourly with no contract and no renewal jump, which makes them easy to try. Promotional VPS plans from traditional hosts (Hostinger's KVM plans, ScalaHosting) are cheaper upfront but renew higher: compare the 3-year totals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest VPS?
Vultr's smallest Cloud Compute instance is $2.50 a month and DigitalOcean's smallest Droplet is $4, both billed hourly. They're tiny (512 MB RAM) and unmanaged: fine for experiments, not for a busy site.
Is a VPS faster than shared hosting?
Usually, because your CPU and memory aren't shared with other customers. A well-tuned shared host can still beat a badly configured VPS, though.
Do I need a control panel on a VPS?
Not if you're a developer. Otherwise, a managed VPS with a panel (ScalaHosting's SPanel, or Cloudways' platform) saves a lot of work.