Virtual Private Servers (VPS) are powerful yet affordable options for hosting your website. However, while there are plenty of cheap VPS hosting services available, choosing the best one can be challenging.
Fortunately, a handful of popular and reputable companies offer budget-friendly VPS plans. In fact, you can find VPS hosting services available for as little as a few dollars per month.
In this post, we’ll explain what you can expect from cheap VPS hosting and whether it’s something to consider for your website. Then we’ll take a look at five of the best VPS solutions and how they compare. Let’s get started!
Best cheap VPS hosting services for 2023
Let’s take a quick look at the five cheap VPS hosting services we’ll be discussing in this post. Later we’ll explore what each one has to offer in more detail.
| HOST | PRICE FROM (/ MO.) | CPU | STORAGE | BANDWIDTH | MEMORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | $3.95 | 1 | 20 GB | 1 TB | 1 GB |
| Vultr | $2.50 | 1 | 10 GB | 512 GB | 512 MB |
| A2 Hosting | $4.99 | 1 | 150 GB | 2 TB | 1 GB |
| InMotion | $5.00 | 1 | 25 GB | 1 TB | 1 GB |
| Namecheap | $9.88 | 2 | 40 GB | 1 TB | 2 GB |
What to expect from cheap VPS hosting
You might be wondering whether discounted or cheap hosting plans translate to subpar service. However, VPS hosting generally delivers strong performance compared to other types of hosting, particularly shared hosting.
You can also expect plenty of options for customizing your web server’s configuration. For example, many service providers will enable you to choose which Operating System (OS) you use, as well as the included resources.
However, you’ll also need to handle most server configuration and management tasks yourself. This setup can be a downside for some users but is often preferable for system administrators and developers who want to have full control over their server hosting.
What you can expect from cheap VPS hosting also depends on whether you choose a managed or unmanaged VPS plan. Managed VPS could be ideal if you don’t want the hassle of configuring your own server. However, its plans tend to be more expensive than unmanaged ones.
It’s also worth looking into additional services provided by some hosting companies. Those may include domain names, ecommerce accommodations, uptime guarantees – maybe even “no downtime” guarantees – email accounts, etc. bundled into the plan. Another thing that’s crucial are support options and ways to contact the support team. You never know when you might need them.
Is cheap VPS hosting the right option for you?
If you’re working with a tight budget and want to pay as little as possible for your web hosting service, the two obvious choices will be cheap VPS hosting or shared hosting. While VPS hosting doesn’t typically provide the same level of speed, stability, and scalability as high performance cloud and dedicated servers, it is a step up from shared plans.
With a VPS, you share hardware with other clients but not resources. Instead, you get your own virtual space on the server, resulting in more privacy and isolation than you can expect from a shared hosting plan.
VPS hosting is best for websites with medium levels of traffic. This setup is also a worthwhile option if you’re looking for a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting or you have a small budget.
Cheap VPS hosting is an effective way to keep costs down while you’re still trying to grow and scale your business. You won’t get the suite of features and tools that you would with pricier plans. However, with the right VPS provider, you can get what you need to make your site work.
If you have a modest website, we recommend checking out our list of the cheapest WordPress hosting services to help you decide which is the best web hosting plan for you.
What is the cheapest VPS?
The cheapest VPS hosting provider is Vultr. At just $2.50 per month, this service includes one CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and 10 GB disk space. Vultr doesn’t offer long-term contracts, and VPS server accounts are billed hourly.
Why is normal VPS so expensive?
Typically, a standard VPS is pricier than other server options because it comes with more reliable and powerful hardware and Rapid SSD storage. It can also be more expensive due to the quality and technology of the virtualization system used.
What’s the difference between managed and unmanaged VPS hosting?
The main difference between managed and unmanaged VPS hosting is the management of server responsibilities and maintenance tasks. With unmanaged CPS hosting, as the site owner, you are charged with overseeing and executing the server management. The hosting provider only deals with the physical server and its availability, which guarantees it’s low cost.
With managed service, on the other hand, the company will take care of most maintenance tasks. The downside is that this hosting usually costs more than unmanaged plans, and there’s less control and flexibility.