Our experts have tested critical aspects of different Best VPS providers, including hardware, performance, and support. Learn all you need to know to Find the best VPS provider for your heavy-traffic site.
The best part is; you don’t have to rely on several professionals from the VPS niche. At HostAdvice, we perform independent studies, surveys, and tests led by industry experts. However, all of this is backed up by thousands of user reviews from around the globe. Assess the quality of the leading Best VPS providers firsthand – read the experiences of beginners in the niche or your colleagues.
Want to avoid getting into too many details? Here’s a summary of the best virtual private server providers on the market!
Check Our 7 Top VPS Providers:
Full Overview of our 7 Best VPS Providers:
ScalaHosting is a globally recognized web host company that aims at providing budget-friendly VPS Hosting services to online businesses. It has a wide range of features and has hosted over 700,000 websites across 120 countries.
- Overall Score: 4.8
- Features: 4.5
- Reliability: 4
- User-Friendly: 4
- Support: 4.3
- Pricing: 3.5
There are several reasons why ScalaHosting made our list of 10 Best European VPS Hosting Providers, one of such is its excellent features and optimal performance. Best known for its satisfactory service, this top-rated web host offers flexible and fully managed VPS plans at affordable prices starting at $3.95. It comes with free website migration, a custom control panel called CPanel, SShield protection, unlimited bandwidth, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pricing for ScalaHosting Managed Cloud VPS Plans begins from $39.95/month for 50GB SSD storage, 2 CPU cores, and 4GB RAM, while its most advanced plan goes for $190/month with 320GB SSD storage, 9 CPU cores, and 18GB RAM. With this web host company, you’d surely get value for your money and even more.
Pros:
- Excellent Customer service
- Top grade performance
- 99.9% Uptime rate
- Impressive page loading time
- Fully Managed Cloud VPS Plans
- Advanced Protection with SShield
- Free website migration
Cons:
- Server location is limited
- Price hike for renewal of some plans.
Features: Free domain, SPanel, SShield Security protection, unlimited websites, free SSL certificates, Softaculous App installer, automatic remote backup, free Cloudflare CDN integration, and lots more.
Support: 24/7 constant support from a team of experts can be reached via email, live chat, phone, or their knowledge base.
User-friendly: ScalaHosting comes with its own custom VPS cPanel known as SPanel, and it is easy to use. Your website is set up in minutes, and it allows for easy installation of software.
Pricing: ScalaHosting has a starting price of $3.95 for its most basic plan, allowing scalability to other more comprehensive plans.
Reliability: Web host is very reliable as it has rapid page loading, 99.9% uptime rate guarantee, and ranks high in terms of website speed.
ScalaHosting offers features that come in handy when launching new websites and migrating others. It also stands apart in terms of its efficiency and flexibility. Click here to access our blog covering a more detailed breakdown of ScalaHosting.
Rating based on expert review:
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 5.0
- Reliability: 5.0
- User-Friendly: 4.8
- Support: 4.9
- Pricing: 4.9
Four CPU Types, 1 to 104 vCPU, 256MB to 512GB of RAM, 5GB Storage to tens of terabytes of block storage, and up to 1174 various cloud server setup configurations, entry level VPS plans starting at $0.005/hour or $4/month. Personally, I would go with Kamatera if I had specific requirements (such as OS) since it offers a wide range of services of top-notch quality.
Kamatera is the best VPS hosting for instant scaling. It provides a pay-as-you-go solution on a cloud infrastructure with zero maintenance and no single point of failure.
Kamatera does not have a BBB listing (only applicable for U.S.-based companies), however, Trustpilot awards them 3.3 stars out of five (with more than 71 user reviews).
Pros:
- Incredible flexibility, customization, and scaling
- Cloud infrastructure with a dozen of data centers
- Round-the-clock customer support with decades of experience
Cons:
- Managed Virtual private server solutions are a bit expensive
- Requires at least a bit of technical knowledge (luckily, customer support is always available to guide you step by step in the process, even without managed support)
Features: Advanced cloud solutions for businesses of all sizes, leading cloud technology and versatile products, firewalls, load balancers, and more!
Reliability: No single point of failure with 99.95% guaranteed uptime. Data centers in America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
User-Friendly: Flexible, fast, and reliable solutions for startups, SaaS developers, and web & app developers, with maintenance and information conveniently accessible via a single Control Panel.
Support: Live technical support around the clock, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week personal assistance.
Pricing: Pay monthly, hourly, or by the minute and only for what you use. Cancel at any time if you’re not 100% satisfied.
With Kamatera, you can start with a single processor and move up to 104-core, 512GB RAM servers. Scale – up or down – whenever you like and pay for what you use. Start your cluster today!
Who doesn’t like flexibility? With Ultahost, you will get to choose from a wide range of Linux and Windows OS, different programming languages, multiple locations, and host as many websites as you need. You can also install your own ISO and scale your resources with just one click!
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Features: 4.8
- Reliability: 4.8
- User-Friendly: 4.9
- Support: 4.9
- Pricing: 4.9
With Ultahost’s managed low-cost Virtual private server hosting plans, you can host unlimited websites, get unlimited bandwidth, enjoy one-click vertical scaling, and choose the control panel that you prefer (Hestia, CyberPanel, Plesk, and cPanel), and never pay for the resources that you don’t use!
Ultahost does not have a BBB listing (only applicable for U.S.-based companies), however, Trustpilot awards them 4.6 stars out of five (with more than 145 user reviews).
Pros:
- Excellent flexibility (you can choose from multiple OS options, programming languages, locations, and more)
- The provider does not make you sign a contract or pay a fixed amount for resources that you don’t use
- You can choose between four different control panels, including Hestia, CyberPanel, Plesk, and cPanel
Cons:
- Storage limitations on all plans (you can get up to 750GB of storage with its Ultra Windows VPS, which is still more than enough for most)
Features: All Ultahost VPS Plans come with fast-paced SSD & NVMe storage, built-in cache including Varnish, Memcached, and Redis, free SSL certificates, SSH & SFTP access, dedicated IPv4 addresses, unlimited application installation, and more!
Reliability: Ultahost offers managed Virtual private servers with the highest virtual server reliability and performance built for speed. It also includes Apache and Nginx as web servers, ultra optimized servers which are powered by 14th generation Dell servers with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
User-Friendly: You will get fully managed services with which you can enjoy excellent assistance from the provider’s team. Namely, the team will update your security patches, OS, and more, for you. You can also choose from four user-friendly control panels and manage your server from there.
Support: Ultahost offers 24/7 expert support that will help you with maintaining your server and perform automated troubleshooting if needed.
Pricing: Ultahost’s entry level VPS Plans start at $5.5/month for one CPU core, 1GB RAM, 30GB NVMe SSD, managed services, and one IPv4 dedicated IP address.
Ultahost allows its users to customize their Virtual private servers and create servers based on their needs by picking out their preferred OS, number of cPanel accounts, server location, security, and more. So, if you want to customize your server and make it 100% compatible with you, check out Ultahost’s services today!
I don’t believe IONOS’ rating fairly represents its quality. While the host might not have the best reputation, its fully virtualized VPS with full root access and API is worth every dime.
- Overall Score: 1.5
- Features: 1.5
- Reliability: 1.8
- User-Friendly: 1.5
- Support: 1.4
- Pricing: 1.4
IONOS offers the best VPS servers with various options; you can choose from Linux or Windows, standard or memory optimized VPS, optional Plesk web host, and several data centers around the globe.
Pros:
- Compatible with a variety of operating systems & administration tools
- Certified infrastructure with maximum security and a 99.99% uptime guarantee
- Easy administration with full root access and Plesk Obsidian management software
Cons:
- Acronis backups cost an additional fee
- Plesk costs an additional fee
- Registration is available from a limited number of countries
Features: 1-click WordPress install and WP Toolkit, SSL encryption, firewall management, DDoS protection, preconfigured email functionality, unlimited bandwidth, and optional backups.
Reliability: IONOS utilizes last-generation hardware, including Intel Xeon E5 processors and 100% SAN SSD storage for maximum availability and 99.99% uptime.
User-Friendly: You’ll benefit from an intuitive IONOS cloud panel, streamlining your VPS management.
Support: IONOS’ server experts are available 24/7 to solve your issue quickly, minimizing downtime.
Pricing: You can choose from monthly or annual billing terms, pre-paid and post-paid billing, and cancel anytime with a monthly period or after 12 months with a yearly term. IONOS’s VPS plans start at $2 per month for 1 vCore, 512MB RAM, and 10GB SSD.
ONOS VPS hosting is the perfect match if you opt for immense flexibility. If you exceed your plan’s capabilities, you can easily upgrade to a more powerful instance straight from the control panel. Start risk-free and test its services for 30-days!
Cloudways is what we like to call a reseller. The company resells Virtual private server services from five original cloud providers, AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr. However, it bundles them with useful features, such as an easy-to-use control panel.
- Overall Score: 4.6
- Features: 4.6
- Reliability: 4.8
- User-Friendly: 4.5
- Support: 4.7
- Pricing: 4.6
Cloudways is one of the best VPS web hosting providers, granting you full control of your cloud server with a dedicated IP address and a host of resources. You can also enable enterprise-grade security, advanced CDN, and performance-enhancing features on your demanding applications.
Cloudways does not have a BBB listing (only applicable for U.S.-based companies), however, Trustpilot awards them 4.6 stars out of five (with more than 1,478 user reviews).
Pros:
- Super fast performance without restraints (fully optimized stack with built-in advanced cache, Cloudflare CDN)
- Time-saving simplicity (user-friendly control panel, 1-click installs, staging environment)
- Backed by 24/7 real-time expert support
Cons:
- No cPanel implementations (might be confusing to beginners)
Features: All Cloudways hosting plans include unlimited application installation, 1-click installs for over ten apps, 1-click free SSL installation, free website migration, staging environment, managed backups, dedicated firewalls, SSH, and SFTP access.
Reliability: Cloudways utilizes SSD-only, HTTP/2 servers. You’ll benefit from Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, optimized stack with advanced cache, built-in WordPress and Magento cache, auto-healing servers, regular OS and patch management, and 24/7 real-time monitoring.
User-Friendly: With Cloudways, you can forget about infrastructure complexity. You’ll get the ultimate freedom to transform your online presence on its managed platform, go live in minutes, and manage like a pro.
Support: You can always reach Cloudways professionals via live chat and ticket support 24/7/365 for free. If, however, this is insufficient for your needs, you can also consider Advanced and Premium Support as paid add-ons.
Pricing: The price you’ll pay depends on the cloud provider you choose. You can choose the entry level VPS plan with DigitalOcean at $12 per month for 1GB RAM, 1 CPU Core, 25GB storage, and 1TB bandwidth.
Cloudways’ free trial without a credit card allows you to test all platform features for three days. You’ll also love the pay-as-you-go pricing and no lock-in. Try for free and cancel anytime. Hurry up and check Cloudways’ offer right away.
RoseHosting is a US-based provider that was founded in 2001. It has built a name for itself in the hosting industry for its amazing service, top-notch technology, and excellent reliability. It is one of the few providers that offers a 100% uptime guarantee, promising its customers virtually no downtime or latency issues. Among its top-quality services, RoseHosting is widely known for its amazing managed Linux VPS hosting plans and custom VPS.
- Overall score: 4.9
- Features: 4.9
- Support: 4.9
- User Friendly: 4.9
- Pricing: 4.8
- Reliability: 4.9
Features: We gave RoseHosting a 4.9 score in this category for a good reason. Among its many high-quality free and paid features, RoseHosting provides a 100% uptime guarantee, NVMe storage, root access, unlimited server migrations, cutting-edge hardware, free SSL, proactive monitoring, KVM virtualization, dedicated IP address, unlimited websites, and free control panels, including WHM/cPanel and DirectAdmin.
Support: RoseHosting provides expert 24/7 customer support that is accessible via live chat, email, ticket system, and phone. Additionally, all of its VPS hosting plans come with fully-managed support. The team comprises expert Linux system administrators that will help you with any issue you might have and take care of all technical aspects of your website. Also, customers have reported that the agents have fast response times and provide helpful and detailed solutions. So, the 4.9 score is well-deserved.
User Friendly: RoseHosting is perfect for beginners and experts alike. It provides the WHM, cPanel, and DirectAdmin control panels for free with all plans that have 2+ GB RAM. Additionally, RoseHosting has its own Helpdesk system and an extensive knowledge base where users can find many tips and solutions. So, we believe that a 4.9 score is more than appropriate.
Pricing: RoseHosting offers many different plans across all hosting types. The cheapest plan for its managed Linux VPS hosting is its NVMe 2 VPS plan, which costs $39.59 per month if you get an annual plan. It includes 2 CPU cores, 2 GB RAM, 50 GB PCIe4 NVMe storage, unlimited bandwidth, and a free control panel. However, we gave it a 4.8 score because its prices are a bit higher than its competitors and because most of its features are free only in managed Linux VPS hosting plans.
Reliability: RoseHosting deserves its 4.9 score in this category. It provides a 100% uptime guarantee, promising virtually no downtime or latency issues to its customers. Additionally, it uses PCIe4 NVMe storage across all plans and uses the latest Intel processors. Also, it provides free weekly backups. It uses only the latest-generation Dell servers, KVM virtualization, and has a redundant N+1 data center. The reason we didn’t give it a stellar 5.0 score is that the free weekly backups are only free with managed Linux VPS hosting plans.
Additional parameter – Server location: 4.0: Server location is crucial so that your website does not experience downtime or latency issues. The closer you are to the server on which your site is hosted, the better loading speeds and performance you will get. In RoseHosting’s case, it has one data center located in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. All of its servers use the latest Intel processors, and all data center systems are N+1 redundant. However, while it is a great choice for businesses based in the USA or its vicinity, it only has one data center and has limited geographical coverage. This means that users outside of the US and its vicinity will experience slow performance and downtime due to server distance. So, we gave it a 4.0 score.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- A 100% uptime guarantee
- 24/7 fully managed support
- Latest-generation Dell PowerEdge servers
- Intel Xeon Gold processors
- Redundant N+1 data center
- KVM virtualization
- PCIe4 NVMe storage
- Plans renew at original prices
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Free SSL
- Free WHM/cPanel and DirectAdmin for 2GB+ RAM plans
- 1 Gbit/s
- Redundant 10 Gbit links
- Multiple Tier-1 upstream providers
- No arbitrary server limits
- Root access
- Unlimited server migrations
- Proactive monitoring
- Dedicated IP address
- Unlimited websites
Cons
- Only offers Linux VPS hosting
- More expensive than competitors
- It has only one US-based server
- Free weekly backups are only included in managed Linux VPS hosting plans
If you are looking for a stable, reliable provider with excellent features, look no further than RoseHosting. Entrust your website into RoseHosting’s safe hands and get excellent performance with virtually no downtime or latency issues. Check it out today!
Ranking comparison between the Top Providers
User Friendly
When evaluating if a VPS hosting provider is user friendly we ask ourselves does the Best VPS provider allow for a user-friendly control panel option or not? Is the VPS plan appropriate for beginners and first-time users? Will you be able to transform your online presence on its managed platform, go live in minutes, and manage it like a pro?
GoDaddy has a cPanel interface that is easy to use. It also offers a variety of self-help articles and videos that can help users. We give GoDaddy a score of 10 for being super user-friendly. Godaddy does have certain drawbacks related to pricing and reliability, thus it might be worth considering a provider that got a lower rank for being user friendly but a higher overall rating.
With A2-Hosting users get a cPanel integration, self-help articles/videos, and instant chat support for assistance. A2-Hosting got a 9.8 score because the provider is easily manageable and allows either 1-click installs or automated or manual processes.
Kamatera’s control panel interface was neat and pleasantly straightforward, developers will love using Kamatera, thus we ranked it 9.8.
We gave Cloudways a score of 9.4 because it doesn’t come with a cPanel, which some might find as a disadvantage, and it is a bit more complicated than traditional hosting.
On the other hand, we awarded Interserver 8.8 since the user interface isn’t particularly flashy, and cPanel arrives with its bare skin.
We ranked Scala Hosting 9.8 as you can create your account in a few simple steps and migrate your website with just one click.
Support
When assessing the overall level of support quality, we took several factors into account, including the availability and technical knowledge of the support behind the Best VPS plan – preferably dedicated technical support, available 24/7 via live chat, email, or phone.
A2 Hostings offers multilingual live support 24/7/365, instant support through phone, email, and a one-hour response ticketing system. They got a 9.8 score because the customer support agents are polite, patient, reliable, and solution-oriented.
One of the best things about Kamatera’s level of support is that its technical teams are actively monitoring the environment for problems. Thus they got a score of 9.8 as well.
Cloudways comes with a few support channels that can be pretty helpful but also tricky. We scored this provider 9.3 because the support doesn’t cover everything. Going down the line, We rated Interserver 8.6 because we couldn’t locate any accurate responses to our queries.
Features
There are a few elements you need to look for in a VPS hosting plan if you want to make sure you are getting the best service.
With Scala Hosting your website can benefit from free SSL certificates, daily backups, advanced security features (SShield Blocks), a next-generation control panel (SPanel), and a 24/7 friendly support team. Due to these fantastic features, we give ScalaHosting a score of 9.8.
In 2nd place with a score of 9.7 we chose A2 Hosting as they offer cPanel with Softaculous, 1-click installs, DNS, CMS integrations, SSL certificate, free website builder, free migrations, and many more incredible features.
Not so far behind we put Kamatera and Cloudways with a score of 9.6. Both providers offer pretty impressive features that will enhance your website and make it as good as you can imagine. We gave Cloudways a score of 9.6 because it doesn’t offer domain registration.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing we asked what is the lowest price of the vendor’s VPS services, and what does this offer include? The price of a VPS tends to move in line with performance. The higher the price, the more features and better reliability, while the lowest-priced VPS are usually stripped-down with lower performance and reliability.
When it comes to pricing, Kamatera is the outperformer with a score of 9.6. Kamatera’s highly flexible cloud services start at $4 per month. You can set up your plan by choosing what services you need. With Cloudways the most basic plan starts at $10/month. ScalaHosting comes with six hosting plans that provide a wide range of excellent features.
Hostinger has the most affordable prices, starting from $3.49/month. We gave them a 9.4 because the most affordable prices are for plans purchased for 48 months.
A2 Hosting got an 8.9 score for pricing because they aren’t the most affordable hosting provider. Although their prices aren’t sky-high, they lost a few points because their renewal prices are higher than the purchasing price.
Reliability
A fast and reliable web host is vital for your business’s success. When we put the providers to test, we ask what is considered a good level of reliability and a bad level of reliability? What is a Reliable Level of Uptime? What are the Uptime Guarantees? What are the page load time and web host speed?
When you sign up for a hosting account with Kamatera, you receive a 99.95% uptime guarantee. We experienced virtually zero downtime on our tests in the last 12 months, which is very impressive. With its fast cloud infrastructure, Kamatera deserves a 10.0!
Not so far behind, Cloudways got a score of 9.8 by providing an uptime of 99.99%, an incredible page-loading speed of 864.9 ms, and a website speed of 769.66 ms.
A2 Hosting has an excellent uptime of 99.9%. The company also has four data centers and a CDN included.
Hostinger has excellent speed and uptime, provided by 7 data centers located in Asia, Europe, and America. However, we gave a 9.2 score for reliability because the speed can be slower due to data center distance.
How Did We Choose The Top 9 VPS Hosting?
- User Reviews30%
- Performance and Reliability10%
- Types of Hosting Offered5%
- Customer Support10%
- Site Speed8%
- Bandwidth and Storage3%
- Traffic Volume4%
- Scaling Potential4%
- Features Included10%
- Ease of Use4%
- Starting Price4%
- Money-back Guarantee3%
- Other Factors5%
At HostAdvice, we have performed extensive research on the hosting providers to figure out the best VPS services, the features they offer, and what sets them apart from the rest. Our experts have tested 25 products in the Virtual private server VPS category in the past year. More importantly, we are dedicated to continually improving our review methodology. For instance, we have recently upgraded our uptime and speed monitoring processes. Each review process is based on real-time performance, meaning our experts purchase the plans, just as a regular customer would. This way, HostAdvice can compare the Best VPS host’s promise with measurable results. We give extra points for transparency – we like companies that stand true to their promises, regardless of what they are.
As you can spot, we’ve allocated specific percentages to different factors depending on their importance for VPS web hosting services. The higher the weight, the more critical the factor.
HostAdvice’s AI technology has sorted the best Virtual private server providers dynamically based on several key factors:
- Types of Hosting Offered: Availability of managed, unmanaged, and semi-managed VPS hosting plans.
- Performance and Reliability: Does the Virtual private server come with an uptime commitment attached? What if you experience downtime? Does the web host take responsibility for this and compensate you in any way if it happens? You should not accept anything less than 99.9% uptime. A good VPS host will provide at least a 99.95% uptime guarantee and above.
- Site Speed: Site visitors leave if your site takes too long to load, and that’s why we analyze the site speed a VPS host can deliver, considering factors such as SSD drives, the number and dispersion of data centers worldwide, server locations, CDN, other security enhancements and real-time performance.
- Bandwidth and Storage: How many resources do you get with the VPS web hosting plans? Storage refers to how much content you can store on the Virtual private server, including images and files, while bandwidth determines how much data your visitors can view at a certain time. In other words, both are critical to the operation of your site, so you must get “enough” of the two.
- Traffic Volume: How many visitors can the Virtual private server handle? Usually, these servers can handle anywhere between 1,000 and 1,100 users per day, which is sufficient for medium-traffic sites.
- Scaling Potential: What happens when you exceed the resources included in your VPS plan? How easy can you upgrade? Will it take a lot of time and effort on your side, or will the Best VPS provider handle this task (for free)?
- Features Included: numerous OS options & API, free migrations, on-demand, and live backups, native IPv6 support, DDoS, firewalls, domains, etc.
- Ease of Use: does the Best VPS provider allow for a user-friendly control panel option or not? Is the VPS plan appropriate for beginners and first-time users?
- Customer Support: the availability and technical knowledge of the support behind the Best VPS plan – preferably dedicated, technical support, available 24/7 via live chat, email, or phone.
- User Reviews: Experiences from worldwide users, beginners, professionals, and everything in between. Thousands of customers worldwide have shared their real-life experiences with specific vendors so that you get first-hand advice and honest feedback on one’s quality.
- Starting Price: Not classifying the VPS hosting plans as cheap or expensive, but analyzing their price-value ratios. What is the lowest price of the vendor’s VPS services, and what does this offer include? Check out our VPS Pricing page for more insights.
- Money-back Guarantee: Is the Virtual private server vendor committed to customer satisfaction? If you are not happy with the service, can you get your investment back? If yes, how many days does this policy cover? The longer, the better!
- Other Factors: Awards, establishment date, brand reputation, past incidents considered.
What Is VPS, and When Do You Need It?
VPS (Virtual Private Server) mimics dedicated server environments within a shared server. Thus, it combines the best aspects of the two – dedicated resources at an affordable price.
A VPS Hosts splits a single piece of hardware (the parent physical server) into multiple virtual servers using virtualization technology, called a hypervisor. In turn, it creates several separate servers on the Internet.
The best Virtual private servers grants users root access to change the hosting environment and install apps independently of other users, which isn’t possible with a shared web hosting plan. In addition, VPS servers are much faster, more reliable, and secure than shared servers. At the same time, this piece of software that emulates dedicated hardware is much more affordable than dedicated servers.
In general, VPS makes a perfect choice for individuals or businesses that have begun their web hosting journey with a shared server but have eventually outgrown this plan. If you need more secure environments on a budget, a Virtual private server is the best choice for your website!
Virtual Servers Compared to Other Web Hosting Services
What makes Virtual private server worthy of your attention, time, and money? Let’s see how it compares against the two remaining most popular solutions – shared and dedicated web hosting.
- Shared Hosting: The web host handles everything with shared hosting, making it an excellent option for beginners in terms of ease of use and pricing. However, all users get the same “fair share” of resources, meaning you cannot isolate yourself from others. If another user on the same server experiences a spike in traffic or a security threat, your site will also go through issues. With fewer resources available, you will notice a decrease in speeds, inconsistent performance, or even adverse effects on your SEO rankings.
Shared hosting is best for beginners in the niche, bloggers, websites with low traffic, or individuals on a tight budget. - VPS Hosting: Virtual private server overcomes the issues of shared web hosting, allowing for dedicated resources, dedicated IPs, root access, overall better speed, performance, security, SEO rankings, and so on. Thus, it’s the perfect alternative for anyone willing to take the next step from shared hosting and has the budget to back it up!
VPS hosting is best for medium to high traffic sites, programmers, game makers, and SaaS providers. - Dedicated Hosting: While a Virtual private server is a middle ground, dedicated servers are the most advanced web hosting services available on the market. With a dedicated web hosting plan, you would get a physical server with all components, including CPU, RAM, and bandwidth, all to yourself. However, these advantages come at a price, making dedicated web hosting the most expensive solution.
Dedicated hosting is best for high-traffic sites, enterprises, or anyone with a budget and tech skills to maintain their own “box.”
What Are the Benefits of Having A Virtual private server?
If you are still indecisive, here’s a summary of all that you can get with a Best VPS hosts:
- Dedicated or reserved resources isolated from other users on the same server
- Zero setup fee, making Virtual private server more affordable than dedicated web hosting
- Less hardware cost by considering a failover cluster to a single machine
- Instant allocation of server resources upon the server setup (including the operating system and CPU)
- Flexibility and scalability to increase your Web hosting resources to support the growth of your website
- Customization options for your resources depending on your needs (increase/decrease on-demand)
- SSH root access (like in a dedicated server) for complete control over the server configuration and application installation
- Better security levels than shared hosting due to virtualization technology separating you from others on the same server
- Use your OS and software (with a few exceptions, such as VPS web hosting providers that limit your use to Ubuntu)
- Access to high levels of storage and bandwidth, better reliability and uptime
- Transfer files from PC to Windows VPS through Remote Desktop
- Minimal user interaction with the servers (Managed Virtual private server solution offers pre-installed control panel and software)
- a Virtual private server can replace your physical computer with one running in the cloud
How Much Does A Virtual private server Cost?
As mentioned, a Virtual private server costs less than dedicated servers but more than shared hosting plans. However, the cost of VPS hosting can vary greatly, depending on several factors.
It would be best to differentiate between Managed VPS vs. Unmanaged VPS (but more on that later). While you can pay approximately $5 for an unmanaged VPS, managed VPS prices range between $20 to $100 and more per month, depending on the configuration.
Even so, pricing is a subjective matter, and what might be cheap for you can be expensive for another user. So, that type of classification makes no sense. What you should focus on instead is the trade-off between price and quality.
Initially, you might get a cheap Virtual private server provider but pay for the service in other ways. For instance, you can experience a limited feature set, have to pay for many add-ons (included for free in the best VPS plans), a slow website, and insufficient levels of customer support. In the end, you might lose customers due to worse performance, harm your SEO rankings and overall profitability.
On the other hand, you can pay excessive amounts of money – but “expensive” doesn’t always equal “superior.” The solution is to find the proper balance between price and value. And the best way of doing so is to rely on sound research on hardware components, level of support, and overall performance of the Best VPS hosting provider
How Does VPS Work?
VPS (Virtual Private Servers) utilizes virtualization technology, such as KVM (for Linux) and Hyper – V (for Windows), to provide users with dedicated resources on a server with multiple users. The VPS hosting provider uses the hypervisor, which defines CPU, memory, and disk allocation to divide a single dedicated server (bare-metal server) into dozens of virtual machines.
A Virtual private server is similar to shared web hosting because it hosts multiple users on a single physical machine. However, these users don’t have to compete with others for bandwidth, space, and storage. Instead, they get their own reserved share of resources. In turn, a Virtual private server is similar to dedicated web hosting because it offers reserved resources, privacy, speed, and security. However, VPS customers get a single share of the dedicated server, virtually (not physically) separated from other users.
The main advantage of the virtualization technology is that other users on the same server cannot hog your resources if they experience a traffic spike. They have a limit on their components or resource usage, and even if they exceed it, they cannot use up yours (which is the case with shared hosting).
In addition, VPS provides you with a dedicated IP address, meaning if another of your server neighbor experiences a security attack (say DDoS), your site will remain unaffected. Furthermore, you can add to your privacy with custom firewalls settings.
Managed vs. Unmanaged VPS Hosting: Which One Should You Choose?
Are you deciding between getting a managed or an unmanaged VPS for your business? The question you should ask yourself, at this point, is, how much control do you want, or are you comfortable having?
The key difference between managed and unmanaged VPS is who assumes the core server maintenance and management responsibilities.
If you go for a managed VPS plan, you will be able to take the hands-off approach, meaning the web host will take care of all technical aspects of your server. On the other hand, you would have to take on this responsibility with the unmanaged option. That’s why unmanaged VPS plans are significantly cheaper than managed solutions.
What Is Unmanaged VPS Hosting?
With an unmanaged VPS, you will get a bare and flexible server with no pre-installed software, applications, or operating system. The Best VPS provider is responsible for maintaining the hardware and performing system-level health checks. On the other hand, you would have to assume server management and maintenance responsibilities.
And since you receive no licenses or support, you must have some advanced skills for this option, such as managing Linux CLI, Secure Shell (SSH), Security information and event management (SIEM), Web server software management, or Disaster Recovery (DR), specifically backup and snapshot management.
What Is Managed VPS Hosting?
A managed VPS comes with a pre-installed server administration software on a predetermined operating system, such as Web Host Manager (WHM) or cPanel on a CentOS server, or Plesk, DirectAdmin, or Virtualizor for Linux.
With a managed VPS, the VPS hosting provider takes on server maintenance and management responsibilities, such as server monitoring, technical support, software updates, malware protection, or DDoS protection. Better yet, you can benefit from 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, or email and get technical assistance if some issues affect your server.
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What Is Semi-Managed VPS Hosting?
A semi-managed VPS is a middle ground between managed and unmanaged VPS hosting.
The Best VPS provider grants you a bare server with core software installation and support, such as operating system updates and patches, security enhancements, full web server support, proactive response, and restoration of monitoring events.
However, you will not receive control panel support, updates, patches, virus and spam protection, or external migrations (which is the case with a managed Virtual private server).
Linux VPS vs. Windows VPS: Which Is The Best Option For Hosting On A VPS?
If you are running a Python or an ASP.NET application, you should opt for Windows VPS. The Microsoft technologies will only work with Windows servers.
However, if your web application is developed with PHP/Node/Ruby, Linux VPS will be the best choice for you. PHP is much harder to configure on Windows. So, you must ensure that the Virtual private server runs a user-friendly control panel, like cPanel, especially if you have no extensive experience or skills. Another great option would be the customized solutions, such as Scala Hosting’s SPanel and Webdock.io’s feature-rich control panel.
If you’re using a Node application, you will be set with Ubuntu. With this option, you can customize the webserver based on your preference.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) vs. Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Which One Offers The Best Hosting For Virtual private server?
Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud offer VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) services. It’s similar to a Virtual private server; only VPC provides all resources on-demand in the cloud, utilizing different network technologies, such as encryption, tunneling, and virtual LANs (VLANs). In turn, VPC delivers isolated cloud environments.
AWS and GCP are both top-rated solutions, but AWS has a lower average latency error than GCP, accounting for faster performance. For instance, GCP exhibited three times the network latency compared to AWS and Azure when connecting Europe to India, says BunnyShell.
Besides, the CPU of AWS can compute more operations per second. The read/write and network speeds are much higher than GCP.
How To Choose The Best VPS Hosting?
Best VPS hosting requires profound expertise to run well. When choosing a quality Virtual private server service, you should consider several factors, including hardware components, your skill level, project needs, and budget. Essentially, your choice of the Best VPS hosting provider will determine the performance and reliability of your website.
Here are the key factors you need to dedicate special attention to when choosing a Virtual private server.
1. Get A Managed (or Unmanaged) VPS
The first thing you should consider is the type of VPS you need. It will define your ease of use and the scope of services you can expect.
With an unmanaged VPS, the web host takes on the responsibility of ensuring that the Virtual private server works and is connected to the network, but that’s all there is. If, however, you select a managed VPS hosting provider, you can expect and analyze several other factors.
2. Match The Virtual private server With Your Project/Website Needs
While shared hosting is more oriented to beginners, Virtual private server resembles dedicated servers more closely. So, if you have decided to upgrade from your shared hosting plan, it’s essential to approach the Virtual Private Server as a professional.
You should consider the hardware components. Whether you select managed or unmanaged VPS, you will need to analyze the machine’s hardware specifications: CPU, RAM, and Bandwidth.
- CPU (Central Processing Unit): It’s better to go for a processor with more cores and modest clock speeds than the fastest processor available. For example, 2xCPUs with 2.4 GHz and ten cores can grant you better performance than 2xCPUs with 3 GHz and four cores.
- RAM (Memory): You need at least enough memory to support the number of workloads you run on the system. Less memory can compromise your consolidation or your performance. However, adding more will only overspend your money. If you have a total of 40 threads of potential workloads (as in the example), and each workload requires 2 GB, you will need at least 80 GB of memory on your server. The closest binary equivalent to this number is 96 GB.
- Bandwidth: The adequate amount depends on the size of your website, the number of visitors, and the number of pages they visit. 5 GB of monthly bandwidth is sufficient for an average-size page of 50KB, 20,000 monthly visitors, and five pages per visitor.
- Storage Space: You need sufficient storage to support your site. While calculating the total size of your website isn’t very straightforward, you can use a web page size checker tool to estimate your storage needs. Usually, 5GB is sufficient for small sites, while 50GB works for regular eCommerce sites.
And that’s not where it ends. Instead of entirely relying on the promises of the Best VPS provider, you should also review what happens in practice. At this point, you should also review real-time results and measurements, including reliability (uptime) and stability (response time over a period).
3. Measure The Best VPS Performance and Reliability
Your Virtual private server should be able to handle traffic spikes, and you can estimate this ability using two performance metrics of your potential VPS host:
- Uptime Rate: how much time of the total your server will stay up, which ideally should be 100%. In reality, you can expect anywhere around 99.9% backed up with a Service Level Agreements (SLA). You should check how much uptime the provider guarantees and avoid anything below 99.95%. Keep in mind; scheduled maintenance won’t qualify for the uptime commitment.Warning: Even a 0.01% difference can amount to a couple of hours of downtime, so consider the disaster this type of outage can cause for your website.
- Response Time: the time it takes the server to respond to a request, measured by TTFB (Time to First Byte) or how many milliseconds it takes to receive the first byte of the page after sending an HTTP request. The rule of thumb is the faster, the better. Still, it would help if you did not accept anything below 600ms – anything above is considered sufficient.
In addition, you can test the Virtual private server performance / perform server benchmarking using various scripting tools. This way, you can fetch various information about the server, including CPU and RAM, and perform various tests, including Sequential Disk Speed Tests, iperf3 Network Speed Tests (IPv4 and IPv6), and Geekbench 4 Benchmark Test.
4. Ease of Use and Support
While managed VPS can significantly facilitate your user experience, it doesn’t end there. Different VPS providers allow for different features and support. The best option at this point is to get an easy-to-use control panel, such as the cPanel. It grants complete access to essential features that significantly enhance the website’s performance.
At this point, you should also consider the help and support you can get. Customer support is an issue that’s easy to overlook while choosing your Best VPS plan. However, if something goes wrong with your site, you’ll soon regret not giving this more consideration.
So, whether you get a managed or an unmanaged VPS, make sure that the Best VPS host offers 24/7 customer support. The support team must have highly experienced professionals with years of experience in the industry to promptly fix technical issues. Also, make sure that they respond to the queries quickly. Try making a test call or chat with the support team to analyze their responsiveness and proficiency.
5. Set Of Features and Pricing
The Best VPS service’s set of features and customization options can either make it or break it. You should take a close look at the feature set before subscribing to any VPS plan. Does the Virtual private server provide root access? What are the security features that it offers? Can you benefit from free migrations? Can you choose from several operating systems? And so on.
If you choose a Managed VPS hosting plan, look at the additional features it offers, including free migration, free remote backups, server optimization, automatic patching, and a LiteSpeed webserver.
After all, different users have different needs and preferences. So, it would be best if you found what works for you. Ensure you are not paying extra for add-ons that you can get for free with other VPS hosting providers, and you will be good to go!
Best VPS Hosting: Final Recommendations
You can choose from so many virtual private hosting solutions to suit your needs. However, you will have to make several choices along the way. Both managed and unmanaged VPS solutions have their respective pros and cons. So, which one works better for you? Make sure to match the best VPS provider with your project/website needs, skill, experience, and budget. Also, don’t overspend on resources you don’t need! After all, the main benefit of a Virtual private server service is that you can start small and scale as your site needs grow.
Clearly, there’s no one-size-fits-all, and there’s no winner in the race. Which is the best virtual sever provider in 2022? It depends on your needs! The best way to know what works for you is by testing. So, why not get the provider and see how it goes? After all, these VPS hosting providers come with money-back guarantees so that you won’t spend a dime in the process!
