Best cheap dedicated server hosting 2025
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As the name implies, dedicated servers are physical servers dedicated to one person or organization. Having a dedicated server has many benefits, such as full control over the server’s resources, complete customization, increased performance, and better overall security.
Although dedicated servers are generally more expensive than shared servers for hosting your website, the costs can be as low as $35.00/month. It all depends on which provider you pick, and there are many options to choose from.
In this article, I introduce you to our top 5 cheap dedicated server hosting providers that all have been tried and tested by the Cybernews experts. To help you choose the right solution, I also cover the factors you should consider when choosing the best option.
5 best cheap dedicated servers by Cybernews
- Liquid Web – best cheap dedicated hosting from $39.50/month
- IONOS – highly customizable dedicated server from $48.00/month
- InMotion – cheap dedicated server hosting for businesses of all sizes from $35.00/month
- InterServer – affordable dedicated hosting with advanced management from $60.00/month
- DreamHost – dedicated servers with RAID technology from $165.00/month
Our in-house research team and expert writers work hand in hand to regularly test hosting services and provide accurate and fact-checked information. Discover the ins and outs of how we test and evaluate website hosting providers.
Best cheap dedicated server hosting providers – detailed list
There are many web hosting providers out there offering dedicated server hosting. However, the pricing and the features vary greatly between different web hosts. I joined our research team to test different providers in terms of features, performance, configuration options, user reviews, and price-to-value ratio, and pick the 5 best cheap dedicated server hosts.
1. Liquid Web – the best cheap dedicated server overall
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $39.50/month |
| Specifics: | Fully managed, up to 128GB RAM and 2 x 960GB SSD, 10TB bandwidth, Acronis backups |
| Current deal: | Get Liquid Web, now 85% OFF |
With managed and unmanaged dedicated server options, Liquid Web combines powerful performance with affordability. During our in-house Liquid Web tests, I was impressed with its overall speed and performance. Liquid Web’s 100% uptime guarantee ensures you’ll be compensated for any downtime.
Liquid Web has over 1000 reviews on Trustpilot with an average rating of 4.4 stars. However, Trustpilot reports are mixed, with either 5-star or 1-star reviews. Reddit users, on the other hand, seem to be disappointed with the service and report a significant drop in quality over the last few years.
Liquid Web Dedicated Server price-to-quality ratio – excellent (5/5)
Liquid Web has 3 fully managed dedicated server plans, all of which come with free migrations, DDoS protection, 10TB of bandwidth, and 24/7 customer support. Here’s what each plan has to offer:
- Standard Dedicated (Intel Xeon E-2134). Priced at $39.50/month, the Standard plan includes 4 cores, 16GB RAM, 2 x 240GB SSD, and 100GB Acronis backups.
- Plus Dedicated (Intel Xeon Gold 6226R Single). Priced at $82.50/month, the Plus plan offers 16 cores, 64GB RAM, 2 x 960GB SSD, and 500GB Acronis backups.
- Pro Dedicated (Intel Xeon Gold 6226R Dual). Priced at $114.00/month, the Pro plan provides 32 cores, 128GB RAM, 2 x 960GB SSD, and 500GB Acronis backups.
All in all, Liquid Web’s dedicated server plans offer high customizability, which is great if you know what you’re doing, but it might be too complex for beginners and those less tech-savvy. I had my server up and running within 15 minutes, and considering that it can take up to a few days, I was very satisfied with the whole setup process. The server came with the latest operating system and ran without problems.
Nonetheless, Liquid Web has a few downsides. For example, it puts bandwidth constraints on all its dedicated server plans. While you can do a lot with 10TB of bandwidth, other dedicated server providers offer unmetered bandwidth, which better accommodates unpredictable traffic.
In addition, even though Liquid Web claims to have 3 data centers for dedicated servers, I could not choose one, as it was selected automatically for me. It’s not a deal breaker, but I found it odd.
Liquid Web is the best choice for those who want high customization, quick data handling, and excellent performance with their dedicated servers.
2. IONOS – cheap dedicated hosting with high customization options
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $48.00/month |
| Specifics: | Managed and unmanaged solutions, AMD and Intel servers, RAID storage, highly customizable |
| Current deal: | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS |
IONOS is a flexible dedicated server hosting provider with a relatively low price tag. IONOS is highly secure and has 5 data centers in the US, the UK, Germany, Spain, and France, offering improved speed and better overall performance.
On Trustpilot, IONOS has more than 25,000 reviews and an average rating of 4.6 stars. Most users are satisfied with IONOS, particularly praising its customer support. Reddit reviews are quite mixed, but it’s worth noting that people usually write reviews when something goes wrong.
IONOS dedicated server price-to-quality ratio – very good (4/5)
IONOS lets you choose the specifications of your server, and the price may greatly vary depending on what you select. All plans include unlimited traffic, capped bandwidth at 1Gbit/s, advanced firewall, and RAID storage. Here are some of the cheapest plans and their features:
- L-16 HDD. Priced at $48.00/month, this plan includes 4 cores, 16GB RAM, and 1TB HDD.
- L-32 SSD. Priced at $61.00/month, this plan offers 4 cores, 32GB RAM, and 480GB SSD.
- XL-64 NVMe. Priced at $110/month, this plan provides 4 cores, 64GB RAM, and 1TB NVMe SSD.
My experience with IONOS was very good. It took me less than 30 minutes to set up and deploy my server, a bit slower than Liquid Web, but still very efficient. Moreover, unlike with Liquid Web, I could choose a data center before purchasing a dedicated server plan, which was greatly appreciated.
The IONOS dashboard displays basic server information, such as status, warnings, and action history. Here, you can also manage backups, edit the firewall rules, and overview monitoring policies. I was disappointed that the dashboard does not provide any web console options, leaving me to access the server via SSH.
You can also grab Acronis backups starting at $7.00/month. Liquid Web includes this in all of its plans without additional fees.
IONOS is great for anyone who wants to customize their own plan. In addition, IONOS has an option to charge hourly which makes it easy to scale up or scale down.
3. InMotion – cheap dedicated server hosting for businesses
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $35.00/month |
| Specifics: | Managed and unmanaged servers, highly scalable plans, RAID storage, up to 128GB RAM, 2 x 4TB SSD, 32 dedicated IPs, and 500GB backup storage |
| Current deal: | Get InMotion Hosting, now 79% OFF |
Resource-rich and fast, InMotion is another great solution for cheap dedicated hosting. It offers a large selection of plans for every need, all of which include free migrations, unmetered bandwidth, and data centers in Washington, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam. In addition, our in-house tests have shown InMotion maintains an uptime of 99.93%.
With an average rating of 4 stars on Trustpilot, InMotion users seem to be satisfied with the service. However, Reddit users judge InMotion more harshly and report they have experienced a lot of downtime.
InMotion dedicated server price-to-quality ratio – very good (4/5)
InMotion Hosting has 5 dedicated hosting plans for smaller businesses that are looking for cost-effective solutions, as well as 4 dedicated server plans for large-scale eCommerce sites that need plenty of resources to run. Dedicated servers for large enterprises can be quite costly, so we’ll overview the standard dedicated server plans:
- Aspire. Priced at $35.00/month, the Aspire plan includes 4 cores, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 1 dedicated IP, and 10GB backup storage.
- Essential. Priced at $99.99/month, the Essential plan offers 4 cores, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD, 5 dedicated IPs, and 50GB backup storage.
- Advanced. Priced at $169.99/month the Advanced plan 6 cores, 64GB RAM, 2 x 1TB SSD, 10 dedicated IPs, and 100GB backup storage.
- Elite. Priced at $219.99/month, the Elite plan includes 8 cores, 128GB RAM, 2 x 2TB SSD, 16 dedicated IPs, and 250GB backup storage.
- Extreme. Priced at $249.99/month, the Extreme plan offers 8 cores, 128GB RAM, 2 x 4TB SSD, 32 dedicated IPs, and 500GB backup storage.
Overall, InMotion was easy to set up, but deploying the server took over 2 hours – significantly longer than Liquid Web or IONOS.
InMotion does not initially provide root access after purchasing your dedicated server plan, which I found strange. I had to request it via the account management panel.
I also didn’t like that the dashboard doesn’t offer many server management options besides a backup manager. It doesn’t include a server status indicator or remote reboot and shutdown options.
InMotion offers plenty of resources for startups and growing businesses for a relatively low price. All plans can be easily scaled based on the business's needs.
4. InterServer – advanced dedicated hosting with the best price-to-value ratio
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $60.00/month |
| Specifics: | Fully managed, highly customizable plans, advanced management, up to 24 cores |
| Current deal: | Get InterServer, now 65% OFF |
InterServer offers an excellent price-to-value ratio when it comes to dedicated server hosting. It provides excellent performance and reliability, making it great for high-stakes projects. Our testing has shown that InterServer maintains an uptime of 99.99%.
With nearly 2000 reviews on Trustpilot, InterServer has maintained a 4.3-star rating. Most of the reviews come from users who have been with the provider for years, showing that InterServer is reliable in the long term. On Reddit, users seem to be somewhat satisfied with the service, but note that InterServer’s customer support could use some work.
InterServer dedicated server price-to-quality ratio – good (3/5)
All of InterServer’s dedicated servers are customizable and include unmetered 1Gbps bandwidth, DDoS protection, remote reboots, and uptime monitoring. Here are some of the cheaper options:
- Xeon E3-1240v5. Priced at $60.00/month, this plan offers 4 cores, 64GB RAM, 2 x 500GB SSD. The data center is in the NYC region.
- AMD EPYC 4344P. Priced at $129.00/month, this plan includes 8 cores, 96GB RAM, 22TB SATA 4TB NVMe. The data center is located in the NYC region.
Additionally, you can further configure things like hard drives, RAID type, operating system, control panel, and IP addresses.
InterServer is easy to use and set up. In fact, it was the fastest server to set up out of all hosts on this list, with the deployment taking only a few minutes. I enjoyed using the Interserver dashboard. Unlike some other providers on this list, it offers an advanced management environment that includes server status, OS reinstall, VNC access, web console, server backup management, reverse DNS, and traffic monitoring features.
InterServer is the perfect solution for the more tech-savvy. Its strengths include customizable dedicated server plans, plenty of resources, and advanced management.
5. DreamHost – managed dedicated server hosting with RAID technology
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $165.00/month |
| Specifics: | Fully managed, RAID 1 storage, up to 12 cores,1920GB SSD, and 128GB RAM |
| Current deal: | Get DreamHost, now 72% OFF |
DreamHost offers fully managed dedicated server hosting at an affordable price. While you can configure some specifications, such as RAM and SSD storage, its plan customization is rather limited. During our tests, DreamHost maintained 100% uptime.
DreamHost has over 6,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average rating of 4.7 stars. Reddit users are also satisfied with the service, particularly in terms of usability. However, some users point out that DreamHost puts important security features behind a paywall.
DreamHost dedicated server price-to-quality ratio – good (3/5)
DreamHost offers 2 dedicated plans. Both include unmetered bandwidth, DDoS protection, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, server monitoring, and automated backups. Here’s an overview:
- Standard. Priced at $165.00/month, the Standard plan includes 6 cores, 16GB RAM, and 480GB SSD. Storage can be increased up to 960GB SSD.
- Enhanced. Priced at $229.00/month, the Enhanced plan includes 12 cores, 16GB RAM, and 480GB SSD. If you require more resources, you can configure RAM and SSD storage of up to 128GB and 1920GB respectively.
All in all, I had a pretty good experience with DreamHost. I deployed my server in about 10 minutes, which is as fast as the top providers on this list. Then, I had to create an SFTP user – it’s necessary for accessing the server via SSH.
The dashboard was simple but easy to use. I liked that it provides basic server information, such as RAM and disk usage, but it’s not as advanced as InterServer’s dashboard.
Similarly to Liquid Web, even though DreamHost has multiple data center locations, I was not able to choose a data center when purchasing a dedicated server plan.
If you’re looking for reliability and great performance for a low price, DreamHost is a good option for you. All of its plans include RAID storage, which is not always available even with pricier providers. Thus reducing the risk of data loss.
Cheap dedicated server hosting compared
| Provider | Price | RAM | Storage | CPU cores | Bandwidth | Uptime guarantee | Extras |
| Liquid Web | $39.50/month | 16GB | 2 x 240GB SSD | 4 | 10TB | 100% | Free migrations, DDoS protection, and 24/7 customer support |
| IONOS | $48.00/month | 16GB | 1TB HDD | 4 | Unlimited | 99.9% | Unlimited traffic, advanced firewall, and RAID storage |
| InMotion | $35.00/month | 16GB | 1TB SSD | 4 | Unlimited | 99.9% | Dedicated IP, DDoS protection, backups, data centers in the US and EU |
| InterServer | $60.00/month | 64GB | 2 x 500GB SSD | 4 | Unlimited | 99.9% | DDoS protection, remote reboots, remote KVM, and floating IPs |
| DreamHost | $165.00/month | 16GB | 480GB SSD | 6 | Unlimited | 100% | DDoS protection, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, server monitoring, and automated backups |
How we tested cheap dedicated servers
Together with our research team, I followed our web hosting testing process and reviewed 58 hosting services to find the best, cheapest dedicated hosting providers. Out of all the providers, I handpicked the top 5 and tested them further. Here’s what I evaluated:
- Resources (25%). Some hosting providers can offer very cheap services because they don’t come with many resources. When picking servers for this comprehensive list, I made sure to only include providers that offer enough RAM, SSD storage, CPU cores, and bandwidth to power a small business website without significant limitations.
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Performance (20%). Because cheap servers are generally constrained by fewer resources, I selected hosting providers that provide excellent performance. First, I looked for sites with a generous uptime guarantee. Next, I joined the research team and tested each selected provider to see how they perform in real life. I specifically looked at how much downtime a test website experienced and what the average response time was.
- Features (20%). Besides such basics as RAM, SSD storage, and bandwidth, I looked into extra features that hosting providers offer with their cheapest plans. Free website migration, free SSL certification, free storage, the number of dedicated IPs, DDoS protection, money-back guarantees, and other additional features helped me pick the best cheap dedicated servers.
- Ease of use (15%). Since cheap hosting options are generally used by beginners or businesses that often don’t yet have enough resources to hire professionals, I looked into ease of use as well. It was important for me to pick hosting options that were not only affordable but also quick to set up and easy to use.
- Price (20%). Needless to say, the benefit-cost ratio was one of the most important aspects when finalizing this list. Only providers that were able to offer great performance and services at an affordable price were included.
Finally, I ranked dedicated hosting providers from 1 to 5 based on the resources, overall performance, essential and additional features, and price-to-value ratio to ensure you get the best value for your money.
Cheap dedicated hosting: what to keep in mind?
When you’re looking for cheap server hosting, costs are important; however, it isn’t always about going with the smallest number. There are a few other factors at play which you should also consider to ensure that you’re getting the best deal. This includes unmanaged and managed servers, billing, and resources.
When considering different dedicated hosting providers, users often go for the cheapest option without fully comprehending what’s included in the package. Although there are plenty of great providers that offer all the basics you need at affordable prices, some of the cheapest options may prove to be quite disappointing.
I recommend, first and foremost, checking whether the hosting service is managed, semi-managed, or unmanaged – this will determine how much you will need to be involved in hosting your website. Second, always check what resources are included in the hosting package.
Overall, if you’re spending money on dedicated hosting, you want to do your due diligence and eliminate all the unknowns.
Unmanaged vs semi-managed vs managed dedicated hosting
One of the biggest questions you have to answer first is if you’d like to go with managed, semi-managed, or unmanaged dedicated hosting.
Unmanaged dedicated hosting
This is typically the cheapest option where you run the show. You have complete control and are responsible for server setup, maintenance, security configuration, operating system updates, and optimization.
The provider only covers the basics in that it only has to ensure that its infrastructure and hardware work, which explains its affordable price tag.
Unmanaged dedicated hosting would best suit advanced users with administration experience, those looking to tweak and customize the server, and those on a strict budget.
Semi-managed dedicated hosting
The middle ground between unmanaged and fully-managed hosting. The host will have to tackle basic tasks – operating system updates, essential security configuration, and troubleshooting hardware and software failures.
However, you’ll still have considerable freedom in customizing and managing your server. If you want to enjoy the flexibility of a dedicated server without all the mundane tasks, this is a good option for you.
Managed dedicated hosting
The provider assumes the responsibility for the management of the server. Depending on the provider, this could be an extensive list that includes a range of management tasks like server setup, performance optimization, software updates, backups, and troubleshooting.
Of course, with everything taken care of by the provider, managed dedicated hosting is rightfully in a higher pricing bracket. It could be a great investment for companies that prefer to direct their time, resources, and manpower on other business-focused aspects.
Since the host does the heavy-lifting, a managed server is also an excellent choice if you need dedicated hosting but don’t necessarily have the know-how or technical skills.
Naturally, if the provider’s involvement is heavier, you’ll have to shell out more – as is the case in managed dedicated hosting. So, take a moment and consider your skills and resources. Do you have the technical knowledge, time, and will to fully manage your server? Or would you prefer to pay the host more in return for convenience and professional help?
Billing
When you’re on the hunt for cheap dedicated hosting, bear in mind that pretty much all providers will offer a lower price if you subscribe for a longer period. A long-term or yearly contract is almost always going to be cheaper than if you go for a monthly contract.
For instance, Bluehost’s entry dedicated hosting plan costs $111.97/month if you opt for a 12-month billing period. But, if you commit to a 36-month contract, the price drops drastically to just $141.19/month.
No doubt, a 36-month subscription is quite a commitment. But, here’s the thing: if you’re looking at dedicated hosting for your site, chances are you’re in it for the long run. At least for the next few years.
If you’re afraid that the host won't live up to your expectation, a money-back guarantee will solve this problem. Be sure to check out each provider’s money-back guarantee, but generally you can expect a 30-day grace period.
Resources
Before you pounce on a dedicated hosting plan, take a moment to consider the server resources your site is going to need.
Cores
To put it simply, this is how powerful you want your server to be. More cores mean that your server can handle heavier tasks and run faster. Naturally, the price tag is also higher in that case.
If you usually run heavy and specialized applications, you’ll need about 4-8 cores.
RAM
This will determine the server’s efficiency, which in turn greatly affects the loading speed of your site. Most providers will cap their entry plans’ RAM at 4GB-8GB. That should be sufficient for most users.
However, a resource-intensive website will require more RAM. For instance, if you’re running mission-critical applications based on resource-intensive frameworks, you’ll definitely need more than 32GB of RAM. In that case, you’ll need an upgrade.
Storage
Just like the other resources, the general rule of thumb here is more is better. If, for example, you’re choosing to implement a dedicated server for your enterprise instead of cloud storage, ideally, you’ll need 1TB or more for storage. On the other hand, for a website, 256GB or 512GB will be more than enough.
Then, there’s the matter of the type of storage. A provider could offer either a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD). Both will get the job done but SSD is the preferred option as it’s faster and more reliable than HDD. On the downside, it costs more.
Bandwidth
More is always better here, too. If your site has high traffic volume, you’ll absolutely need to go for more bandwidth. The same goes for websites housing HD photos, running scripts, or streaming multimedia content.
If your bandwidth is insufficient, you could run into multiple issues like crashes, bad user experience, high bounce rates, and loss of revenue.
Luckily, with bandwidth, you can estimate the required amount:
Estimated bandwidth = approximate number of visitors per month x average page size in GB x average page visited by 1 visitor x 30.
In any case, most providers are quite generous with bandwidth for dedicated hosting. The majority of websites should find the offerings sufficient – even with the cheapest plans.
Ultimately, there’s no point opting for a cheap dedicated hosting plan if it falls short of what you need. Instead, consider your skills, what you’re willing and able to pay, and the resources offered by the various providers before you make a decision.
Best cheap dedicated hosting: final recommendations
During extensive research and testing, I’ve concluded that the absolute cheapest dedicated hosting options are generally not conducive with great services. Therefore, I attempted to strike a balance and choose providers that offer both – affordable prices and great services.
Liquid Web struck that ideal balance between affordability and performance. It showed great results during our tests and offers an impressive array of features to manage your site properly. IONOS, InMotion, and InterServer also stood out as great contenders, particularly for those needing high customization and advanced management. All in all, the provider you choose should depend on your individual needs, and, fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Best cheap dedicated hosting FAQs
How much does a dedicated server cost?
A dedicated server can cost from a hundred to a few hundreds or even thousands of dollars. However, you can find some cheaper options. Liquid Web, for example, offers dedicated servers from just $39.50/month.
Where can I get cheap dedicated servers?
Liquid Web, IONOS, and InMotion have relatively cheap dedicated servers. Despite their affordable price tags, these providers offer plenty of resources for you and your business.
Is cloud cheaper than dedicated servers?
Yes, cloud hosting is usually cheaper than a dedicated server. This is mainly because dedicated servers are dedicated to a single person or business. In addition, dedicated servers are physical and require maintenance.
Is a dedicated server worth it?
Yes, having a dedicated server can be very useful for running large websites that receive a lot of traffic and need plenty of resources to run smoothly. Dedicated servers also provide a higher level of security and customization.
Are there any free servers available?
Yes, there are some providers that offer free dedicated servers, but I would be wary of such deals. Free services usually make money off of you in other ways and may even be dangerous in terms of privacy and security. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Why are servers expensive?
Servers are expensive because the hardware must support custom design and high performance. A hosting server must process high data speeds and assist with compute-intensive workloads that regular computers simply cannot handle.
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