Best cheap VPS hosting 2023: 6 providers for tight budgets

In this article, we’ve shortlisted 6 of the best cheap VPS providers in the market that make as few sacrifices as possible. Also, you’ll find some pointers on what to expect from cheap VPS hosting.

Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is a bridge between shared hosting and owning a dedicated server. With VPS, you’ll still share a server with other users. On the other hand, resources are dedicated to each account separately, thanks to virtualization.

While a lot of websites thrive on shared servers, many outgrow them, and VPS or cloud VPS becomes the obvious next step.

People often say that there’s no such thing as cheap VPS. Others add that you need to be some kind of tech god to be able to use it.

But after deep research, I was able to find providers that include some kind of control panel so you could manage your VPS more easily. We sifted through dozens of hosts in the market and put them to the test.

6 best cheap VPS hosting services: ranked by price

1. Hostinger – $3.99/mo
2. DreamHost – $10.00/mo
3. Bluehost – $19.99/mo
4. A2 Hosting – $4.99/mo
5. InterServer – $6.00/mo
6. InMotion Hosting – $19.99/mo

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6 Best cheap VPS hosting providers - detailed list:

There are many providers in the hosting market offering VPS hosting. However, the price and the features you get for it differ between hosts. To help you find the best VPS hosting service for the lowest price, we have tested and reviewed different hosting providers to pick the 6 best VPS hosts:

1. Hostinger – overall cheapest high-quality VPS hosting

Visit Hostinger

Hostinger is a highly reliable VPS hosting provider that for just $3.99/mo, offers you a VPS control panel and features like easy web script and OS installers. It’s ideal if you’re looking for semi-managed VPS hosting.

Hostinger has 8 VPS hosting plans, and its cheapest one – VPS 1 – will only set you back $3.99/mo. For that price, you can expect to get 1 CPU, 1GB RAM, 20GB SSD storage, and 1TB bandwidth. This will best suit a small online store or a blog that is getting increasingly higher levels of traffic.

You also get some sweet features that push Hostinger into the semi-managed VPS hosting territory.

All plans come with a range of Linux-based OS templates. This includes CentOS, Ubuntu, and Debian. These templates come with a pre-installed control panel, too. So you can then easily manage and configure your virtual server with the control panel.

Apart from that, Hostinger throws in an easy auto-installer in to sweeten the deal. This includes the most popular web scripts, such as WordPress, in its VPS plans.

Hostinger is a great option for those making the transition from shared to VPS hosting with its user-friendly OS templates and pre-installed control panel.

Hostinger VPS performance

When it comes to performance, Hostinger has one of the most reliable results overall. Throughout our testing, the provider made an impression with 100% uptime and a swift average response time of 540ms.

Additionally, there’s no reason to worry, even if your site caters to a global audience. After all, Hostinger has servers in the UK, US, Brazil, Netherlands, Singapore, Indonesia, and Lithuania. You can pick the location that's closest to your audience to cut latency.

All things considered, Hostinger packs a hefty punch by offering handy features and phenomenal performance at dirt-cheap prices.

To learn more, check our Hostinger review.

2. DreamHost – resource-rich managed VPS with a control panel

Visit DreamHost

Known for its managed VPS plans with handy features, DreamHost is popular with those new to hosting as its prices start from $10.00/mo.

DreamHost offers 4 plans going all the way up to $80.00/mo. Now the cheapest plan that retails for $10.00/mo comes with 1GB RAM, 30GB SSD storage, and unlimited bandwidth, which makes it an excellent option for blogs, small to medium-sized online stores, and membership sites.

While DreamHost offers fully-managed service, the management is on the basic side. It does include a custom control panel for server management and you don't get full root access. Other features also include server updates, OS updates, security patches, 24/7 technical support, and automatic software updates.

Overall, DreamHost offers some of the most comprehensive features at affordable prices and is a great gateway into VPS hosting.

DreamHost VPS performance

DreamHost uptime is unparalleled – the provider maintained a faultless 100% uptime throughout the whole month of observation. However, the average response time is less awe-inspiring at a pretty mediocre 710ms.

One thing to note is that DreamHost only has servers in the US, which suggests that it is best suited for US-based audiences.

Featuring rich features, 100% uptime, and a helpful control panel, DreamHost’s VPS is an affordable option for beginner users that need guidance in bringing their sites to this powerful hosting solution.

Visit our DreamHost review to learn more about the features.

3. Bluehost – fully managed VPS hosting with full root access

Visit Bluehost

While Bluehost is mainly known for its easy-to-use shared hosting solutions, the provider also offers high-quality managed VPS services. And the prices are pretty reasonable too, with the cheapest plan starting at $19.99/mo.

Bluehost comes forward with 3 plans with the priciest going as high as $59.99/mo. Now the cheapest plan that comes for $19.99/mo includes 2 CPUs, 2GB RAM, 30GB SSD storage, and 1TB bandwidth. This makes it very suitable for large popular blogs or smaller online stores.

Bluehost VPS plans are managed, meaning that the provider takes care of both the software and hardware maintenance for you. You also get a native Bluehost dashboard and cPanel integration for server and website management. Best of all, you also get full root access.

Now if you find yourself needing some help or guidance, Bluehost’s VPS support is at your disposal 24/7.

In short, Bluehost is a slightly more premium-priced option that offers easy-to-manage and powerful VPS solutions.

Bluehost VPS performance

Bluehost is pretty reliable when it comes to performance. While the provider does not issue an official uptime guarantee, our month-long observation showed an uptime of 99.99%. Similarly, the average response time was very good at just 549ms.

Just keep in mind that Bluehost has servers in the US alone. This means that the best performance result will be in North America too.

As a whole, Bluehost’s VPS is a more premium option that allows you full control of your VPS services while still offering the perks of a fully managed solution.

Visit our Bluehost review to learn more about the features.

4. A2 Hosting – very affordable and secure unmanaged VPS

Visit A2 Hosting

A veteran in the industry, A2 Hosting is also a popular option for cheap Linux VPS hosting. Besides its inexpensive prices and generous resources, the provider is also very versatile, which makes it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

A2 has 6 unmanaged VPS plans: 3 standard and 3 turbo plans. Its cheapest plan is Runway 1, which costs $4.99/mo. At such a low price you’ll get 1 CPU, 1GB RAM, 150 GB SSD storage, and 2TB bandwidth.

The one thing I feel is sorely missing here is cPanel. But, you can easily fix that if you’re willing to shell out $8.99/mo. Which, for cPanel, is cheap enough.

Another plus for A2, you get full root access, which allows you administrative-level control to configure your server as you see fit. This makes it ideal for developers and advanced users looking for freedom to configure.

A2 Hosting VPS performance

In regards to reliability, A2 is a force to be reckoned with a nice 99.98% uptime. Even better, its response times are some of the fastest in the industry, averaging at 253ms.

Additionally, to keep the best performance, the provider offers numerous data server locations. You can choose either Michigan (US), Arizona (US), Amsterdam (Netherlands), or Singapore (Singapore).

A2 Hosting is one of the best options when you need cheap prices, flexibility, and reliable performance. It’s also one of the friendlier options for those willing to learn with the Webuzo installer.

Visit our A2 Hosting review to learn more about the features.

5. InterServer – affordable month-to-month VPS hosting

Visit InterServer

InterServer is well-known for offering very flexible month-to-month billed VPS. Its prices start from $6.00/mo.

InterServer offers 16 different packages that range from 1 to 16 CPU, 2 to 32 GB RAM, 30 to 480 GB SSD storage, and 2 to 32 TB bandwidth. Each increment of $6.00/mo is called a “slice.”

One of InterServer's attractions is that there are no pricing increases, and you’re billed monthly.

Now in terms of features, InterServer’s packages come with a free DirectAdmin control panel – which offers one-click installations. This includes WordPress, Magento, Joomla, Prestashop, Dolphin, and Drupal. cPanel is also available at an extra $15/mo charge.

Additionally, if you purchase 4 or more slices, InterServer has additional managed support. With this, you can contact customer support 24/7 via phone, live chat, and ticket system to help you solve any advanced issues you might have..

InterServer VPS performance

InterServer performance is a bit hit-or-miss. The provider’s uptime is great at 100%. However, I find its 1s average response time is slower than I’d like it to be.

Keep in mind that the provider only has servers in the US, which means that the performance for US-located audiences will be the speediest.

With free hosting interface options, monthly billing, and reliable performance, InterServer has one of the best value to features ratios. Just keep in mind that you'll need to work to make that server run faster.

Visit our InterServer review to learn more about the features.

6. InMotion Hosting – resource-rich and powerful managed VPS hosting

Visit InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting is a business-oriented managed VPS provider for larger sites or multiple projects. While its prices are on a more premium side, the host includes generous server resources and many additional features for simplistic VPS management.

InMotion comes with 4 VPS plans with prices ranging from $19.99/mo to $59.99/mo. And even the cheapest one is very generous, including 2CPUs, 4GB RAM, 90GB SSD storage, and 2 dedicated IPs.

What’s worth noting is that InMototion hosting also offers a Web Host Manager, which allows you to your VPS hosting resources and provide hosting for your clients or your separate projects. Additionally, each plan also includes 5 cPanel licenses. This makes the host excellent for developers, agencies, or numerous projects.

And if you’re not quite happy with what you got, InMotion has a 90-day money-back guarantee, which is 3 times the market standard.

In short, InMotion hosting will best suit those looking for enterprise-level VPS hosting for a reasonable price.

InMotion Hosting VPS performance

InMotion Hosting's performance is very nothing short of great. While the host gives an impressive 99.99% uptime guarantee, throughout our 2-week test we’ve recorded a perfect 100% uptime. As for the average response time, the result was also very satisfactory at 585ms.

One thing to be aware of, InMotion Hosting’s servers are located in the US alone. This suggests that the provider will be exceptionally fast for audiences located in the US.

The bottom line is that InMotion is not your everyday VPS hosting provider. It’s a business option to help you scale.

Visit our InMotion Hosting review to learn more about the features.

Best cheap VPS hosting services compared

It’s easy to get lost in each host's offers, so I compiled a quick comparison table to help you out. Here’s how the most crucial features compare among the providers offering the best cheap VPS hosting:

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How to choose a cheap VPS provider for your needs?

When it comes to cheap VPS, a large part of what you can expect depends on whether you go for unmanaged, semi-managed, or managed VPS hosting. This, in turn, hinges on the level of control that you want and are comfortable with.

Let’s zoom in on the 3 VPS options – unmanaged, semi-managed, and managed – and break down the main differences to see which is suitable for you.

Unmanaged VPS hosting

With unmanaged hosting, the user pretty much has full control of the VPS and is responsible for it. While this offers significant flexibility and is cheaper, it also requires a higher level of technical know-how. This option is better suited for those who are tech-savvy and not total beginners.

Now, with unmanaged VPS, your provider is technically only responsible for the physical server and its availability. So, basically, it only needs to provide the VPS and maintain the hardware – everything else is in your hands.

And, since the bulk of the workload is on you, this is generally the cheapest VPS solution. Besides that, you have full administrative control of the server, and you’re free to configure the VPS to suit your needs.

But, on the flip side, this does mean that you should have at least some technical expertise considering that the VPS is your responsibility. Be prepared to take on various tasks, including:

• Installing software and taking care of updates without a graphic interface.
• Setting up and configuring features such as SSL certificates, backups, firewall, and CDN, among other things.
• Monitoring, troubleshooting, and protecting the server from malicious threats and more.

In brief, unmanaged VPS can be a great solution but only for those with technical knowledge or who are willing to learn as one goes.

Providers offering cheap unmanaged VPS on this list are: A2 Hosting, and InterServer.

Semi-managed VPS hosting

Semi-managed VPS is a great option for those looking for some extra help in managing their server at a still affordable price.

Typically, the provider will assist in hardware, operating system, and basic configuration issues.

In most cases, semi-managed providers will help with things like:

• Basic issues such as 404s
• Load issues
• Sluggishness
• Network issues
• Configuration of basic services such as mail servers and FTP servers
• Installation or configuration of the OS and control panel
• Security enhancements
• Other common problems

Additionally, many semi-managed VPS providers include a control panel in their plans.

Overall, semi-managed VPS is a happy medium between fully-managed and unmanaged VPS with its convenient features and modest pricing.

Hostinger is the only provider on this list offering semi-managed VPS.

Managed VPS hosting

The web hosting provider handles all server-related issues in managed VPS hosting – including updates, maintenance, and OS installations. This is ideal for those who are less tech-savvy or those who prefer to have someone else take care of the backend.

Usually, these are some of the things you can expect from your managed VPS provider:

• Software installation, updates, and upgrades
• Control panel installation
• Maintenance
• Server setup and backups
• Monitoring of the server for early signs of failure and malicious attack
• Security configuration and patches
• Troubleshooting and technical support

As there’s little to no technical knowledge needed, managed VPS is perfect for those making the transition from shared to VPS hosting.

In return for its convenience, managed VPS hosting tends to be more expensive when compared to unmanaged and semi-managed VPS. Plus, you also lose a degree of flexibility since much of the control is in your provider’s hands, which makes your choice of a hosting provider a vital one.

To put it into a nutshell, managed VPS’s hands-off approach is great for beginners and those looking for convenience – if you’re prepared to pay for it.

Providers offering managed services on this list are: DreamHost, Bluehost, and InMotion Hosting.

All in all, what you can expect from your provider largely depends on whether you opt for unmanaged, semi-managed, or managed VPS hosting. And, the main tradeoffs among the 3 solutions are cost and control.

Best cheap VPS: final recommendations

While it may not seem like it, there are actually quite a few respectable providers who offer cheap VPS hosting. However, unlike cheap shared hosting, it takes a little more time and effort to sniff them out.

So, to help you along with your search here’s a summary of the best contenders in the market:

• Hostinger offers the cheapest semi-managed VPS hosting on this list with control panel included.
• DreamHost is an affordable managed VPS option that's great for less experienced users.
• Bluehost offers fully managed services paired with fool root access for both beginners and advanced users.
• A2 Hosting is a flexible and affordable developer-friendly with lots of storage and good performance.
• InterServer features cheapest month-to-month unmanaged VPS hosting on a flexible platform.
• InMotion Hosting is an enterprise-level VPS perfect for agencies, developers and those looking to create multiple websites.

Now, any of the providers above can offer you high-quality VPS hosting at a wallet-friendly price. But, as for which one of them is the best option for you, you’ll need to evaluate your budget, needs, and deal-breakers.

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