Cheapest VPS hosting 2023: top 6 low-cost providers
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Miglė Šeikytė
Content Lead
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is the middle ground between shared hosting and owning a dedicated server yourself. While you still have to share servers with other users, the resources are dedicated for each account separately due to virtualization.
VPS hosting is a perfect solution for those that have outgrown their shared hosting needs. With a growing site, you need more features, management options based on your experience levels, and high performance results to support your website.
However, VPS hosting can be very pricey. Luckily, you don't need to overspend even for a big project or website. You can get an excellent VPS hosting solution for a budget-friendly price and enjoy a secure and powerful hosting solution.
In this article, we’ve tested and shortlisted 6 of the best cheap VPS providers in the market that make as few sacrifices as possible. Our testing criteria included price-to-value ratio, performance results, management types, supported control panels, and additional features to manage and grow your site.
Best cheap VPS hosting services in 2023
- Hostinger – best VPS hosting service for $3.99/month
- DreamHost – resourceful hosting service for $10.00/month
- Bluehost – fully-managed VPS hosting for $19.99/month
- A2 Hosting – cheap VPS hosting option for $2.99/month
- InterServer – budget-friendly option for $6.00/month
- InMotion Hosting – powerful VPS hosting solution for $14.99/month
📢 LIMITED OFFER: Get up to 70% OFF Hostinger VPS!
6 Best cheap VPS hosting providers – detailed list:
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. The testing criteria included price range, performance results, including uptime, speed, and average response times, features included, management systems, and installers for different OS.
1. Hostinger – overall cheapest high-quality VPS hosting
| Features: | Semi-managed, VPS control panel, full root access |
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Price: | $3.99/month |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get up to 70% OFF Hostinger VPS!🔥 |
Hostinger is a highly reliable VPS hosting provider that for just $3.99/month, 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.
Plans. Hostinger has 8 VPS hosting plans, and its cheapest one – VPS 1 – will only set you back $3.99/month. 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.
Features. 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 offers an easy auto-installer. This includes the most popular web scripts, such as WordPress, in its VPS plans.
Performance. When it comes to performance, Hostinger has one of the most reliable results overall. Throughout our testing with our mock-up site on GTMetrix, the provider made an impression with 100% uptime and a swift average response time of 540ms.
Server location. 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 very cheap prices.
To learn more, check our Hostinger review.
2. DreamHost – resource-rich managed VPS with a control panel
| Features: | Fully managed, control panel for VPS |
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Price: | $10.00/month |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get DreamHost VPS for just $10.00/month🔥 |
Known for its managed VPS plans with handy features, DreamHost is popular with those new to hosting as its prices start from $10.00/month.
Plans. DreamHost offers 4 plans going all the way up to $80.00/month. Now the cheapest plan that retails for $10.00/month 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.
Features. 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.
Performance. DreamHost uptime is unparalleled – the provider maintained a faultless 100% uptime throughout the whole month of observation with our mock-up site that we hosted on their VPS servers. However, the average response time is less awe-inspiring at a pretty mediocre 710ms.
Server location. 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
| Features: | Managed, cPanel integration, full root access, |
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Price: | $19.99/month |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get up to 50% OFF Bluehost VPS!🔥 |
Bluehost offers high-quality managed VPS services, and the prices are pretty reasonable too, with the cheapest plan starting at $19.99/month.
Plans. Bluehost comes forward with 3 plans, with the priciest going as high as $59.99/month. Now the cheapest plan that comes for $19.99/month includes 2 CPUs, 2GB RAM, 30GB SSD storage, and 1TB bandwidth. This makes it very suitable for large popular blogs or smaller online stores.
Features. 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.
Performance. Bluehost is also 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.
Server location. 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
| Features: | Unmanaged, full root access, control panel is available |
| Uptime: | 99.98% |
| Price: | $2.99/month |
| Best for: | 🔥Get up to 66% OFF A2 Hosting VPS!🔥 |
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.
Plans. A2 has 6 unmanaged VPS plans: 3 standard and 3 turbo plans. Its cheapest plan is Runway 1, which costs $2.99/month. At such a low price, you’ll get 1 CPU, 1GB RAM, 150 GB SSD storage, and 2TB bandwidth.
Features. The one thing missing here is cPanel, but you can easily fix that if you’re willing to pay $8.99/month with a more expensive plan. 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.
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 – as our tests with a mock-up site can confirm.
Server location. 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
| Features: | Unmanaged, full root access, control panel available |
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Price: | $6.00/month |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get Interserver VPS for just $6.00/month!🔥 |
InterServer is well-known for offering very flexible month-to-month billed VPS. Its prices start from $6.00/month.
Plans. 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/month is called a “slice.” One of InterServer's attractions is that there are no pricing increases, and you’re billed monthly.
Features. 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/month charge. Additionally, if you purchase 4 or more slices, InterServer has additional managed support, like 24/7 customer support.
Performance. InterServer performance is a bit hit-or-miss. The provider’s uptime is great at 100%. However, the response time averages at 1s, which is slower than other providers on this list.
Server location. 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-feature 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
| Features: | Managed, full root access, 5 cPanel licenses, Web Host Manager |
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Price: | $14.99/month |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get up to 67% OFF InMotion Hosting VPS!🔥 |
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.
Plans. InMotion comes with 4 VPS plans with prices ranging from $14.99/month to $44.99/month. And even the cheapest one is very generous, including 2CPUs, 4GB RAM, 90GB SSD storage, and 2 dedicated IPs. 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.
Features. What’s worth noting is that InMototion hosting also offers a Web Host Manager, which allows you to manage 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.
Performance. InMotion Hosting's performance is excellent. 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.
Server location. 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.
How we tested the cheapest VPS hosting
To select only the best budget-friendly VPS hosting providers, we tested them each based on various criteria. Here are the main points we checked:
- Price. We had to check each provider’s VPS hosting plan prices to pick the cheapest ones for you. Only those with a good price-to-value ratio, money-back guarantees, and clear payment terms were selected for our list.
- Performance. We tested each provider by creating our own mock-up VPS-hosted site and then checked its performance with GTMetrix, to evaluate the server uptime, speed, and average response times. Then we compared if the results for uptime that we received matched the ones the provider promised.
- Management type. Since VPS hosting is a bit more complicated than other hosting types and requires more knowledge, we selected providers that offer managed VPS hosting for beginners, semi-managed for more experienced people, and unmanaged for users with a lot of experience.
- Features. To select only the best options for you, we checked these VPS hosting providers' features, including the memory storage they offer, CPUs, control panels, and others.
- Customer support. Considering that VPS hosting requires a certain level of experience to manage, a good and responsive customer support option is a must. Therefore, we checked the providers on our list response times and support options for any issues regarding VPS hosting.
VPS hosting price and features comparison
It’s easy to get lost in each host's offers, so we 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:
| Hostinger | DreamHost | Bluehost | A2 Hosting | InterServer | InMotion Hosting | |
| Logo |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Rating | ||||||
| Price | $3.99/month | $10.00/month | $19.99/month | $2.99/month | $6.00/month | $14.99/month |
| Memory | 1GB | 1GB | 2GB | 1GB | 2GB | 4GB |
| CPUs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Storage | 20GB | 30GB | 30GB | 150GB | 30GB | 90GB |
| Management | Semi-managed | Managed | Managed | Unmanaged | Unmanaged | Managed |
| Control panels | hPanel | Custom control panel | cPanel | cPanel | cPanel | cPanel |
| Best deal | Get up to 70% OFF Hostinger VPS! | Get DreamHost VPS for just $10.00/month | Get up to 50% OFF Bluehost VPS! | Get up to 66% OFF A2 Hosting VPS! | Get Interserver VPS for just $6.00/month! | Get up to 67% OFF InMotion Hosting VPS! |
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.
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:
- 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.
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.
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 – the issue here is when your page isn’t accessible, and instead, you see the 404 error message
- Load issues – this is the issue of slow uptimes and site loading time
- Network issues – this includes slow connections, long loading times, or even page crashes
- Configuration of basic services – such as mail servers and FTP servers
- Installation or configuration of the OS and control panel – like task automation, troubleshooting pre-existing configurations
- Security enhancements – will take care of any security weak spots, like firewall setup or troubleshooting
- 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, like ensuring reliable backup systems, monitoring resource usage, checking for system failures, and audits
- 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.
Managed VPS hosting tends to be more expensive when compared to other options. 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.
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
To get the best cheap VPS hosting solution, you first need to know your needs for it. Whether you wish to manage it all on your own or are you only a beginner in VPS hosting. Additionally, know what features and capabilities you require for your site needs.
The most important features to pay the most attention to when picking your cheap VPS hosting provider is whether it’s unmanaged, semi-managed, or managed hosting, depending on your experience levels. Additionally, what features are available to manage and grow your site, like storage, control panel, and server locations.
Based on our testing, the best cheap VPS hosting solutions are Hostinger and DreamHost. Hostinger overall is the best semi-managed solution, while DreamHost offers a fully managed solution. So, no matter which option you’ll pick, you’ll be guided and have help available for your site.
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Best cheap VPS FAQs
What is VPS?
VPS is short for Virtual Private Server. Here, VPS uses virtualization technology to split one physical server into multiple virtual servers. Thus, users can experience dedicated server environments within a shared server.
What is the cheapest VPS provider?
The cheapest VPS provider in 2023 is Hostinger. Its cheapest plan, VPS 1, retails for just $3.99/mo, and includes 1 CPU, 1GB RAM, 20GB SSD storage, and 1TB bandwidth.
Is there a free VPS server?
No, there isn’t a fully free VPS server option. You can try out different services risk-free with their money-back guarantees, however, you won’t get a reliable VPS hosting option for free.
When should I move to VPS hosting?
You should move to VPS hosting if your shared hosting plan can no longer accommodate your website in terms of resources. Besides that, VPS hosting is also a good idea if you’re looking to grow your website in the near future or simply want better security and control.
How much does VPS hosting cost?
VPS hosting’s cost in the market varies wildly. You can expect to pay anywhere from less than $5.00/mo to hundreds of dollars per month – depending on the provider as well as your configuration.
Can I get cheap VPS with cPanel?
Usually, cPanel monthly subscription costs more than the actual VPS plan. So while you will get a cheap VPS, cPanel will cost extra.
What is root access?
Root access is the administrative level access to install, configure, and edit all of the files on your VPS servers. With it, you can configure your server to suit your needs and wants.
Do I need VPN for VPS?
Yes, to fully hide your real IP and location, and secure your data, you need to use a VPN for VPS hosting. VPS is simply a server type, it’s not secure on its own. However, with a robust VPN, you can protect your data and connections to the server.
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