Best Linux VPS hosting providers in 2024
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Growing organizations and businesses sometimes need a more flexible hosting environment that allows easy upgrades when changing hosting. That’s where a Linux virtual private server (VPS) comes in.
A Linux VPS is very scalable, allowing companies to upgrade resources easily without migrating to a different server.
Working with the Cybernews research team, I’ve reviewed different options and identified my top 5 best Linux VPS hosting providers. In this article, I’ll share my findings to help you choose the best provider for your needs.
5 best Linux VPS (by Cybernews)
- Bluehost – the best Linux VPS provider
- Hostinger – beginner-friendly Linux VPS
- DreamHost – Linux VPS with best price-to-performance ratio
- IONOS– Linux VPS with vast server choice
- Liquid Web – manageable Linux VPS hosting service
What is Linux VPS hosting?
A virtual private server (VPS) is a virtual server on a larger physical server owned and operated by a cloud or a web hosting provider. Think of each server user getting their private resources and completely isolating themselves from their so-called "neighbors."
Most providers offer VPS hosting that runs on the Linux operating system. That's because Linux is one of the most popular operating systems and is free to use.
Linux VPS hosting is ideal for more advanced users who want complete control over their servers and resources. It provides customization freedom and the ability to configure the server and add your preferred applications, programs, and control panels.
Additionally, a Linux-based server is perfect for businesses. That's because it provides flexibility, affordable plans, and is highly adaptable.
Also, Linux VPS is much more popular than Windows hosting. According to statistics, Linux is used by 51.7% of all checked websites, while only 13.3% of them use Windows. It’s because Linux distributions are much lighter than Windows operating systems, providing better stability, scalability, and top-notch performance.
The best tested Linux VPS hosting services on the market
Below is a detailed analysis of our top 5 best Linux VPS hosting services in 2024. You will find information about each provider's security features, user-friendliness, and pricing.
1. Bluehost – the best Linux VPS hosting service in 2024
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $46.99/month |
| Root access: | Yes |
| Customer support: | 24/7 live chat, phone support, knowledge base |
| Current deal: | Get up to 29% OFF Bluehost VPS |
Bluehost is the best Linux VPS provider, known for superb, user-friendly web hosting services, rich features, and affordable prices.
Plans and pricing. Bluehost's VPS hosting prices start at $46.99/month for the Standard plan, and it offers three VPS plans, all with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Payments can be made using debit and credit cards and PayPal.
Key features. Bluehost guarantees 99.9% uptime, up to 8 vCPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 450GB of NVMe storage. It also offers managed and unmanaged VPS hosting, catering to a wide variety of users, and gives you full root access to fully control your Linux VPS server. Bluehost also lets you pick AlmaLinux distribution and has servers in Utah. Also, it steps up its game with AI assistant. This means you can ask AI for help instead of browsing hundreds of FAQs and manuals and seeking help on internet forums.
Discover more about this provider in our Bluehost overview.
2. Hostinger – best Linux VPS for new users
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $4.24/month |
| Root access | Yes |
| Customer support: | 24/7 live chat, ticketing system, email, knowledge base |
| Current deal: | Get up to 72% OFF Hostinger VPS |
Hostinger is one of the best Linux VPS providers, and it's an excellent choice for beginner users. It offers ease of use, good performance, and different plans to satisfy the needs of various customers. It currently has over 2 million customers worldwide.
Plans and pricing. Hostinger has 4 VPS plans, the cheapest being $4.24/month if you get a 2-year subscription. Each plan is covered with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Payments for Hostinger’s services can be made using credit and debit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency.
Key features. Hostinger supports many Linux distributions, including AlmaLinux, CentOS, Debian, Rocky Linux, and Ubuntu. You can also choose where you want your Linux VPS hosting from a list of 5 different locations with 99.9% uptime assurance. Its servers work with AMD EPYC processors and solid-state drives (SSD), and you can choose between 4GB and 32GB of RAM for your VPS.
Discover more about this provider in our Hostinger overview.
3. DreamHost – Linux VPS with the best value
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $10.00/month |
| Root access: | No |
| Customer support: | 24/7 live chat, ticketing system, phone support, knowledge base |
| Current deal: | Get DreamHost, now 72% OFF |
If you are looking for a cheap Linux VPS, look at DreamHost. It's an affordable managed hosting service with advantages such as user-friendly navigation and business email.
Plans and pricing. There are 4 DreamHost VPS plans, each offering more RAM and storage space. The lowest price is $10.00/month, and there's also the standard 30-day money-back guarantee. Payment options include credit card and PayPal.
Key features. DreamHost's hardware capabilities start at 2GB RAM with 60GB SSD storage and go up to a maximum of 12GB RAM and 360GB storage. It also offers 100% server uptime assurance with server locations in Ashburn (Virginia) and Hillsboro (Oregon). DreamHost also provides an easy-to-navigate proprietary control panel and the option to use popular alternatives, like cPanel. However, this Linux VPS provider does not offer root access and lets you choose only Ubuntu Linux distribution, which limits your VPS customizability.
Discover more about this provider in our DreamHost overview.
4. IONOS – Linux VPS with broad choice of server locations
| Rating: |
|
| Starting price: | $1.00/month |
| Root access: | Yes |
| Customer support: | 24/7 live chat, phone support, knowledge base |
| Current deal: | Get DreamHost, now 91% OFF |
IONOS is an excellent choice for those looking for a Linux VPS with many servers. It is also equipped with malware and vulnerability scanners that provide security for its users.
Plans and pricing. IONOS is super affordable. The 12-month Plus plan subscription starts at $1.00/month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The available payment options include credit or debit card, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
Key features. IONOS has data centers in the US, the UK, Germany, Spain, and France and guarantees that the server will be up 99.99% of the time. It also provides full root access and offers a wide range of Linux OS, letting you choose from 4 different distributions for your VPS, including the most popular Debian and Ubuntu. Also, this Linux VPS offers fast-paced SSD NVMe storage, up to 24GB of RAM, unlimited traffic, high-performance data centers, firewall management, IPS/IDS, and DDoS protection.
Discover more about this provider in our IONOS overview.
5. Liquid Web – highly manageable Linux VPS
| Rating: | |
| Starting price: | $5.00/month |
| Root access: | Yes |
| Customer support: | 24/7 live chat, phone support, ticketing system, knowledge base |
| Current deal: | Get DreamHost, now 85% OFF |
Liquid Web is a highly manageable Linux VPS that provides high-performance infrastructure and management tools and supports large-scale projects and businesses. However, this VPS provider is also more advanced, so inexperienced users may find it too complicated.
Plans and pricing. Liquid Web offers four Linux-based VPS hosting plans, starting from $5.00/month. You can pay by credit card or PayPal, and if you change your mind, there’s a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
Key features. This Linux VPS provider offers good specifications and has high-performance servers. Depending on the plan, Liquid Web's servers provide 1 to 32GB of RAM, up to 200GB of SSD drives, and 12 CPUs. It also guarantees that the servers will be up for 99.99% of the time and gives you full root access to use them fully. Liquid Web is a Linux-friendly VPS provider that allows users to choose between three different Linux distributions. It also offers 3 different VPS locations, with its data servers in Michigan, Arizona, and Amsterdam.
Discover more about this provider in our Liquid Web overview.
Best Linux VPS comparison
| Rating | Pricing | Root access | RAM | Storage | 30-day money-back guarantee | 24/7 customer support | |
| Bluehost | $46.99/month | Yes | 16GB | Up to 450GB NVMe storage | Yes | Yes | |
| Hostinger | $4.24/month | Yes | 32GB | Up to 400GB NVMe storage | Yes | Yes | |
| DreamHost | $10.00/month | No | 12GB | Up to 360GB SSD storage | Yes | Yes | |
| IONOS | $1.00/month | Yes | 24GB | Up to 640GB NVMe SSD storage | Yes | Yes | |
| Liquid Web | $5.00/month | Yes | 8GB | Up to 150GB SSD storage | Yes | Yes |
How do we test and rank Linux VPS hosting?
At Cybernews, we take testing very seriously. To learn more about our testing process, visit our how we test web hosting page.
To find the best Linux VPS, together with the research team, I reviewed 56 hosting providers and checked which of them offer Linux VPS hosting. Then, I ended up picking 5 providers that met our criteria. Here’s how we tested these providers further:
- Specifications (40%). I examined how much central processing unit (CPU) power, random access memory (RAM), and storage space each provider can offer. Also, I ensured that my top picks provide the highest bandwidth because it guarantees faster loading times for websites and applications.
- Performance (30%). This testing period took around two weeks of uptime, speed, and stress tests. I picked providers that ensure high uptime (as close to 100% as possible) to ensure the server is always running.
- Features (30%). I also checked what features every provider can offer. If a Linux VPS hosting provider can provide more, it will move up the list.
Once all the data was accumulated, I ranked the top 5 contenders based on these factors. Altogether, all providers on this list have something to offer everyone.
Key factors for choosing the best Linux VPS hosting
Your chosen Linux VPS hosting provider heavily affects your website’s performance and success. For example, you could pick a provider that offers minimal RAM capacity, resulting in your website running too slow. That’s why choosing the right plan from the start is essential.
Our Cybernews research team and I put together this small list of what you need to check before buying a Linux VPS hosting provider to get the best results.
Linux operating system
Multiple Linux operating systems are perfect for VPS hosting, each with advantages and disadvantages. You have to choose your distribution based on your needs and knowledge. For example, if you’re new to Linux, Ubuntu would be the best choice, as it's very beginner-friendly. However, if you are more savvy, then CentOS would be your go-to.
VPS location
Server location is critical when choosing a Linux VPS provider. For instance, if you want to improve your search engine optimization (SEO), you would want your web hosting service to be in a country with a larger audience. Because of that, you would need a provider with a server in a location with larger audiences.
RAM capacity
RAM capacity is important when choosing a Linux VPS hosting provider. You must assess the resources you need to run your project and check if the chosen provider can support you. Otherwise, your website may run slowly or even crash.
Server uptime reassurance
No provider can guarantee that your server will be running without downtime. However, you must choose a Linux VPS provider that offers the highest server uptime assurance. Those providers guarantee that even if their server breaks down, their service will act quickly to fix it.
Root access
Root access is essential for Linux-based VPS services. It lets you run scripts, SSH, or full Command and Automation controls without restrictions or host admin approval. If you want to be able to work with your VPS as if it was your personal computer, root access is crucial.
Top Linux distributions: which one to choose?
Today, there are over 600 active Linux distributions and more than 10 that support VPS hosting. However, some distributions are more popular than others because they can offer more features and more advanced security.
Here’s a short list of the best Linux distributions used in VPS hosting.
Debian
Debian is a widely known, free, open-source, and stable Linux distribution. It offers as much power and flexibility as users need while being easy to set up and navigate. VPS users prioritizing stability, security, and software freedom may opt for Debian. It is also one of the oldest Linux distributions, and multiple popular Linux distributions, such as Kali Linux and Ubuntu, are based on it.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is especially popular among new users because of its user-friendly interface. It offers a wide range of software and meets the diverse needs of VPS users. Ubuntu offers stability, security, and compatibility across various hardware architectures and virtualized environments, so deploying personal projects, enterprise applications, or cloud workloads will not be a problem.
Rocky Linux
Another good distribution for Linux VPS hosting is Rocky Linux. It is built with stability, compatibility, and long-term support. Rocky Linux works well in the VPS environment. It can support various workloads, whether running a website, an app, or other critical services. It is also a great distribution for users who frequently need to migrate their servers. It makes the migration process very smooth and straightforward.
Alma Linux
Another Linux distribution perfect for a Linux VPS is AlmaLinux. It is primarily used by hosting providers and data centers because it has the latest hardware technologies. AlmaLinux has also emerged as a Red Hat Enterprise Linux alternative where users build, secure, and manage application-centric operating architecture.
Summary of the best Linux VPS
Choosing the best Linux VPS for your business may be challenging. In this review, I presented some of the best VPS hosting companies that support Linux based on our website hosting testing methodology.
However, if you are looking for the best VPS hosting provider, I recommend Bluehost. It has an excellent value-to-price ratio, offers the widest choice of Linux distributions and server locations, has the best server specifications, and performs really well. hos
FAQ
Which Linux VPS hosting provider is best for beginners?
Bluehost is the best Linux VPS hosting provider for beginners. It’s easy to use and offers different plans for various customers. However, Hostinger is another good choice, as It offers ease of use and good performance.
Is Linux VPS hosting faster than shared hosting?
Yes, Linux VPS hosting is almost always faster than shared hosting. It’s because users don't have to queue up with other sites' visitors to get access.
Can I select my server location with Linux VPS hosting?
Yes, you can select your server location with Linux VPS hosting. Most hosting providers have multiple server locations, so you can choose where to host your VPS.
Do Linux-based hosting plans support WordPress?
Yes, Linux-based hosting plans support WordPress. Many companies run WordPress installations on Linux servers because of their stability, security, and performance.
Can I use Linux VPS hosting in India?
Yes, you can use Linux VPS hosting in India. Some of the best hosting providers for WordPress in India can offer you Linux VPS hosting services at relatively cheap prices.
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