8 Best VPS hosting providers 2023: how to pick the right plan?

VPS hosting is ideal for those who want a hosting service with dedicated resources. Although the server is shared with multiple users, resources are divided using virtualization technology.

If shared hosting can’t cater enough resources for your project, VPS hosting is a great next step. It’s much safer, can handle more traffic, and the performance of your site is not influenced much by other users on the server.

But how do you know which VPS hosting providers are worth your money? To help you out, we tested the performance, resources, and price of various hosts. Keep on reading to find the best VPS hosting providers in 2023.

8 Best VPS hosting providers 2023

1. Hostinger – best VPS hosting overall
2. Liquid Web – fully managed VPS hosting
3. DreamHost – affordable VPS hosting services
4. A2 Hosting – VPS hosting for seasoned developers
5. ScalaHosting – beginner-friendly VPS solution
6. InterServer – flexible month-to-month VPS option
7. InMotion Hosting – excellent VPS for businesses and corporations
8. Nexcess – fully managed and flexible VPS hosting

How to choose the best VPS provider?

Choosing the right VPS hosting provider depends on your project needs, skills, and budget. So, here are the main factors to consider when picking the right VPS host for you:

• Performance. You have to make sure you choose hosts that have a high uptime guarantee (ideally close to 100%). This helps ensure that your server is always up and running. For stability and speed, make sure that the server response time doesn’t exceed at least 600ms.
• Ease of use. Beginners at VPS hosting should opt for managed services. This makes managing easy, as you get a graphical user interface. However, developers and more experienced users can opt for unmanaged VPS. This way, everything from setup to security and apps will be in your hands.
• Storage space. Make sure you get enough storage for your project. While smaller sites can take up to 5GB, huge online stores can easily reach 200GB and more.
• Bandwidth. The amount of bandwidth you need depends on your project and its visitors. You can count how much you need like this: Average page size (GB) x Average number of visitors x Average number of pages visited x 30 (number of days in a month) = Bandwidth required in GB.
• CPU. Make sure you get enough CPUs to handle your project’s traffic. A good place to start is 2 CPUs when it comes to VPS – it should be able to handle 100-200 visitors on the site alongside running all the processes smoothly.
• RAM. This piece of hardware stores bits and pieces of data temporarily, so it can be delivered quickly. The ideal starting place leaving some wiggle room is 2GB, from which you can scale as needed.

Best VPS hosting providers 2023 – our detailed list:

To gather a list of best VPS hosting providers, we tested multiple services in terms of performance, usability, features, and more. Keep on reading to find detailed information about the hosts we’ve picked.

1. Hostinger – best and reliable VPS hosting

Visit Hostinger

Hostinger is the best VPS hosting provider because of its high-quality services at incredibly low prices. The provider’s semi-managed VPS hosting can be used for anything from online stores to web-based apps. The performance is great, and the provider ensures ease of use. Plus, full server control is in your hands.

Interface: Hostinger’s VPS hosting is semi-managed. This means you get full root access and a VPS control panel. So, if you’re a pro developer, there’s enough space for custom configurations. And if you’re a beginner and VPS sounds scary – Hostinger is easy enough to figure out.

Features: All of Hostinger’s VPS plans come with a dedicated IP, full root access, a 100Mb/s network, and support. Yet, the resources vary from 1 to 8 cores, 1 to 16 GB RAM, 20 to 250 GB SSD storage, and 1 to 12 TB bandwidth.

Performance: During the 2-week test, our Hostinger server had 0 outages. The response time was also very stable, averaging at 540ms. This means that VPS is well-balanced and maintained. You can also select from 7 data center locations: the US, UK, Netherlands, Lithuania, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brazil.

Customer support: Hostinger has plenty of support options to help you out. There’s a 24/7 live chat, email support, and ticketing. And if you want to learn more about VPS hosting, you can visit their extensive knowledge base.

Pricing: Hostinger has 8 VPS plans, with prices starting from $3.49/mo. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, letting you test the service out before committing.

For more information, visit our Hostinger review.

2. Liquid Web – managed VPS hosting for large projects

Visit Liquid Web

If you’re looking for the best managed VPS hosting, Liquid Web is the one to cater to large-scale projects and businesses. It’s a powerful option for mission-critical projects.

Interface: Liquid Web offers fully managed services with its own InterWorx control panel. It also guarantees simplicity and even sets up the server for you. Yet, full configuration possibilities are also there. Plus, if cPanel or Plesk is more up your alley, you can opt for either one free of charge.

Features: All 4 of Liquid Web’s plans include 10TB of bandwidth, free SSL, DDoS protection, firewalls, and monitoring. The only differences are variations from 2 to 16GB RAM, 2 to 8 CPUs, and 40 to 200GB SSD storage.

Performance: Liquid Web doesn’t lack in terms of performance either. The host has a 100% SLA uptime guarantee. Our 3-week test proved it – there were 0 outages. Meanwhile, the average response time was 521ms and very stable – no higher peaks at all. Additionally, it has 3 data centers in the US and 1 in Europe.

Customer support: The host provides you with various 24/7 support options, including live chat, phone, and tickets. An extensive knowledge base together with tutorials is also available.

Pricing: Liquid Web VPS hosting prices start from $25.00/mo. And in case you change your mind, there’s a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.

To learn more, read our Liquid Web review.

3. DreamHost – simple-to-use VPS hosting at affordable prices

Visit DreamHost

With easy navigation, affordable prices, and decent performance, DreamHost deserves its place among the best VPS providers on the market.

Interface: DreamHost is a managed VPS with updates, performance, and security in the hands of the provider. You get a custom control panel to manage everything website-related, while DreamHost takes care of the backend. You won’t get root access with this solution – it’s designed with beginners in mind.

Features: Whichever hosting package you choose, you get access to DreamHost’s control panel, unlimited bandwidth and domains, an SSL certificate, and unlimited email accounts.

Performance: DreamHost delivers good performance too. There’s a 100% uptime guarantee, and 2 weeks in, there was 0 downtime on our server. The average response time of 710ms, though, could have been better. Also, keep in mind that DreamHost has data centers in the US only.

Customer support: You name it, DreamHost offers it all – live chat, phone support, knowledge base, and 24/7 email tickets. It’s worth noting that their live chat option is available 5:30 AM – 9:30 PM PT.

Pricing: DreamHost keeps things affordable. There are 4 plans, and the prices start at $10.00/mo. Plus, if you find that the service is not for you, you can make use of the 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you want to find out more, visit our DreamHost review.

4. A2 Hosting – managed and performance-focused VPS hosting

Visit A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting provides both managed and unmanaged VPS hosting. The unmanaged plans are very developer-friendly and come with full root access. Meanwhile, the managed option is designed for regular folks, though it comes at a significantly higher price.

Interface: With its unmanaged VPS services, you get a butt-naked server – no interface and no maintenance. That’s why beginners should opt for managed VPS services, which includes the easy-to-use cPanel. In this case, A2 Hosting handles the maintenance, security, and network performance for you.

Features: With unmanaged A2 Hosting, you get full root access and can choose the plan depending on the resources you need. Managed VPS plans are also flexible in terms of resources. Plus, all of them come with a free SSL certificate.

Performance: In terms of performance, A2 Hosting delivers. The average response time was 253ms, and A2 Hosting had 1 outage that lasted 5 minutes. That’s 99.98% uptime over around 2 weeks. Plus, this host operates its data centers in 4 locations – 2 US locations, Netherlands (Amsterdam), and Singapore.

Customer support: A2 Hosting provides you with 24/7 tickets, live chat, and phone support. And if you’re a DIY-type of person, its knowledge base will help you out.

Pricing: With this host, you’ll get one of the best unmanaged VPS deals out there – starting at $4.59/mo. Beginners should opt for managed VPS, though, starting at $39.99/mo. A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available, plus the host has an “any time” refund policy for unused services.

To learn more about this provider, visit our A2 Hosting review.

5. ScalaHosting – excellent beginner-friendly VPS solution

Visit ScalaHosting

With managed VPS and its very own SPanel control panel, ScalaHosting is among the easiest-to-use VPS hosting services. The prices are affordable too. In fact, the provider aims to make VPS an option not only for big projects but smaller websites and beginner users too.

Interface: With full server management and a straightforward control panel called SPanel, ScalaHosting is a great transition into the powerful world of VPS. I had 0 issues with setup and the server was already pre-configured.

Features: All VPS plans include a free domain, SSL certificates, the SPanel, daily automated backups, and unmetered bandwidth. The provider allows you to build your own managed VPS according to your needs. You can choose from 1 to 24 cores, from 2GB to 128GB of RAM, and from 50GB to 200GB of SSD storage.

Performance: ScalaHosting’s performance is competitive too. In 2 weeks of monitoring, there were 0 outages – the perfect 100% uptime score. As for response time, its average is at 443ms. Keep in mind that it has data centers in the US (Dallas and New York) and Europe.

Customer support: 24/7 via live chat, email, tickets, and phone support – that’s what you get with ScalaHosting. And if you wish to figure everything out yourself, there’s a huge knowledge base.

Pricing: ScalaHosting managed VPS starts at $29.95/mo with a monthly or 3-year subscription. And like most hosting providers, it has a 30-day refund policy.

If you wish to find out more, read our ScalaHosting review.

6. InterServer – monthly-billing VPS option for advanced users

Visit InterServer

InterServer is the most flexible option on the list that allows you to configure the server on your own and pay on a monthly basis. This makes it an affordable and scalable option. The catch is that it’s an unmanaged service mainly catering to professionals.

Interface: InterServer comes with full root access for full configuration. It’s like having your own server, albeit remote. You can add a control panel – cPanel is paid, but free alternatives, such as DirectAdmin, can be pre-installed for you. This makes this host slightly more easy to use but not entirely beginner-friendly.

Features: With InterServer, you get full root access to configure everything the way you want to. Also, you choose how many resources you need – from 1 to 16 cores, 2 to 32GB RAM, 30 to 480GB SSD storage, and 2 to 32TB transfer.

Performance: As for performance, this is where things get a bit tricky. When I tested InterServer, the performance was reliable with 100% uptime. The average response time, however, was a complete bust – 1.1s. Plus, the data centers are in the US only.

Customer support: You can reach InterServer agents through live chat, email, phone support, and even through the mail. You can also find tons of tutorials and guides in their knowledge base.

Pricing: InterServer pricing structure is very simple – it’s $6.00/mo for 1 slice. One slice is 1 CPU, 2GB RAM, 30GB SSD, and 1TB of bandwidth. You can multiply the resources as needed.

To learn more about this host, read our InterServer review.

7. InMotion Hosting – VPS hosting with generous resources

Visit InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting is a business-level VPS provider focusing on larger projects and websites. It takes care of server management and gives you an easy way to manage the website. At the same time, prices are on the steeper side.

Interface: A major selling point of InMotion is that it uses cPanel – it’s easy, functional, and fast. There’s also Web Host Manager that you can use to slice your VPS even more and provide hosting for your clients yourself.

Features: All VPS plans include a free SSL certificate, dedicated IPs, 5 cPanel licenses, free website transfers, security configurations, and server setup.

Performance: There’s not much to complain about when it comes to InMotion’s performance. It delivered 100% uptime for more than 2 weeks. As for the response time, it averaged at 585ms, which is on par with other hosts on this list. However, its data centers are in the US exclusively.

Customer support: InMotion has plenty of customer service options on the table. In terms of human support, you get 24/7 live chat, email, ticket, phone support, and even Skype. Plus, there’s an active community forum as well as a bunch of resources in its knowledge base and blog.

Pricing: InMotion Hosting has 4 plans, and they start at $19.99/mo. And the best part? Plans with 6-month or longer billing terms get a generous 90-day money-back guarantee.

You can read more in our InMotion Hosting review.

8. Nexcess – fully managed VPS suitable for any user

Visit Nexcess

Nexcess offers a fully managed cloud environment that suits both individual and business needs. The host prides itself on being highly flexible and allowing you and your project all the freedom you need.

Interface: Nexcess comes with a native website management panel, guaranteeing ease of use. The host takes care of all the technicalities for you. Plus, features like a web application firewall (WAF), security hardening, 24/7 remote monitoring, and advanced asset caching ensure your site is secure at all times.

Features: All plans include automated daily backups, caching tools, a web application firewall (WAF), a Client Portal, managed DNS, and email accounts. The number of sites you can host and the amount of storage and bandwidth will vary depending on the plan.

Performance: Nexcess showed some really impressive results, keeping a 100% uptime for over 4 months. The average response time of 443ms was just as impressive too. Additionally, the host has 8 data centers – 4 in the US, 2 in the UK, 1 in the Netherlands, and 1 in Australia.

Customer support: The main support option of Nexcess is their round-the-clock live chat. But bob-the-builder users can make use of the extensive knowledge base.

Pricing: Nexcess has 6 plans, and they start at $13.30/month with monthly billing. That also seems to be the only available billing term. The 30-day refund policy still applies though.

If you wish to find out more, visit our Nexcess review.

Best VPS providers 2023 compared

To get better visualization on how each provider's resources look like, I put them all into a table. Here's how best VPS providers stack up against each other:

	Hostinger	Liquid Web	DreamHost	A2 Hosting	ScalaHosting	InterServer	InMotion	Nexcess
Brand
CPU core	1	2	N/A	1	1	1	2	N/A
RAM	1GB	2GB	1GB	1GB	2GB	2GB	2GB	N/A
Storage	20GB	40GB	30GB	150GB	50GB	30GB	45GB	50GB
Bandwidth	1TB	10TB	Unlimited	2TB	Unlimited	1TB	4TB	1000GB
Managed VPS	Semi-managed	Fully managed	Managed	Unmanaged	Fully managed	Unmanaged	Fully managed	Fully managed
Free SSL	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅
Price	$3.99/mo	$15.00/mo	$10.00/mo	$4.99/mo	$29.95/mo	$6.00/mo	$19.99/mo	$13.30/mo
Review	Hostinger review	Liquid Web review	DreamHost review	A2 Hosting review	ScalaHosting review	InterServer review	InMotion review	Nexcess review

Winner

Get Hostinger VPS, now 70% OFF!

Best VPS hosting: final recommendations

Good VPS will make your web life easier – with the right configurations, it's a powerful and flexible option at quite affordable prices. And we werepleasantly surprised by how many good options there are. Our top recommendation is Hostinger – it guarantees great performance and beginner-friendly navigation at very low prices.

But, as a quick recap, here are all of our top providers and their main strengths:

• Hostinger is the best VPS hosting provider overall: it’s easy to use and delivers good performance as well as very low prices.
• Liquid Web is a premium managed VPS option for mission-critical projects. Great performance, ease of use, and big introductory discount make it very attractive.
• DreamHost is a great middle-ground for when you need to scale from shared hosting. It’s a managed and affordable service.
• A2 Hosting is a speed-focused host if you pick one of the Turbo plans. Managed service is expensive, so it’s an option for pros who can manage their own VPS.
• ScalaHosting is an all-inclusive VPS choice for beginners. It’s an affordable managed VPS with domain, SSL, and control panel included.
• InterServer is the most flexible web hosting with cheap month-to-month billing. Servers are configurable, and you can opt for a free control panel.
• InMotion Hosting is a business and agency option. Generous resources, cPanel, and Web Host Manager make it excellent to host your clients' websites.
• Nexcess is a secure and very flexible fully managed VPS solution. With the reasonable resources, Client Portal, and latest hardware it's a good choice for anyone.

How does VPS hosting work?

Using virtualization technology, a server and its resources are split into virtual private units. It means that with VPS hosting, you get private resources and don’t share them or any of your data with other accounts. VPS hosting is basically a dedicated server experience, except you’re using a physical server shared by multiple users.

Having a private server can increase your project’s performance and handle loads of traffic. That’s because you have dedicated resources and other users on the server can’t hog them when they have a traffic spike.

Another benefit of having a private server is extra security. You get a dedicated IP address, which means that if your server neighbor will experience a DDoS attack, you won’t be affected by it. VPS hosting also protects you from malicious traffic attacks by allowing you to create custom firewall settings. You can block certain IP addresses and stop brute-force and port scanning attacks, which can lead to outages or even your server being taken over. And these are just some of the many reasons to upgrade to VPS hosting.

That said, VPS hosting technology is great for online stores or websites that get a lot of traffic, or for developers working on custom software. Less experienced users can opt for managed services, while those with developer knowledge can go for unmanaged or semi-managed services.

Best VPS FAQs