Best VPS Hosting 2026: 7 VPS Providers Reviewed

We'll explain our rating criteria in detail below. First, let's introduce the hosting providers, listed in descending order of their overall score, starting with our top pick:

Hetzner* is a German hosting company that has been offering VPS and other hosting solutions with powerful hardware and high reliability for many years. Its platform is designed for technically proficient users who want to manage their servers themselves.

Hetzner stands out with an exceptionally wide range of plans and server options featuring shared or dedicated vCPUs, numerous Linux distributions, and an optional auto-backup system. Data centers are available in Germany, Finland, the USA, and Singapore.

The prices are fair, especially for configurations with lots of RAM. Server features like snapshots, automatic backups, and API access are all part of the extensive feature set. Getting started with Hetzner can, however, be a bit more challenging for VPS beginners compared to some other providers.

We especially like the fast provisioning: your server is usually ready to use just seconds after ordering. Hetzner's interface is also excellent. Server management is logically organized, and the interface responds quickly.

Another plus is the well-designed plan structure. The CX plans with shared vCPU offer excellent value for money, and you can easily upgrade to larger instances as your needs grow. Hetzner's VPS CPU and RAM performance scores are also above average.

The Lithuanian provider Hostinger* offers VPS with KVM virtualization and fast NVMe storage. You can choose from server locations in the US, Germany, France, and other countries. Hostinger automatically measures latency and recommends the best option based on the results:

Setup takes just a few minutes. You can choose from eleven Linux distributions and over 70 ready-to-use applications. These range from popular CMS platforms to developer tools and monitoring solutions.

However, take a closer look at the pricing. After your initial term ends, costs can increase significantly. You also can't scale individual resources like CPU or RAM separately. The only way to get more power is by upgrading to a higher plan.

Hostinger's hPanel is easy to navigate. The interface responds quickly and guides you through all the important features.

We're also impressed by the many automation options. The public API lets you integrate VPS actions directly into your own workflows. If you manage multiple servers or frequently change settings, this can save you a lot of time.

The built-in AI chatbot is another highlight. Kodee answers technical questions, points you to relevant help articles, and saves you a lot of search time. It's often faster than the traditional documentation.

IONOS* is one of the most well-known hosting providers in Europe. The German company's VPS offerings are designed for anyone looking for a budget-friendly entry point with easy management. There are six plans to choose from, starting at just $2 per month.

IONOS offers unlimited traffic for its VPS plans, and the Plesk Web Host Edition is free for customers. However, snapshots and backups come with additional costs. True scaling of individual resources isn't possible; you can only get more power by switching to a higher plan.

In our benchmark, IONOS shows mixed results. The provider achieves the second-best RAM performance in our comparison, and single-core performance is also strong. Multi-core performance, SSD speed, and network scores are average at best and sometimes fall below those of other providers.

We are impressed by the value for money, especially with longer contract terms. If you want to keep costs low, IONOS is definitely worth considering.

Setup is also a breeze: the server is ready just minutes after ordering. The cloud panel has an intuitive layout, so even users without VPS experience can get started quickly.

The phone support is excellent and available around the clock. That's not something you can take for granted in this price range.

OVH* is one of the largest European hosting providers. All VPS plans use KVM virtualization and are provisioned immediately after ordering.

In our benchmarks, OVH showed mixed results. The SSDs delivered above-average performance, and multi-core performance was impressive. However, the RAM was among the slower options in our review. Network connlagged lagged behind the competition.

The server management portal offers many features, but this can make it feel cluttered at first. Longer load times and occasional re-logins also slow down your workflow. Experienced users benefit from the extensive options, while beginners need some time to get oriented. The good documentation helps with that.

We like the flexibility. OVH covers a wide range of server configurations that work for almost any VPS use case. You'll quickly find a plan that fits your needs.

Easy scalability is another big plus. When needed, you can easily upgrade to higher tiers and get more resources without having to set up your server environment from scratch:

We also like the transparent pricing structure. All plans are billed monthly, and additional costs are clearly listed. Auto-backups are already included.

DigitalOcean*, a US-based provider, is designed primarily for experienced users who want precise control over their VPS configuration. You can manually select the location, CPU, RAM, and SSD setup. The range of options is broad.

Provisioning is among the fastest in our comparison. However, the interface can feel overwhelming at first due to the sheer number of options.

DigitalOcean's benchmark results are mixed. CPU and RAM scores fall well below average, while SSD performance and network connectivity deliver excellent results. In terms of pricing, this provider is one of the most expensive in our review.

The granular configuration options are one of the biggest advantages. DigitalOcean offers more customization than any other provider in our comparison. If you know exactly what resources your project needs, you'll find configurations that match your requirements down to the smallest detail.

DigitalOcean also scores well on scalability. You quickly adjust your VPS performance through the interface based on your current needs. This flexibility pays off when your requirements change.

Below are all 11 VPS hosts we reviewed, sorted by their overall score. The table gives you a quick overview of which VPS providers performed best in our review:

We reviewed each VPS provider in four categories, with a total of 100 points awarded. Here's how we weighted each area:

These points add up to a partial score for each category, resulting in a final overall rating for each provider.

We'll explain our criteria in detail below. First, here's the complete rating table:

In this category, we evaluate how easy it is to set up and use a server on a daily basis. This includes a well-designed interface, a clearly structured menu, and simple navigation.

Hosting providers score higher if they offer different data center locations, OS images, software, and panels during setup, and if they support both password and SSH access. Immediate availability after ordering also factors into the rating.

For ongoing operations, we check which management features are available. This includes web console access and options for backups and server scaling. Providers that offer snapshots, firewall management, and server monitoring receive higher scores.

To objectively assess VPS performance, we measure key metrics in a VPS benchmark. We look at five main indicators:

We use the Yet-Another-Bench-Script (with Geekbench 6, FIO, and iPerf3) along with the STREAM benchmark.

Learn more about our methodology here:

In this category, we check the level of support the host offers at no extra cost. One important factor is the quality of documentation: Does the company offer clear FAQs, step-by-step guides, and well-explained technical resources?

We also rate the quality, availability, and response time of email and phone support. If available, live chat and AI chatbots are included in our rating as well, based on a check on actual response quality. We also consider customer feedback from external review platforms like Trustpilot.

In our cost comparison, we check how much performance you get for your money. Our comparison is based on the lowest price for a VPS with 8 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, or 50 TB outbound traffic on a 24-month contract.

We also factor in any extra costs for automatic backups. Flexible billing by the minute or hour is a plus as well.