Best VPS Hosting
Advanced email management
Excellent
Managed and unmanaged
Yes
180-day money-back guarantee
Good
Managed and unmanaged
Yes
Advanced performance on unmanaged plans
Excellent
Managed and unmanaged
Yes
100% uptime guarantee
Good
Managed and unmanaged
No
Wide variety of managed and unmanaged plans
Good
Managed and unmanaged
Yes
Shared hosting is a cost-effective solution when you're first building your website. However, as it grows, you'll need more power, customization and security. Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is ideal when your website needs more resources than you can get from a shared hosting plan, but you aren't quite ready to invest in dedicated hosting.
Choosing a VPS hosting service can be challenging because there are so many options and choices, such as whether to choose an unmanaged or managed plan and how much storage and bandwidth to get. To help you choose the best host and plan for your growing website, we reviewed the top VPS hosting providers and wrote a guide that goes over what you should know about this type of web hosting.
Our Top Picks For Best VPS Hosting
- A2 Hosting: Best For Free Email Hosting
- MochaHost: Best Money-Back Guarantee
- IONOS: Best For Unmanaged Plans
- DreamHost: Best For Excellent Uptimes
- Hostinger: Best For SMEs
Best VPS Hosting Reviews
Why we chose it: A2 Hosting is not as well known as some other hosting providers, but its speed, variety of VPS hosting plans and helpful customer service make it a solid option — especially when it comes to free email services.
A2 Hosting comes with unlimited free email accounts and a wide range of email management tools to customize your accounts and increase your productivity. If you have a lot of team members, you can create different email addresses for each one. Alternatively, you can make separate email addresses for each department but route everything to one email address so all your customer service questions go to the same place.
A2's email management tools include auto-responders, filters to sort emails automatically, email migration and web and mobile apps so you can quickly respond no matter where you are. Because your email is hosted on the server along with your website, you'll get faster delivery times and customized security settings.
If you're looking for top speeds, A2 is among the fastest in the business. Its turbo servers are optimized for speed due to their performance-enhancing features, such as HTTP/2 support, nonvolatile memory express (NVMe) storage and advanced caching techniques. However, Turbo servers are only offered on A2's more expensive plans.
A2 Hosting offers managed and unmanaged VPS hosting plans. Its standard unmanaged plan starts at $3 per month, but with only one gigabyte (GB) of RAM, 20 GB of storage and one core, your website won't have much room to grow. Its managed plans start at $40 and include 4 GB of RAM, 150 GB of storage and two cores.
Why we chose it: MochaHost's 180-day money-back guarantee is much longer than the industry average of 30 days or less.
Unlike most other hosting providers, MochaHost offers a lifetime discount guarantee. Your renewal price will be discounted as long as you're with the company if you go with that option. In addition to its extended 180-day money-back guarantee, this makes MochaHost an attractive choice if you're looking for a bargain.
The host's plans are solid, although their bandwidth is not as high as the industry standard. Its entry-level plan provides 40 GB of storage, 0.5 GB of RAM, one core and 500 GB of bandwidth for an introductory price of $8 per month. With a lifetime discount, your renewal price will be $12 monthly for a three-year plan.
You can choose from Linux or Windows-based servers, and MochaHost offers a respectable 99.9% uptime guarantee. Most of its plans also provide managed services for an additional fee, although its starting plan does not.
Why we chose it: IONOS's unmanaged plans provide high-performing servers with features geared toward users with advanced technical knowledge.
If you're looking for sheer power in your VPS host, IONOS is hard to beat. Its server response time is among the best in the industry. All of the host's VPS plans include unlimited bandwidth, a 99.99% uptime guarantee, a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate and your choice of server locations for both Linux and Windows servers.
With its unmanaged plans, you have root access to customize your server completely, but IONOS also provides some preinstalled apps such as Drupal, WordPress and PrestaShop to get you started. However, it uses proprietary software for back-end management, which could be an issue if you're devoted to cPanel.
In addition to top-notch performance, IONOS leads the pack regarding low prices. Unmanaged plans start at $2 per month as an introductory price. You'll pay between $7 and $35 per month after your initial contract, which is still well within a reasonable range.
One minor issue with IONOS is that it charges extra for basic functions like choosing a Windows server rather than a Linux, image importing, Microsoft databases, site migration and using a Plesk admin tool. However, you'll probably come out ahead in the price-to-value ratio anyway thanks to the low plan prices.
Why we chose it: DreamHost offers a 100% uptime guarantee and backs it up by giving you a credit of one day's fee for every hour your site is down.
DreamHost uses state-of-the-art technology, including solid-state drivers, multiple data centers and extensive network architecture to ensure its servers are always available and responsive. Most notably, it boasts a 100% uptime guarantee, unlike most other web hosts, which boast a 99% uptime guarantee. Keep in mind that the credit from this guarantee maxes out at 10% of your renewal fee.
Pricing for DreamHost VPS plans starts at $15 per month for the starting plan with 30 GB of storage, 1 GB of RAM and unlimited bandwidth — provided you don't hog server resources. At the end of your purchased term (monthly, yearly or three years), the price of the plan will renew at its current rate. For the starting plan, that's $19.99 as of March 24, 2023.
It bears mentioning that there are a few negatives to DreamHost. The company uses its own proprietary control panel, so you won't be able to use cPanel. It also doesn't offer root access on any of its VPS plans.
Why we chose it: Hostinger offers a wide variety of affordable plans that suit the needs of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Hostinger's variety of plans, clear resource structure and advanced security features make it a good option for SMEs that need VPS hosting but want to keep costs down. Its automatic weekly backups and distributed denial of service protection provide a strong safety net, ensuring that your website is secure. Hostinger also guarantees a 100 megabytes (MB) per second loading time, so your visitors won't be annoyed by long wait times.
Its lowest-tier plan starts at $4 per month for four years. Unlike many other providers, the starting plan is actually a viable option, with 20 GB of solid state drive (SSD) storage, 1 GB of RAM and 1 terabyte (TB) of bandwidth. Your rates will jump on renewal, but it's still an affordable option, even at double that rate.
Hostinger uses a proprietary server manager panel, but you can use cPanel if you're willing to pay the additional licensing fee. With fast, reliable service, free domain registration, built-in security features and eight VPS hosting plans, it offers more than enough processing power for small to medium-sized online projects or startup businesses.
Other VPS Hosting Providers We Considered
There are many VPS hosting providers that offer a good value for their features. The following ones were good enough to mention, but didn't quite make it into our top list.
Hostwinds
Hostwinds offers a variety of managed and unmanaged VPS plans that start at $12 per month, but then jump to $17 per month on your next billing cycle.
While it has a good uptime guarantee and features, it's overpriced compared to other options. It also only offers refunds within a 72-hour window, which is more limited than most other providers.
Liquid Web
Liquid Web provides excellent performance and customer service. Its servers are top-notch and its certified customer service reps will respond to chat or phone contact in under a minute.
These factors made it tempting to include Liquid Web on our top VPS hosting list. However, the host only offers managed plans, and its prices are higher than average. Although it may be a perfect option for some users, it didn't make our list because of the lack of unmanaged plans.
GoDaddy
Primarily known as a domain registrar, GoDaddy is also well-known in the web hosting space. It offers good performance, fast load times and complete control over your VPS.
However, its VPS plans come with limited resources that may be insufficient for some websites. Its prices are also on the steep side, and you need to pay for several basic tools and features only offered as add-ons.
VPS Hosting Guide
VPS hosting is a logical next step up from shared hosting for a growing website. While shared hosting is a low-cost solution for getting your site up and running, you'll probably need better speed and performance as your site takes off.
This guide will cover what VPS hosting is, how it works and what you should consider when choosing a provider.
What Is VPS Hosting?
VPS stands for virtual private server. As the name implies, it's not a true private server — you would need dedicated hosting for that. Instead, a VPS uses virtualization technology to create separate environments on a shared server.
You'll have your own dedicated resources (CPU, RAM, disk storage) on your VPS, but you'll still be sharing a physical server with other sites. It's like living in an apartment versus having your own house. Still, you'll have much more control and flexibility than you would with a shared server because you can set up your portion of the server however you want.
The biggest advantage of a VPS over a dedicated server is the cost. You can easily find VPS hosting plans for under $30 per month, but you'll be hard-pressed to find reliable dedicated hosting for under $100 per month.
If your website gets anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand visitors per day, VPS hosting can give you many of the advantages of a dedicated server without the expensive price tag.
How Does VPS Hosting Work?
VPS hosting uses virtualization software to divide a physical server into separate spaces. Virtualization software creates a "layer of abstraction" between the virtual environment and the hardware. This means the virtual environment can run on any hardware that supports the virtualization software.
Each virtual server will have its own operating system, software and resources, but they all share physical resources such as RAM, CPU and storage space. This means you're not completely alone on your server, but you have the freedom to set up your environment the way you want. And since you're isolated from the other virtual servers, your data is more secure and their traffic won't affect your website's performance, which is a serious concern with shared hosting.
When you sign up for VPS hosting, the provider will give you administrative privileges to your virtual environment. But with privilege comes responsibility: You'll have to install and configure the software you want to run and establish your server settings yourself.
VPS hosting gives you greater control, performance and customization than shared hosting, so it's popular among websites and applications that are traffic-heavy or need enhanced security.
The Three Types Of VPS Hosting
There are three main types of VPS hosting, and the primary difference between them is how hands-on you want to be. Not every provider offers all options. Some specialize in one type of hosting over another, while others may offer you a choice.
Managed
If talking about CPUs, cores and network security settings makes your head hurt, you might want to go with a managed VPS. Managed VPS hosting is ideal if you don't have the time or technical chops to set up and maintain your server.
With managed VPS hosting, your hosting provider will take care of all the nitty-gritty details of installing and maintaining the software and settings for your server. You'll still have plenty of control over the software and settings used, but the provider will do the hands-on work of installing, maintaining, updating and backing up your server.
Unmanaged
If you're the DIY type and know your SSD from your NVMe, you might prefer an unmanaged plan. If you go this route, you'll get an empty virtual environment that you'll have to fill and configure yourself. Unmanaged VPS hosting plans are naturally less expensive than managed plans, although you need to consider the cost of managing your site yourself when comparing prices.
Semi-Managed
Semi-managed hosting, as you might guess, is the middle way between managed and unmanaged. With semi-managed VPS hosting, the provider handles some aspects of server configuration and upkeep, such as security and maintenance. You'll be responsible for other aspects, such as installing and updating software.
Since plans vary by provider, make sure you're clear on who's responsible for what if you choose this option.
Advantages Of VPS Hosting
There are some significant advantages to VPS hosting compared to both shared hosting and dedicated hosting. Some of these include:
Cost
VPS hosting is more cost-effective than dedicated hosting. You have many of the benefits of dedicated hosting without the high price.
Most small to medium-sized businesses don't need the resources of a dedicated server. However, it's easy to outgrow shared hosting, so VPS hosting is usually a good compromise in terms of price.
Customization
With a VPS, you can customize your virtual environment however you want. While there are some best practices for server configuration, there's also a lot of room for preferences or requirements based on your website. For example, you can amp up the security settings if your site stores sensitive data.
Got a favorite firewall? You can install it. You can also set security protocols and backup solutions and manage your own database. Your virtual environment is your kingdom, and you can rule it as you please.
Increased Reliability
When you share hosting with other websites, your resources are tied up with theirs. If another site goes viral, it can suck up all the shared resources and cause performance issues or even crash your site.
With a VPS, even though you're technically still sharing a server, you'll have dedicated resources for your site. You don't have to worry about other sites pulling resources away from yours, so you know your site will be available to your visitors.
Improved Security
A virtual environment isolates you from other systems, making your data more secure. VPS hosting providers also typically offer enhanced security features like firewalls, anti-virus software and intrusion detection systems. You can still install them on your servers even if they don't. These extra security features can protect your site from malware, phishing or other malicious hacking attempts.
Scalability
With VPS hosting, you can easily scale resources up or down as needed. If a celebrity discovers your site and features it on their Tiktok, you can quickly add additional resources to handle the traffic spike.
On the other hand, if your traffic slows down or you need to take a break for a while, you can scale back to a minimal plan. Either way, you only pay for what you need.
Root Access
Most, but not all, VPS plans grant you root access. Root access — aka superuser access — gives you total control over your server. It's the highest level of access you can have in a system or server, and it allows you to perform any action, install any software or application and configure any setting.
Don't let the power go to your head, though. With root access, you can also accidentally damage or compromise your server. It's not a tool for newbies, so before you do anything with root access, make sure you understand the possible consequences.
Disadvantages Of VPS Hosting
Although there are many advantages to VPS hosting, there are also some drawbacks.
Increased Complexity
VPS hosting requires more technical knowledge than shared hosting. If you don't have the tech skills to do it yourself, you'll have to pay someone else to do it for you — either in the form of managed hosting or by hiring someone.
Cost
Yes, cost was also listed as an advantage. Like many things in life, it depends on what you compare it to. Compared to dedicated hosting, VPS hosting is a bargain. Compared to shared hosting, however, it's much more expensive. Unmanaged plans aren't outrageously expensive, but managed plans or hiring someone to manage your VPS for you can get costly.
Increased Risk
While you can configure your VPS to be more secure than a shared server, you can also mess it up by botching the configurations. Even huge enterprise sites with dedicated cybersecurity teams get hacked, so you need to know what you're doing to protect your server.
VPS Hosting FAQ
How We Chose The Best VPS Hosting
We analyzed the following features when choosing the best VPS hosting providers:
- Server performance: We considered each provider's server performance, as we know your visitors will get frustrated if your site is too slow.
- Uptime guarantee: We only chose providers with good uptime guarantees so you can ensure your site is available 24/7.
- Scalability: It's vital to know if you'll have access to extra resources when you need them. That's why we took scalability into account when reviewing VPS hosts.
- Price: Providers should offer a good value for services and resource allocation.
- Customer support: You should know if your support will be responsive and knowledgeable, so each host's customer support was also a part of our considerations.
- Variety of plans and options: We looked into how many options each provider has for plans and add-ons to ensure you have a range of choices.
- Root access availability: This feature is essential if you want total control, so we considered this for each host.
