On average, a VPS plan costs around $10 per month with a yearly or multi-year subscription, but if you choose a monthly billing cycle, expect to pay closer to $20 or more. The final cost of a VPS depends on the provider, the resources needed, and the hosting plan duration.
Many providers offer monthly plans, and some even have hourly pricing. However, committing to a 12-month plan or longer often results in significant savings.
Key Insight
The typical monthly cost for a VPS plan hovers around $27, about $10 more than the entry-level plans (Source: Web Hosting Secret Revealed). Most providers discussed here offer either a money-back guarantee or free trials, so you can test the service to determine if it meets your requirements.
In choosing a VPS provider, the best option may not always be the one with the lowest price but rather the one that most effectively meets your hosting needs.
Our Top Recommendation for Best Value VPS Plans
- Kamatera: Kamatera delivers high-performance VPS and cloud hosting, designed for scalability and reliability to suit any user.
VPS Hosting Price Comparison Table
| Provider | Monthly Price | Plan Length | Savings | Money-Back Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamatera | $4 | Monthly | N/A | 30 Days |
| Ultahost | $3.99 | Monthly | 50% | 30 Days |
| IONOS | $2 | Monthly | N/A | 30 Days |
| Hostinger | $4.99 | Monthly | 67% | 30 Days |
| InterServer | $3 | Monthly | N/A | N/A |
| A2 Hosting | $2.99 | 3 years | 44% | 30 Days |
| ScalaHosting | $29.95 | Monthly | 40% | Anytime |
Factors Affecting VPS Pricing
- Managed vs. Unmanaged VPS
Managed VPS costs more as it includes technical support and server maintenance from the provider, including updates and security audits. An unmanaged VPS, while cheaper, may require professional help for server management, adding long-term costs. - Plan Type
The cheapest plans generally lack scalability and customer support. Customizable plans (like those from Kamatera) let you tailor your resources and pricing, ideal if you know your needs. - Bandwidth, Data Transfer, and Storage
Unlimited or unmetered bandwidth and data storage increase costs, but they eliminate potential overage fees. SSD storage is faster and more reliable but also more expensive than HDD. - Data Center Location
Server location impacts cost. Data centers in high-traffic areas like Los Angeles and New York are generally more affordable. However, if your audience is concentrated in a particular region (like the UK), a nearby server might offer better performance despite a higher cost. - Operating System
Linux-based servers are widely available and affordable as Linux is open-source. Windows-based servers are pricier due to licensing fees.
Additional VPS Hosting Costs
Before finalizing a VPS plan, consider these extra expenses:
- Domain Name Registration
Costs vary based on the registrar and extension, with prices ranging from $1/year for .xyz to $10/year for .com domains. Privacy protection can be added to secure your personal information. - Productivity Tools (Office 365 or Google Workspace)
Both offer business tools, with prices from $6 to $18 per user per month for Google Workspace and $6 to $38 for Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans. - SSL Certificates
SSL certificates range from $5/year to $1,000, depending on the security level. Single-domain SSLs are generally affordable or free from hosting providers, while multi-domain and extended validation certificates cost significantly more.
Tips to Reduce VPS Costs
Choosing a transparent provider with scalable services, opting for annual billing, and optimizing server configurations can help manage VPS costs effectively. For budget-friendly options, our list of the best cheap web hosting providers can offer guidance.