Comparing prices across every provider we track...
CloudHosting.ioCloudHosting.io
Virtual Servers · $96/mo (4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 160 GB SSD, 5000 GB transfer)
AWS Lightsail's Windows bundle at $96/mo is significantly overpriced compared to Linux-based alternatives with better specs. Even accounting for hidden costs and renewal traps, several providers offer 4GB RAM + 2 vCPU configurations for under $10/mo, with unlimited or generous bandwidth that eliminates AWS's data transfer overage risk.
8GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 100GB SSD, unlimited traffic for $5.94/mo - nearly 16x cheaper than Lightsail with double the specs and no Windows license premium.
Caveat: Requires 24-month prepayment; shorter terms cost more per month; fair usage policy on unlimited traffic; ticket-only support on base tier.
4GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 50GB NVMe, 4TB transfer for $6.49/mo intro - matches Lightsail's RAM at 1/15th the price with weekly backups included.
Caveat: Intro price requires 12-24 month prepay; renewal jumps to $11.99/mo (still 88% cheaper); only 1 vCPU vs Lightsail's 2.
4GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 40GB SSD, 20TB transfer for $6.49/mo - exact vCPU/RAM match to Lightsail at 1/15th the cost with 4x the bandwidth allowance.
Caveat: Prices exclude VAT; recent large price increases on other lines (CCX/CPX up 2.1-2.75x in June 2026); traffic overage in non-EU regions can be steep.
4GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 40GB NVMe, unlimited traffic, daily backups for $4.54/mo - matches Lightsail's core specs at 1/21st the price with no transfer overage risk.
Caveat: Windows license adds $0.039/vCore/hour (~$27/mo extra); APAC egress loses free status after mid-2026; IPv4 addresses billed separately.
2GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 80GB NVMe, unlimited traffic (1 Gbit/s) for $4.33/mo - cheapest 2 vCPU option with no data transfer overage charges.
Caveat: Intro pricing is 3-month or 1-year promo on 1-year contract; renewal 2-6x higher; half the RAM of Lightsail; outbound beyond 2TB free pool costs $0.036/GB.
Before you switch
| Provider | Plan | Price | Specs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost | VPS Hosting · NVMe 2 | $2.09/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 50 GB NVMe SSD | Visit |
| IONOS | Cloud VPS (Linux) · Cloud VPS S | $4.33/mo | 2 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 80 GB NVMe | Visit |
| OVHcloud | VPS · VPS-1 | $4.54/mo | 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 40 GB NVMe | Visit |
| IONOS | VPS Hosting (VPS+) · VPS S+ | $5/mo | 2 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 90 GB NVMe | Visit |
| IONOS | IONOS CLOUD Cubes (Basic) · Basic Cube XS | $5.76/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 60 GB NVMe | Visit |
| Contabo | Core VPS · Cloud VPS 4 | $5.94/mo | 8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 100 GB SSD | Visit |
| Kamatera | Cloud VMs · Sample: 1 vCPU / 2GB / 20GB | $6/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 20 GB NVMe SSD | Visit |
| Gcore | Cloud Compute (Standard Gen 0, Linux) · g0-standard-1-2 | $6.15/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU | Visit |
| Hostinger | KVM VPS · KVM 1 | $6.49/mo | 4 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 50 GB NVMe SSD | Visit |
| Hetzner | Cloud Servers · CX23 | $6.49/mo | 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 40 GB SSD | Visit |
| Scaleway | Virtual Instances · DEV1-S | $6.55/mo | 2 GB RAM, 2 vCPU | Visit |
| Namecheap | VPS Hosting · Pulsar | $6.88/mo | 2 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 40 GB SSD | Visit |
| OVHcloud | Public Cloud Compute Instances · d2-2 | $8.98/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 25 GB local disk | Visit |
| GoDaddy | VPS Hosting · 1 vCPU / 2 GB | $8.99/mo | 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 40 GB NVMe | Visit |
| IONOS | IONOS CLOUD vCPU Servers · vCPU - per core | $9.36/mo | 1 vCPU | Visit |
Contabo
Hostinger
Hetzner
OVHcloud
IONOS
View AWS Lightsail's plan