Is Microsoft Azure's B2s the best deal?

Virtual Machines · $30.37/mo (4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU)

Better deals exist

Azure B2s at $30.37/mo is significantly more expensive than comparable Linux VPS alternatives, even after accounting for hidden costs and renewal traps. Several providers offer 2-4 vCPU with 2-4GB RAM for $4-7/mo with minimal lock-in, though you'll need to watch for renewal price jumps and bandwidth overages.

VPS-1

$4.54/mosave 85%

Matches Azure specs (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM) at 1/7th the price with NVMe storage, daily backups, and 99.99% SLA; no per-vCPU Windows license surcharge if you use Linux.

Caveat: IPv4 addresses billed separately; outbound traffic in APAC regions loses free-egress status after mid-2026; early-deletion penalties on cold storage tiers.

Cloud VPS 4

$5.94/mosave 80%

Exceeds Azure specs (4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB SSD) for 1/5th the price with unlimited traffic and 99.90% SLA; effective rate on 24-month contract.

Caveat: Quoted price requires 24-month prepaid commitment; shorter 1 or 12-month terms cost significantly more per month; fair usage policy can throttle sustained high-bandwidth usage.

CX23

$6.49/mosave 79%

Matches Azure specs (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM) with 40GB SSD and 20TB monthly transfer for 1/5th the price; 99.9% SLA and no Windows license surcharge for Linux.

Caveat: VAT excluded from listed price; traffic overage billed per GB beyond 20TB in EU (much lower in USA/Singapore); recent large price increases on other instance types signal potential future hikes.

Cloud VPS S

$4.33/mosave 86%

Matches Azure specs (2 vCPU, 2GB RAM) with 80GB NVMe and unlimited traffic (up to 1 Gbit/s) for 1/7th the price; 99.99% SLA.

Caveat: Intro pricing is a 3-month or 1-year promo on 1-year contract; renewal pricing is 2-6x higher; outbound data beyond 2TB free pool is tiered at $0.036/GB.

VPS Hosting NVMe 2

$2.09/mosave 93%

Lowest sticker price (1 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 50GB NVMe) with unmetered bandwidth and 99.99% SLA; includes root SSH and API access.

Caveat: Requires 36-month contract to hit advertised price; renewal jumps to $9.99-15.99/mo (5-8x); free domain and privacy only year one; aggressive upsells for SiteLock, backups, and Pro Email at checkout.

Before you switch

Azure B2s is a managed cloud service; these VPS alternatives are self-managed Linux only (no Windows Server license included). Factor in management overhead or managed service add-ons.
Most VPS alternatives lock in renewal prices 2-6x higher after the intro term. Verify the renewal rate before committing to a long contract.
Bandwidth overages vary widely: IONOS charges $0.036/GB after 2TB free, Hetzner charges per GB beyond 20TB in EU. Model your actual egress before switching.
Bluehost's $2.09/mo requires a 36-month prepaid commitment; month-to-month billing is much higher. Confirm contract terms match your flexibility needs.
OVHcloud and Hetzner exclude VAT from listed prices; your actual invoice may be 15-25% higher depending on region and tax status.

This comparison is generated from publicly listed pricing and may contain errors or omissions. It is not financial or professional advice, and CloudHosting.io is not responsible for decisions made based on it. Pricing, promotions, and specs change frequently and may not reflect current terms, regional availability, taxes, or contract length. Always verify current pricing and terms directly on the provider's site before purchasing or switching.

Comparable plans across providers

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

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Comparing prices across every provider we track...