Hosting Models
VPS
A Virtual Private Server is a dedicated slice of a physical machine with its own CPU, RAM, and root access, priced at a flat monthly rate.
A VPS gives you a guaranteed cut of a physical server: your own vCPUs, your own RAM, your own disk, and full root access to do what you want with them. Neighbors share the same hardware but can't touch your slice. For most projects that outgrow shared hosting but don't need a whole machine, this is the sweet spot.
The value gap between providers here is enormous. Hetzner routinely offers two to four times the RAM per dollar of the American hosts, while DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr compete around a $5 to $6 entry tier with better documentation and more regions. Contabo undercuts nearly everyone on raw specs, at the cost of slower support.
A VPS is unmanaged by default. You patch the OS, configure the firewall, and fix things when they break at 2am. If that sounds like a chore rather than control, managed hosting or a PaaS takes it off your plate for a premium.
Go deeper
- The Cheapest VPS That Isn't JunkBelow a certain price, cheap servers cost more than they save. Where the floor actually is in 2026, who offers real value there, and the specs that matter at the bottom of the market.
- VPS vs Dedicated vs Cloud HostingHow the three hosting models differ in cost, control, and scalability.