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6 Best “Cheap” VPS Hosting Providers Worth Using in 2023

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is often considered the next step after your website outgrows shared hosting. However, not every host is the same. For this reason, when it comes to choosing cheap VPS hosting providers, it’s important to take into account more than just pricing.

In other words, you may want to look at the technical specifications of each VPS before committing to one. Knowing the virtualization type, operating system (OS), and other specifications can help you to make an informed decision that could have a significant impact on your website.

Cheap VPS Hosting Providers

In this article, we’ll discuss six of the best cheap VPS hosting providers, and break down their pros, cons, and pricing. Let’s get to it!

6 cheap VPS hosting providers (IN A NUTSHELL)

If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to read the whole article, check out this summary table first. The following details should provide you with the information you’ll need to make an informed decision.

Best cheap VPS hosting providers
Host Virtualization type Control panels Operating system Bandwidth (per mo.) Pricing (per mo.)
Bluehost KVM Hypervisor cPanel & WHM w/ root access CentOS 1TB / 2TB / 3TB $31.99 / $29.99 / $59.99
DreamHost Linux-VServer Custom control panel Ubuntu OS unlimited $10.00 / $20.00 / $40.00 / $80.00
A2 Hosting OpenVZ cPanel Multiple choices 2TB $25.00 / $35.00 / $50.00
InMotion Parallels Virtuozzo Containers cPanel and WHM CentOS 4TB / 5TB / 6TB $36.34 / $57.54 / $84.64
DigitalOcean KVM Hypervisor A wide range to choose from Multiple choices 500GB / 1TB / 2TB / 3TB / … $4.00 / $6 / $12 / $18 / …
Liquid Web KVM Hypervisor Interworx, Plesk Web Pro, or cPanel Pro Linux 10TB $20.00-$125

Of course, we recommend taking a closer look at any cheap VPS hosting providers that pique your interest. Deeper dives for each of the contenders are up next!

👉 Your web hosting must-know: Web Hosting Comparison Charts 📈📊

6 cheap VPS hosting providers in 2023 (FULL COMPARISON)

The below VPS providers aren’t presented in any particular order. This means you can dip in and out of this list based on how interested you are in their services. However, you’ll get more context by exploring every host on offer, and comparing their features and options. Let’s start with a very popular solution for WordPress users.

1. Bluehost

Bluehost cheap VPS hosting

Bluehost is a solid choice for VPS hosting. Its plans are generally reliable, and the prices are competitive. In fact, both newbies and experienced web developers will likely find their needs well met with this option.

While Bluehost does have a lot to offer, however, it also has somewhat limited bandwidth offerings. In addition, its starter plan is a bit steep ($31.99) for beginners. However, for developers and larger projects, the prices are very reasonable.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by KVM Hypervisor
  • A Web Host Manager (WHM) and cPanel with root access
  • A CentOS option, for those wishing to use Linux
  • 1TB to 3TB of bandwidth depending on the plan

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • Standard — $31.99
  • Enhanced — $29.99
  • Ultimate — $59.99

Pros 👍

  • A reliable choice for those taking their first steps
  • Built for both newbies and experienced developers

Cons 👎

  • Limited bandwidth offerings
  • Steep starter cost for beginners

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

Overall, Bluehost is popular and can meet the needs of many different types of websites. However, there are no real standout features on offer. For experienced website owners, Bluehost’s VPS plans are a bit lacking when compared to the competition.

You may also be interested in:

2. DreamHost

DreamHost VPS hosting

Another possibility for a cheap VPS hosting provider is DreamHost, as its plans are offered at a fair price compared to the competition. This host is a great all-around option, and is one of the only providers with ‘unlimited’ bandwidth. What’s more, it’s the cheapest host on this list.

However, one of the big disadvantages of DreamHost is that it does not offer root access to your server. It also doesn’t have phone or live chat support. In other words, the cheap price for the server is a real advantage if you’re not looking for certain features as standard.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by Linux-VServer
  • Access to a custom control panel
  • Linux servers use the Ubuntu OS
  • Practically unlimited bandwidth

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • VPS Basic — $10.00
  • VPS Business — $20.00
  • VPS Professional — $40.00
  • VPS Enterprise — $80.00

Pros 👍

  • Fair pricing plans compared to others (the cheapest option on this list)
  • Practically unlimited bandwidth

Cons 👎

  • No VPS root access
  • Doesn’t have phone or live chat support

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

DreamHost is the definition of the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’. Although its prices are cheap, support isn’t readily available, meaning it may not be the best option for those who are new to VPS hosting. However, for more experienced users, you may be able to save a few bucks with DreamHost.

3. A2 Hosting

a2hosting

In a nutshell, A2 Hosting is a dependable web host with world-class support. Its customer-centric approach makes you feel valued immediately, and friendly staff are always available to help. What’s more, it’s a first-class, yet cheap VPS hosting provider.

Although A2 Hosting’s bandwidth is somewhat limited compared to its rivals, it does offer root access, free backups, and unlimited email accounts. What’s more, while its plans are a bit more expensive than some of the other options, they’re still reasonably priced.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by OpenVZ
  • cPanel support
  • Your choice of OS, switchable almost at will
  • 2TB bandwidth

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • Power+ — $20.00
  • Prestige+ — $35.00
  • Pinnacle+ — $50.00

Pros 👍

  • A dependable web host
  • World-class support
  • Root access on managed VPS plans

Cons 👎

  • Limited bandwidth compared to its rivals
  • Somewhat more expensive plans than others

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

For those who value friendly and knowledgeable support, A2 Hosting is for you. Its plans are reliable and fast. Plus, its prices are reasonable considering what you are getting in the package.

4. InMotion

inmotion

When it comes to VPS hosting, InMotion is one of the best options out there. Not only does it offer unlimited CPU cores, free backups, and root access, but it also has 24/7 phone support, a live chat facility, and a ticketing support system.

For many, InMotion is an excellent choice for an up-and-coming business or any large website. Its plans range from $36.34 to $84.64.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by Parallels Virtuozzo Containers
  • Access to your server through cPanel
  • The option to use CentOS for Linux servers
  • 4TB/5TB/6TB plans

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • VPS-1000HA-S — $36.34
  • VPS-2000HA-S — $57.54
  • VPS-3000HA-S — $84.64

Pros 👍

  • Unlimited CPU cores
  • Root access
  • 24/7 phone support, a live chat facility, and a ticketing support system

Cons 👎

  • Expensive for newbies
  • Not well-suited for smaller websites

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

For running a large website or application, InMotion is an excellent choice. Along with the many perks on offer, it is dependable and fast. This one is highly recommended for growing businesses or for those in charge of multiple sites.

5. DigitalOcean

digitalocean

DigitalOcean is a unique web host in that it only offers VPS hosting. Also, instead of charging a monthly fee, it charges an hourly rate of use – something seen with cloud-based providers such as Google and Amazon. As a result, this is an efficient web host to choose for both small websites and large application development projects.

Generally speaking, DigitalOcean does almost everything from ARK server hosting and hosting for Rust games. Its cheapest plan for 1TB of bandwidth is $0.007 per hour. When you compute at a monthly rate, you get $4.00 per month, which is very affordable.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by KVM Hypervisor
  • A choice of control panels
  • The opportunity to select your own OS from a wide range
  • Bandwidth ranging from 1TB to 12TB

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • Standard — $4.00
  • CPU-Optimized — $40.00
  • General Purpose — $60.00

Pros 👍

  • Charges an hourly rate of use, so you only pay for as much as you need
  • An efficient choice for both small websites and large application development projects

Cons 👎

  • This is not the easiest host to set up if you’re used to push-button hosting solutions offered by other companies
  • Difficult to budget for a plan with a varying rate

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

DigitalOcean will work for almost anyone. However, it is set up with developers in mind. For newbies, its pricing structure and focus on the technical aspects of VPS hosting may be confusing and difficult to follow and one of the alternatives might be a better option..

6. Liquid Web

liquid web

Our final web host is an interesting one: Liquid Web. All of its plans, even its least expensive, come with 10TB of bandwidth. Each plan includes a number of control panel options, as well as variable RAM and storage.

Overall, Liquid Web is a great choice. Not only is it faster than some of the other choices in this post (such as DigitalOcean), but it also includes enhanced security features and local site backups.

Key features 🧰

  • Server virtualization powered by KVM Hypervisor
  • A choice between the Interworx, Plesk Web Pro, or cPanel Pro control panels
  • A choice of Linux or Windows OS
  • 10TB bandwidth on all plans

Overall cost and pricing plans 💵

  • 2 GB RAM — $20.00
  • 4 GB RAM — $30.00
  • 8 GB RAM — $45.00
  • 12 GB RAM — $50.00

Pros 👍

  • Plenty of bandwidth to work with, even on cheaper plans
  • Choice of OS and VPS control panel

Cons 👎

  • More expensive than some of its competitors
  • Geared toward developers

Is this the best web host for you? 🧐

Liquid Web’s entry-level hosting option is a VPS server designed for light applications and development sites. This makes it a standout selection for developers, especially those with plans to upgrade.

What makes for the best VPS hosting provider?

When comparing VPS providers, it’s important to know where each one’s value lies and how it compares to your needs. It’s easy to only consider how the contenders are priced, for example, and consequently go with a cheap VPS provider without taking into account what you’re getting (or not getting) for the cost.

As such, there are several factors worth considering when it comes to choosing a VPS host. Having a stronger grasp on these concepts can help you to better understand the differences between the various VPS plans we’ll be looking at.

🤖 Select a reliable virtualization type:

The virtualization type is the software the web host uses to segment the resources on a server into multiple VPSs. Knowing how each VPS option is set up can help you make a more informed decision when it comes time to choose one. Various types of virtualization can result in differing performance, levels of security and access, and more.

Some popular options:

  • KVM Hypervisor is a virtualization solution that is open source and for Linux servers.
  • Linux-VServer is another open-source tool, which works by adding system-level virtualization capabilities to the Linux kernel.
  • OpenVZ is Linux-based virtualization technology for segmenting a server into containers that act independently.
  • Parallels Virtuozzo Containers is a tool for the virtualization of cloud servers.

🎯 Consider the functionality of the control panel:

Another factor to consider is the control panel on offer with your VPS. It’s critical to pick one that offers the functionality you need in an easy-to-use package. For many, cPanel is the gold standard. However, some web hosts use custom control panels, while others give you a selection to choose from.

Some popular options:

  • cPanel provides a graphical interface and automation tools that simplify the process of hosting a website on your server.
  • WHM is a program that provides administrative access to the cPanel back end.
  • Interworx is control panel software with two interfaces, one for website owners and another for server administrators.
  • Plesk Web Pro is an all-in-one solution for domain management, and also offers a WordPress toolkit.

🧩 Choose an operating system for easy management:

You may also want to choose a host with a familiar OS. This can help when it comes to managing your VPS. Otherwise, you’ll be forced to learn a new system, which can take time. It’s important to note that some hosts give you a choice, while others use only one OS, such as Linux, Ubuntu, or CentOS.

Some popular options:

  • Linux is an open-source environment that powers a number of different operating systems.
  • CentOS is a free, community-driven operating system based around Linux.
  • Ubuntu is a popular open-source operating system geared towards developers.

🏟️ Think about the bandwidth you’ll need:

Your bandwidth is the amount of data you can transfer each month. For a single website, or even multiple static sites, you may not need a lot. However, if you’re a web developer running many different sites and applications, you’ll need to put some thought into how much bandwidth you’ll require.

It’s also important to know whether a given VPS provider is offering managed or unmanaged plans (or both). Managed plans take care of most of the technical work and maintenance for you, but provide you with less control. Unmanaged plans take more work and know-how to handle, but offer a high degree of freedom and customization potential.

How to narrow down the best cheap VPS hosting providers

When looking for cheap VPS hosting providers, it’s important to consider all of your options. Only looking at prices is likely to leave you with a poor solution and a waste of money. For beginners, any of these hosts could provide a positive experience. However, for more experienced developers, there’s a lot more to consider.

Here are the web hosts we’ve discussed in this article, and some suggestions to help you make an informed decision:

  1. Bluehost: This provider offers a solid VPS at a fair price.
  2. DreamHost: A cheap option that comes with unlimited bandwidth, but no root access.
  3. A2 Hosting: Hosting for those who value knowledgeable and friendly support.
  4. InMotion: An effective choice for up-and-coming businesses and large websites.
  5. DigitalOcean: Web hosting for developers that charges an hourly rate.
  6. Liquid Web: A great choice with 10TB of bandwidth for every plan, and your choice of control panels.

Overall, Bluehost is a standout for anyone looking for an effective VPS host at a reasonable price. DigitalOcean is also worth a consideration for experienced web developers.

Do you have a question about any of these cheap VPS hosting providers? Ask away in the comments section below!

Don’t forget to join our crash course on speeding up your WordPress site. Learn more below:

 

Layout, presentation and editing by Karol K.

John Hughes

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