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Best for beginners
Best support
If you’re looking for an affordable entry point for VPS (virtual private server) hosting, there are few options as good as Hostinger. At $4.99/mo for the KVM 1 plan, Hostinger offers AMD EPYC processors and NVMe storage, free weekly backups, 24/7 customer support, and an AI assistant to help you launch and manage your server, which can be very useful for users who are new to VPS server management.
Beyond Hostinger, both ScalaHosting and Namecheap offer affordable VPS hosting plans for users who have outgrown shared hosting. We tested all three VPS providers to gauge their performance. In this guide, we’ll break down their strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the best option for your needs.
Compare the most affordable VPS providers
Hostinger: Best for VPS beginners on a budget
ScalaHosting: Best for customer support
Namecheap: Best for managed VPS hosting on a budget
How much does cheap VPS hosting cost?
Bottom line: The best affordable VPS hosting solutions
FAQs
The best cheap VPS hosting providers
Compare the most affordable VPS providers
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| Best for | Best for VPS beginners on a budget | Best for customer support | Best for managed VPS hosting on a budget |
| Star rating | |||
| Starting price | Starts at $4.99/mo | Starts at $9.98/mo | Starts at $9.88/mo |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes — 30 days | Yes — anytime | Yes — 30 days |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Hardware | 1 - 8 CPU cores | 2 - 24 CPU cores | 2 - 8 CPU cores |
| Bandwidth | 4 TB - 32 TB | Unmetered | 1 TB - 6 TB |
| Storage | 50 GB - 400 GB | 50 GB - 2 TB | 40 GB - 240 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB - 32 GB | 4 GB - 64 GB | 2 GB - 12 GB |
| Learn more | Get Hostinger | Get ScalaHosting | Get Namecheap |
Hostinger: Best for VPS beginners on a budget
What we liked
Well-organized interface: Hostinger’s web hosting management dashboard is very well designed. Performance metrics such as server speed and storage usage are available as soon as you log in. More advanced insights can be found in the dedicated analytics tab. You also get the proprietary hPanel control panel along with an AI website builder for WordPress and the Softaculous auto-installer for one-click CMS installs.
Great performance: Our speed tests recorded impressive server response times, with an average performance score of 97.3/100. We recorded average loading times of 0.8 s for First Contentful Paint (FCP, when the first content element has loaded) and 1.1 s for the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP, when the largest content element has loaded), as well as 100% uptime during our testing period.
No-code tools: With Hostinger’s plans, you also get access to an AI website builder for business and ecommerce sites, a WordPress-specific website builder with AI features, and the Horizons app, which can help you build and deploy web applications, with an AI chatbot interface. You also get a whole library of templates to set up complex VPS environments with Docker, Node.js, and n8n.
What we didn’t like
Speed caps: While it isn’t prominently advertised, Hostinger has a policy of throttling websites when they hit their monthly visitor caps. Once your VPS hosting server reaches its bandwidth quota, your website is capped for the rest of the month to a loading speed of no more than 10 Mbps. The only way to get past this limitation is to upgrade to a dedicated hosting plan.
Not PCI compliant: Hostinger’s plans are not compliant with Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards. That means its VPS plans are not suitable for sites that need to process or store credit card or debit card data.
Missing tooltips: During testing, we found that while it’s generally easy to use, Hostinger’s UI lacks tooltips for many advanced features. This can be addressed by heading over to the knowledge base, but more contextual pointers would be helpful.
Test results
We tested one of Hostinger’s WordPress hosting plans with a standard installation, using Softaculous. Uptime Robot recorded a 100% uptime score and an average 214 ms response time. Given the strong performance scores across international locations with shared hosting, we anticipate the service will be even more responsive with a VPS hosting plan.
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| Uptime | 99.95% |
| Average response time | 673 ms |
| Did Hostinger pass the stress test? | Yes |
| Learn more | Get Hostinger |
Star rating summary
When it comes to performance, usability, security, and support, it’s difficult to beat Hostinger. That said, its limited bandwidth and throttling policy for VPS plans does concern us, and its lack of PCI-compliance will make it unsuitable for some use cases. There are also many competitors who offer a pay-as-you-go approach, instead of forcing you to upgrade your plan.
Hostinger earned a near-perfect star rating of 4.9 because its user-friendly and comprehensive, provides reliable performance, and affordable for small- to medium-sized businesses.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 10% | 5.0 |
| Value and capacity | 18% | 4.2 |
| Performance | 20% | 5.0 |
| Features | 25% | 5.0 |
| Security | 20% | 5.0 |
| Support and reputation | 7% | 4.9 |
ScalaHosting: Best for customer support
What we liked
Great support: ScalaHosting prides itself on VIP customer support. To test this, we reached out to the company’s agents via live chat numerous times and recorded an average response time of 30 seconds and a maximum of less than a minute. The agents we reached were consistently knowledgeable and able to promptly address our issues.
SPanel management: When it comes to hosting panels, ScalaHosting gives you the best of both worlds by offering its advanced SPanel and the standard cPanel for web hosting server management. The SPanel interface is neatly arranged into sections for email hosting, database management, and domain registration, eliminating clutter.
AI website builder for WordPress: ScalaHosting’s AI website builder for WordPress can help you build a site in a matter of minutes. We also tested a standard one-click installation with Softaculous, and we found the process to be comparably smooth.
What we didn’t like
Hard-to-find features: While it’s easy enough to operate, SPanel can take a while to get used to when it comes to the more advanced features. For example, we had to navigate to the WordPress Manager tab in SPanel and click on a settings button to access staging and cloning options.
Limited security features for cPanel: ScalaHosting’s free proprietary security system, SShield, is available only to VPS users who choose SPanel. That means cPanel users won’t benefit from its features, such as AI-powered malware protection, server monitoring, and suspicious behavior detection.
Test results
We tested ScalaHosting with a standard WordPress installation using the Elementor page builder. Server speeds were outstanding, with scores of 99/100 or higher recorded for Dallas, Montreal, and Strasbourg. Uptime Robot recorded an average response time of 665 ms with a perfect 100% uptime score during our testing period. Meanwhile, there were no HTTP failures during our stress tests with Loader.io.
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| Uptime | 100% |
| Average response time | 665 ms |
| Did ScalaHosting pass the stress test? | Yes |
| Learn more | Get ScalaHosting |
Star rating summary
If you’re looking for a budget VPS host with great customer service, ScalaHosting is as good as it gets. Its plans offer great value, solid performance, and a support team that’s invested in making you happy.
If there’s one thing we would deduct points for, it would be having to locate advanced features in SPanel. Based on our analysis, though, the cloud hosting provider is at its best with VPS.
ScalaHosting received a near-perfect star rating of 4.9 due to its intuitive setup process, comprehensive web hosting solutions, and good performance.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 10% | 4.8 |
| Value and capacity | 18% | 4.6 |
| Performance | 20% | 5.0 |
| Features | 25% | 5.0 |
| Security | 20% | 5.0 |
| Support and reputation | 7% | 5.0 |
Namecheap: Best for managed VPS hosting on a budget
What we liked
Beginner-friendly server management: Namecheap offers full root access for developers, but its server management system is very beginner-friendly, with multiple operating systems and managed services to choose from. You can also choose between the cPanel and Webuzo control panels, for example, which is great for experienced users and beginners.
Enhanced security: Namecheap offers regular backups, firewall protection, and dedicated IP addresses across all its VPS plans. If security is a particular priority, you can also pay an additional $10/mo for a VPS server management upgrade, including the ModSecurity web application firewall and Namecheap’s own server monitoring service.
Server management options: Namecheap lets you choose between three levels of VPS server management: Free, Basic (+$10/mo), and Complete (+$25/mo). The free plan includes initial VPS setup and support, with paid options for maintenance. Basic and Complete add security enhancements, vendor updates, and monitoring with proactive responses from the hosting provider.
What we didn’t like
Additional hosting panel costs: While the base price is attractive, additional charges based on your choice of hosting panel can add up. A basic subscription for the Webuzo panel adds $2.88/mo to your plan, while cPanel prices start at an additional $16.88/mo for solo users. That’s a lot to pay for something that comes as standard with many competing web hosting plans.
Limited resources on entry-level plan: Namecheap’s entry-level Pulsar VPS plan is rather thin, with 2 CPU cores, 2 GB RAM, and 40 GB storage, so you may find you need to upgrade to the mid-tier Quasar plan before long for more dedicated resources.
Test results
Namecheap’s performance scores were particularly promising in our tests. On a shared WordPress hosting plan, it earned a 99/100 average performance score with a 0.7s FCP and LCP.
Everything loaded smoothly for us with no noticeable delays, and there’s no indication that Namecheap has compromised on its virtual servers. Uptime was consistent at 100%, server responses were quick, and the servers passed our stress tests with flying colors.
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| Uptime | 100% |
| Average response time | 150 ms |
| Did Namecheap pass the stress test? | Yes |
| Learn more | Get Namecheap |
Star rating summary
Namecheap is a great option for those looking for an affordable VPS entry point. That said, we do think they could do a better job of communicating the practical subscription costs more transparently. You may end up paying extra for things like hosting panels and security upgrades, which you might think would be included with the VPS plan.
Namecheap earned a near-perfect star rating of 4.8 because it provides intuitive setup process (especially for beginners), various hosting types and security features, and reliable performance.
Namecheap's managed WordPress plans are fairly priced, but it uses older generation SSD storage and doesn't offer integrated AI tools.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 10% | 5.0 |
| Value and capacity | 18% | 4.6 |
| Performance | 20% | 5.0 |
| Features | 25% | 5.0 |
| Security | 20% | 5.0 |
| Support and reputation | 7% | 4.7 |
How much does cheap VPS hosting cost?
Managed hosting plans with VPS servers can cost $10-$50/mo, while unmanaged VPS plans with the same hardware resources can cost $5-$25/mo.
Between hardware configurations, operating system updates, security concerns, and resource monitoring, VPS hosting can be demanding to manage, so it is worthwhile to pay a premium to have the host handle maintenance and upkeep for you.
If you’ve got IT support in your organization, or if you’re confident in your own skills as a web admin, though, you can save money with unmanaged services. You’ll also retain full root access over your virtual server, which makes customization easier.
Bottom line: The best affordable VPS hosting solutions
Hostinger is our pick for the best cheap VPS hosting provider today, thanks to its pricing and the value it delivers with its plans. It’s also very beginner-friendly, though it imposes speed caps if you exceed your monthly bandwidth limit.
If you’re worried about throttling, ScalaHosting may be a better choice, thanks to its highly responsive support. Namecheap is good too, but it’s worth keeping in mind the additional costs that can come with its plans. All three services deliver excellent value with their VPS plans; however, you can take your pick based on your priorities.
How we test web hosting services
We use our proprietary grading rubric to evaluate web hosts based on performance, ease of use, features, support, and overall value. Our hands-on approach ensures our ratings reflect how each service actually performs in the real world, so you can choose a host with confidence.
Our process starts with signing up for each service and setting up a real website, just like you would. We run page speed, uptime, and stress tests to measure reliability and performance under load. We also explore the dashboard, test security tools, and contact support to see how responsive and helpful it is.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full testing methodology here.
FAQs
Who offers the cheapest VPS hosting?
We rate Hostinger as providing the best cheap VPS hosting today. It offers VPS hosting at $4.99/mo, with an easy-to-use interface and a range of AI tools. If you particularly prioritize support, you might also consider ScalaHosting.
Can you get cheap VPS hosting with cPanel?
ScalaHosting offers cPanel with all its VPS plans, making it a good pick for cheap VPS hosting with strong support. Other web hosts will charge you a premium for including cPanel with your VPS hosting plan.
What can you use cheap VPS hosting for?
Cheap VPS hosting is suited to tasks that require more resources than a typical shared hosting plan. This includes things like large ecommerce stores, content-heavy websites, game servers, and more complex web apps.
Can you get free VPS hosting?
No. Most reputable web hosts do not offer free VPS hosting plans, given the cost of hardware and maintenance that comes with these servers. However, you can get a 30-day money-back guarantee with providers like Hostinger, ScalaHosting, and Namecheap. If you need a simple hosting solution to run an app or website and don’t want to pay for premium VPS hosting, shared hosting plans may be a better option.


