Cheap VPS Hosting Providers 2024: 7 Money-Saving Services
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VPS hosting is a great choice for any new and ambitious website, or someone who’s outgrown their shared hosting plan and wants to upgrade. We recommend Bluehost, our top choice for VPS hosting with a research score of 4.6 out of 5, largely thanks to its rich features and affordable price.
Alternatively, you could choose IONOS, joint first with Bluehost for value for money, and a real powerhouse because of its fast site speed and reliable uptime.
The problem for many people is the step up in price: your website is ready for bigger and better things, but can the same be said for your bank account?
While DreamHost’s most expensive plan comes in at $100+ per month, VPS hosting doesn’t have to be expensive! To help you find a bargain in the haystack, we’ve put in hours of research and tested services with needle-like precision.
Through a combination of hard work and expert knowledge, we’re now ready to lift the lid on the best, cheap VPS hosting providers. We’ll be focusing mainly on 12-month subscriptions, but you’ll be able to get a greater discount if you commit for a longer period of time.
Without further ado, here are the top seven:
7 Best Cheap VPS Hosting Services
- Bluehost: $23.99/month
- IONOS: $2/month
- GoDaddy Hosting: $5.99/month
- InMotion: $24.99/month
- DreamHost: $13.75/month (for new accounts)
- HostGator: $23.95/month (introductory offer)
- GreenGeeks: $39.95/month
Both Bluehost and IONOS came first in our price testing for VPS hosting, scoring 3.9 out of 5, but Bluehost just takes the cake. Its starting plan costs just $23.99 per month. IONOS is a close second with the cheapest plan in this list at $2 per month, and GoDaddy Hosting rounds out the top three at $5.99/month.
It’s important to keep in mind that the cheapest VPS hosting provider is not necessarily the best provider for you. Hosting plans with great long-term value will give you the best features for the lowest price, not average features for the lowest price. The latter might be a cost-effective option if you just need a basic site but, if you’re playing the long game, then paying a little more per month will show in the quality of your site.
You can see how the three cheapest hosting providers performed in our research by checking out their scores below:
We tested 27 hosting providers to evaluate them in terms of price, performance, features, help and support, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to our readers.
Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in five main categories of investigation and 30 subcategories. In total, we cover 282 areas of investigation – and we go through this process for every type of hosting the provider has to offer!
Our main testing categories for hosting providers are:
- Price: the cost associated with the hosting services provided by a hosting provider, such as subscription plans, pricing tiers, and any additional fees or charges.
- Performance: the speed, reliability, and overall performance of a hosting provider’s servers. It encompasses factors such as server uptime and response time.
- Features: the specific functionalities and capabilities provided by a hosting provider, including storage space, bandwidth allocation, and server location.
- Help and Support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance, e.g. tutorials and email or chat support.
- Market Analysis / Customer Score: the assessment of the hosting provider’s position and reputation in the market.
The Website Builder Expert product testing process
Cheap VPS Hosting Plans for New Customers
What’s important to understand about hosting is that most providers offer ‘new customer deals’ – these are promotional prices for hosting that last for a set period of time.
After the promotional period, your monthly price will renew at the regular rate. This may sound like a standard advertising trap, but some of the time periods are very generous! Just take a look at our table below:
| Provider | Plan | Monthly Cost | Renewal Cost (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost | Standard | $19.99 (36 months) | $29.99 |
| IONOS | VPS XL | $2 (6 months) | $25 |
| GoDaddy Hosting | 1 vCPU | $4.99 (36 months) | $4.99 |
| InMotion | VPS 8GB RAM | $39.99 (36 months) | $86.99 |
| DreamHost | VPS Basic | $13.75 (12 months) | $15.99 |
| HostGator | Snappy 2000 | $23.95 (12 months) | $79.95 |
| GreenGeeks | 4GB | $59.95 (12 months) | $59.95 |
As you can see, most promotion periods last between one and three years. For example, IONOS’ VPS XL plan costs just $2 per month – usually $25 per month – for the first six months.
Other providers are reserved with their promotions but, for the features you’re getting, they still represent great value. Bluehost’s Standard plan is available for $19.99 per month for three years. And it’s only $10 per month more after that.
Now that you know the prices, let’s take a closer look at each provider and really find out what you get for your money. Before we start, a matter of security (literally) – all of these providers offer an SSL security certificate, so we haven’t bothered mentioning it in each mini review.
Read on as we delve into detail, looking at prices, features and more.
Further Information
- Best Web Hosting: Click here for our overall top-ranked providers.
- Web Hosting Comparison Chart: For a side-by-side detailed look, head to our chart.
Bluehost: $23.99/month
Bluehost
Best for VPS hosting
- Unlimited domains
- Strong help and support
- WordPress integration
Paid Plans: $2.95 - $119.99 / month
Pros
-
Feature heavy plans - 99.98% uptime guarantee
- Affordable provider
Cons
-
Be wary of additional charges - Little storage on plans
- No migration support
Bluehost is our top choice for VPS hosting, scoring 4.6 out of 5 in our latest research. In fact, it performed the best in our overall hosting research, securing the number one position!
With an impressive uptime and an array of other features, it’s easy to see why.
Bluehost gives Standard plan users unlimited email accounts and domains, 2GB of RAM, and 1TB of bandwidth. Its standout feature is a free domain, which is seldom offered among cheap VPS plans.
Bluehost also scores 4.5 out of 5 in our research for VPS hosting help and support, which is an invaluable part of the web hosting experience – and definitely worth a few extra bucks.
However, one area of disappointment is Bluehost’s poor performance score of 2.7 out of 5 in our VPS testing. IONOS would be a much stronger choice if this is a key factor for you, but overall, Bluehost remains a solid hosting provider.
Further Information
- Bluehost vs InMotion: See how Bluehost compares with InMotion in our thorough breakdown.
- Bluehost vs HostGator: Take a look at our comparison of these two impressive hosting providers.
- Bluehost vs GoDaddy: See if Bluehost or GoDaddy are the right choice for you in our post.
IONOS: $2/month
IONOS
Best for site speed and uptime
- Great value for money
- Fast server response time
- 99.99% uptime
Paid Plans: $0.5 - $35 / month
Pros
- Affordable plans
- Great WordPress integration
- Carbon neutral provider
Cons
- Lack of features
- Fees for Windows hosting
- Poor help and support
When it comes to price and affordability, IONOS is a solid choice and on par with Bluehost’s cost-effective plans. In our VPS hosting research, IONOS scores a winning 3.9 out of 5 for value for money, which is one of the reasons why it ranks so high on this list.
You can start off with its cheap $2 per month VPS S plan, or upgrade to the top-tier memory-optimized VPS XXL RAM plan for $24 per month – which is still very affordable when compared with other providers, such as HostGator or GreenGeeks.
IONOS is the best hosting provider for site speed and uptime, passing our tests with flying colors and positioning itself as one of the most reliable providers.
However, IONOS is slightly let down by what it offers overall, scoring 2.5 out of 5 during our VPS hosting features tests, whereas HostGator wins with a score of 4.3 out of 5. IONOS also has a fairly average score of 3.5 out of 5 for its help and support options.
Further Information
- Best Hosting Providers for Small Businesses: Our article breaks down the top hosting providers for small businesses, including IONOS!
GoDaddy: $5.99/month
GoDaddy
Good value for money
- Comprehensive platform
- Great value for money
- Strong support available
Paid Plans: $6.99 - $469.99 / month
Pros
- Affordable VPS plans
- 2nd best server response time
- 24/7 phone and live chat
Cons
- Poor site speed
- Costly for Windows users
- No domains
GoDaddy is the world’s largest domain registrar. It has an intuitive AI (Artificial Intelligence) website builder, and it offers web hosting as well. Its services are all above average, scoring an overall 4 out of 5 in our VPS hosting tests – a great, comprehensive solution!
Ironically, you don’t get a free domain with GoDaddy’s VPS hosting, but you do get access to some impressive help and support features, including 24/7 live chat and phone services. In fact, our research gave GoDaddy a high score of 4.3 out of 5 for its VPS help and support, making it a strong competitor to other top-tier VPS providers, such as Bluehost and HostGator.
The majority of GoDaddy Hosting’s features stand up: its uptime is a respectable 99%, unlimited traffic, and automated weekly backups – which is a great bonus.
Further Information
- GoDaddy vs Bluehost: Compare the two hosting providers in our article.
- GoDaddy vs HostGator: See if GoDaddy or HostGator are the right fit for your website needs.
InMotion: $24.99/month
InMotion
Reliable and secure VPS hosting
- Secure security features
- 24/7 support
- Powerful plans
Paid Plans: $3.49 - $539.99 / month
Pros
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Free WordPress migration
- Free backups
Cons
- Less affordable than other providers
- Linux only hosting
- Not all plans have unlimited bandwidth
When it comes to VPS hosting, InMotion is very good, and it secures its high position with a score of 4.4 out of 5 overall in our VPS research. You’ll have to shell out a little more than you would for some other providers, such as Bluehost or GoDaddy Hosting, but you’re getting quality features and service. And, because you’re a Website Builder Expert reader, you get all of that for a hugely discounted price!
4GB of RAM, 75GB of storage, and 4TB of bandwidth – and that’s just on InMotion’s most rudimentary VPS plan, which costs just $24.99/month for a 12-month subscription. You’ll also say hello to optional root access; free backups; and unlimited CPU cores, email accounts, and domains.
InMotion’s three-year term price for its cheapest VPS plan is $19.99/month, and new users usually get a 25% discount on their first term. However, InMotion has an exclusive discount just for our readers to enjoy, which gives you a huge 70% off and brings the monthly price down to just $17.99!
With savings that good, there’s really very little reason not to opt for an InMotion VPS hosting plan.
InMotion is our top choice for value for money, despite it being pricier than some of its competitors. Its $17.99 per month plan is an exclusive deal for Website Builder Expert readers to enjoy, giving you 70% off its regular price of $59.99/month. InMotion topped our research for its VPS offering, so you get all of its powerful features, from root access to three dedicated IP addresses, for a hugely discounted price!
Further Information
- InMotion vs Bluehost: Explore the differences between these two hosting providers for yourself in our comparison article.
DreamHost: $13.75/month
DreamHost
Custom control panel
- Affordable VPS plans
- 2nd best for site speed
- 24/7 support available
Paid Plans: $2.95 - $379 / month
Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
- 100% uptime guarantee
- Scalable RAM
Cons
- Uses own control panel
- No phone support
- No root access on plans
If you’re worried about the price increase after a promotion ends, we recommend DreamHost. The amount you pay hardly changes – around $14/month to $15/month.
On DreamHost’s Basic plan, you’ll only get 30GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. The storage space will be fine for most sites, but larger ones may struggle with a single gigabyte of RAM. The real selling points are its unlimited offerings: domains, email accounts and bandwidth, all as standard. For that, DreamHost scores a great 3.7 out of 5 for its VPS hosting features.
Where DreamHost falls down in our estimations is that it doesn’t give you root access. This means you won’t have full control over the server environment. DreamHost also lags behind in customer support, scoring 2.8 out of 5 in our help and support testing, which is a stark difference from top customer support hosting providers, such as HostGator. DreamHost’s poor score is largely thanks to its lack of a live chat service – so you might be saving money, but definitely not time.
HostGator: $23.95/month
HostGator
Best for features, backups, and domains
- Great site speed
- Best for help and support
- Heavy on features
Paid Plans: $3.95 - $159.99 / month
Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Great for larger sites
- Free backups
Cons
- Steep renewal prices
- Slow server response time
- Poor value for money
HostGator is the second best in our overall web hosting ratings and VPS hosting research, just behind Bluehost. It’s our winner for shared hosting providers but, when looking at cheap and affordable VPS plans, HostGator falls down the ranks a little. It does offer some great features though, with the top score of 4.3 out of 5 in our VPS features testing.
Feast your eyes on a whopping 120GB of storage, perfect for large websites with lots of high-quality imagery. Bandwidth of 1.5TB isn’t terrible either, and free backups are a nice bonus.
Problems arise when you look at the renewal prices ($79.95 per month after a 12-month subscription at $23.95 per month). In our VPS testing, HostGator scores an average 3.1 out of 5 for price, a real drop in comparison to Bluehost and IONOS who excel when it comes to value for money. That said, there are great promotional deals and introductory costs, so that’s not as bad as it first seems. But still – anyone setting up a small to medium-size website shouldn’t have to shell out this much.
Further Information
- HostGator vs GoDaddy: See how HostGator compares with GoDaddy in our review.
- HostGator vs Bluehost: Unsure who to pick? Take a look at our comparison of the two top VPS hosting providers.
GreenGeeks: $39.95/month
GreenGeeks
Best eco-friendly VPS hosting provider
- Green hosting provider
- 24/7 live chat support
- Up to 150GB disk space
Paid Plans: $2.95 - $109.95 / month
Pros
- 300% carbon offsetting
- Green Power Partner of US EPA
- 24/7 live chat
Cons
- Poor value for money
- Limited data center locations
- No 24/7 phone support
Rounding out our top, cheap VPS hosting providers, we have GreenGeeks. If affordability and sustainability are important to you, this eco-friendly hosting provider could be the perfect fit for your needs – it’s even recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Partner!
With a pricing score of 3.1 out of 5, it’s not the cheapest option available, especially in comparison to Bluehost, but you are paying a little more for its green energy service and helpful support.
GreenGeeks’ basic 2GB VPS plan starts at $39.95 per month (billed annually), and you’ll enjoy access to 50GB of disk space, cPanel, a free SSL certificate, and more. That being said, our research did find its VPS hosting features to be underwhelming, only scoring 1.9 out of 5 – the lowest score of all the VPS providers we tested. So you’re paying a lot for little in return! In comparison, the top VPS hosting provider for features is HostGator with a score of 4.3 out of 5.
Cheap VPS Hosting Renewal Plans
Promotional prices are great but, let’s be honest, it’s the long-term cost that’s most important. You don’t want to be happily paying $39.99 one month, only to be hit with an $86.99 per month bill the next (we’re looking at you, InMotion).
With that in mind, here are the cheapest VPS hosting plans on offer, based on post-promotional price:
| Provider | Plan | Monthly Cost | Renewal Cost (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoDaddy Hosting | 1 vCPU | $4.99 (36 months) | $4.99 |
| DreamHost | VPS Basic | $13.75 (12 months) | $15.99 |
| IONOS | VPS XL | $2 (6 months) | $25 |
| HostGator | Snappy 2000 | $23.95 (12 months) | $79.95 |
| Bluehost | Standard | $19.99 (36 months) | $29.99 |
| GreenGeeks | 4GB | $59.95 (12 months) | $59.95 |
| InMotion | VPS 8GB RAM | $39.99 (36 months) | $86.99 |
As you can see, GoDaddy Hosting’s 36-month plan renews at the same price, but don’t be caught out! GoDaddy’s 12-month contract on its basic VPS plan will cost you $5.99, but it’ll renew at the steeper cost of $7.99 per month after that.
If you’re a real bargain hunter and don’t mind the upheaval, you could even change from one provider to the next after your promotional period expires. It’s more effort on your side, but you’ll never have to pay full price to host your site – and you’ll avoid any unwanted surprises!
Further Information
- Best Cheap Shared Hosting Providers: If you’re not quite ready for VPS hosting, check out these deals from shared hosting providers.
Cheap VPS Hosting: Summary
You should now have a clear idea of who the cheapest VPS providers are. Not only that, we’ve also run through a little bit about each provider to help you make the best decision based on your needs.
VPS hosting is cheaper for new customers because of promotions. These are ‘new customer’ monthly fees that can last for up to three years. So, if you’re looking for cheap VPS hosting, here’s a recap of the seven cheapest out there (12-month subscriptions):
7 Best Cheap VPS Hosting Services
- Bluehost: $23.99/month
- IONOS: $2/month
- GoDaddy Hosting: $5.99/month
- InMotion: $24.99/month
- DreamHost: $13.75/month (for new accounts)
- HostGator: $23.95/month
- GreenGeeks: $39.95/month
How to Choose a Cheap VPS Hosting Provider
As we know, cheap doesn’t always mean the best value. If you’re looking for that perfect middle ground between cost-effective and great quality, here are a few things to consider:
- Uptime – Be wary of services with poor uptime. It may be cheap, but if your site goes down, you’re paying for nothing.
- Bandwidth – If you expect to get a few thousand visitors every week, bandwidth is important. Slow loading speeds can be the difference between someone browsing your site, or bouncing straight off of it.
- Storage Space – For any site that has tons of web pages or high quality media (photos, videos etc.), be sure to pick a plan with ample storage space.
- Purpose of Website – It may sound obvious but, if you’re running a business website, things like free email accounts are a nice touch for employees to save you the hassle.
For example, we recommend Bluehost over IONOS because, even though Bluehost is more expensive, you’re investing in better quality and better customer service. Since it’s no small task to create your own website, we think that the additional spend is well worth it.
All of the providers mentioned in this article have money-back guarantees of at least 30 days. So why not give them a whirl – after all, it won’t have to cost you a thing.
Cheap VPS Hosting: FAQs
Website Builder Expert aims to provide you with honest data. That’s why we conduct our own research and obtain direct, personal insight.
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