The best VPS hosting services for 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

Jul 10, 2026 - 13:05

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The best VPS hosting services for 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

As your new business or online project grows, you might find that shared web hosting can no longer keep up with you. Slow performance, traffic limitations, restricted storage, and low levels of support can prevent your venture from reaching new heights and may negatively impact customer experience. Upgrading to a virtual private server (VPS) hosting service is one of the best ways to improve hosting speed, reliability, resource allocation, and access to useful third-party features, while keeping your project in budget.

VPS services provide dedicated resources and isolate your hosting from other customers in a virtual environment, giving you more power, flexibility, scalability, and uptime reliability. The services we recommend offer varied pricing, customizable resources, reliable security, and scalability to suit your needs. In ZDNET's July update, we completed an in-depth editorial revision of our 2026 guide and revised our FAQ to answer more of your most frequent question. We also added Liquid Web to our favorites, and BuyVM as an interesting alternative VPS service.

Also: The best VPNs: Expert tested and reviewed

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What is the best VPS hosting service right now?

We selected Ionos as the best VPS hosting service in the market today. This service strikes a balance between performance, security, and price, offering a range of options suitable for individuals and businesses. Plans start at only $2 per month, which is very affordable for VPS hosting, and free 24/7 support is available.

Another of our favorites is Hostinger. Available from $6.49 per month, Hostinger provides a range of VPS solutions, including varying virtual central processing unit (vCPU) options, random access memory (RAM), and storage. Automatic weekly backups are included as standard.

Also: The best cloud hosting services for 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

After thoroughly researching and testing a range of VPS hosting providers, we identified the best services, from highly customizable offerings to beginner-friendly products and those seeking solid support. Read on to explore what's on offer by our favorite VPS services.

The best VPS hosting services of 2026

Ionos

Ionos is my top choice for VPS hosting in 2026, as it balances price, customization, and security, making it a solid option for businesses and individuals of many sizes.

Why we like it: Ionos makes VPS hosting easy, especially if you like having options to tweak your setup. You can adjust the server setup to fit your exact needs. The control panel is straightforward, so you don't have to be super technical to get things going, and the learning curve isn't steep.

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When I tried Ionos, I found the setup process pretty painless. The free Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate and domain on some plans are a nice touch, saving you a bit of cash and hassle when getting started. Security is also well covered, as Ionos automatically includes distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection and regular backups.

In terms of performance, Ionos delivered. I didn't encounter any significant slowdowns, and everything remained up and running smoothly. The company is also exploring AI applications suitable for SMBs.

Who it's for: All in all, Ionos offers solid value for the price, making it a great all-around service for most users. It's reliable, easy to customize, and comes with the features you need without breaking the bank.

Regarding pricing, the Ionos entry-level plan, VPS S+, offers 2 vCore CPUs, 2GB of RAM, and 90GB of NVMe storage for $2 per month. You can test it risk-free for one month. Subscriptions are tiered and reach $18 per month, depending on the power and resources you want, including the number of CPU vCores, memory, and storage.

Ionos provides a 30-day money-back guarantee.

A downside I noticed was the customer support -- it's a mixed bag. Sometimes, you get great help; other times, it feels like the support people are just ticking boxes. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's something to be aware of.

Who should look elsewhere: There are more suitable options on our list that will appeal to beginners with less technical experience or those who want even more power and plan flexibility. Overall, Ionos will work well for many people interested in signing up for VPS hosting.

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Hostinger

When you think of Hostinger, think of great value for your money. This VPS service is my favorite when budget is a deciding factor.

Why we like it: Hostinger effectively handles most small- to medium-sized projects. It's optimized for WordPress, which is perfect if you're running a blog or a content-heavy site. Plus, its 24/7 customer support means there's always someone available to help if you run into any issues.

The control panel is straightforward, so even if you're not super tech-savvy, you'll find it easy to manage your server.

Review: Hostinger

Hostinger is also one of ZDNET's picks for the best web hosting service of 2026. ZDNET author Charlie Osborne is a Hostinger customer and has found the service to be generally reliable, with minimal downtime and a reasonable price. Support is on hand, though it can take a while to reach the right department. Once you get there, though, problems are often quickly resolved.

Who it's for: If you're working with a tight budget but still want reliable VPS hosting, this is a great option.

Hostinger VPS plans start at $6.49 per month on a KVM 1 two-year contract. Bandwidth and resource levels vary by subscription, although they start at 1 vCPU core, 4GB of RAM, 50GB of storage, and 4TB of bandwidth. You can't really argue with this price point, especially if you're starting a new project.

If you're in the market for the most RAM possible, Hostinger offers more than Ionos on its top-tier $26 per month option with 32GB of RAM and 400GB of storage.

Who should look elsewhere: If you're running a large-scale operation or need more advanced features, Hostinger might not be the best fit. It's more focused on providing solid, basic VPS hosting at a hard-to-beat price.

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Screenshot via Charlie Osborne | ZDNet

InMotion Hosting is known for its excellent customer support, making it one of my top choices for VPS hosting today.

Why we like it: Simply put, its performance is solid and backed by an excellent customer service team. The solid-state drive (SSD) storage ensures your site loads quickly, and the company includes free backups to keep your data safe.

The support staff is responsive and genuinely helpful, which can make a big difference if you aren't very familiar with server management. It is also available around the clock to help you with both starting out and more complex setups.

Review: InMotion Hosting

It also makes switching over from another host quite painless. The free site migration service handles all the technical work, so you don't have to worry about downtime or data loss. On top of that, the server-management tools are straightforward, making it easy to keep everything running smoothly.

Features of note include dedicated IP addresses, flexible core, RAM, and storage options, as well as Docker compatibility and bare-metal servers.

Who it's for: This service is for anyone who expects to need ongoing customer support throughout their hosting journey.

Plus, the plans are scalable, so as your business grows, your hosting can grow with you.

Also: Best malware removal software of 2026

Plans start at $11 per month for the entry-level plan, which has recently been discounted by several dollars per month. The most resource-intensive subscription will cost you the better part of $40 per month, with price hikes set after the first year.

You should also be aware that control panel options and backup support can increase the cost of your monthly bill. However, if you opt for a premium plan, your bandwidth is unlimited, and you will also be given dedicated IP addresses. Security packages are also available.

Who should look elsewhere: The only real downside is that InMotion has fewer data centers than some of the bigger players, which might affect performance if your audience is global. This shouldn't be a deal-breaker for most users, especially those in North America.

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Liquid Web review | Best web hosting service

If you'd rather not deal with the technical side of things and want to stay relatively hands-off, Liquid Web's fully managed VPS hosting is the way to go.

Why we like it: If you would rather avoid the technical knowledge required to handle a VPS server, you can leave it in the hands of this VPS provider. Liquid Web handles updates, security, and other maintenance tasks, so you can focus on running your site.

The range of plans is also impressive with generous resources on offer ranging from RAM and storage to bandwidth. Windows, Interworx, cPanel, Plesk, and root access are available, and you also benefit from DDoS protection.

Plus, it offers a money-back guarantee. This means you can try it out for 30 days without issue, or potentially up to 90 days in some cases.

Who it's for: You can choose between managed or unmanaged VPS hosting. While we consider the managed plan the standout, you can also sign up with Liquid Web for self-managed or bare-metal packages.

As managed VPS services require more from providers, they will be more expensive than typical VPS plans. Still, with a starting price of $36 per month and a fair amount of computing resources, RAM, and storage, we think Liquid Web's pricing structure is reasonable.

Who should look elsewhere: If you'd prefer to manage your own setup and spend less each month, consider one of our more affordable alternatives.

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Kamatera

Kamatera is a great pick if you need VPS hosting that can grow with your business, thanks to its flexibility and scalability.

Why we like it: You can tweak CPU, RAM, and storage on the fly. This is handy if you're dealing with unexpected traffic or need to expand your services.

When I tried out Kamatera, I found the setup process to be smooth and the control panel easy to navigate. It has data centers worldwide, so you can pick a location close to your audience. This helps reduce latency and keeps your site running fast, even under high visitor load.

One thing that stands out is the pay-as-you-go pricing. You only pay for what you use, and there's no need to lock yourself into a long-term contract. It's cost-effective if you need that kind of flexibility. Simple subscriptions range from $4 - $12 per month.

You can also delve deeper into technical and customization options such as processors, storage, bandwidth, and RAM. You can also choose from a range of data center locations and operating systems.

Apps are constantly being added to the Kamatera marketplace for purposes including workflow automation, app hosting, and server management.

Who it's for: If your business is growing or you're managing a project where resource needs can change quickly, Kamatera makes it easy to scale up or down.

A free trial is also available.

Who should look elsewhere: Backups aren't included for free, so you'll need to account for this if keeping your data safe is a priority. If you're looking for free backups, another of my top picks might be a better fit.

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Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

DigitalOcean is a go-to option for VPS hosting, offering extensive customization, which has earned it a place among our top picks.

Why we like it: It provides you with the tools to build and manage your server exactly as you want. If you like to have control over every detail, this is the platform for you.

The interface is clean and straightforward, making it easy to set up and customize your server to your needs.

When I used DigitalOcean, I found it to be especially useful for developer use cases. You can choose everything from the storage type to the level of central processing unit (CPU) power, which is great if your project needs something specific.

Plus, the strong developer community and extensive documentation are helpful if you ever get stuck or want to learn more.

To put this into perspective, I launched a Japanese gaming media site using DigitalOcean. I used smaller Droplets when I first started developing, then scaled up once we launched. After hitting 10,000 visitors in a month, I scaled up again. It's astonishing how simple it is.

Who it's for: If you're comfortable figuring things out on your own, DigitalOcean's flexibility and clear pricing make it a solid choice, especially if you want to tailor your plan.

From January, DigitalOcean moved to per-second billing, with a 60-second minimum, for Droplets. Managed VPS hosting is also available via Cloudways.

Free credit is on offer for new customers.

Who should look elsewhere: The customer support isn't as strong as what you'll find with some other providers. You'll mostly rely on community forums and documentation for help, which may influence your decision.

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GoDaddy

If you're just dipping your toes into VPS hosting, GoDaddy is a great place to start. While the website itself is a bit confusing and clunky, the service itself is great for beginners.

Why we like it: The setup process is straightforward, so you won't need to be a tech expert to get your server up and running. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, which makes managing your VPS stress-free.

Review: GoDaddy

I've had hands-on experience with GoDaddy, and one thing that stands out is how beginner-friendly it is. There's a lot of helpful guidance along the way, and the customer support is solid. If you run into any issues, it's got 24/7 support and a ton of tutorials and articles to help you out.

Who it's for: GoDaddy is suitable for beginners and offers affordable plans, often with discounts, making it a budget-friendly option if you're just starting out.

Plans start at $9 per month on a three-year term, but RAM is low at only 2GB, so this would only suit small projects. Premium options offer 4 vCPU cores and 16GB RAM but will cost you far more. The most resource-heavy plans are priced at $45 per month.

Who should look elsewhere: If you're looking for advanced features or more control over your server, you might find GoDaddy a bit limiting. It's geared more toward simplicity and ease of use than power and flexibility.

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Below you will find some of the most important factors to help you decide on the best VPS hosting solution for you.

VPS hosting provider	Cost (starts at)	Scalable?	Uptime guarantee	AI?
Ionos	$2 per month	Yes	99.9%	Limited
Hostinger	$6.49 per month	Reasonably	99.99%	Active development
InMotion	$5 per month	Yes	99.99%	Active development
Liquid Web	$36 per month	Yes	99.99%	Yes, server management
Kamatera	$4 per month	Yes	99.95%	Limited
DigitalOcean	Pay-as-you-go, $14 per month	Yes	99.99%	Yes, active development
GoDaddy	$9 per month	Yes	99.99%	Limited

Choose this VPS hosting service…	If you want…
Ionos	A well-rounded service that balances performance, security, and customization. This VPS hosting service is likely the right fit for those who require a comprehensive hosting solution, and for a reasonable price.
Hostinger	A budget-friendly option that still gives you the essential features you need. Hostinger is one of my top picks for small businesses and individuals who want to save money, but still prize reliability. We also like its plan flexibility, although the best deals only apply to two-year contracts.
InMotion Hosting	Top-notch customer support that's always there when you need it. This service is the best fit for folks who value having help available 24/7. Free backups are also available.
Liquid Web	Fast and reliable performance, scalability, and a fully managed VPS hosting service. Liquid Web takes the guesswork out of managing your environment and will handle everything from configuration to security updates for you.
Kamatera	To easily scale your resources up or down as needed, without getting stuck in long-term contracts. This option is best for businesses that need flexibility to grow and those with the budget to back it.
DigitalOcean	The ability to customize every little detail of your server setup. If you are a developer or you like full control, DigitalOcean will likely offer the features and flexibility you need.
GoDaddy	A super easy platform to get started with, plus solid customer support to help you along the way. Its best for anyone new to VPS hosting, and for an affordable price.

Everyone has different hosting requirements and wish lists, whether you're launching a new business, running an e-commerce store, or using a SaaS solution that isn't compatible with limited shared hosting resources.

Here's a rundown to help you make the right choice of VPS hosting provider in 2026:

Performance and uptime: You need your website or app to run smoothly and be available whenever users need it, without poor performance. Look for a VPS hosting service that offers solid performance and reliable uptime, so your site doesn't go down at the worst possible moment. It's also worth checking the hardware on offer if you're more technically-minded.
Scalability: As your site or app grows, your hosting needs will also change. Make sure your VPS service can easily scale up or down so you can control resources like CPU, RAM, and storage as needed. If you want extensive control, opt for a VPS service that lets you fully customize your plans. Flexibility is always preferable, especially if a provider offers only a handful of packages with fixed hardware and resources.
Security features: Security is a big deal. Look for features like DDoS protection, firewalls, and SSL certificates to keep your data safe and protect your site from potential threats. We would also recommend picking a service that enables two-factor authentication (2FA) on backend user and admin accounts.
Pricing: Take a close look at the pricing options. Some providers offer pay-as-you-go plans that let you pay only for what you use, while others have fixed plans. Also, watch out for hidden costs like extra fees for certain features or higher renewal rates. VPS hosting costs can increase quickly, so ensure you are only paying for what you need.
Ease of use: A user-friendly control panel and management tools can make your life much easier, especially if you are not interested in granular controls. Choose a service that won't require a ton of time or effort to manage.
Maintenance: Consider whether you or your team will handle hosting maintenance and managing software and security updates. If you'd prefer to hand over these jobs to the VPS hosting provider, a managed VPS option will probably be your best bet.
Uptime: Most web hosting providers have service-level agreements that promise a high uptime percentage, up to 99.9%. Check the promised uptime and whether customers are entitled to compensation if the VPS hosting fails to maintain its pledged level of service.
Support and documentation: Good customer support is a must when you hit a snag. Check whether the provider offers 24/7 support and has plenty of documentation or tutorials to help you solve problems on your own.

When we test VPS hosting services, we like to dive in and really get a feel for how they work. We do this so we can provide honest, reliable, and well-informed recommendations. Here are the ways we test VPS hosting services.

Hands-on testing: First off, we get hands-on with the services. I've worked with several companies and managed multiple projects that relied on VPS hosting, so I've had plenty of opportunities to see how these services perform in different scenarios. Using these services lets me assess how easy they are to set up, how well they perform in terms of uptime and load times, and how they handle everyday tasks. This gives me a solid understanding of what it's like to use these services in the real world. Additionally, other ZDNET authors have contributed their own experiences.
Feature comparisons: We also compare the granular details, such as features, pricing, and security. VPS hosting providers often tweak their offerings, so we stay on top of these changes to ensure our recommendations are up to date and relevant.
Real user reviews: We pay close attention to what actual users are saying. Reviews can be hit or miss, so we look at a ton of them to spot patterns, both good and bad. This helps us figure out what's consistently working well with a service and what might be causing users headaches.
Research: We round out our testing with some good old-fashioned research. We dig into industry reports and expert opinions and check out how each provider stacks up in the market overall. This helps us back up our findings and ensures we're giving you recommendations based on both experience and solid research.
Transparency: We opt for vendors that provide frequent, transparent updates on their VPS services and overall business operations. If a company is stagnant and doesn't frequently communicate any changes, this influences our decision on whether exploring their solutions further is worth it.

By combining hands-on experience, real user feedback, detailed comparisons, and thorough research, we're confident that our VPS hosting recommendations will help you find the right fit for your needs.

Latest news in the hosting space

Two men were arrested in the Netherlands, and roughly 800 servers were seized due to alleged links to a web hosting company that allegedly facilitated cyberattacks.
Dreamhost launched a new self-managed VPS service for AI applications and development.
A new study revealed 28% of business leaders believe their organization wouldn't survive more than two days without a website.
Hostinger research suggests that the majority of emails are now automated, with only 13% of emails actually written by humans.
A new Sophos report revealed that bulletproof hosting services are being rented out with VMs for use in ransomware campaigns.

Virtual private server, or VPS, hosting is a type of web hosting that divides a physical server into multiple virtual servers. Each one acts like a dedicated server but shares the physical server with other VPSs. Instead of competing with other users for resources like CPU, RAM, and storage, you get your own. This keeps things running more smoothly.

VPS hosting also gives you more control than shared hosting. You can install the software you need and make custom configurations, because you have root access to your server. It's a good middle ground for websites or apps that need more power and flexibility than shared hosting offers, but without the higher costs of a full dedicated server.

Also: The best cloud hosting services: Expert tested

VPS hosting sits between shared and dedicated hosting in terms of cost and resources.

With shared hosting, your website shares a server with other sites. It's cheap, but if other sites on the server are hogging resources, your site might slow down.
In VPS hosting, you still share a physical server, but you get your own slice of it with dedicated resources. This means better performance and more control over your server settings compared with shared hosting.
Dedicated hosting gives you an entire server all to yourself. It's the most expensive option, but it offers the best performance and full control over everything. It's great for big sites or apps that need a lot of power.

No, they're not the same, but they can be easily confused. VPS hosting requires dedicated resources on a machine. Cloud hosting can pull in and use resources from multiple locations in the cloud. It's often the preferred option for projects that may need rapid upscaling.

Yes, you can find free VPS hosting, but it usually comes with limitations. Most free VPS plans offer limited resources like lower CPU power, less RAM, and very limited storage. These plans are mostly used for testing, learning, or running small, low-traffic projects.

Also: Best free web hosting

Keep in mind that free VPS hosting also often lacks the support and reliability you'd get with paid services.

Some providers offer free trials of their paid VPS plans. This can be a sensible way to try out the service as intended before committing to a subscription. However, for a serious website or app, investing in a paid VPS plan is usually the better choice.

Yes, you can scale your VPS as your business gets bigger. Most VPS hosting providers offer plans that let you upgrade your resources -- including CPU, RAM, and storage -- as needed. This means you can start with a smaller plan and increase your resources over time without switching to a different hosting service mid-project.

Scaling your VPS is usually pretty easy and can be done through your hosting provider's control panel. Or you can always contact customer support if needed.

Yes, VPS hosting is generally secure. Since your virtual server is isolated from others on the same physical server, your data and resources are kept separate, which adds a layer of security.

Most VPS hosting providers also offer additional security features such as firewalls, DDoS protection, and regular backups to help protect your data. If a service doesn't offer such features, you probably shouldn't use it.

However, security also depends on how well you manage your server. Keeping software up to date and using strong passwords are important steps in maintaining a secure VPS.

A VPS hosting plan can cost as little as a few dollars per month or as much as $100 in the same time period. How much you will pay depends on the service you require, including how much RAM and storage you want, the type of support you require, and whether or not you opt for advanced hosting features. The cost of a VPS service is as varied as the solutions in the market today.

Yes, you can, as there are some free hosting providers out there, such as Wix. However, free accounts are always limited in some way. This may include storage space, bandwidth, and whether or not you can use a CMS like WordPress to manage your website. In addition, you will need to share resources, and you may have to agree to adverts being displayed on your website.

Think about it this way: The domain name is the address of your house, and web hosting is your house's contents.

You need a domain name, such as "johnsmith .com" to point to your web host, which you use to store the content your visitors see. You usually have to pay to register a domain name separately from signing up for a web host, but some hosting providers give you a free domain name for a year or two as part of the deal.

While there is plenty of hype around AI, with many organizations implementing AI solutions just to appear to be modern and at the forefront of new technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) can benefit VPS hosting. LLMs can be used to analyze traffic volumes, for example, and automatically shift resources to prevent downtime -- as well as combat DDoS attacks and other security threats.

If you sign up for a managed VPS hosting service, the responsibility for the server's infrastructure falls to the provider, not you. This means that you won't have to worry about configuration, security updates, and maintenance.

Unmanaged VPS hosting services require you, or your employees, to handle all server-related tasks, including administration and updates.

As there is less for the VPS provider to do, unmanaged VPS hosting services are often far cheaper.

Yes, if you decide to go with an unmanaged VPS service. This means you will need to be comfortable with handling server administration, updates, and configuration yourself. However, if you choose a managed service, far less technical knowledge is required.

It's worth knowing what root access is when you are exploring VPS hosting. Root access gives you the highest level of control over your hosting and allows you to make changes at the deepest level. It's ideal for anyone who wants full administrative control, but unnecessary unless you want to configure every aspect of your server.

Most VPS plans, managed or unmanaged, will allow you to host multiple websites on one system at the same time. However, you need to ensure you have the computing resources to handle them all, especially if your websites require high bandwidth and hardware support.

Absolutely. There are even VPS hosting services and plans that specialize in the CMS. WordPress is a very popular way to manage the backend of websites, and with so many powerful plugins available for the platform, VPS hosting can be the best way to handle high resource demands.

Latest updates

July 2026: In ZDNET's July update, we performed an editorial review and revised our FAQ to answer more of your most frequent question. We also added Liquid Web to our favorites, and BuyVM as an interesting alternative VPS service.
March 2026: In ZDNET's March update, we refreshed our 2026 guide, examining recent customer reviews and updating our recommendations with the latest news in the VPS hosting space.
January 2026: In ZDNET's January update, we completed a thorough review of our guide for 2026 and refreshed the services we recommend.

More VPS hosting services to consider

Linode

Akamai Cloud, formerly Linode, is great if you want something simple and reliable. It's a good pick for developers or anyone who likes a no-nonsense approach to VPS hosting and wants granular control over their computing resources. A pricing list is available that lays out the costs of options, including RAM, GPUs, and storage.

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BuyVM

BuyVM has amassed a following of loyal customers, with many reporting excellent service, quick resolutions, and solid support. Not only that, but VPS services start at only a few dollars per month.

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(Image: DreamHost)

DreamHost is a solid option if you're looking for something user-friendly yet powerful. Its entry plan provides generous computing resources and an AI website builder for $20 per month with a three-year contract.

In addition to VPS hosting, DreamHost also offers entry-level hosting, domain registration, and email services. It's especially good for WordPress users, with features designed to make managing a WordPress site easier.

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Vultr

Vultr offers a lot of flexibility, especially if you need servers in different locations around the world. It's popular with developers who want to easily scale and customize their setups by tailoring projects to run on various GPUs, CPUs, bare metal, Kubernetes, and more.

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If you would like to explore our other recommendations for hosting services, check out our favorite picks for web hosting, the best free web hosting options around, and our top choices for email hosting in 2026.