Best VPS Hosting 2023 – Top Virtual Private Server Hosting Companies
It’s time. Your site needs more than your web host can offer. Dedicated hosting doesn’t fit with your budget. What are some alternatives?
When you need more stability and flexibility at a reasonable price, you may want to try virtual private server hosting (VPS). This middle-tier hosting option combines the best of shared hosting with some of the power found in dedicated hosting.
There are plenty of VPS hosting services to choose from, but we know you’re busy, so we did the legwork. Read on to learn more about the best VPS hosting options available to see if one might work for you!
What is the Best VPS Hosting Money Can Buy?
- HostGator – Best Overall VPS Hosting Service
- LiquidWeb – Best Fully Managed VPS Hosting
- inMotion – Best Cloud VPS Hosting Service
- GoDaddy – Offers Unlimited Bandwidth
- Bluehost – Offering the Most Power and Flexibility
- A2 Hosting – Best Unmanaged VPS Hosting for Developers
- iPage – Cheapest High-Quality VPS Hosting Plans
- Dreamhost – Quality Alternative VPS Hosting Service
HostGator is the best overall VPS Hosting service because the price is right for reasonable bandwidth and features. Choose the level of web hosting you need based on your skill level, and HostGator provides plenty of room to scale as you grow.
LiquidWeb has the best managed service and some of the best customer service. inMotion offers a choice between a traditional managed VPS hosting service and Cloud VPS hosting. If you’re looking for the cheapest option that doesn’t compromise much on quality, go with iPage.
If you’re on a time-crunch, we built a comparison chart that breaks down our top picks at a glance.
VPS Hosting Comparison
| Rating | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Uptime | 24/7 Support | |
| HostGator | 5/5 | 2GB/4GB/8GB | 120GB+ | 1.5TB+ | 99.9% | Yes |
| LiquidWeb | 4.75/5 | 2GB/4GB/8GB/16GB | 40GB+ | 10TB | 99.9% | Yes |
| inMotion | 4.5/5 | 4GB/6GB/8GB | 75GB+ | 4TB+ | 99.7% | Yes |
| GoDaddy | 4.5/5 | 1GB/2GB/4GB/8GB/16GB/32GB | 20GB+ | Unlimited | 99.9% | Yes |
| Bluehost | 4.5/5 | 2GB/4GB/6GB/8GB | 30GB+ | 1TB+ | 99.9% | Yes |
| A2 Hosting | 4/5 | 512MB/1GB/4GB/6GB/8GB | 20GB+ | 2TB+ | 99.9% | Yes |
| iPage | 4/5 | 1GB/4GB/8GB | 20GB+ | 1TB+ | 99.9% | Yes |
| DreamHost | 4/5 | 1GB/2GB/4GB/8GB | 30GB+ | Unlimited | 99.9% | Yes |
Are you ready to dig deeper into our top choices? Let’s take a look at the features that landed these eight VPS hosting services on our list.
HostGator
Best Overall VPS Hosting
HostGator is a well-known, award-winning hosting service with reasonable plans and flexible options. The service is known for its reliable service and exceptional customer support.
Pros:
- Choose from several plans at varying storage sizes and prices.
- They offer extremely low introductory rates that can last up to three years.
- Reliable and secure network security with enhanced protection options available.
Cons:
- Once your introductory pricing expires, the renewal fees increase significantly.
- There is no control panel included, you pay an additional fee to get one.
Ease of Use: 5/5
HostGator is one of the simplest hosting services to learn and use. Even beginners can navigate the system with ease, though skilled users will appreciate some of the advanced features. Additionally, site migration is simple, and HostGator offers a free assistant.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 5/5
Choose from three tiers of service based on the size needed for your site. HostGator offers 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB RAM. The amount of disk space and bandwidth increases slightly with each tier.
Features: 5/5
HostGator offers loads of helpful features, including custom configurations and subdomains. You can also take advantage of email accounts and other dedicated resources without the cost associated with a dedicated host.
Customer Service and Support: 5/5
HostGator is known for delivering stellar customer service and an array of assistants to walk you through different aspects of hosting. Staff is available 24/7, though it may take a little time to get the fix you need for some issues.
LiquidWeb
4.75/5 Best Fully Managed VPS Hosting
LiquidWeb provides fully managed services with stellar customer service. They offer several packages and choices to accommodate a range of businesses.
Pros:
- Fully managed, including security updates and software support.
- Several packages to choose from, so you pay for what you need.
- They deliver some of the fastest page loading speeds you can find.
Cons:
- They are not as well-known as other hosting services.
- It’s expensive, especially if you choose the month-to-month option.
Ease of Use: 5/5
The benefit of a fully managed hosting service is the ease of use. Since LiquidWeb handles all of the backups, patches, website migrations, and security, you have less to worry about. They let you choose from three different control panels so that you can pick the one you’re comfortable using.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 5/5
One of the best perks for LiquidWeb is the no-frills plan options. You pay for what you need, and there are packages to fit every need. Choose from 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB RAM, or pick a bundle-and-save package with additional features. Every package includes 10TB bandwidth and at least 40GB SSD disk space.
Features: 4/5
From free SSL and site migration to convenient control panels and impressive speeds, LiquidWeb has a lot to offer users. They even offer free email. However, for the price, you’d expect some more features to push LiquidWeb up to a five on this domain.
Customer Service and Support: 5/5
Another selling point for LiquidWeb is the outstanding customer support. They offer 24/7 assistance via phone, live chat, or email. Though you may experience some wait times at off hours, it’s rare.
inMotion
4.5/5 Best Cloud VPS Hosting
inMotion is one of the top options because they offer a choice between traditional managed VPS hosting and Cloud VPS hosting. Experienced developers and system admins will appreciate having complete control over customization and a choice in language, including Java and Ruby.
Pros:
- Choose from three traditional managed plans or three Cloud plans.
- Optimized for eCommerce.
- Three dedicated IP addresses and free SSL included.
Cons:
- Once the introductory pricing ends, expect to pay quite a bit more.
- There are no Windows servers, only Linux-based web servers.
Ease of Use: 4/5
If you want a VPS hosting service that’s easy to use, you want to choose the traditional, managed option is best for you. There is plenty of support available to get your site up and running and keep it that way.
Choosing inMotion’s Cloud VPS hosting is better for developers and system admins who can handle the blank slate and build out the website. inMotion does a fantastic job with their Cloud VPS hosting because you have full control over customization, including the language you use.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 4/5
While they offer choices between managed and self-managed Cloud VPS hosting, they could do a little better with storage, memory, and bandwidth. The packages aren’t the worst available, but they aren’t as competitive as other VPS hosting services.
Features: 5/5
inMotion offers more features than most hosting services, regardless of whether you go with self-managed or Cloud VPS. Secure emails, schedule auto server backups, and free site migrations are just a few of the awesome features at your disposal.
Customer Service and Support: 5/5
inMotion also provides excellent support, 24/7 via live chat, phone, and email. As a bonus, all of the support is U.S.-based. If you’re not satisfied, you have 90-days to get your money back.
GoDaddy
4.5/5 Offers Unlimited Bandwidth
GoDaddy made a name in web hosting with their newbie-friendly options. They also offer advanced services, including VPS hosting with unlimited bandwidth, which is a major selling point.
Pros:
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Excellent pricing plans, including a lot of free features.
- Fully managed VPS hosting that’s easy and intuitive to use.
Cons:
- You may need to upgrade to get access to some of the features you need.
- Site owners have to migrate their own data into the VPS.
Ease of Use: 5/5
GoDaddy became a household name because of their easy-to-use hosting, and they extended the user-friendliness to the VPS hosting. You can even choose from three different levels of management for VPS hosting, so you handle as much (or as little) as you are comfortable with.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 5/5
Unmetered bandwidth is a major selling point for GoDaddy, but they also give you plenty of storage and memory choices. You can select standard RAM or high RAM plans depending on your site’s needs.
Features: 4/5
No VPS hosting service is perfect, and while GoDaddy offers choice in a lot of areas, it lacks some of the features and functions we’d like to see. You have control over quite a bit, but you have to pay extra or upgrade for different levels of support. Also, you only get a free SSL certificate for one year.
Customer Service and Support: 4/5
Sure, GoDaddy offers 24/7 support, and it’s easy to reach them via live chat, phone, or email, but they aren’t as speedy to respond as we’d like them to be. Also, you have to pay extra for more support and assistance.
Bluehost
4.5/5 Offering the Most Power and Flexibility
Bluehost is another popular name in web hosting that moved into the VPS market. They have a decent offering with good uptime and average loading speed.
Pros:
- Your domain name is free for a year, and you get a free SSL certificate.
- Allows unlimited websites.
- Fully managed with plenty of customer support available.
Cons:
- Pricing is a bit steep for what they offer.
- May feel simplistic for experienced users.
Ease of Use: 5/5
Like their other web hosting options, Bluehost’s VPS hosting is simple to learn and use. There is plenty of support available, but the intuitive design and controls make Bluehost easy to master. It doesn’t take much time or effort to get up and running.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 5/5
With three plans to choose from, you can select how much RAM, storage, and bandwidth you need, but they offer plenty of power to keep you happy. The middle package gives you 4GB RAM, 60GB SSD storage, and 2TB bandwidth, which should be sufficient for most users. However, you can opt for a larger or smaller package.
Features: 4/5
Bluehost is on par with some of the other services in terms of features, but you have to pay more for some of the upgrades you probably want, like domain privacy. You won’t get a lot of frills with Bluehost, but that doesn’t mean you will miss out on anything.
Customer Service and Support: 4/5
Like other hosting services, Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone, but they aren’t always quick to respond or resolve issues. They rely heavily on the knowledge base with articles, guides, and more, but that puts a lot on the user to figure out solutions.
A2 Hosting
4/5 Best Unmanaged VPS Hosting for Developers
While A2 Hosting offers managed VPS hosting options, they made this list for their unmanaged VPS hosting. Developers will love the freedom to customize and control every aspect of the site.
Pros:
- Choose unmanaged, managed, or managed with root access (core) VPS hosting.
- You can choose to use Windows-based hosting, unlike several other services.
- Possibly the best backup setup with seven copies of your site available in case you need to restore.
Cons:
- Slower page load speeds than some other options.
- You have to pay extra for some features, and it’s confusing to try to add them.
Ease of Use: 4/5
Not many VPS hosting services offer you a choice for unmanaged or managed with root access, but A2 Hosting does. However, unless you’re an experienced developer, unmanaged hosting is probably out of your comfort zone and managed with root access could be too much trouble.
The managed services offer satisfactory guidance and support, but other VPS hosting services do it better. Novice users should probably look elsewhere for a more intuitive hosting service.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 4/5
There’s nothing to complain about with A2 Hosting on this domain, but there’s not much to praise about either. It’s on par with other services but doesn’t stand out for the price.
Features: 4/5
The managed hosting options give you more features for a fair price, but don’t expect anything exceptional. Should you select the unmanaged plan, you can expect to piece together the features you want for additional fees. They do offer some free options, like SSL certificate and control panel, as well as an anytime money-back guarantee.
Customer Service and Support: 4/5
A2 Hosting offers 24/7 assistance from their Guru Crew Support for any plan, managed or unmanaged. The service is satisfactory and friendly with several ways to reach them.
iPage
4/5 Cheapest, High-Quality VPS Hosting Plans
iPage offers some of the cheapest VPS hosting plans available from a reliable, reputable provider. Even after the introductory pricing expires, you can expect some of the best rates for solid VPS hosting.
Pros:
- Reasonable pricing, even after the introductory period ends.
- Choose from three levels of storage, memory, and bandwidth options.
- Includes free domain registration for one year.
Cons:
- No Windows-based features, only Linux.
- No uptime guarantee for the VPS hosting plans.
Ease of Use: 4/5
With several pre-installed scripts, an intuitive cPanel, and optional root access, you have a decent amount of control without compromising ease of use. It may be a better option for users with some experience instead of newbies, but it’s not over-complicated.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 4/5
iPage offers three levels to choose from with varying storage, memory, and bandwidth limits. It’s easy to select the plan that fits your site’s needs, but even the lowest tier should accommodate most smaller businesses. They do offer scalability and flexibility to upgrade as you grow.
Features: 4/5
There has to be some level of sacrifice to offer cheaper pricing, and it comes by way of features. Expect to miss some of the features offered by other hosting services that charge more. Many users may prefer the lower fees and bare minimum approach that still provides plenty of control over customization.
Customer Service and Support: 4/5
Aside from a library of help topics and resources, iPage offers 24/7 customer support within a reasonable time frame. Expect to wait longer for e-ticket and email support.
Dreamhost
4/5 Quality VPS Hosting Alternative
Dreamhost doesn’t exactly top any of the others on the list in any area, but it’s a viable alternative if you don’t love the other choices. The price is right, and they offer some desirable features, like unlimited bandwidth.
Pros:
- One of the more affordable VPS hosting services available.
- Unlimited bandwidth included in all plans.
- The modern, user-friendly control panel is convenient and attractive.
Cons:
- The starter plan is basic and void of some key features, like email.
- Live chat support is only available during set hours, not 24/7.
Ease of Use: 4/5
If you use certain providers, like WordPress or Joomla, Dreamhost is easy to set up. Some providers may take a little longer on the front-end because Dreamhost only offers auto-install for eight providers. However, their control panel is easy to use once you learn it.
Storage/Memory/Bandwidth Options: 4/5
Unlimited bandwidth is a big deal for some users, and Dreamhost hooks you up regardless of what plan you choose. There are four levels of storage and memory available depending on your site’s needs, and they help you determine which plan is best for you.
Features: 4/5
Dreamhost offers good quality and some decent features, but they lack some of those key components that other hosting services offer, like built-in caching. There’s no email plan with the standard package, and the one-click installations only extend to a handful of providers.
Customer Service and Support: 4/5
Technically, Dreamhost offers 24/7 support – by email. Live chat support is only available during certain hours. You may be out of luck if your problem occurs outside of chat support hours. However, they do respond to emails rather quickly and do a sufficient job of handling support.
How to Choose a VPS Hosting Service
Phew! That’s a lot of information about some of the best VPS hosting services available. It’s a lot to process and even more challenging to choose the right service for your site. To make things easier, let’s take a look at some of the most important factors and what they mean for the success of your website.
What is the Uptime, and Why Does it Matter?
Looking at the comparison chart, there’s not a lot of disparity between the VPS hosting services on the list. Uptime is possibly the most important factor in choosing a VPS hosting service because anything less than 99.9% may be a no-go for you.
Uptime refers to the amount of time that the server is up and running. Server downtime means your site goes down, so even 0.05% could significantly impact your website’s performance. You really want a service that guarantees 99.9% uptime if possible. Note that no server can guarantee 100% uptime.
Does Speed Matter? What Should I Look for in Terms of Speed?
In terms of web hosting, speed refers to how fast your site loads. The whole point of switching from a shared hosting service to a VPS service is to improve performance, including page loading speed. Some providers claim to offer exceptional loading speeds, and some of those deliver on those claims.
Google recommends a page load time of less than two seconds, preferably a half-second or less. Several factors can affect page load times, including the size of files, especially if you use a lot of images or videos.
What Type of VPS Hosting Should I Choose – Managed or Unmanaged?
Managed VPS hosting means that the provider handles a lot of the technical aspects for you, especially if something goes wrong. Unmanaged VPS hosting leaves almost everything to your team with regard to setting up and coding your site.
Developers and site administrators may prefer an unmanaged VPS hosting service to retain maximum control over customization. On the other hand, novice users or admins who want to dedicate less time to managing the site may prefer a managed VPS hosting service.
How Much RAM, Storage, and Bandwidth Do You Need?
Each of the VPS hosting services above offers a selection of plans with varying levels of RAM, storage, and bandwidth to accommodate sites of different sizes. It’s crucial that you understand your site’s needs and select the appropriate level to meet your needs.
RAM is the amount of working memory your CPUs (computer processing unit) can access. Most users will function efficiently with 4GB to 8GB of RAM. Smaller businesses can usually do with less, but very few users will require more than 8GB RAM.
Storage is also reported in terms of GB and refers to the amount of space you have for content, videos, images, and web pages. The number of resources you require for your site is the best indicator of how much storage you need.
Bandwidth is the amount of data transmitted between your website and the server. Only a few hosting providers offer unlimited bandwidth, so bandwidth may not be a dealbreaker.
What Can You Afford?
Price matters. If your business cannot afford to take on an expensive VPS hosting service, you may have to compromise and choose a cheaper one. Know your budget and pay close attention to the length of introductory pricing periods.
Consider Included Features vs. Paid Features
Speaking of pricing, there is a lot of variety when it comes to VPS hosting services, and a lot of the differences come down to features. Some providers offer free SSL certificates, while others offer free site migration.
When you look at the features included with your plan be careful to note what’s missing. Add-ons can significantly impact your plan’s price and push a seemingly affordable option out of your budget range.
Can You Use a VPS Hosting Service?
Deciding when it’s time to upgrade to a VPS hosting service may be a huge question mark for some people. The answer depends heavily on the performance of your existing site. Keep in mind, shared hosting usually packs plenty of power for brand new sites.
If you have an existing site, there are a few reasons to make the switch, but they all involve performance issues, like page load time. Usually, you only see problems when your site gains a massive influx of traffic due to increased popularity (a good problem to have!).
There are two other reasons to make the leap to VPS hosting. If you operate an online store, the VPS hosting service gives you more security for payments and customer information. Even if you don’t operate an online store, but require enhanced security for your site, VPS hosting services provide exceptional security features.
The point of VPS hosting services is to provide more resources and support more website traffic. When your shared hosting service can’t support your website, but you’re not ready to rent a private server, VPS hosting provides an ideal alternative.
8 Best VPS Hosting Services Money Can Buy: Roundup
Each of these VPS hosting services offer more power and functionality than shared servers. They offer functionality and a variety of features for organizations of all sizes.
The best option is HostGator with a selection of features, powerful functionality, stellar customer service, and plenty of storage to meet your needs. It’s tough to go wrong with HostGator, but if you’re not feeling it, let’s recap our list…
- HostGator – Best Overall
- LiquidWeb – Best Fully Managed VPS Hosting
- inMotion – Best Cloud VPS Hosting
- GoDaddy –Unlimited Bandwidth
- Bluehost –Most Power and Flexibility
- A2 Hosting – Best for Developers
- iPage – Cheapest High-Quality VPS Hosting Plans
- Dreamhost – Quality Alternative
When you outgrow a shared server, it’s time to upgrade to more power, but that doesn’t mean your organization is ready for a dedicated server. Fortunately, VPS hosting provides a mid-level option that offers more power than a shared server without the exorbitant pricing of a dedicated server.
Switching to a VPS hosting service could mean the difference between losing business due to poor website performance and growing your traffic with more resources. Only you can decide what’s best for your site, but hopefully we armed you with enough information to make an educated decision. Best of luck!
FAQs
What is the difference between shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and VPS hosting?
Understanding the differences between your three hosting options can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s surprisingly easy to breakdown.
Shared hosting is the most common type of web hosting service. When your site uses shared hosting, you share a server with other websites. Reputable providers never overburden their servers, but some disreputable providers may add too many websites to a server, which would impact your site’s performance.
Dedicated hosting means you have a server that only handles your site. It’s expensive and usually too much power for one website.
Virtual Private Server, or VPS hosting, combines the best of both worlds by hosting a single site on multiple servers. A virtual wall separates your private server (and related information) from other websites.
How secure are VPS hosting services?
One of the big reasons to upgrade to VPS hosting is the increased security. VPS hosting services offer extensive security features, some included and others as add-ons. Since VPS hosting means you have a private server, you have more security than a shared server.
If you’re not satisfied with the base level security that comes with your plan, ask about upgrades.
What is the easiest VPS hosting service to use?
Any managed VPS hosting service should be easy enough for beginners to use. If you’re worried about learning or working with your server, try to choose a provider that offer guides and 24/7 support, like those listed here.
Which VPS hosting service offers the best customer support?
Most hosting service providers offer some level of customer support. The VPS hosting services on this list provide varying levels of customer support, though the majority offer 24/7 service through multiple avenues, including live chat.
HostGator, LiquidWeb, and inMotion frequently top lists for their features, including customer support options. They offer guides and tutorials on top of quick response times.
