The Best VPS Web Hosting Services for 2024

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Web hosting services offer so many tiers that you may have difficulty finding a Goldilocks plan that's just right. Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is an ideal configuration that has more muscle than simple shared hosting, without the scale and expense of dedicated hosting services. VPS plans are quite common, so finding an optimal plan can be vexing. PCMag can help pare down your search. We've been testing web hosting services for more than a decade and frequently update our reviews as services add and remove features. Editors' Choice winner HostGator, for instance, has terrific VPS plans featuring flexible, highly scalable offerings. DreamHost is another excellent option with unlimited monthly data transfers, making it a great pick for small businesses. Read on for our top selections, followed by the factors to consider to determine the best VPS hosting for you.

What Is a VPS Used For?

Your VPS-hosted site lives in a partitioned server area with its own operating system, storage, RAM, and monthly data transfer limits, so you can expect smoother, more stable site performance. The sites with which you share your server are far less likely to affect your site—or even take it down altogether—than they would be on a shared server. Knowing how VPS setups operate is just the first step, however. You must still familiarize yourself with the essential features for building a rock-solid, VPS-hosted website.

Is There Any Free VPS?

As a result of VPS hosting's hybrid nature, its cost isn't quite as low as shared hosts' fees, but it's not nearly as high as dedicated hosts' fees. Depending on the configuration, you can expect to pay between $20 and $100 per month. On the other hand, shared web hosting is extremely cheap hosting; you can often set up shop for less than $10 per month. Dedicated web hosting typically costs you $100 per month or more.

Most VPS hosts only offer servers running Linux-based operating systems; you'll need to dig a bit to find Windows-based VPS hosting. This is important to note if you plan on running software requiring a Microsoft-compatible environment. That said, Linux-based VPS hosting will save you a few bucks; Linux servers usually cost $10 to $20 less than Windows servers.

How to Choose a VPS

Once you register your website's domain name, it's time to start picking the specs for your server. Web hosts typically offer multiple VPS plans that have varying amounts of email capability, RAM, storage, CPU power, domain hosting, and monthly data transfers. The plans typically include website builders that let you quickly create a face for your site without much—or even any—coding required. A solid web host should offer at least 4GB of RAM, 100GB of storage, and an ample volume of monthly data transfers. If you expect significant website growth, you should look for a web host with as many unlimited offerings as possible. For example, Hostwinds—the PCMag Editors' Choice for VPS hosting—offers unlimited email, domains, and monthly data transfers. Note, however, that you should read the fine print to understand what the host means by "unlimited," as it can vary from company to company.

Speaking of email and limits, you'll want the ability to create unlimited accounts. Should your website grow significantly, you'll appreciate being able to scale your email accounts without spending additional money. Web hosts typically cap the amount of storage per email account. In other words, you may create an unlimited number of email accounts, but each one may have a 10GB storage cap. Take time to investigate a potential web host's email offerings to avoid being surprised by its messaging limitations. Again, find out what the unlimited gotchas might be.

Typically, a web hosting service allows you to select either a traditional hard drive or a solid-state drive as your website's storage medium. Traditional hard drives have large capacities and lower prices but aren't quite as resilient as their SSD counterparts. Solid-state drives, on the other hand, are often faster and more reliable than HDDs, but they cost more and have smaller storage capacities. A traditional hard drive should get the job done unless you truly need blazing speed.

Do you plan to sell products or services? If so, you'll want to invest in a web hosting service that offers Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). An SSL connection encrypts the financial information that shuttles between users' web browsers and your website, thus safeguarding the transmission of the purchasing information. Some hosting companies include a free SSL certificate when you sign up for a web hosting plan, while others charge close to $100. You can save money by shopping around for services that offer cheaper SSL plans.

You'll also want to determine how long you'll need VPS web hosting. If you need hosting for a short period—say, less than a month or two—you'll typically receive a refund if you cancel your hosting within 60 days. These money-back guarantees vary from web host to web host. For example, Company X may offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, while Company Y may offer a lengthy 90-day one. As always, it's best to shop around for the features that best suit your web hosting needs.

Which VPS Is Best?

VPS is a good option for your business if you want reasonably priced server space that won't load pages at a snail's pace when a neighboring site gets a huge traffic spike. We've reviewed many VPS hosting services and included the best of the bunch in this guide. You should look into a dedicated server if you want to build a website on an even stronger foundation and can afford the bill.

If you're just getting started in web hosting, check out our primer on how to create a website. If, on the other hand, you think you're ready to start your own web hosting company, you should check out our guide to reseller hosting. The best courses for learning how to build websites offer terrific video instruction for people who prefer that learning style.