A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is the most popular choice when you outgrow shared hosting. But with dozens of providers and prices ranging from two to fifty euros a month, choosing is hard. This article explains what to look for when shopping for an affordable VPS without sacrificing quality.
What makes a VPS cheap or expensive?
A VPS price depends on four things: the processor, RAM, storage and network. The cheapest providers cut corners on one or more of these, and you will notice in practice.
| Component | Budget variant | Quality variant |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Shared cores, old Xeon | Dedicated vCPU, modern Ryzen or EPYC |
| RAM | 1 GB, no ECC | 2 GB+, ECC memory |
| Storage | HDD or slow SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Network | 100 Mbit/s, no DDoS protection | 1 Gbit/s, DDoS protection included |
Virtualization: KVM versus OpenVZ
The way your VPS is hosted makes a real difference. There are two common technologies:
- KVM: you get a fully isolated virtual machine with its own kernel. You can run Docker, configure firewalls and install any operating system. This is the standard at serious providers.
- OpenVZ: you share the kernel with other users. Cheaper, but more limited: no Docker, no custom kernels, less isolation.
Always choose KVM if you plan to do anything beyond basic web hosting. The price difference is minimal and the benefits are significant.
Server location and network
For services aimed at Europe, a server in the Netherlands or Germany gives the best latency. A VPS in the US can add 100-150 ms of latency, which is directly noticeable for interactive applications.
Also check whether DDoS protection is included. Many budget providers charge extra for this, while attacks on VPS servers are common.
What does a good VPS cost in 2026?
For an entry-level VPS with 2 vCPU cores, 2 GB RAM and NVMe storage, expect to pay between 5 and 10 euros per month from a quality provider. Anything below that is usually compensated by overselling (too many customers on the same hardware) or hidden fees.
Hidden costs to watch for
- Setup fees: some providers charge a one-time fee on your first order.
- Backups: not always included. Check if automatic snapshots are available.
- Extra IP addresses: sometimes needed when running multiple services.
- Bandwidth: some providers limit data transfer to 1-2 TB per month.
- Support fees: at the cheapest providers, support is a paid add-on.
VPS at HostValues
At HostValues you get a KVM VPS with NVMe storage: Budget on AMD EPYC 7452 with DDR4 in the Netherlands, or Premium on AMD Ryzen 9 9950X with DDR5 in France. DDoS protection is included as standard, along with a 1 Gbit/s connection. Prices start at 4.50 euros per month for 2 vCPU cores and 2 GB RAM (Budget) and at 4.20 euros per month for Premium, with no hidden costs. A Budget VPS is delivered within 24 hours, and a Premium VPS is online within minutes of payment.
Is a cheap VPS suitable for my project?
A VPS is suitable for websites, web shops, databases, game servers, Discord bots, VPN servers and much more. Only when you expect hundreds of concurrent visitors or heavy computational tasks should you consider a dedicated server.
Can I upgrade later?
At most providers you can scale up to a larger plan without losing data. At HostValues the VPS plans are available again: Budget in the Netherlands within 24 hours, Premium in France within minutes of payment.
View the VPS plans at HostValues and choose the plan that fits your project: Budget in the Netherlands, delivered within 24 hours, or Premium in France, online within minutes.
