Testing procedures VPS Hosting tests at Hosttest

Here you will find all the information about our approach to VPS hosting test reports.

The most important thing in advance:

Our VPS hosting test reports aim to provide aspiring webmasters with transparent and illustrative guidance in the decision-making process for the right VPS.

The expert Hosttest editorial team conducts the VPS hosting tests anonymously, neutrally, and objectively. VPS hosting providers have no influence on the process or the results of the tests. Furthermore, there is no external monetary influence. The VPS being tested is ordered by the Hosttest editorial team at their own expense under normal end customer conditions and then thoroughly examined.

Our Approach to VPS Hosting Test Reports

To ensure that the various VPS hosting offers can be compared more easily and that potential buyers can make an informed purchasing decision, we use standardized processes for our test reports.

So that you can precisely understand our approach to creating the test reports, we present our standardized testing process step by step in detail:

Our Criteria for Evaluating VPS Hosting Test Reports

In order to create optimal comparability between different web hosts and VPS hosting plans, we adhere to specific evaluation criteria in our test report. This allows interested parties to better compare the various offers and make a purchasing decision more easily.

The evaluation criteria are divided into the following points:

Features (up to 5 points)

Here, we look at the range of features offered by the selected VPS hosting plan. We not only focus on key criteria such as vCores, RAM, or storage space, but also provide information on other interesting features in the areas of technology and security. Criteria such as the selection of available operating systems, the availability of backup options and DDoS protection, or custom firewall settings also play an important role in the evaluation.

User-Friendliness (up to 5 points)

Here we guide potential customers step by step through the ordering process and then assess the user-friendliness of the management interface provided to customers. Criteria such as the variety of payment options offered, the time taken to provision the VPS hosting, and the ease of use of the management interface are important for the evaluation.

Performance (up to 5 points)

Once the VPS hosting is set up, we closely examine its performance. As part of the Yet-Another-Bench-Script, we use benchmark programs like Geekbench and Flexible I/O Tester to check the CPU performance and disk speed of the VPS.

Customer Service (up to 5 points)

Here we delve into the various customer support options provided by the web hosting provider. We look at the FAQ sections on the host's website and also explore direct contact methods with customer support. Our own experiences with customer support interactions also contribute to the evaluation.

Cost (up to 5 points)

Next, we examine the costs and, in this context, the price-performance ratio of the VPS hosting. We focus on tariff selection, optional additional costs, as well as discounts such as limited-time offers or free trial accounts.

Test Conclusion

In the test conclusion, there is a summary of the offering. Additionally, the evaluation points of each evaluation criterion are summed up (up to 25 points) and divided by the number of evaluation criteria (5). This ultimately determines the overall rating of the test report on a scale from 0.0 (worst) to 5.0 (best) points. Finally, we convert this score into the familiar school grading system.

5.00 - 4.50 Excellent
4.49 - 4.00 Good
3.99 - 3.00 Satisfactory
2.99 - 2.00 Sufficient
1.99 - 1.00 Insufficient

Our VPS Performance Test

To assess the continuous performance of VPS hosting effectively, we measure four performance values for each individual VPS at three different time points within a month and then calculate an average value. This allows us to evaluate the performance of web hosting providers over an extended period.

We use the following values:

Single Core CPU Value

What is Single Core CPU Value?

The Single-Core CPU Value describes the performance of an individual CPU core. This metric is particularly important when applications or processes are mainly run on a single core and cannot benefit from parallel processing (multi-core performance).

How is the Single Core CPU Value determined?

To determine the Single Core CPU Value, we use the well-known benchmarking program Geekbench.

How are the measurement values interpreted for Single Core CPU Value?

The measurement value for Single Core CPU Value must be above 1250 to be rated as good. Values between 1250 and 1000 are considered average. Any values below 1000 are deemed poor.

Multi-Core CPU Value

What is Multi-Core CPU Value?

The Multi-Core CPU Value describes the performance of a CPU when multiple cores are used simultaneously. This metric is particularly important for applications and processes that are parallelized and benefit from the simultaneous processing of multiple tasks.

How is the Multi-Core CPU Value determined?

To determine the Multi-Core CPU Value, we use the well-known benchmarking program Geekbench.

How are the measurement values interpreted for Multi-Core CPU Value?

The measurement value for Multi-Core CPU Value must be above 2000 to be rated as good. Values between 2000 and 1500 are considered average. Any values below 1500 are deemed poor.

Hard Drive Read/Write Speed

What is the Hard Drive Read/Write Speed?

The read/write speed of a hard drive describes the speed at which data can be written to or read from the drive. This speed is an important performance indicator that influences the efficiency of a storage medium in data transfer and accessing stored information.

How is the Hard Drive Read/Write Speed determined?

To determine the hard drive read/write speed, we use the well-known benchmarking program Flexible I/O Tester.

How are the measurement values for Hard Drive Read/Write Speed interpreted?

The measurement value for hard drive read/write speed must be above 1500MB/s to be rated as good. Values between 1500MB/s and 1000MB/s are considered average. Any values below 1000MB/s are deemed poor.

Hard Drive Input/Output Operations

What are Hard Drive Input/Output Operations?

Hard Disk Input/Output Operations per Second (IOPS) is a metric that indicates the number of input and output operations a hard disk can perform per second. This metric is particularly important for evaluating the performance of a storage system, especially in applications where many small data operations are carried out, such as databases or virtualisation platforms.

How are Hard Disk Input/Output Operations determined?

To determine Hard Disk Input/Output Operations, we use the well-known benchmarking program Flexible I/O Tester.

How are the measurements of Hard Disk Input/Output Operations interpreted?

The measurement of Hard Disk Input/Output Operations should be above 25,000k IOPS to be rated as good. Values between 25,000 IOPS and 15,000k IOPS are considered average. Any values below 15,000k IOPS are deemed poor.

Performance Evaluation

Ratings: Each of the four measurements should be categorised into three groups: good, average, and poor. Points are assigned to these categories:

• Good: 3 points
• Average: 2 points
• Poor: 1 point

Calculation of Total Score: The total score is determined by adding up the points from all four measurements. Since each measurement can have up to 3 points, the total score varies between 4 (all measurements are poor) and 12 (all measurements are good).

Conversion to Stars: The total score must now be converted into a star rating. The following scale can be used for this:

• 4 points = 1 star
• 5-6 points = 2 stars
• 7-8 points = 3 stars
• 9-10 points = 4 stars
• 11-12 points = 5 stars

Our Code of Conduct regarding VPS Hosting Reviews

• In our reviews, we address both the strengths and weaknesses of the offers.

• We regularly review the offers we have tested for their relevance and provide transparent information about these updates.

• Our test results are not for sale, and we categorically reject any financial contributions from providers to influence our ratings.

• We are not invested in companies whose offers we test, nor do we have external investors to maintain our independence and avoid any conflicts of interest.

• Feedback is always welcome! Both customers and providers can share their opinions on our platform.

Previous VPS Hosting Providers Tested

Throughout the year, we publish several new test reports. Additionally, we regularly update existing test reports and adjust any changes in conditions or other relevant criteria for the tests.

We have detailed test reports on the following VPS hosting providers:

IONOS VPS Hosting Test

STRATO VPS Hosting Test

active-servers VPS Hosting Test

ST-Hosting VPS Hosting Test

Updating the VPS Hosting Test Reports

As the web hosting market continues to evolve and providers constantly adjust their packages, we also regularly update our test reports. This typically occurs on an annual basis in January, where we re-examine the features, conditions, and other test criteria and make adjustments to the VPS hosting test report accordingly. This way, our readers can always rely on up-to-date information about the VPS they are testing.

Testing Procedure Update:

none so far

If you have any questions about our tests, please contact us.

Our article is based on our own experiences and research, as well as information from external sources.

Sources & further links on the topic: none

Image credit: Gerd Altmann on Pixabay