VPS Hosting Comparison for the UK 2025

VPS Hosting Comparison - Providers in Test

Are you looking for an affordable and powerful VPS hosting that provides you as an administrator full root access to the operating system? Then you’ve come to the right place! On a virtual server (also called VPS hosting), you can customize the system to meet the requirements of your web applications and implement a variety of exciting online projects.

• If storage space is particularly important to you, only display VPS hosting with more than 250 GB of storage.
• If speed is especially important, choose only VPS hosting with SSD drives in the search.
• If sustainability is a priority, consider only providers that use green electricity in your search.
• If cost is especially important, set your maximum budget in the search filter.

With the help of the filter function, you can find the optimal hosting solution for your project in our VPS hosting comparison!

Basic Considerations Before Renting a Virtual Server

If you want to rent a VPS Hosting, you should ask yourself the following questions before placing your order:

• Which server operating system will be used on the virtual server?
• What virtualization options are available for the chosen guest operating system?
• Intended use of the VPS Hosting (mail server, web server)?
• What are the software requirements in terms of CPU and RAM?
• How much time can and should be dedicated to maintaining the server?
• Is root access to the server necessary?
• What is the expected traffic volume?

The intended use determines the hardware specifications of the VPS Hosting. A Linux-based nginx web server has significantly lower requirements than a Windows server running a content management system or an online shop. If you do not want to manage your server yourself, you can opt for a so-called "Managed VPS Hosting." In this case, the VPS provider handles tasks such as applying updates or setting up backups for a monthly fee. Comparing different offers is also advantageous here.

Price comparison of virtual servers

VPS Hosting (also called Virtual Servers or Virtual Servers) has become increasingly popular in recent years, not least because the prices for VPS Hosting are now attractive even for private users. Due to the extensive range of options, it makes sense to compare VPS Hosting prices before choosing a provider. Especially when working with a limited budget, comparing different VPS Hosting offers can save you a significant amount of money.

When comparing VPS Hosting providers, you'll quickly notice that there are significant differences between various providers. Especially affordable VPS Hosting options are available for just a few euros per month. Therefore, it's important to consider in advance what requirements you have for a VPS and whether it is truly the right choice. Conducting research through our detailed test reports can help you get a good initial overview of prices and features. A price comparison among the many providers is therefore essential when renting a VPS hosting.

One of the most important criteria is the resources allocated to a VPS hosting or that can be allocated.

Resources refer to the allocation of CPU time or memory by the physical host system on which multiple virtual servers run.
It is important to distinguish between real and virtual resources; while the former are permanently assigned to a VPS Hosting and cannot be changed by the owner, virtual resources are typically intended for temporary traffic spikes and are not always available. A price comparison makes sense here as well. Further technical information can be found under the section "Definition of a VPS Hosting".
If, when comparing VPS Hosting options, you can already estimate that system resources are more important to you than a large included data transfer volume (traffic volume), this should be your top priority. Additionally, factors such as contract duration or subsequent costs for exceeding traffic limits should also be considered carefully, as otherwise, the experience of renting a VPS can quickly become a burden, especially if tied to a long-term contract. Since there are many providers offering VPS Hosting on the market, you should only commit to contracts longer than 12 months if they come with excellent references.

Of course, the points mentioned are just some of the many factors to consider when comparing VPS Hosting options. Tip: Some providers also offer customized VPS Hosting solutions upon request. Or use our bidding feature now:

A great help in choosing the right VPS Hosting is our price comparison of VPS providers, where you can search using a form for various parameters such as desired disk space, traffic flat rate, or operating system.

Advantages of renting a VPS Hosting in comparison:

• Find the lowest prices with our VPS Hosting price comparison
• Benefit from the high performance and customization options of a VPS Hosting
• Enjoy the security and stability of enterprise-grade systems
• Compare over 1,000 VPS Hosting offers directly and save

HOSTtest’s search results are sorted by price by default. An additional rating of the VPS Hosting provider also allows for a quick overview of their reliability and credibility.

Definition

Virtual servers operate on shared server hardware. The VPS communicates not directly with the hardware but uses the server’s operating system for management. Each VPS is assigned at least one unique IPv4 address on the internet and one or more IPv6 addresses, making it suitable for hosting domains.

General Information about Virtual Servers
Depending on the configuration, access to the VPS can be gained via telnet, SSH, or VNC. Since access is over the internet, secure connections and strong passwords are highly recommended. In Linux, "Root" refers to the system administrator. Windows uses the term "Administrator" for this role. Many VPS providers offer images of server versions of various Linux operating systems without a graphical interface for installation on the virtual server. Therefore, familiarity with basic server management without a graphical user interface is advisable. For VPS Hosting running under OpenVZ, customers can set up the basic system themselves within minutes. For VPS Hosting based on KVM (KVM VPS Hosting) or XEN (XEN VPS Hosting)), the provider’s support team handles the server installation, which increases the hosting cost. Root access is granted only on the customer’s own VPS. This provides full administrative control, including the ability to install software or create users with specific permissions. Some VPS providers also offer Managed VPS Hosting, which only provides SSH access.

Variants

All VPS hosting servers look similar but exhibit significant differences. From a technical perspective, there are two ways to operate a virtual server:

• as a hardware solution
• as a software solution

Advantages of the hardware solution:

• faster performance
• can utilize specialized features
• many different guest operating systems available
• compatible with all guest operating systems

Disadvantages:

• higher installation and maintenance effort

Advantages of the software solution:

• simpler installation
• easier maintenance
• ready for use more quickly

Disadvantages of a software solution:

• slower performance
• consumes additional resources
• not all software solutions work with every guest operating system

Overview of software solutions:

• VMware Server (More Info)
• VirtualBox
• VirtualPC
• OpenVZ / Virtuozzo (More Info)

Hardware solutions:

• KVM
• XEN

VirtualBox and VirtualPC are not offered in the professional hosting sector but are well-suited for private testing of operating systems or updates. The paid VMware products are primarily aimed at data center operators who want to consolidate their servers. Support for the free VMware Server was discontinued in 2011. Virtuozzo is the paid version of OpenVZ, without the drawback of not supporting Windows as a guest operating system.

KVM and XEN
XEN and KVM require processors that support hardware virtualization. For operation, a Linux operating system with special drivers is needed. Many providers offer XEN HVM as a virtualization option. In this setup, the provider supplies the hardware along with the operating system equipped with the necessary drivers. The customer can create an image of their web server or Windows server and upload this self-created image to their virtual server. This solution is particularly interesting for customers who operate multiple identical servers, as they only need to create the virtual machine with all configurations once and can then easily and quickly deploy it across multiple virtual servers.
XEN and KVM offer the ability to virtualize Windows servers with minimal performance loss, as they work very close to the hardware. The XEN and KVM machines do not have their own BIOS.

Virtuozzo / OpenVZ
Both systems operate at the operating system level. They are not purely software solutions. XEN and KVM require processors with hypervisor capabilities. Virtuozzo (Virtuozzo VPS Hosting) and OpenVZ (OpenVZ VPS Hosting) need specialized operating system kernels to function. The virtual machines do not have their own BIOS. Hardware access is managed through the host operating system. A disadvantage is that both the guest operating system and the host operating system use the same kernel. Changing the kernel within the virtual machine is not possible. OpenVZ is ideal for users who want or need to use a dedicated server. Because only then can you install and use a “Virtual Drive” (a virtual hard disk) on the dedicated server. OpenVZ offers the provider and the customer the advantage of efficient and rapid scalability. If a customer needs more RAM, higher CPU performance, or additional disk space, the virtual server can be migrated from one hardware server to another while running. Since this does not require shutting down the server, the customer remains unaware of the migration. During the migration, slight delays in server response times may occur, but these are hardly noticeable. This is also why individuals looking to build their own cloud often prefer providers that work with OpenVZ.

Who dominates the market? OpenVZ offers providers the advantage of easier installation and configuration, as well as excellent scalability. Most configuration tasks can be delegated to the customer. The customer can install and reboot an operating system within minutes themselves. XEN and KVM require more effort during installation and are not as easily scalable. The operating system must be installed by support, as adjustments need to be made. Also, restarting a system must be performed by support. Providers pay for support in the form of higher monthly fees. The availability of qualified support also enables the offering of a "Managed Server," where the provider takes on certain tasks for the customer. If you want to run Windows on a VPS Hosting, you should ensure that Virtuozzo, XEN, or KVM is used when comparing offers. In the private and semi-professional sectors, OpenVZ will prevail due to cost advantages, while in the professional sector, XEN and KVM will continue to establish themselves.

Costs

To keep the operating costs of a server as low as possible, hosting providers offer virtual servers (VPS Hosting). Although this option has some limitations compared to a physical dedicated server, it is especially suitable for web projects in development. Since VPS Hosting costs are relatively low, they often represent the optimal solution for launching a website.

A virtual server is software installed on a physical server. A hypervisor virtualizes the server environment and allocates the appropriate hardware resources to each VPS Hosting. This results in various virtual machines that can operate independently of each other.

For hosting providers, server virtualization is very lucrative, because VPS Hosting incurs lower costs than physical servers. Customers also appreciate this, as their monthly billing is significantly lower than renting physical equipment.

But how are the costs composed? And what fees are appropriate for VPS Hosting? The following article provides answers to these questions.

What costs are incurred by VPS Hosting?

For operating servers, hosting providers generally incur the following costs:

• Personnel costs
• Initial hardware purchase costs
• Hardware maintenance costs
• Operational costs such as electricity or telecommunications
• Location costs like rent or building insurance

Since virtual servers require less hardware to be purchased and maintained, these expenses are significantly lower. Additionally, VPS hosting incurs lower operational costs because they take up less space and run fewer devices simultaneously compared to physical servers.

What fees do customers have to pay?

Customers can see that VPS hosting costs less than dedicated servers through their billing statements. The fees are usually considerably lower.

A basic VPS is typically billed at around 5 euros per month by most providers. A particularly high-performance VPS can cost up to 50 euros. The rule of thumb is that the monthly fees become more affordable the longer the billing period until the next payment. Additional costs may arise from extra services.

Users considering renting a VPS should pay attention to the software requirements. The system specifications of the server should match the intended application purpose. For some projects, a dedicated physical server might be more suitable, especially if it offers better performance.

Furthermore, it makes a difference whether the server is used for private or commercial purposes. While private users can operate with fewer resources and legal requirements, commercial users must adhere to additional legal regulations. Data security is particularly important due to GDPR, so business operators should ensure that their hosting providers are GDPR-compliant. Providers that host their servers in Germany are a good choice.

Therefore, the decision for a VPS hosting offer should not be based solely on costs.

What additional costs are possible?

Since VPS hosting incurs only minimal costs, additional costs that are billed separately are conceivable. Many web hosting providers offer managed services where the provider itself or an appointed agency handles the setup and maintenance of the VPS.

This is especially advantageous for inexperienced or non-technical users. Even though configuring a VPS is usually possible via graphical panels like Plesk or cPanel without needing to learn console commands, the multitude of configuration options can quickly overwhelm laypersons.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Topic

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about VPS Hosting:

What is a VPS Hosting?

The term VPS Hosting is used for virtual servers. It is not a physically independent computer in a data center, but rather a virtual machine. A VPS Hosting is therefore just a part of a larger physical server, which can be managed completely independently of the main server. VPS Hosting instances typically have their own operating system and a unique IP address. Additionally, a VPS Hosting has dedicated hardware resources assigned exclusively to it.

What are the advantages of VPS Hosting?

VPS Hosting offers numerous benefits to users. Unlike dedicated servers, where only one customer has access, multiple clients share a single physical server, allowing VPS Hosting providers to offer these solutions at significantly lower prices. Nevertheless, customers benefit from high customization options and the exclusive hardware resources allocated to their VPS. This makes VPS Hosting especially suitable for larger or more complex projects such as extensive online stores or custom web services.

Which VPS Hosting provider is right for me?

The market offers a wide variety of VPS Hosting providers. Their offerings mainly differ in terms of performance scope and pricing. Other factors, such as server location or the quality of customer support, should also be considered when choosing the right package. To find the best provider for your web project, it is advisable to conduct a detailed VPS Hosting comparison of the various options.

Tips for those interested in VPS Hosting and planning to compare prices:

• Determine what is truly needed
• Don't focus solely on the cost during price comparison
• Compare the offered services in detail
• Pay particular attention to guaranteed values for RAM, CPU cores, and disk space
• Always consider customer reviews

Depending on the virtualization software used, customers have different advantages and disadvantages. Emulation offers the possibility to virtualize Linux VPS Hosting (e.g., Ubuntu) as well as Windows VPS Hosting on a dedicated server.

Therefore, renting a VPS Hosting is particularly suitable for individuals and companies that only want to run low-resource-intensive applications. Of course, this depends on the computing power of the underlying server, which can vary.