The 12 Best VPS Hosting Services in 2023

Is it time for your small business to upgrade to a virtual private server? Business.org reviews 12 of the best VPS web hosting services that could maximize your website performance.
Best Beginner Plans
Namecheap
Namecheap
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starting from
$6.88/mo.
  • pro
    Inexpensive plans
  • pro
    Domain services
Best Scalable Plans
BlueHost
Bluehost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from
$19.99
  • pro
    Fast, solid plans
  • pro
    Easy use and navigation
Best Cloud Plans
Justhost.com
JustHost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from
$19.99/mo.
  • pro
    Solid performance
  • pro
    Plenty of included features
Best Inexpensive Plans
DreamHost
DreamHost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from
$10.00/mo.
  • pro
    Low-priced plans
  • pro
    Unlimited bandwidth
Best Advanced Plans
Liquid Web
Liquid Web
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from
$45.00/mo.
  • pro
    Premium packages
  • pro
    Complete range of features

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure.

Bottom line: Namecheap is the best overall VPS hosting provider due to its unbeatable value for the money and straightforward setup. Bluehost is the easiest to scale as your business grows, while DreamHost offers the cheapest plans among brands we reviewed.


Compromise—it’s one of the most important words in the business world. Your startup may be growing, but you’re still in no position to move into a larger office, so you might compromise by knocking down a wall or two and maximizing your space. You could also ask Tyler to haul his air-hockey table back home; your call.

A VPS (virtual private server) is a web hosting compromise: it’s faster, more functional, and more easily scalable to handle increased traffic than a shared server—but it’s also more expensive. Still, a VPS typically costs half as much as a dedicated server, the gold standard for big-biz sites. If your small business is at the in-between junction of traffic versus income, a VPS could be a painless, simple solution.

The “virtual” in VPS means that your account is assigned an isolated partition within a dedicated server, with a set amount of resources made exclusively available to you. VPS allows more user control than a shared server, as well as better security and no impaired site performance from bandwidth-sucking server neighbors. It’s as close to dedicated-server performance as you can get without canceling Pizza Friday.

Business.org reviewed 12 VPS hosting providers to determine the best value for a small enterprise.

The best VPS hosting providers of 2020

The best VPS hosting services for small business

Brand
Starting price (per month)
Server type
Learn more

Namecheap

$6.88

Physical

Bluehost

$19.99

Physical

JustHost

$19.99

Cloud

DreamHost

$10.00

Physical, cloud

Liquid Web

$45.00

Physical, cloud

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Though you’ll sometimes see VPS hosting and cloud hosting advertised as if they’re the same platform, they’re not. A VPS can be hosted on either a physical dedicated server or across a network of servers operating as a cloud system.

Physical server plans tend to be of the host-managed and -maintained variety, while cloud servers offer more user control. The VPS hosting providers we’ve reviewed here utilize both platforms, and each has its own advantages—but keep in mind that a VPS is still as much a shared service as it is a dedicated one, so there will be some limitations in exchange for lower monthly operating costs.

Expert Advice, Straight to Your Inbox
Gain confidence in your business future with our weekly simple solutions newsletter.

By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Best overall: Namecheap

Best overall
Namecheap
Namecheap
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starts at
$6.88
/mo
  • con
    Starting at $6.88/mo.
  • pro
    Superb value
  • pro
    Connects to other Namecheap services
  • pro
    Responsive customer service

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Strengths
pro Inexpensive plans
pro Domain services
Weaknesses
con Pricey add-ons

California-based Namecheap is a domain registrar that also offers a full range of web hosting services that, true to the title, are relatively inexpensive. If you’re establishing a new website or moving an existing one from another hosting service, Namecheap can facilitate the logistics of domain migration, email hosting, and site building. In fact, we crowned Namecheap our best overall domain registrar in another Business.org review.

Also, when it comes to web hosting, Namecheap impresses, at least with its upper-tier plans. The company offers only two VPS hosting packages, but they’re both powerful, feature-loaded, and—best of all—not tied to annual contracts (Namecheap’s plans are billed month to month).

Both plans, VPS Pulsar and VPS Quasar, guarantee 99.9% uptime, RAID (redundant array of independent disks) storage protection, and easy scalability.

On the downside, Namecheap’s add-ons (like the cPanel management dashboard, extra dedicated IP addresses, and e-commerce tools) can add up, taking a bite out of those initial savings.

Namecheap VPS hosting plans

Plan
Starting price (per month)
Features
Learn more

VPS Pulsar

$6.88

40 GB SSD storage, 2 CPU computing power, 1 dedicated IP address

VPS Quasar

$12.88

120GB SSD storage, 4 CPU computing power, 2 dedicated IP addresses

VPS Magnetar

$24.88

240GB SSD storage, 8 CPU computing power, 2 dedicated IP addresses

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Best scalable plans: Bluehost

Best scalability
BlueHost
Bluehost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starts at
$19.99
/mo
  • con
    Starting at $19.99/mo.
  • pro
    Beginner-friendly
  • pro
    Specializes in WordPress
  • pro
    24/7 customer support

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Strengths
pro Fast, solid plans
pro Easy use and navigation
Weaknesses
con Limited free tools
con Three-year contract

Taking the opposite route of Namecheap, Utah’s Bluehost is a robust web hosting service that’s gotten into the domain-registration game to become a one-stop shop for getting sites online. Bluehost does both well while keeping things simple and (mostly) cheap; even a web novice who’s baffled by email could have a site up and functioning within hours through Bluehost. We’ve reviewed the company’s entire service scope in depth here at Business.org, and we like it.

Bluehost is an industry leader in WordPress hosting, and the company’s best WP plans run on its VPS servers. Bluehost offers three VPS plans: Standard, Enhanced, and Ultimate. Each includes no bandwidth caps, a 30-day money-back guarantee, 24/7/365 support, and multiple features that other web hosting companies usually charge extra for.

However, you’ll need to lock in Bluehost’s inexpensive VPS prices with a three-year contract, and the included website-building tools aren’t really all that (you can pay extra for access to better builders as well as more functional e-commerce tools).

Bluehost VPS hosting plans

Plan
Starting price (per month)
Features
Learn more

Standard

$19.99

30GB SSD storage, 2 CPU computing power, 1 dedicated IP address

Enhanced

$29.99

60GB SSD storage, 2 CPU computing power, 2 dedicated IP addresses

Ultimate

$59.99

120GB SSD storage, 4 CPU computing power, 2 dedicated IP addresses

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Best cloud plans: JustHost

Best cloud hosting provider
Justhost.com
JustHost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starts at
$19.99
/mo
  • con
    Starting at $19.99/mo.
  • pro
    Excellent uptime and speed performance
  • pro
    Enhanced control panel
  • pro
    24/7 customer support

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Strengths
pro Solid performance
pro Plenty of included features
Weaknesses
con Monthly bandwidth caps
con Doubled renewal prices

California web hosting company JustHost isn’t as well-known as other entities on this list, and a first glance at its gimmicked-up website might lead you to believe you’re being sold a used car. But under the hood, JustHost offers some attractive hosting plans—cloud-based VPS and dedicated options only—at decent prices, with plenty of useful features thrown in for free.

What JustHost’s four VPS plans—Standard, Enhanced, Premium, and Ultimate—lack in titling imagination, they make up for in performance and included features. Some prefer cloud-based hosting over standard dedicated as it spreads the workload over multiple servers, increasing speed, security, and redundancies, and it can be scaled up more quickly in reaction to traffic spikes.

JustHost also includes an enhanced cPanel control dashboard for multi-account management and root access, as well as 24/7/365 support via phone, chat, tickets, and an online knowledge base. Long-term contracts aren’t required, but they are available—they’re worth looking into, as JustHost’s introductory prices nearly double upon renewal.

JustHost VPS hosting plans

Plan
Starting price (per month)
Features
Learn more

Standard

$19.99

30 GB storage, 2 CPU computing power, 1TB monthly bandwidth

Enhanced

$29.99

60 GB storage, 2 CPU computing power, 2 TB monthly bandwidth

Premium

$44.99

90 GB storage, 3 CPU computing power, 2 TB monthly bandwidth

Ultimate

$59.99

120 GB storage, 4 CPU computing power, 3 TB monthly bandwidth

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Best inexpensive plans: DreamHost

Most affordable
DreamHost
DreamHost
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starts at
$10.00
  • con
    Starting at $10.00/mo.
  • pro
    Mature, established company
  • pro
    Unlimited bandwidth
  • pro
    Root access control available
Strengths
pro Low-priced plans
pro Unlimited bandwidth
Weaknesses
con No cPanel dashboard
con No Windows servers

Founded in ye olden days of the internet (1997), California’s DreamHost is one of the largest web hosting services online today, hosting 1.5 million sites for over 400,000 clients. Like Bluehost and JustHost, DreamHost is currently owned by the Endurance International Group, an even bigger internet goliath, which is good for deep resources and cross-functional connections but potentially off-putting for those with an aversion to dealing with massive corporations. So, now you know.

That said, DreamHost’s full range of hosting platforms offer features galore for the more web-experienced while still providing hand-holding support for newbies. In particular, the company’s fully managed VPS plans promise a lot of power for a small payout, with unlimited bandwidth and unlimited hosted domains across the board.

For developers who’d like root access control, DreamHost offers an unmanaged, cloud-based version of its VPS service. Like most other web-hosting services reviewed here, DreamHost also provides 24/7/365 support, domain-registration services, and email and custom site-building solutions.

DreamHost VPS hosting plans

Plan
Starting price (per month)
Features
Learn more

Basic VPS

$10.00

30 GB storage, 1 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth

Business VPS

$20.00

60 GB storage, 2 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth

Professional VPS

$40.00

120 GB storage, 4 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth

Enterprise VPS

$80.00

240 GB storage, 8 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

Best advanced plans: LiquidWeb

Best for advanced users
Liquid Web
Liquid Web
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starts at
$45.00
/mo
  • con
    Starting at $45.00/mo.
  • pro
    Trusted by many high-profile clients
  • pro
    Comprehensive features
  • pro
    Highly customizable features
Strengths
pro Premium packages
pro Complete range of features
Weaknesses
con High prices
con Complex interface

Michigan-based Liquid Web has been in the hosting business for over 20 years, providing server service for the likes of Home Depot, National Geographic, and Porsche. If you’re a small company with minimal online needs and even more minimal site experience, Liquid Web probably isn’t for you. This is a hosting service for operations with heavier-than-a-hundred-hippos traffic, demanding developers, and the capital to afford it—Liquid Web isn’t cheap, and it’s not exactly an entry-level utility.

We’ve mentioned that other VPS hosts include a decent array of features; Liquid Web has all of the features. The company’s fully managed, cloud-based VPS plans are, as alluded to, more expensive than most, ranging from $45 to $125 a month, but they still offer most of the functionality and stability of Liquid Web’s twice-as-pricey dedicated cloud plans. Liquid Web is a premium service, a Mercedes-Benz among the Hondas and Chevys of web hosting: if your business has formidable online demands and the cash to cover it, these VPS plans are unequivocally solid.

Liquid Web VPS hosting plans

Plan
Starting price (per month)
Features
Learn more

2 GB RAM

$45.00

2 CPU computing power, 40 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth

4 GB RAM

$65.00

4 CPU computing power, 100 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth

8 GB RAM

$85.00

8 CPU computing power, 150 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth

16 GB RAM

$125.00

8 CPU computing power, 200 GB storage, 5 TB bandwidth

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

When to consider switching to a VPS hosting solution

VPS hosting is a big step up from shared hosting, in both functionality and cost, but it’s still not as intimidating a commitment as dedicated hosting. You should weigh the ROI on VPS when you face these situations:

  • Your enterprise has passed the threshold of brand-new to established brand.
  • You’d like total control over every facet of your site.
  • You want heightened levels of security and support.
  • Your small business is on the verge of becoming medium-sized.
  • Your business has aspirations to grow even more, and quickly.
  • Your site is experiencing significant traffic, which requires more bandwidth and storage space.
  • Your bottom line can handle the extra expense.

Compare 8 more VPS web hosting companies for small businesses

Brand
Monthly pricing
Storage
Bandwidth
Learn more

Hostwinds

$12.74-$431.24

30-750 GB

1-9 TB

Ionos Hosting

$2.00-$18.00

10–240 GB

Unlimited

GoDaddy

$4.99–$69.99

20–400 GB

Unmetered

TMDHosting

$19.97–$64.97

40–200 GB

3–10 TB

FatCow

$19.99–$79.99

40–120 GB

1–4 TB

InMotion Hosting

$19.99–$84.99

90-510 GB

2 TB-Unlimited

HostGator

$23.95–$59.95

120–240 GB

Unmetered

Data effective 12/14/2022. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.

The takeaway

Namecheap’s plans would accommodate newbies nicely, while Bluehost’s VPS offerings are agile and quickly expandable. Those curious about cloud VPS hosting solutions should definitely check out JustHost, while DreamHost’s plans are attractively inexpensive, and Liquid Web is for the truly web-committed.

VPS web hosting represents the best of both worlds, an affordable middle ground between the lower costs of shared hosting and the traffic-handling capabilities of dedicated hosting. But even though most VPS services offer comforting promises of ease and support, this tier of hosting requires a little more knowledge and attention than simply throwing up a static site with a basic menu and a contact box; VPS offers a level of control you’ll want to take advantage of, especially since you’ll be paying more for it.

Want to learn more about website hosting? Check out our article on how to host a website.

Related Reading:

Methodology

We analyzed each brand's uptime, speed performance, customer service quality, value for the money, user-friendliness, and small-business appeal, among other factors.

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Bill Frost
Written by
Bill Frost
Bill Frost has been a writer, editor, journalist, and occasional graphic designer since the grunge-tastic ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in Salt Lake City Weekly, Coachella Valley Independent, Wausau City Pages, Des Moines CityView, Tucson Weekly, Las Vegas Weekly, Inlander, OC Weekly, and elsewhere; he’s currently a senior columnist at SLUGMag.com. When not cranking out quips, Bill actualizes beer money as a musician and podcaster. You can reach him at bill@business.org.
Recent Articles
web design screen on laptop
Best Free Website Builder for Small Business
Need a no-cost website builder? Check out our rankings to find the best one. Best...
person using computer on abstract background
Best Website Builders for Small Businesses 2023
We tested nine website builders to find the right one for your small business and...
GoDaddy Website Builder Review
How to Sell Your Website
Are you ready to sell the site of your online business? Learn how to sell...
woman using laptop in a plant shop
How to Create a Business Website
Building a website can feel overwhelming. That’s why we created this simple but thorough guide...