"Cheapest VPS" is the wrong target — the cheapest ones are oversold and slow. The right question is specs-per-dollar from a provider that won't fall over. We cover the two that pass that bar for a small self-hosted stack, and this site runs on one of them.
Both give you a raw Linux box you control. The difference is hardware-per-dollar versus the ecosystem and docs around the box.
Our pick
Contabo
Contabo's $6.60/mo Cloud VPS 4 (4 vCPU / 8GB / 100GB NVMe) is a different class of machine for a few dollars more than a starter Droplet — the best value if you're comfortable on raw Linux. It's what this site runs on.
$4.5 /mo · Cloud VPS, annual·No free tier·We earn a commission
Contabo's $6.60/mo Cloud VPS 4 gets you 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM and 100GB NVMe — genuinely more machine than budget rivals at the price. The pick if you want maximum resources and are happy managing raw Linux yourself. We host on it.
$4 /mo · Basic Droplet·No free tier·We earn a commission
DigitalOcean's $4/mo Droplet is smaller on paper (512MB RAM, 1 vCPU, 10GB SSD), but you're paying for the best sysadmin documentation in the industry, a mature API for Terraform automation, and dedicated compute. Worth it if you want managed Kubernetes, App Platform, or API-first infra.
What is the cheapest reliable VPS?
Contabo's Cloud VPS 4 at about $6.60/mo offers the most RAM and CPU per dollar among reliable providers (4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB NVMe). DigitalOcean's $4/mo Droplet is cheaper but much smaller — you're paying for its ecosystem, not the hardware.
Is Contabo or DigitalOcean better?
Contabo for raw specs-per-dollar; DigitalOcean for documentation, API-first automation and managed services (Kubernetes, App Platform). Pick based on whether you value the machine or the ecosystem around it.
Related comparisons
Prices are read from each vendor's own pricing page and dated on the tools page. Some links are affiliate links — see our Affiliate Disclosure.·All guides