12 Hetzner Alternatives

Hetzner offers reliable and high-performance servers at competitive prices. Its server auctions are particularly popular among budget-conscious users who can buy used custom configurations at a fraction of their original cost.

This Germany-based company has remained a trusted name in the industry for nearly 30 years, particularly in the European market, where its largest data centers are located. While Hetzner has started to expand its presence in the US, it still has a limited global footprint, which may not suit clients looking for a highly scalable and distributed cloud infrastructure.

Let's explore 12 Hetzner alternatives that match its affordability while offering enhanced features and services, particularly in the bare metal, hybrid, and cloud hosting sectors.

Top 12 Hetzner Hosting Alternatives

Below is an in-depth look at the alternative web hosting providers you should consider if Hetzner does not offer the services, features, or infrastructure that fit your business needs.

phoenixNAP

phoenixNAP is a global Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, a key networking hub in the American Southwest. In recent years, the company has expanded its global footprint by opening new data centers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

pNAP specializes in high-performance dedicated servers with cloud-like scalability, delivered through its bare metal and hybrid cloud solutions.

phoenixNAP Advantages

pNAP is a strong alternative to Hetzner for businesses that value global reach, enterprise-grade infrastructure, and managed services. Key phoenixNAP advantages include:

• Global reach. pNAP operates 18 data centers and 11 network points of presence (PoPs) across 5 continents.
• Optimal performance. Latest CPUs, 99.99% uptime guarantees, SSD storage, and high-speed networking.
• Flexible billing. Hourly billing to support short-term projects and discounted rates for long-term reservations (12, 24, or 36 months).
• Free DDoS protection. Enterprise-grade protection against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks is free of charge for each server.
• Backup and disaster recovery. Comprehensive backup options with 6 geo-disperse disaster recovery locations and multiple cloud-based disaster-recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) solutions.
• Expert support. Free 24/7/365 account and server support by phone, email, and LiveChat. Includes a 20-minute or less first-response guarantee.
• Compliance. Fully compliant with HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR, ideal for companies that handle sensitive data.
• Developer-friendly tools. Powerful APIs, CLI tools, and SDKs compatible with popular DevOps workflows. Users can automate server deployments with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Ansible, Pulumi, or Terraform.

phoenixNAP Offers, Pricing, and Packages

phoenixNAP provides transparent pricing models and tailored hosting solutions for diverse business needs. Here's an overview of the most popular services:

• Dedicated servers. Servers start at $95/month, offering single-tenant physical machines with highly customizable configurations.
• Bare Metal Cloud (BMC). Pricing starts at $0.08/hour (around $50/month). Additional discounts are available for long-term reservations. Over 50 pre-configured instances, suitable for high-traffic web servers, SaaS applications, midsize databases, gaming servers, and microservices, all deployable within minutes.
• Managed private cloud. Build-to-order single-tenant cloud solutions tailored to your specific business needs. Pricing is available upon request.
• Colocation services. Secure, redundant infrastructure for businesses housing their own hardware. Pricing depends on space, power, and connectivity requirements. Includes access to AWS Direct Connect and Google Cloud Interconnect.
• Data Security Cloud. A secure, compliant, cloud-based platform developed with Intel and VMware for hosting sensitive data. Ideal for businesses in highly regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, or legal services.
• Backup and restore services. phoenixNAP partners with VMware, Veeam, and Zerto to provide advanced backup and recovery solutions. These services help clients develop an effective backup strategy, maintain business continuity, and prevent permanent data loss.

Liquid Web

Liquid Web is known for its premium managed hosting solutions and excellent support. It's a good fit for businesses looking to reduce IT overhead and for companies running WordPress or WooCommerce websites that require optimized hosting. However, the managed services and additional features also mean that Liquid Web solutions cost more than Hetzner's unmanaged plans.

Liquid Web Advantages

This provider's advantages include:

• Managed services. Fully managed hosting across all services, including VPS, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress servers. This type of hosting is ideal for users who want hands-off management.
• High performance. SSD storage and advanced caching for fast load times and a 99.999% uptime guarantee.
• Solid support services. This includes 24/7 expert support via phone, chat, and email and proactive server monitoring.
• Compliance and security. Advanced security features, including free SSL certificates, server hardening, and proactive threat detection. Compliance-ready infrastructure for HIPAA and PCI DSS standards.
• Focus on e-commerce. Optimized solutions for WordPress websites and WooCommerce stores.

Liquid Web Offers, Pricing, and Packages

While pricier than Hetzner, Liquid Web plans include premium features like 24/7 support and enhanced security:

• VPS hosting. Liquid Web offers managed virtual private servers with SSD storage and high availability. Plans start at $5/month for basic Cloud VPS hosting and scale up to enterprise-level solutions.
• Dedicated servers. Single-tenant bare metal servers deliver maximum performance but are fully self-managed. The starting price is $79/month, but discounts are available for new accounts.
• Managed WordPress hosting. Tailored for WordPress sites with automatic updates and backups. Prices start at $5.25/month and increase with the number of hosted websites.

InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting offers a wide range of hosting services, primarily geared towards small businesses and personal websites in the US. The hosting plans bundle managed services, strong customer support, and a beginner-friendly server management interface.

InMotion Hosting Advantages

Key benefits of hosting with InMotion include:

• US-based data centers. Limited to the US but offers excellent performance for American businesses.
• Fully managed services. This host offers fully managed dedicated servers, which include setup, maintenance, and support. Higher pricing reflects the added management and support features.
• Support. Liquid Web has 24/7 live chat and phone support (in comparison, Hetzner primarily offers email-based support).
• Generous 90-day money-back guarantee. A rare offering among hosting providers, especially for shared hosting services.
• SSD storage. All plans include SSD storage to ensure faster performance.
• Managed WordPress hosting. Optimized WordPress performance and management.
• Free security features. The security suite includes free SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and regular automatic backups.

Inmotion Hosting Offers, Pricing, and Packages

InMotion Hosting's out-of-the-box features are one of the reasons why InMotion prices are higher than Hetzner's unmanaged solutions:

• Shared hosting. The lowest tier offering has a $2.29/month starting price.
• VPS hosting. Starts at $16.99/month (managed). This is a lot higher than Hetzner's unmanaged VPS pricing.
• Dedicated servers. Prices start at $35/month. The price is initially lower but increases upon renewal. Always check the renewal rate, as the prices can be considerably higher than initial rates.

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean specializes in cloud hosting solutions. Its products are primarily designed for developers and tech-savvy users. Unlike Hetzner, DigitalOcean provides more flexible scalability options for modern architectures like Kubernetes, non-relational databases, and microservices.

DigitalOcean Advantages

The following features stand out when comparing DigitalOcean with its competitors:

• Pricing model. A pay-as-you-go model allows users to scale existing instances or provision new ones without long-term commitments.
• One-click scaling for cloud instances. Scalable cloud instances with customizable configurations can be provisioned through an intuitive dashboard.
• Managed Kubernetes and databases. Designed for developers, DigitalOcean provides one-click deployment for Kubernetes and fully managed database instances (e.g., Kafka, MongoDB, and MySQL).
• Global data centers for low latency. This provider operates 13 data centers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
• Developer-friendly API and CLI tools. DigitalOcean provides automated backups, snapshots, and monitoring tools to streamline infrastructure deployment and management. It also integrates seamlessly with DevOps tools like Terraform and Ansible.
• Advanced security. Advanced security tools like VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), firewalls, and proactive monitoring.
• Extensive documentation. This host offers detailed guides and tutorials to assist developers in integrating new solutions and managing servers.

DigitalOcean Offers, Pricing, and Packages

DigitalOcean has a transparent pricing model. Additional features like backups and block storage are not included in the base pricing, which means that higher-end configurations can turn out more expensive than Hetzner. The prices for some select products are:

• Droplets (cloud instances). Droplets are scalable virtual machines with various configurations. Basic Droplets start at $4/month, offering an affordable entry-level solution.
• Managed Kubernetes. Fully managed Kubernetes clusters for containerized applications, starting at $24/month, including bandwidth.
• Managed databases. Fully managed database services for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Kafka. Pricing starts at around $15/month, varying based on database type and cluster size.

Kamatera

Kamatera is a cloud hosting provider specializing in flexible, customizable servers. It has very competitive pricing and is a strong alternative for businesses needing granular control over their infrastructure.

Kamatera Advantages

Here are the main benefits offered by Kamatera:

• Global coverage. This host operates 24 data centers worldwide, including locations in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
• Fully customizable virtual machines. A highly scalable cloud infrastructure with the ability to customize CPU, RAM, and storage configurations in real time. This is a major benefit compared to Hetzner's pre-configured servers.
• Managed services. Kamatera provides fully managed cloud services, including server setup, software installation, and ongoing maintenance.
• Strong customer support. 24/7 phone, chat, and email support, with proactive issue resolution.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing. Flexible billing for short-term or variable projects.
• Trial period. A 30-day free trial to test services.

Kamatera Offers, Pricing, and Packages

Kamatera offers a range of cloud services, including cloud servers, block storage, and managed services at competitive prices:

• Cloud servers. The pricing for customizable virtual machines with flexible billing starts at $4/month. Pay-as-you-go billing ensures flexibility, with additional costs for features like backups and managed services.
• Managed cloud services. Managed cloud services are more expensive than Hetzner, starting at around $50/month on top of the cloud server price.
• Additional features. A pricing calculator on the Kamatera home page allows users to customize their configuration by selecting additional hardware, software, and features, with real-time updates to the total price.

ScalaHosting

ScalaHosting's main selling points are its managed VPS services and a set of advanced proprietary server management and security tools. As Hetzner offers mostly self-managed solutions, ScalaHosting is an excellent alternative for businesses looking for a hands-off approach, strong support, and proactive security.

Scala Hosting Advantages

Besides fully managed VPS hosting, ScalaHosting has several unique advantages:

• All-in-one hosting platform for managing cloud VPS services. SPanel was developed in-house by ScalaHosting as a cost-effective cPanel alternative with similar functionality. Every SPanel-powered server also integrates SWordPress Manager, a tool for managing WordPress sites at no additional cost.
• Integrated security. SPanel also integrates SShield, a security system for real-time protection, with no added cost. Managed VPS plans come with free SSL certificates for all domains.
• Anytime money-back guarantee. ScalaHosting offers refunds for any pre-paid and unused hosting services.

ScalaHosting Offers, Pricing, and Packages

ScalaHosting offers lots of advanced features and managed services. As a consequence, these plans are more expensive than Hetzner's unmanaged plans:

• Shared hosting. Entry point plans for hosting a single website start at $2.95/month.
• Managed VPS. Fully managed virtual servers with SPanel start at $29.95/month.
• WordPress-optimized hosting. Optimized WordPress hosting starts at $2.95/month for one website.
• Email hosting. Starter plans for small businesses or personal use (up to 10 email boxes) start at $4.95/month.

IONOS

IONOS is a versatile hosting provider with a strong European presence. Compared to Hetzner, IONOS provides a broader range of hosting options and greater flexibility with its hybrid solutions and easy resource upgrades.

IONOS stands out for its low entry-level pricing.

IONOS Advantages

This provider has many features that make it a strong alternative to Hetzner:

• Extremely low starting prices. Extremely competitive pricing, with shared hosting starting as low as $1/month for the first year.
• Lots of different hosting options. Offers shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and cloud solutions catering to businesses of all sizes. Managed and unmanaged options for both VPS and dedicated hosting.
• Expert customer support. Includes 24/7 customer support via phone and chat, providing a more hands-on approach than Hetzner.
• Free features. Many plans include a free domain, SSL certificates, and email hosting.
• One-click installs. The installation and management of popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are streamlined.

IONOS Offers, Pricing, and Packages

IONOS is highly competitive for shared and VPS hosting, though Hetzner remains a more cost-effective option for dedicated servers and cloud hosting. Key IONOS offerings include:

• Web hosting. Shared hosting with scalable resources. Web hosting plans start at $1/month.
• VPS hosting. Flexible virtual servers with full root access. Monthly plans start at $2/month.
• Dedicated servers. High-performance AMD and Intel servers for demanding applications start at $75/month. Older hardware is also available at discounted rates, as low as $50/month.
• Cloud backup. Scalable cloud backup solutions start at $7/month for the basic package. IONOS also offers a pay-as-you-go model priced at $0.07/GB  for users with variable storage needs.

Low starting prices and comprehensive features make IONOS a practical and budget-friendly alternative to Hetzner.

Hostwinds

Hostwinds was founded in 2010 and operates 2 data centers in the US and 1 in Europe. They offer a comprehensive range of services, from shared hosting to VPS and cloud options. Hostwinds owns its hardware and focuses on affordability and customer satisfaction.

It's a good choice for users who need fully managed services and customization options Hetzner does not provide.

Hostwinds Advantages

Hostwinds has several advantages compared to Hetzner:

• Managed services. Fully managed hosting across VPS and dedicated plans.
• Customer support. 24/7 technical support via live chat and phone.
• Unlimited bandwidth and disk space. All plans include unlimited bandwidth and storage, unlike Hetzner's data-limited plans.
• Backups. Nightly backups are available for added data security.

Hostwinds Offers, Pricing, and Packages

Key offerings include:

• Shared hosting. Plans include unlimited bandwidth and disk space. Shared hosting starts at $5.24/month and then renews at $6.99/month, making them more expensive than Hetzner shared hosting.
• VPS hosting. Both managed and unmanaged options are available. VPS hosting starts at $4.99/month for unmanaged plans and $8.99/month for managed VPS hosting.
• Dedicated servers. Fully customizable high-performance dedicated servers start at $122/month. This is significantly higher than Hetzner's, but these plans include comprehensive managed services.
• Cloud hosting. Pricing starts at $0.006931/hour, roughly $5/month, making it an affordable option for entry-level cloud users.

While its pricing is generally higher than Hetzner's, Hostwinds offers added value through managed services and US-based data centers.

Vultr

Vultr specializes in high-performance cloud instances and bare metal servers. It is a strong alternative for businesses needing global infrastructure, Kubernetes support, and advanced DevOps tools.

The pricing is flexible, and some products match Hetzner's affordable solutions.

Vultr Advantages

This provider has competitive prices and strong developer-centric solutions, which give it the following advantages:

• Global data center locations. Operates 32 data centers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, providing excellent global coverage.
• Flexible billing options. Pay-as-you-go pricing for cost control.
• Bare metal servers for dedicated resources. Highly scalable with options for standard cloud and high-performance computing.
• Pricing. Vultr can rival Hetzner in terms of affordability.
• Developer-centric. Offers a richer developer ecosystem, including a simple API solution, making it a better fit for advanced DevOps workflows and automation.

Vultr Offers, Pricing, and Packages

Vultr has some of the lowest entry prices in the industry. Naturally, pricing scales by adding high-performance components and features (e.g., block storage), making it pricier for feature-heavy deployments:

• Cloud compute. Scalable virtual machines with various CPU and storage options start at $2.50/month or $0.004/hour.
• Bare metal. Dedicated single-tenant CPU servers with cloud-like flexibility start at $120/month.
• Block storage. Attachable storage volumes for increased capacity. NVMe storage starts at $1/month for 10G of storage. HDD is several times cheaper.
• Load balancers. You can distribute traffic across multiple instances for high availability. The price is around $10/month.

Cloudways

Cloudways provides managed cloud hosting by partnering with leading providers like AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode. But why use Cloudways instead of going to these providers directly?

Cloudways optimizes its infrastructure specifically for ecommerce platforms like Magento and WooCommerce. If you require fast, scalable, and compliant servers around the globe, with Cloudways, you get a hosting platform that requires zero configuration and simplifies operations with one-click tools.

Cloudways Advantages

Here are the main advantages that make Cloudways one of the top Hetzner alternatives:

• Managed hosting. By partnering with providers like DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr, AWS, and Google Cloud, Cloudways delivers scalable hosting solutions tailored to various business needs.
• Optimized for e-commerce platforms. Supports various applications, including WordPress (Woocommerce), Magento, and Laravel.
• Global reach. Access to multiple data centers through partners like AWS, Google Cloud, and Vultr ensures low latency performance worldwide.
• Compliance-ready. Companies spend fortunes to meet regulatory standards In industries that deal with sensitive customer information, like e-commerce. By working with major players in the hosting industry, Cloudways offers built-in security features through partner infrastructures.
• Ease of use. Provides easy resource scaling through its platform, making it user-friendly for less technical users.

Cloudways Offers, Pricing, and Packages

Cloudways provides a variety of hosting plans to match different needs.

• Pricing depends on the cloud provider. Pricing starts at $11/month for basic plans, with final costs depending on the chosen cloud provider (e.g., DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, Google Cloud).
• Additional fees. Cloudways charges extra for its managed platform, making it more expensive than Hetzner for comparable hardware resources. However, these fees include value-added features like simplified management and enhanced support.

Linode

Linode is a strong alternative for Hetzner's VPS and cloud hosting users, particularly for organizations with complex scaling requirements, such as GPU and dedicated CPU instances.

Even though Linode is a developer-focused cloud provider, it also offers managed hosting as an optional add-on for users who need hands-on support.

Linode Advantages

The main advantages that make Linode one of the top Hetzner alternatives are:

• Affordable compute instances. Standard plans are unmanaged, like Hetzner, but with better support.
• Has one of the largest networks globally. Linode boasts one of the largest networks globally, with a vast infrastructure of core and distributed data centers and edge PoPs.
• Managed hosting add-on. For $100/month, Linode provides an optional managed hosting service that includes server monitoring, software updates, and backups.
• Managed Kubernetes and databases. Fully supports Kubernetes for containerized applications. Linode offers a richer developer ecosystem, making it a stronger choice for DevOps teams and advanced users.

Linode Offers, Pricing, and Packages

Linode hosting plans are designed for both beginners and experienced users. Here's an overview of what this provider offers to clients:

• Compute instances. Scalable virtual machines with flexible configurations. Standard cloud instances cost $5/month.
• Dedicated CPU. Instances with dedicated CPU cores deliver consistent performance for resource-intensive workloads. Prices start at $36/month.
• Dedicated Kubernetes. Managed Kubernetes clusters with dedicated CPUs for containerized applications, starting at $108/month.
• Cloud cost calculator. Linode provides a cloud cost calculator to help users customize their hosting solutions and estimate expenses.

GreenGeeks

GreenGeeks hosting solutions are not as robust as Hetzner's and are better suited for small businesses and WordPress websites. However, their emphasis on environmentally friendly practices makes them a compelling choice for companies with an eco-conscious business strategy.

Such companies are often ready to pay higher costs for an eco-friendly solution.

GreenGeeks Advantages

This provider has several advantages that make it a notable alternative to Hetzner:

• 300% renewable energy promise. GreenGeeks promises to return three kilowatts of energy from renewable sources for every non-renewable kilowatt it draws from the grid.
• Valuable extras. Includes free SSL certificates, nightly backups, advanced malware scanning, unlimited storage and data transfers on shared hosting plans, and a free domain name for the first year.
• Customer support. Responsive 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, and tickets.
• User panel. A user-friendly cPanel interface with Softaculous for easy app installations.
• Fully managed hosting services. Includes automatic updates, backups, and proactive monitoring.

GreenGeeks Offers, Pricing, and Packages

This provider offers a variety of hosting plans designed for both beginners and experienced users:

• Shared hosting plans. Include Lite ($2.95/month), Pro ($4.95/month), and Premium ($8.95/month).
• WordPress hosting. These plans have the same pricing and names as the shared hosting plans.
• VPS hosting. Pricing starts at 69.95/month for a server with 4GB of RAM.
• Dedicated hosting. Pricing starts at $169/month.

How to Choose the Best Hetzner Hosting Alternatives

Before selecting a Hetzner alternative, it's essential to determine why you are considering changing providers. Hetzner is well-regarded for its competitive pricing, particularly for dedicated servers and cloud solutions. However, there are several reasons you might look for an alternative:

• Global reach. Hetzner's data centers are primarily in Europe, which appeals to European customers but limits its global reach. If this is a concern, look for providers with a large network, such as Linode, Vultr, phoenixNAP, etc.
• Managed services are not Hetzner's focus. If you require fully managed solutions, almost all the alternatives on this list offer managed services for VPS and cloud hosting. These options are more expensive than Hetzner's unmanaged solutions, but they provide valuable support and reduce operational overhead.
• Sustainability. Hetzner is known for repurposing server hardware, which makes sense both economically and ecologically. However, providers like GreenGeeks really push boundaries in renewable energy practices.
• Don't compromise on flexibility and scalability. Hetzner VPS and cloud solutions are very flexible and scalable. Don't settle for a provider that has fewer options.
• Security and compliance. Compliance is critical if you run an eCommerce store or handle sensitive customer data. A provider with GDPR, PCI DSS, or HIPAA-compliant infrastructure can save you a ton of time and money.
• Bussines model. Many hosting providers cater to specific business needs. For example, if you run a WooCommerce store or WordPress website, look for providers with optimized environments for these platforms.
• Developer-friendly. If you have an expert technical team, consider a provider that offers developer-friendly tools such as APIs, SDKs, and integrations with DevOps platforms. These features enable automation and reduce costs by streamlining workflows.
• Use the trial period. Most hosting providers offer a trial period, allowing you to test the provider's performance and features before committing to a long-term contract.

Price Is Not the Only Thing That Matters

Very few providers can match Hetzner's auction server prices. But many offer unique features and pricing structures that can potentially be an even better fit for your business.

This list highlighted the most viable alternatives that maintain Hetzner's core value propositions and introduced exciting options and features you may not have considered before.