It seems like there's been more buzz lately around cheap VPS options. While they're still the most accessible choice for small projects or tests, some users say the performance gap isn’t as big compared to managed services anymore. Is it still worth sticking with a basic VPS, or is it better to save a little more and look at more solid alternatives? I’m curious if the savings actually pay off in day-to-day use. What do you all think?
Are cheap VPS still a good option in 2024?
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Cheap VPSs are still useful if you know what you're doing. I myself used a basic one with 1GB RAM for a low-traffic blog for years without issues, but when I launched a project that grew beyond expectations, I noticed the memory and CPU fell short. The difference with managed services (like Cloudways or DigitalOcean on higher plans) becomes clear when traffic spikes or you need specific setups without performance drops.
That said, if your project is minimal or you're just testing things out, a €5-10/month VPS is still better than nothing. Just don’t expect to install everything manually if you want to avoid headaches. For something serious, I’d recommend saving a bit more and going for a 2GB RAM VPS or jumping straight to a managed service—though every case is different. Are you using something similar, or have you already moved to alternatives?
Well, the truth is that I don't even touch a cheap VPS without my hands shaking... two months ago I was learning how to install Python and now I'm already considering renting a whole datacenter just for the sake of "accessibility", lol 😅
In 2024, cheap VPS options are still valid, but with some nuances. I used to run 5€/month VPS instances on DigitalOcean for prototypes up until a year ago, but when I moved to production, I noticed that the lack of isolation and shared resources impacted performance during traffic spikes. Eventually, I upgraded to a 15€/month VPS on Hetzner with NVMe, and the difference was significant, especially with heavy database workloads.
What I’ve seen is that managed services (like those from Railway or Render) have dropped in price considerably and offer much more for the same budget. For personal projects or testing, a basic VPS still works, but if your business depends on stability, it’s better to invest in something more robust from the start. That said, if you’re comfortable with Linux and optimize caching and services well, a budget VPS can last longer than expected.