selfhostkit.dev · guide
The best VPS for self-hosting in 2026
I run everything (Nextcloud, n8n, a handful of websites, Docker apps) on one small VPS. Here's what I actually use, and how to pick yours without getting burned on bandwidth.
Good news: self-hosting doesn't need a monster. A 2 vCPU / 4 GB box at $4-5/month already handles a dozen Docker containers behind a reverse proxy. The trap isn't power, it's metered bandwidth and quiet price hikes.
My pick: Hetzner
I've been on Hetzner from the start, on an ARM instance (CAX line). Two concrete reasons:
- Unbeatable price/performance: the CAX11 (ARM, 2 vCPU / 4 GB) sits around $3.79-4.99/mo, the CX22 (x86) around $4.59.
- 20 TB of traffic included. Absurdly generous: most competitors bill egress separately, and on a slightly busy service that can double your bill. On Hetzner you never watch the meter.
Honest caveat: Hetzner raised prices mid-2026 (~1.3-1.4×), and datacenters are in Europe (plus a little in the US). For a European audience (the classic self-hosting case), it's perfect. For worldwide multi-region, look at Vultr.
The comparison, for real
| Provider | Entry tier | Traffic included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner ✓ | ~$3.79 (CAX11 ARM) | 20 TB | The default. Best price/perf, generous traffic, Europe. |
| Vultr | from ~$2.50 | plan-dependent | You need global regions (30+ datacenters), fast deploy. |
| DigitalOcean | from $4 (512 MB) | limited, egress billed | Best tooling/docs, but pricier per spec. 2vCPU/4GB ≈ $24/mo. |
| Contabo | ~€14 (but 24 GB RAM) | generous | You want lots of cheap RAM; in exchange, CPU and support are more variable. |
How I'd choose today
- Personal self-hosting / homelab in Europe → Hetzner CAX11 (ARM) or CX22. Done.
- Global audience, low latency everywhere → Vultr.
- You want to load up on RAM without blowing the budget (databases, Immich…) → Contabo.
- You're starting out and want top-tier docs/UX → DigitalOcean, even if it costs a bit more.
Once the VPS is up, the rest is always the same: a reverse proxy, Docker, your services in containers. That's exactly what the self-hosting guide covers, and the selfhostkit tools keep you from fighting config files.