How to Choose a VPS: Location, Plan and Operating System
Before you buy a VPS: how to pick the right location, how many cores and how much RAM you need, which OS to choose and whether to pay monthly or hourly.
1. Location: put the server close to your users
The most important factor is where your users are: the closer the server, the faster they get responses.
- European audience or general use: the Netherlands (Amsterdam) and Germany (Frankfurt) are Europe's main internet hubs; Finland, France and Latvia are good options too.
- North American audience or US-based services: a USA server, in a city close to your users.
- Asian audience: Hong Kong and other Asian locations.
- Trading: a location near your broker's servers.
See every country and city on the VPS locations page.
2. Resources: how many cores and how much RAM?
- Telegram bot, small site, scripts: 1 core and 1-2 GB of RAM.
- WordPress or a shop with moderate traffic: 2 cores and 2-4 GB.
- Databases, busy sites, several services at once: 4 cores and 8 GB or more.
- Windows Server: at least 2 cores and 2 GB; 4 GB is more comfortable.
Don't worry about getting it perfect: you can move to a bigger plan from the server page at any time and only pay the difference for the time left.
3. Disk and traffic
The disk must hold the OS, your applications and data; if you need more later, add a volume (in locations that offer them) or upgrade the plan. Every plan has a monthly traffic allowance, shown on the server page. When it runs out the server is stopped, unless you buy a traffic pack or have automatic traffic purchase turned on.
4. Operating system
- Ubuntu LTS: the most popular choice, with the most guides and packages.
- Debian: light and very stable.
- AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux: Red Hat compatible, for software built for that family.
- Windows Server: for Windows software, MetaTrader and remote desktop work.
You can reinstall the OS from the panel at any time (the server's data is erased).
5. Monthly or hourly?
For a server you need all the time, monthly billing is simplest. For tests, demos or jobs that last hours or days, hourly billing is cheaper; read hourly vs monthly VPS for the details.
6. IP address
Every server has a dedicated IP. If you need a fresh one, get a new IP from the server page; it's free, and the server and its data stay as they are.
Checklist
- Where are my users? (location)
- How much CPU and RAM does my software need? (plan)
- Linux or Windows? (OS)
- How long do I need the server? (monthly or hourly)
With those answers, head to the pricing page and pick a plan. You can pay with USDT, TON and other cryptocurrencies.