VPS vs dedicated server: when does each make sense?
Most workloads run fine on a VPS. A dedicated server makes sense when you need a whole machine's CPU, memory and disk for yourself, for example a very large database or a job that must not share hardware at all.
By VPSRely Editorial, Editorial team. Published . 6 min read.
What you are actually buying
A dedicated server is one physical machine rented to one customer. A VPS is a virtual machine on a physical host that runs several of them, each with its own operating system and reserved resources.
Our VPS plans reserve vCPU and RAM for each server, so a neighbour cannot use what your plan has set aside.
Price and size
A VPS costs a fraction of a dedicated server and you pick the size you need. Our plans run from the $9.99 Starter plan with 1 GB of RAM to the Ultimate plan with 96 GB, so you can start small and move up on the pricing page.
A dedicated server has a fixed size and a higher monthly price. You pay for the whole machine whether you use it or not.
When a dedicated server is worth it
Look at dedicated hardware when one of these applies.
- A single database or application needs more RAM or disk than the largest VPS plan offers
- A compliance rule requires that no one else runs on your hardware
- You need specific hardware, such as particular drives or GPUs
- Your workload keeps every core busy around the clock
When a VPS is enough
Websites, APIs, game servers, build machines, VPNs, small databases and Windows desktops all fit on a VPS. If your server idles most of the day, a dedicated machine wastes money.
Not sure which size? Read how much RAM a VPS needs and measure your current usage first.