Hetzner is a familiar starting point for an affordable European VPS, with EU cloud locations in Germany and Finland: Nuremberg and Falkenstein in Germany, and Helsinki in Finland. But price isn't the whole decision when you're choosing where your websites, databases, and self-hosted services will live.
You might want more payment choice, a different approach to account data, or a different European location from Hetzner's German and Finnish options. Or you might want a second VPS provider so one account problem doesn't affect every project you run.
The six providers below offer unmanaged VPS hosting for websites, applications, and self-hosted services.
A quick note: QDE is included in this list, and the other providers are competitors. We've made a deliberate effort to describe each fairly, including the reasons you might choose another provider.
Quick comparison of Hetzner VPS alternatives
| Provider | European VPS location considered here | Main reason to compare it | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | Germany, Finland | European cloud VPS with shared- and dedicated-vCPU options | CPU allocation, IPv4 costs, backups, and included transfer |
| QDE | Amsterdam, Netherlands | An Amsterdam VPS with payment flexibility and a privacy-focused approach | One hosting location; unmanaged service |
| Contabo | Germany | Resource-heavy VPS plans for a limited budget | CPU usage rules, storage type, and total cost |
| OVHcloud | France | VPS plans with DDoS protection | Plan availability, bandwidth, and backup retention |
| IONOS | Germany | Linux or Windows VPS with established support channels | Renewal pricing, contract length, and paid extras |
| Aruba Cloud | Italy | VPS hosting for workloads serving Italian users | Available sizes, location, and traffic allowance |
| Infomaniak | Switzerland | Swiss-hosted VPS Lite for smaller workloads | Plan limits and operating system choices |
What to compare when replacing a Hetzner VPS
Size the VPS for your application: memory use, CPU load, storage, and monthly transfer. For a Docker host, check the combined requirements of the containers you plan to run.
Compare shared vCPUs with shared vCPUs, and dedicated CPU plans with dedicated CPU plans. Reserved RAM or storage doesn't automatically mean dedicated processor cores. Test sustained performance if your workload is sensitive to CPU contention.
Add IPv4, backups, snapshots, and traffic costs before comparing monthly totals. Check whether promotional prices change at renewal, whether there's a minimum contract, and how cancellation works.
Privacy and operational freedom deserve their own check. Read what account information a host collects, what it logs, how it handles payment, and which workloads its acceptable use policy permits. Root access gives you control over your software; provider policies determine the boundaries around that control.
Finally, test the network. Amsterdam is geographically close to Germany and is a practical location to compare for Western and Central European users, but routing still matters. A looking glass lets you investigate connectivity before moving a service.
1. QDE: Nearby Netherlands VPS with more flexibility and privacy
QDE provides unmanaged KVM VPS hosting in Amsterdam, close to Germany and well placed for Western and Central European users. Plans include NVMe storage and 10 Gbps uplinks. RAM and storage aren't oversold; CPU allocation depends on the plan.
Plans come with full root access and monthly billing. You can pay by card, PayPal, iDEAL, or cryptocurrency.
According to QDE's privacy policy overview, VPS, backup, and account data remain in the Netherlands. QDE doesn't retain server access or traffic logs, though it can see bandwidth usage.
Crypto payments don't make an account anonymous, and the service remains subject to Dutch law and QDE's acceptable use policy.
Daily remote backups and up to three manual snapshots are included. The main limitation is location choice: QDE is an Amsterdam VPS provider, so a second region requires another host.
2. Contabo: A German VPS for resource-heavy workloads
Contabo offers VPS plans in Germany with an emphasis on RAM and storage capacity for the price.
Germany is Contabo's main hosting base, with additional locations across Europe and other regions. Its German datacentres are a practical choice for users who want to stay close to Hetzner's German regions.
Its VPS families differ in storage technology and CPU allocation. Include setup fees and backup costs when calculating the monthly total.
It's a candidate for development environments or several modest applications. If your application needs consistently low response times under load, run a representative test before moving production traffic.
3. OVHcloud: A French VPS with DDoS protection
OVHcloud's VPS plans include DDoS protection, which is useful for public-facing websites and services.
OVHcloud also offers VPS hosting in other countries, but France is its most widely available location, with several French datacentres to choose from. That makes it a useful option for hosting close to users in France and neighbouring countries.
For a VPS in France, compare the available sizes, bandwidth limits, and backup retention. These vary by plan.
4. IONOS: A German VPS with Linux and Windows options
IONOS VPS hosting offers German deployments with root access, NVMe storage, and Linux or Windows configurations.
Germany is one of IONOS's main VPS locations, alongside additional options in Spain, the UK, and the US. A German VPS keeps the server close to Hetzner's German regions, while Spain offers another EU location.
Its support channels may also matter if you prefer having phone assistance available alongside documentation. Infrastructure support still isn't the same as having someone maintain your applications, databases, or operating system.
Check the renewal price and contract length, particularly on promotional offers. Windows licensing and backups can also affect the total.
5. Aruba Cloud: An Italian VPS for a southern European audience
Aruba Cloud's VPS range is useful to compare when your users are mainly in Italy. Its Cloud VPS OpenStack offering includes preconfigured virtual server sizes, NVMe storage, and Linux or Windows choices.
Italy is Aruba Cloud's main hosting base, with additional datacentres elsewhere in Europe. Cloud VPS OpenStack location choices depend on the selected server size.
An Italian server may reduce latency for a mainly Italian audience. Compare it with your current location using tests from your users' networks.
Compare the included traffic and storage with your current VPS, and budget for backups.
6. Infomaniak: A Swiss VPS for smaller services
Infomaniak VPS Lite is a Swiss-hosted option for small applications, test environments, and personal services. It provides an unmanaged virtual server with root access.
Choose it if Switzerland is specifically where you want the server to run. Check available CPU, memory, storage, and operating system combinations against your existing workload before moving.
Swiss hosting alone doesn't establish that a service is more private. Read the provider's actual data practices and contract alongside the location, just as you would with any other host.
Moving your VPS from Hetzner
Build the replacement alongside your existing server. Install the required software, restore a copy of your data, and test the application before changing public DNS. Check scheduled jobs, outbound email, firewall rules, and IP allowlists.
Lower DNS TTLs ahead of the move, then plan a final synchronization. A database-backed application may need replication or a brief maintenance window to avoid accepting writes on both servers. DNS changes alone don't guarantee a move without downtime.
Keep the old VPS active until you've checked traffic, data consistency, and backups on the replacement. Our guide to moving from traditional hosting to an unmanaged VPS covers more of the administration involved.
Choosing the right Hetzner VPS alternative
The best Hetzner VPS alternative depends on what you want to change. Contabo is worth testing for resource capacity on a budget, OVHcloud for its VPS package and DDoS protection, IONOS for OS choices and support channels, Aruba Cloud for Italy, and Infomaniak for a small Swiss-hosted server.
QDE suits users looking for Amsterdam hosting, cryptocurrency payments, and included backups. Test the network from your users' locations before migrating.
Thanks for reading! If that balance fits your next server, explore QDE's VPS hosting in Amsterdam, with NVMe storage, 10 Gbps uplinks, and daily remote backups.
Need help choosing a plan? Contact QDE and tell us what you're running.
Frequently asked questions about Hetzner VPS alternatives
Which Hetzner alternative should I consider in the Netherlands?
QDE offers unmanaged KVM VPS hosting in Amsterdam with NVMe storage, cryptocurrency payments, and included daily backups.
Does QDE offer more freedom than a typical VPS provider?
QDE emphasizes control over your software, flexible payment methods, and monthly billing. Full root access is also common among unmanaged VPS providers, so compare acceptable use policies and account requirements alongside those features. Ask about your specific workload before ordering if policy fit is the reason you're moving.
Is Netherlands VPS hosting more private than German hosting?
Location alone doesn't establish that. Compare what each provider collects, logs, retains, and shares. QDE publishes its approach to these questions, including its policy on server access and traffic logs, so you can assess it against your needs.
Which alternatives should I compare for a low-cost VPS?
Compare Contabo's resource allocations and IONOS's current offers with the equivalent Hetzner plan. Include renewal rates, setup fees, IPv4, and backups. The cheapest advertised starting price may not be the lowest total for your configuration.
Can I move a Docker stack to another VPS?
Usually, yes. Choose a compatible CPU architecture and operating system, transfer your configuration and persistent data, and test the containers before switching traffic. Plan separately for external services or networking features tied to the old provider.
Will Amsterdam be fast enough for users in Germany?
Amsterdam is a nearby location worth testing for German users. Actual latency depends on routing and the user's network, so measure from representative locations before committing to a migration.