docs-v2/self-host/choosing-a-vps.mdx

---
title: "Choosing a VPS"
description: "Compare hosting options and find the best VPS for your Pangolin deployment"
---

Pangolin generally requires minimal resources to run effectively. A basic VPS with **1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, and 8GB SSD** is sufficient for most deployments.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Minimum Requirements">
  - **CPU**: 1 vCPU
  - **RAM**: 1GB
  - **Storage**: 8GB SSD
</Card>

<Card title="Recommended Specs">
  - **CPU**: 2 vCPU
  - **RAM**: 2GB
  - **Storage**: 20GB SSD
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## Recommended Options

<Tip>
We're part of RackNerd's affiliate program. Using our links helps support Pangolin development at no extra cost to you.
</Tip>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="RackNerd Starter Plan" href="https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788&pid=912">
**$0.91/month** - Perfect for personal use and small deployments
  
- 1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 20GB SSD
- Excellent performance for the price
- Reliable uptime and support
</Card>

<Card title="RackNerd Basic Plan" href="https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788&pid=913">
**$1.47/month** - Ideal for small teams and growing deployments
  
- 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 30GB SSD
- Great value for performance
</Card>

<Card title="RackNerd Standard Plan" href="https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788&pid=914">
**$2.49/month** - Best for larger teams and production use
  
- 3 vCPU, 3.5GB RAM, 60GB SSD
- Room for growth and scaling
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## DigitalOcean Marketplace

Deploy Pangolin with a single click using the DigitalOcean marketplace. The one-click installer automatically provisions a DigitalOcean droplet with Pangolin pre-installed and firewall rules configured.

<Tip>
We're part of the DigitalOcean affiliate program. Using our links helps support Pangolin development at no extra cost to you. If you decide to use the DigitalOcean one-click installer, please use our link.
</Tip>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="View App Listing" href="https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/pangolin-ce-1?refcode=edf0480eeb81">
View Pangolin on the DigitalOcean marketplace
</Card>

<Card title="Deploy Now (Affiliate Link)" href="https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/pangolin-ce-1?refcode=edf0480eeb81&action=deploy">
Create your droplet with Pangolin pre-installed
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## VPS Provider Comparison

| Provider | Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price/Month | Price/Year | Best For |
|----------|------|-----|-----|---------|-------------|------------|----------|
| **[RackNerd](https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788)** | Starter | 1 vCPU | 1GB | 20GB SSD | $0.91 | $10.96 | Budget users |
| **[RackNerd](https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788)** | Basic | 2 vCPU | 2GB | 30GB SSD | $1.47 | $17.66 | Small teams |
| **[RackNerd](https://my.racknerd.com/aff.php?aff=13788)** | Standard | 3 vCPU | 3.5GB | 60GB SSD | $2.49 | $29.89 | Growing teams |
| **[Hetzner Cloud](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud)** | CX11 | 2 vCPU | 4GB | 40GB SSD | $4.59 | $55.08 | Performance |
| **[UpCloud](https://upcloud.com/pricing/)** | 1xCPU | 1 vCPU | 1GB | 10GB SSD | $3.30 | $39.60 | European users |
| **[Vultr](https://www.vultr.com/pricing)** | Cloud Compute | 1 vCPU | 1GB | 25GB SSD | $5.00 | $60.00 | Global presence |
| **[Linode](https://www.linode.com/pricing/)** | Nanode | 1 vCPU | 1GB | 25GB SSD | $5.00 | $60.00 | Developer friendly |
| **[DigitalOcean](https://www.digitalocean.com/pricing/droplets)** | Basic | 1 vCPU | 1GB | 25GB SSD | $6.00 | $72.00 | Easy setup |
| **[OVHcloud](https://www.ovhcloud.com/en/vps/)** | Starter | 2 vCPU | 2GB | 40GB SSD | $5.50 | $66.00 | European users |
| **[AWS EC2](https://instances.vantage.sh/)** | t3.micro | 2 vCPU | 1GB | 8GB SSD | $8.50 | $102.00 | Enterprise |

<Info>
Prices shown are approximate and may vary based on location, promotions, and currency exchange rates. Check provider websites for current pricing.
</Info>

## Selection Criteria

When choosing your VPS provider, consider these factors:

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Performance Requirements">
  **Resource usage depends on several key factors:**
  
  **Primary factors:**
  - **Number of connected sites**: More sites = higher CPU and memory usage
  - **Data throughput**: Amount of traffic transiting through the server
  
  **Secondary factors:**
  - **Dashboard UI usage**: Active admin sessions and configuration changes
  - **Database activity**: User management, logging, and analytics queries
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Geographic Location">
  **Choose a data center close to your users:**
  - **North America**: RackNerd, DigitalOcean, Vultr
  - **Europe**: Hetzner, OVHcloud, UpCloud
  - **Asia Pacific**: Vultr, Linode, DigitalOcean
  - **Global**: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Support and Reliability">
  **Consider these factors:**
  - **Uptime guarantees**: Most providers offer 99.9%+
  - **Support quality**: 24/7 support vs. community forums
  - **Backup options**: Automated backups vs. manual
  - **Monitoring**: Built-in monitoring tools
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Cost Considerations">
  **Hidden costs to watch for:**
  - **Bandwidth overages**: Most plans include 1-2TB/month
  - **Backup storage**: Additional charges for automated backups
  - **IPv4 addresses**: Some providers charge extra
  - **Support tiers**: Premium support may cost extra
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>