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Hetzner Cloud and Virtarix Cloud VPS are not packaged in the same way. Hetzner sells modular cloud infrastructure with hourly lifecycle billing, public IPs and backups treated as separate resources. Virtarix sells a fixed self-managed VPS package with IPv4, IPv6, one backup and one snapshot included.
Verdict: Choose Virtarix VPS S for a small always-on server where low monthly cost and included recovery capacity matter. Choose Hetzner when APIs, Terraform, private networking, firewalls and hourly deletion-based billing are central to the infrastructure workflow.
Disclosure and methodology: This comparison is published by Virtarix. Hetzner's low-cost CX23 was listed but unavailable when checked, so the main table uses the lowest clearly orderable 4 GB Regular Performance plan. That makes this an operating-model comparison, not a perfect like-for-like price match. Last checked: 28 July 2026.
Hetzner CPX22 and Virtarix VPS S as operating-model choices
| Feature | Virtarix VPS S | Hetzner CPX22 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard price | $5.50/month | €19.49 monthly cap for Germany/Finland, excluding VAT and IPv4 |
| Current promotion | $4.40/month for first 3 months with WELCOME20 | None used in this comparison |
| CPU allocation | 3 CPU cores | 2 shared AMD vCPU |
| RAM | 6 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 50 GB NVMe | 80 GB SSD |
| Public IPv4 | Included | €0.50/month |
| IPv6 | Included | Free primary IPv6 |
| Backup | 1 included | Optional; 20% of server price |
| Snapshot | 1 included | Separately billed by compressed storage used |
| Billing | Published monthly price | Hourly until monthly cap; billing stops when server is deleted |
| Tooling | Direct self-managed VPS | API, CLI, Terraform, private networks, firewalls and images |
Published CPU allocations are not cross-provider benchmarks. Hetzner explicitly describes Regular Performance as shared resources suited to variable CPU workloads.
Why CX23 is not the main table
Hetzner's 15 June 2026 Germany/Finland price table lists the Cost-Optimized CX23 at a €5.49 monthly cap. It would be the obvious low-cost comparison, but the plan was marked not available when checked on 28 July 2026.
Using CX23 as though it were orderable would produce a misleading recommendation. The table therefore uses CPX22, the lowest clearly orderable Regular Performance plan with 4 GB RAM and 80 GB SSD. CPX22 is not a like-for-like value benchmark for VPS S: it is included to compare the two operating models using a plan that could actually be ordered.
CX23 availability can change, so confirm the available plan and regional price before ordering.
Complete always-on cost
For Germany and Finland, Hetzner's 15 June 2026 price table lists CPX22 at €19.49/month before VAT and IPv4. A primary IPv4 adds €0.50/month. Backups add 20% of the server price, or approximately €3.90/month, and provide seven backup slots. The complete amount is therefore approximately €23.89/month before VAT. Snapshots remain separate.
| Cost view | Virtarix VPS S | Hetzner CPX22 |
|---|---|---|
| Base monthly price | $5.50 | €19.49 |
| Public IPv4 | Included | €0.50 |
| Backup used in full-package comparison | Included | Approximately €3.90 calculated at 20% |
| Complete monthly amount before snapshot | $5.50 | Approximately €23.89 before VAT |
| Calculated first 12 months | $62.70 with WELCOME20 (20% off the first 3 months) | Approximately €286.66 before VAT |
| Calculated 12 months without Hetzner backup | — | €239.88 before VAT, including IPv4 |
Currencies are intentionally not converted. The Hetzner figures use the Germany/Finland price basis; checkout can differ by location, currency, tax status and future price changes.
Category winners
| Category | Winner | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Packaged always-on price | Virtarix | Lower monthly price with IPv4, IPv6, backup and snapshot included |
| Local storage capacity | Hetzner | 80 GB versus 50 GB |
| RAM | Virtarix | 6 GB versus 4 GB |
| Hourly lifecycle | Hetzner | Charges hourly until the monthly cap when the server is deleted |
| Private networking and firewall controls | Hetzner | First-class cloud resources |
| API and infrastructure-as-code | Hetzner | REST API, CLI and Terraform integrations |
| Included recovery | Virtarix | Backup and snapshot are part of the base package |
| Location breadth | Hetzner | Wider global availability than Virtarix's three live locations |
Hetzner's decisive strengths
Hetzner is the better infrastructure platform for repeatable deployment. Its API, CLI, Terraform integration, private networks, firewalls, images and placement controls are designed for teams that model infrastructure as code.
The hourly model is useful for test environments, preview servers, CI workers and migration systems that automation creates and deletes. Powering a server off does not stop billing because the allocated resources still exist. The server must be deleted to stop compute charges.
Hetzner also makes the component costs explicit. Teams can omit public IPv4, choose IPv6-only networking, enable backups only where required and add snapshots separately. That modularity is useful when the architecture is designed around it.
Where Virtarix is the stronger choice
Virtarix is simpler for one persistent public server. VPS S includes IPv4, IPv6, one backup and one snapshot in the $5.50 standard monthly price. There is no need to assemble a base server, primary IPv4 and percentage-based backup to understand the package.
The 6 GB RAM allocation is useful for a website, application, local database, customer-managed container stack or automation service running continuously. Virtarix supports Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux and Arch Linux and offers Dallas, Frankfurt and Johannesburg.
Virtarix is not a replacement for Hetzner's private networks, Terraform workflow or managed cloud ecosystem. Its advantage appears when those features are not required and the buyer primarily needs an economical, self-managed server.
Hetzner remains the stronger choice for cloud-native operations, multi-server private networks and automated environments. Buyers requiring dedicated CPU should also compare Virtarix Cloud VDS rather than assuming the shared Cloud VPS allocation is equivalent.
Final recommendation
Choose Virtarix VPS S for a low-cost, always-on VPS package. Choose Hetzner CPX22 for the automation platform and hourly lifecycle, not because it represents a like-for-like value benchmark. Confirm CX23 availability before ordering because the lower-cost plan materially changes the price comparison.
Choose a simple always-on package
Virtarix VPS S includes 3 CPU cores, 6 GB RAM, 50 GB NVMe, unlimited bandwidth*, full root access, IPv4, IPv6, one backup and one snapshot for $5.50/month.
Browse all Virtarix VPS provider comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which option costs less?
The unavailable CX23 is listed at €5.49/month for Germany/Finland, but the orderable CPX22 is substantially more expensive before IPv4, backup and VAT. Availability and regional pricing must be checked at purchase.
Hetzner: is public IPv4 included in the base price?
No. A primary IPv4 is billed separately at €0.50/month before VAT. Primary IPv6 is free.
Hetzner: are backups included in the base price?
No. Backups cost 20% of the server price and provide seven backup slots.
Hetzner: does billing stop when a server is powered off?
No. Billing continues until the server is deleted.
Can plan availability change?
Yes. The Cost-Optimized range is capacity-limited and can be unavailable. Confirm the available plan and price in the required region before ordering.
Sources checked
Choose a Virtarix VPS for your workload
Match the available resource profiles to your workload and operating responsibilities.
VPS S
For small sites, dev servers and Docker
- ✓ 3 cores
- ✓ 6 GB
- ✓ 50 GB NVMe
- ✓ Unlimited
VPS M
For growing apps, websites and staging
- ✓ 6 cores
- ✓ 16 GB
- ✓ 100 GB NVMe
- ✓ Unlimited
