Best Hetzner Alternatives in 2026
Hetzner ($3.29/mo) not the right fit? Here are 5 alternatives we tested and compared — from free options to enterprise-grade tools.
Last updated: February 2026 · 5 alternatives reviewed
Hetzner
European cloud hosting with unbeatable pricing. Dedicated servers, VPS, and cloud infrastructure at a fraction of AWS cost.
- Mostly EU/US regions (no Asia-Pacific)
- Less managed services than AWS/GCP
- Dashboard is functional but not modern
Top 5 Alternatives to Hetzner
Vercel
Frontend cloud platform for deploying and hosting web applications with automatic CI/CD.
- Zero-config deployment for Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit
- Free tier is generous for personal projects (100GB bandwidth)
- Pro plan is $20/user/mo — adds up for teams
- Serverless function cold starts can affect performance
Railway
Infrastructure platform for deploying apps, databases, and services with simple DX.
- Deploy anything — Docker, Node, Python, Go, Rust, databases
- One-click PostgreSQL, Redis, MySQL provisioning
- Free tier is just $5 credit (runs out fast with always-on services)
- No serverless functions (everything is container-based)
DigitalOcean
Simple, affordable cloud computing for developers. Droplets, Kubernetes, managed databases, and app platform.
- Predictable pricing — no surprise bills
- Excellent tutorials and community content
- Fewer services than AWS/GCP
- No free-forever tier (only 60-day credits)
Render
Unified cloud platform to build and run apps, databases, cron jobs, and static sites with easy deploys from Git.
- Simple GitHub/GitLab deploy pipeline
- Generous free tier for static sites
- Free tier services spin down (cold starts)
- Performance can lag behind Vercel/Fly.io for edge workloads
Fly.io
Deploy app servers close to users with edge hosting. Run full-stack apps, databases, and machines globally.
- Deploy to 30+ regions for low-latency globally
- Run any Docker container — language agnostic
- Steeper learning curve than Vercel/Render
- CLI-centric workflow can frustrate dashboard users
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Hetzner?
The best free alternatives to Hetzner include Vercel, Railway, DigitalOcean. Each offers a free plan with varying feature limits.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Hetzner?
Yes. Hetzner starts at $3.29/mo. Fly.io (Free / $0/mo) offer lower pricing.
Why do people switch from Hetzner?
Common reasons include: Mostly EU/US regions (no Asia-Pacific), Less managed services than AWS/GCP, Dashboard is functional but not modern. Each alternative addresses different pain points, so the best choice depends on your specific needs.
Can I migrate my data from Hetzner?
Most alternatives offer import tools or CSV migration paths. The complexity depends on your data volume and workflow complexity. We recommend running both tools in parallel for 1-2 weeks during transition.