10 Best FREE VPS Hosting Trials (That Actually Work) in 2024

If you’re searching for a forever-free VPS, I have some bad news: you aren’t going to find one that isn’t a scam. After extensive research on the best deals for VPS, I’ve run into many of these “free VPS hosts.” Each and every single one turned out to be completely fake.

Now, here’s the good news: I found some high-quality VPS hosting services that offer free trials. But even then, some hosts like to make cancellation a real headache or severely limit your capabilities until you take out your wallet. To find out which trials are worth your time, I signed up to as many as I could and tested them thoroughly, cutting it down to the top ten.

Kamatera came out on top, thanks to its highly customizable cloud infrastructure and generous 30-day $100 cloud VPS trial credit. It’s also the only host to allow you to scale and customize your trial plan as needed (at least until your credit runs out). So, you can get a true feel for what a Kamatera VPS can do for you.

However, all of the following hosts offer top-quality VPS hosting and will let you try out a powerful VPS solution for free. So keep reading to find the best option for you. Or, if you can’t wait to get started, sign up with Kamatera today.

What We Look For in the Best Free VPS Hosting Services

When comparing the best hosts offering free VPS trials, I prioritized a number of important features.

• Generous trial resources. There’s not much point in trying out a host’s most basic or – even worse – irrelevant plan. The hosts on this list let you trial their best services and set them up according to your needs. Some even offer generous trial credits of up to $300.
• Easy cancellation. Some hosts like to entice you into a free trial, only to make the cancellation process as difficult as possible. I chose hosts that let you cancel your account easily.
• Long trial length. A short trial isn’t going to give you enough time to properly evaluate a host’s services. That’s why most of the free trials on this list are at least 30 days long.
• Flexibility. A VPS is highly customizable and your needs can be highly individual. The VPS trials on this list allow you to try out multiple configurations and features without imposing too many limits.
• Fast server setup. Wasting the first few days of your trial waiting for the server to be set up and made available isn’t fun. Hosts which can provide a quick set up of your server earned some extra brownie points.

1. Kamatera: Try Out a Powerful Cloud VPS With a 30-Day Trial and $100 Credit

Kamatera offers a powerful cloud VPS hosting solution, where rather than hosting your site on a single physical server, you have access to a cluster of cloud servers across the world. This setup comes with many benefits, including the ability to scale your resources instantly.

With such highly customizable servers, I was worried that Kamatera’s free trial may be tightly-controlled, but that wasn’t the case. The 30-day free trial is generous, giving you access to a single cloud VPS with $100 credit (plus 1TB of storage and outgoing traffic) for an entire month. Even after the trial, the prices are very affordable.

As long as you stay under this $100 limit, you can scale your resources as you please, and even add or remove optional features such as firewalls, load balancers, and so on. A word of warning though – if you do end up accidentally going over the $100 credit, you will be charged for the excess. But as long as you don’t go too crazy, you should be able to get a real taste of the powerful cloud VPS Kamatera offers without paying a dime.

Features:

• Great performance. Kamatera’s cloud VPS use powerful Intel Xeon Platinum and Cascade processors, providing your site with impressive speeds.
• Designated account manager. During the length of the trial, you’ll get access to a designated account manager who will answer any questions you may have about Kamatera’s service. You even get technical advice about the ideal VPS configuration for your needs.
• Fast server setup. Upon signing up, your server will be set up and available within a minute.
• 24/7 technical support. The free trial includes access to Kamatera’s technical support team, which is available through phone, email, and tickets.

Read our full Kamatera review for more information.

2. IONOS: 30-Day VPS Trial and $100 Credit for Cheap Unmanaged VPS

If you’re looking for one of the cheapest self-managed solutions on the market, IONOS offers VPS plans starting at just $2.00. Furthermore, you’ll benefit from a 30-day trial and a $100 credit as a new customer. This offer isn’t just available for its VPS hosting, but its cloud hosting plans, too.

While IONOS is certainly a budget solution, it still offered good performance and uptime in our tests. In addition, you’ll get some nice premium features: you can create temporary snapshots of your VPS at any time, and all customers are assigned a dedicated personal adviser to help answer any queries.

That said, it can be hard to get in touch with your adviser at times, and they won’t help you manage your server. To get the most value out of IONOS, you’ll need to know how to configure, optimize, and maintain a VPS server.

Features:

• Unlimited traffic.  All IONOS servers allow for unlimited traffic up to 1 Gbit/s – you’ll never reach a cap or have to pay overage fees.
• Secure cloud backups. For an added fee, you can purchase Acronis cloud backup storage with integrated malware protection and robust encryption. You can take full or incremental backups.
• Choice of Operating Systems. IONOS VPS plans offer a wide range of OS choices, including Windows (2019 or 2022) and the latest versions of AlmaLinux, Debian, Rocky Linux, and Ubuntu.
• Manage your VPS on the go. IONOS is one of the few VPS hosts with a responsive and functional mobile app. You can manage your servers, monitor performance, pay invoices, and more.

Learn more about IONOS in our comprehensive review.

3. InterServer: Low-Cost Month-to-Month VPS Plans (And Almost-Free for Your First Month)

With a wide selection of pre-configured Linux, Windows, and storage VPS plans to choose from, InterServer makes setup easy. Bonus: if you purchase 4 slices of VPS or more, you get a fully managed service for free. So InterServer is an excellent option if you can’t (or don’t want to) handle the technical details.

Though InterServer doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee for VPS hosting, its plans are billed month-to-month so you can cancel at any time. Only lower-cost shared Web Hosting plans (Standard, Windows, and WordPress) offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, you can try InterServer’s more powerful Cloud VPS plans at a steep discount – pay just $0.01 for your first month.

The host also supports a wide variety of platforms (OpenVZ, KVM, and Cloud), operating systems (Centos, Debian, FreeBSD, Ubuntu, and Windows 2008), control panels (DirectAdmin, cPanel, and Plesk), and 400+ scripts (too many to detail) – meaning you can really customize your InterServer VPS setup beyond the standard performance specs. However, do note that managed services are only offered on the software you install via InterServer.

Features

• Many major CMSs are supported. With InterServer, you can automatically install a number of popular and niche CMSs for blogging, e-commerce, and more – WordPress, Joomla!, TYPO3, Pubvana, Magento, and Zen Cart included.
• 99.9% uptime guarantee. InterServer’s performance is backed up by an uptime SLA. You’ll be compensated should it not meet this target. However, in general, InterServer’s uptime is very reliable.
• 24/7 support. You can contact InterServer via live chat, ticket, and phone 24/7.
• Premium remote backups. For an additional fee, you can purchase premium backup services from InterServer. Its storage plans cover storage VPS and general site file backup via FTP, SFTP, or rsync.

Read our expert InterServer review for more details.

4. ScalaHosting: Flexible Managed VPS With an “Anytime” Money-Back Guarantee

ScalaHosting offers customizable managed VPSs with an impressive “anytime” money-back guarantee. This means that you can request a refund at any time, and you’ll get money back for the unused portion of your contract. You can also cancel within the first 30 days to get a full refund. Unfortunately, ScalaHosting doesn’t technically offer a free trial – but you can still trial its service for 30 days risk-free this way. Do note that 30-day refunds are only available for new customers and not existing ones, though.

As part of your service, you’ll get the usual perks of VPS management. A support team will set up your VPS, optimize its performance, update it with the latest patches, perform daily remote backups, monitor its uptime, and scan for malware. All of this means that you can fully focus on testing ScalaHosting. Just keep in mind that the managed plans only offer Rocky Linux or Alma Linux as the OS.

ScalasHosting also has a proprietary control panel called SPanel, although you do have the choice of paying for the popular cPanel if you wish. However, SPanel is a great alternative. It makes VPS management a breeze and you can have unlimited accounts without incurring an extra cost. All in all, ScalaHosting is perfect for beginners – it’s easy to work with and you can get a refund at any time.

Features:

• Scalable resources. You can scale your resources up or down at any time. However, this does require a reboot of your server.
• Self-managed VPS. There’s also the option of unmanaged VPS. While you lose all the benefits of managed VPS, you do gain root access, allowing for a lot more customizability.
• SShield security. If you choose the free SPanel, you also get Shield security for free. This is an AI solution that monitors your server, blocking web attacks and notifying you of any vulnerabilities.
• Unlimited website migration. With managed VPS, ScalaHosting will migrate an unlimited amount of websites to its hosting service.

Read more about ScalaHosting’s VPS features in our expert review.

5. Cloudways: 3-Day Trial for Managed Service on the Biggest Cloud Platforms

Rather than providing web hosting services on its own servers, Cloudways instead acts as a management service for some of the biggest cloud hosts, such as Google Cloud and Amazon AWS. You then benefit from the top performance of these hosting companies without needing to know how to configure a virtual server yourself.

Despite being a third-party, you can directly purchase various hosting plans from multiple vendors through Cloudways. You don’t need to engage directly with the infrastructure provider company. Instead, you can utilize the user-friendly Cloudways platform to oversee your server instances.

Cloudways does offer a 3-day free trial – it’s very short, but no credit card is required to sign-up. Outside of the trial, prices can be comparable to ScalaHosting, but this depends on the infrastructure provider you choose. Choosing DigitalOcean, Linode, or Vultr will cost you less, whereas Google Cloud or Amazon AWS will cost you more.

Features:

• Easy WordPress installation. Cloudways has software that can automatically install multiple instances of WordPress for you on a single server. From there, you’ll get Cloudways’ pre-optimized hosting stack for top WordPress performance.
• Dedicated staging environment. You can launch a dedicated staging area to test site changes and new plugins without affecting your live site. Once you’re ready, you can push these changes to the live site with a single click.
• Premium CDN. On all Cloudways plans, you can add on the premium Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, which significantly increases the performance of your site across the globe. Though costing extra, it offers image and mobile optimization as well as an additional layer of security.
• 24/7/365 support with guaranteed response times. Cloudways Standard support guarantees a response within 12 hours to a support ticket and 3 hours for a high-priority ticket. Premium support includes a private Slack channel and phone support with a response time of 5 minutes. If Cloudways doesn’t meet these SLA promises, you’ll be entitled to service credits.

For more information, read our expert Cloudways review.

6. GreenGeeks: 30 Days To Try Beginner-Friendly Managed VPS With Great Support

GreenGeeks only offers three managed VPS plans – but each of them gives you great managed service and technical support. Thankfully, you can try GreenGeeks out with a 30-day money-back guarantee before you commit.

GreenGeeks optimizes and secures VPSs for you, ensuring ongoing maintenance as well. Moreover, they furnish you with a cPanel Solo license, enabling you to promptly commence the setup of websites.

GreenGeeks’ technical support truly stands out. While they won’t touch custom software or your site’s code, they’ll do their best to help you with all the basics – even going so far as performing technical tasks for you. My colleagues have had GreenGeeks support install WordPress, configure optimization plugins, and more. This can be incredibly helpful for a beginner to VPS.

Features:

• Softaculous included. The free cPanel license includes the useful Softaculous app installer and a license. This lets you install over 350 applications, each with a single click.
• Proactive 24/7 monitoring. As part of its managed service, GreenGeeks will monitor your server for issues. If an issue is detected, the support team will automatically jump in to solve it.
• RAID-10 SSD. GreenGeeks’ SSD storage is kept in a highly redundant RAID-10 array. With this configuration, your data will be mirrored across multiple drives to prevent loss.
• Free dedicated IP. Each GreenGeeks VPS plan includes a complimentary dedicated IP, which we thoroughly check against blacklists to provide you with a clean address.

To read about our tests of GreenGeeks’ support, check out our detailed review.

Other Notable Web Hosts Offering Free VPS Trials

The following hosts also offer free trials, credits, and money-back guarantees for their hosting services. However, they may be costlier or more complex to manage, which is why they didn’t make our top 6.

7. DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean offers powerful cloud services akin to those of big players like Google Cloud and Amazon – just in a more affordable way. The company also gives customers a generous 60-day free trial of its services (which cover a lot more than VPS hosting) complemented by a $200 credit.

Plus, its services are a little more user-friendly, with support for various popular no-code CMSs like WordPress and Ghost. You’ll also find other well-known 1-click solutions directly in the DigitalOcean Marketplace. For even more accessibility, there’s also a free 3-day trial for managed VPS hosting through Cloudways.

8. Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Amazon is one of the most well-known cloud services providers in the world – but may not be the first platform to come to mind when you think of hosting. While most Amazon Web Services (AWS) are cloud-based, it does also offer VPS hosting with Amazon Lightsail. This service comes with a free 3-month trial (up to 740 hours usage per month) for both Linux and Windows servers.

This offer is available for select services on the AWS Free Tier, which is a free membership with plenty more perks. That said, AWS Lightsail and the rest of AWS’s services are unmanaged and can be quite complex to set up and manage.

9. Microsoft Azure

Like AWS, Microsoft Azure offers a free trial for both Windows and Linux servers. However, Microsoft’s trial extends to a full year. That is, as long as you don’t exceed the 750 hour per month limit across your servers. And it includes a $200 credit that you can use for other products.

Microsoft’s services are mainly cloud-based and unmanaged, allowing you to deploy Virtual Machines. Like many other cloud-based services, you can take advantage of on-demand usage, switching your server on as needed. Sounds complex? It is. But if you need assistance (and exclusive resources), MS Azure does offer managed dedicated hosting services, too.

10. Google Cloud

Google Cloud is one of the most extensive networks globally. If you’re looking for free hosting, its Compute Engine and Cloud Run hosting service are free to try for 90 days. Plus, there are tons of additional services you can try with your included $300 credit. As with AWS and MS Azure, Google Cloud has some free services you can use forever.

However, Google Cloud is not the most user-friendly platform. Being unmanaged, it’s best suited to experienced web developers and designers. And keep in mind this is a cloud-based service, which is similar to VPS but not exactly the same – cloud services share resources and aren’t limited to a single physical server.

Finding the Best VPS Trial for You

So, which free VPS trial is best for you? It depends on your needs. If you’re a developer who needs fully customizable servers that can be scaled up or down on short notice, I recommend Kamatera. It offers a flexible 30-day trial with $100 free credit.

If you’re looking for the cheapest option for unmanaged VPS, check out IONOS. You’ll get 30 days to try it out, and if it meets your expectations, you’ll pay less than you would with many other alternatives.

However, these two options aren’t very beginner-friendly. VPS can be complex to manage, even if you know your way around a server. InterServer’s managed VPS is the best fit for those lacking skills or time. It even offers free management when you purchase 4 slices or more.

Still unsure? You can check out the table below for a side-by-side comparison.

FAQ

What is the best VPS service?

The best VPS service for you depends on your particular needs. Are you a beginner to VPS? In that case, I’d recommend ScalaHosting, which offers managed service with good support. However, if you’re a developer, Kamatera would be a better fit due to its customizability and affordability. You can save a lot, but make sure you know your way around a server before you start planning that vacation.

How can I get a free VPS without a credit card?

Cloudways lets you sign up for its 3-day trial without a credit card. That said, you won’t be able to find a host that offers “forever-free” VPS hosting that isn’t a scam or limited to the point that it’s almost useless. Many of the options covered in our list of the top hosts with free VPS trials are affordable to those on a tight budget and either offer free trials, a money-back guarantee, or both.

How is VPS hosting better than shared hosting?

VPS allows for a lot more customization and flexibility. You can scale your resources to your exact needs and install whichever OS and software best suits your needs. VPS is also generally more secure and reliable, as you’re kept isolated from other users of the same server. Not certain if a VPS is the best choice for you? Every VPS host on our top 10 list allows you to test them out without any risk.

Why is VPS so expensive?

VPS is a more sophisticated technology than shared hosting, offering greater levels of control and performance. This leads to an increase in price. However, VPSs don’t have to be expensive – IONOS offers VPS instances at very low prices. Or, if you’d prefer cheaper shared hosting, check out our list of the top web hosts in 2024.