Is a VPS the same as a cloud server?

Functionally identical to the user. 'VPS' and 'cloud server' are mostly marketing labels, both are virtualized Linux servers you rent by the month or hour. Cloud servers usually emphasize per-hour billing; VPS often emphasizes monthly. RareCloud offers both.

Kernel-based Virtual Machine. Linux's built-in virtualization layer. KVM-based VPS gives you a real virtualized kernel, so you can run any OS, install custom kernel modules, run Docker, etc. Cheaper VPS providers sometimes use OpenVZ (container-based) which is more restricted.

Do I need to know Linux to use a VPS?

Basic shell familiarity helps a lot. You'll spend most of your time in SSH. There are managed alternatives if you don't want to touch a terminal, but they're more expensive and less flexible.

What is a VPS (Virtual Private Server)?

A VPS. Virtual Private Server, is a slice of a physical server, virtualized to look and act like its own dedicated machine. You get root access, a real Linux kernel, a public IP, and the ability to install anything you'd install on a physical server.

Think of it like renting a room in a house: the building (physical server) is shared, but inside your room (VPS) you can paint the walls, choose the furniture, lock the door, and your roommates can't see in.

How it's different from other hosting types

Shared hosting: the entire building. Everyone shares one Apache process. No root, no Linux, no custom software. Cheap, but you're constrained to whatever the host pre-installed.

Dedicated server: the whole building is yours. Maximum control and performance, but expensive (hundreds of euros/month) and you're responsible for hardware failures.

VPS: the sweet spot. Real root access, real Linux, real isolation from your neighbours, but you only pay for a fraction of the hardware.

When to use a VPS

Concrete use cases where a VPS is the right answer:

Self-hosted web app (WordPress, a Node.js app, a Django app, etc.)
Personal cloud services (Nextcloud, Vaultwarden, Mastodon instance)
Automation workflows (n8n, Node-RED, Home Assistant remote)
Development environment (always-on, accessible from anywhere)
Bots / scrapers (Telegram bots, scheduled scrapers, monitors)
Game servers (Minecraft, Valheim, modded server hosting)
VPN endpoint (your own WireGuard or OpenVPN)
CI/CD runners (self-hosted GitHub Actions, GitLab runners)
Tor relay / mail server (where you specifically want the IP to be yours)

What you can install

Anything that runs on Linux. Docker is the most flexible path, you get a hardware-independent way to deploy almost any modern app in minutes.

Core VPS€5.50/mo

For most personal projects, 1 GB RAM (Core tier) is plenty. Step up to 2 GB or 4 GB when:

You're running multiple containers (databases + app + cache stack)
You're hosting something memory-hungry (Java apps, large WordPress, AI inference)
You want headroom for the occasional traffic spike

KVM vs OpenVZ

If you're shopping around, you'll see both. Quick translation:

KVM, full hardware virtualization. Real kernel, real /proc/cpuinfo, can run Docker, custom kernels, anything. RareCloud is all KVM.
OpenVZ, container-based. Shares the host kernel. Often cheaper but blocks Docker, can't run modified kernels, sometimes has weird limits on file descriptors / forks. Avoid if you plan to run modern containerized apps.

What you DON'T get with a VPS

To set expectations: a VPS is a server, not a managed service. You're responsible for:

Operating system updates (apt update && apt upgrade is your friend)
Backups (the provider gives you snapshots; you decide when to take them)
Security hardening (firewall config, SSH key auth, fail2ban)
Monitoring (the dashboard shows CPU/RAM, but app-level monitoring is on you)

If those sound like work, look at managed alternatives. If they sound like reasonable trade-offs for full control + low cost, a VPS is for you.

Start with a KVM VPS

Provision in 60 seconds. Root SSH access. 12 datacenter locations across the US, EU & Asia.

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