Are Free VPS Offers Worth It? Hosteroid, AlexHost & Other Providers Reviewed

The prospect of free VPS hosting can be attractive, it gives people the chance to receive a server without any payment. I have tested out a few different options myself and found that there are significant limitations to using free VPS services. Let's break down what you will truly receive.

What is included when using a Free VPS?​

As the name indicates, free VPS services generally provide you with very little resources. Although these services run, they do not perform very well under heavy loads, which I learned while using them to conduct tests.

Typically you can expect:

• Very low CPU and memory
• Very little hard drive space
• Strict rules for how you may use them.

So yes, they do work, but only for lightweight tasks.

Service Providers like Hosteroid/AlexHost​

Many companies (including Hosteroid and AlexHost) promote free VPS plans to build an audience through trial and error with the hope that they will convert to paying customers in the long run. I think this is a great way for someone to evaluate the systems before buying. However, I would never fully rely on these services to run an essential application or project because of the following:

• Uptime is unpredictable
• Support is not available 24/7/available only during business hours
• Any free plans could be taken down with little or no notice

Would I use a free VPS to host a business website? Not a chance.

When A Free VPS Makes The Most Sense​

Free VPS's work best for new users learning or testing out things with. For myself, I used them to learn Linux commands and run small test scripts. A new user might find it easy to try using a VPS without spending any money.

For example, you can run free VPS's to:

• Test software
• Learn about servers
• Do temporary projects.

The important thing to remember about Free VPS's is that you should not look for them for the long term.

What to Watch Out For When Choosing A Free VPS​

There are trade-offs to using Free VPS's. There are restrictions placed on the resources of a Free VPS to prevent people from abusing the server resources. Therefore, the server could be suspended at any time without prior notice, and backups are not guaranteed. Losing all of your data due to the server being suspended is painful (I have had that experience).

In the end​

Would I recommend free VPS's to new users for their testing and learning experiences? Yes; but when you get into serious production-type work, there are much better options out there.

Many providers such as Hosteroid and AlexHost have some good Free VPS offers, just be aware of the limitations and use them accordingly to avoid any surprises!