Contabo vs Hetzner: The Big Hosting Battle Every User Should Understand

Two names appear again and again. Hetzner and Contabo. Both companies come from Germany and both are known for low prices, high performance and strong global reputation. But they are not the same. This review breaks down their features in simple English, so you can decide which one fits your project better.

You can also check hosting comparisons on HostMeLoud

What Is Hetzner?

Hetzner Online started in 1997. The company quickly became one of the biggest hosting brands in Europe. It offers cloud servers, dedicated servers and colocation services. Everything they provide is designed for fast performance and strong stability. Many IT teams and businesses use Hetzner because it delivers reliable infrastructure with enterprise-grade hardware.

What Is Contabo?

Contabo was founded in 2003, also in Germany. It serves customers who want high performance at low prices. Contabo focuses on VPS, dedicated servers and scalable cloud solutions. Many developers and companies choose Contabo for its value and global reach.

Both companies target similar customers. They focus on IT professionals, developers and businesses that want strong hosting without paying premium prices.

Product Comparison

Both providers offer VPS, dedicated servers and web hosting. Contabo includes Storage VPS and VDS options, while Hetzner provides VPS with dedicated vCPU plans. Hetzner also runs a popular server auction where users can buy discounted dedicated machines.

Contabo includes S3-compatible object storage. Hetzner does not, but it offers Online Storage instead. Contabo does not provide colocation services, while Hetzner does.

In short, both offer a wide range of services, but each has unique strengths that appeal to different users.

Add-Ons and Extra Features

Both companies include useful add-ons like backups, SSL certificates, monitoring and private networking. Contabo includes object storage. Hetzner includes block storage and load balancers. Both support reverse DNS, IPv4, IPv6, hardware firewalls and DDoS protection.

Contabo and Hetzner also support Cloud-init, which helps automate server setup.

Operating Systems and Panels

Both providers support Linux. Both offer Windows Server, but Hetzner limits Windows to dedicated servers only. Contabo offers cPanel, Plesk and Webmin across more plans. Hetzner restricts these panels to dedicated servers. This makes Contabo friendlier for users who want a pre-installed control panel on a VPS.

Payments, Currencies and Billing

Contabo supports EUR, USD and GBP. Hetzner supports only EUR. This makes Contabo easier for US and UK customers.

Both accept PayPal, credit cards, bank transfers and SEPA. Hetzner only supports manual PayPal, while Contabo supports automated PayPal.

Hetzner offers hourly billing for cloud servers. Contabo does not. Instead, Contabo offers monthly, quarterly, six-month and yearly billing. Contabo even supports prepay and some postpaid options.

Pricing Overview

Hetzner’s VPS plans usually cost a little less at the entry level. Contabo’s VPS plans offer more storage and RAM, especially in higher tiers. For dedicated servers, Hetzner is cheaper, while Contabo focuses on premium hardware like AMD EPYC.

Web hosting is cheaper on Hetzner at the entry level, but Contabo offers bigger storage in higher plans.

Global Locations

Contabo has data centers across Europe, UK, USA, Singapore, Japan and Australia. Hetzner runs centers in Germany, Finland and the USA. Contabo clearly has a wider global presence, which reduces latency for international users.

Support

Both companies offer phone and email support. Contabo also provides video guides. Both have strong knowledge bases.

Final Thoughts

Choosing between Contabo and Hetzner depends on your needs. Hetzner offers strong performance at very low prices. Contabo delivers global reach, flexible control panels and multiple currencies. For many users, Contabo feels easier and more flexible. For others, Hetzner’s low-cost power makes it the winner.

Introduction

The demand for fast and affordable VPS hosting is growing every year. Both Contabo and OVHcloud have become popular choices for users who want strong performance at low prices. But which one gives you better value in 2025? In this review, we break down the features, pricing, user experience, and overall quality of both platforms. The goal is simple: help you decide where your money is better spent.

What Contabo Offers

Contabo is known for its powerful cloud VPS plans. Users can choose up to 24 vCPU cores, 120 GB RAM, and as much as 600 GB NVMe or 2.4 TB SSD storage. The focus is on flexibility and raw performance. Many small businesses like Contabo because it allows them to scale without paying high costs. The company also appears in categories like Infrastructure as a Service and VPS Hosting Platforms, with an additional advantage in Object Storage Solutions.

Contabo’s pricing is aggressive, often much cheaper than big-name competitors. However, user reviews show mixed feelings. It scores 4.6 for meeting requirements and gets acceptable ratings for ease of setup and product direction. But support quality is a common concern, and many reviewers are from small businesses.

What OVHcloud Offers

OVHcloud takes a more premium approach. It provides dedicated servers, VPS hosting, public cloud options, and domain names. One major highlight is the frequent discounts. Many products go up to 40% off, including dedicated servers and cloud plans. OVHcloud also offers a free trial for new users, something Contabo does not provide.

The company lists seven pricing plans and regularly updates its deals. OVHcloud is also rated in more categories, such as Managed Hosting, WordPress Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, and Domain Registrars. Its performance reviews are stronger, scoring 7.8 for meeting requirements and receiving higher ratings in ease of use, admin experience, and overall support quality.

User Experience and Ratings

Contabo receives mixed reviews. Its support rating is lower, with only 3.6 out of 10, and many users report slow responses. It rates 3.0 when asked if it is a good business partner. OVHcloud performs better across almost all support and usability categories. Users give it 6.0 for support and 6.5 for business partnership.

Both platforms attract mostly small business users, but OVHcloud also shows solid usage in enterprise environments.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you want the lowest possible price with high hardware specs, Contabo is a strong option. It is ideal for developers and smaller projects where support is not the biggest concern. OVHcloud is better for users who want stability, faster support, and a more professional environment. Its free trial and regular discounts give it an extra edge.

Final Verdict

Both companies deliver powerful VPS solutions, but they are built for different users. Contabo wins on affordability and hardware value. OVHcloud wins on reliability, support, and overall experience. Your choice depends on what matters most to you: lower cost or smoother performance.

Category: VPS Information

Hetzner VS Contabo | Which VPS Provider Is Better