Hetzner vs InterServer: Which Budget Server Host Is Better?
Hetzner and InterServer are both old-school hosting companies that own their infrastructure and sell servers at low, predictable prices. Hetzner, founded in Germany in 1997, runs an hourly-billed cloud and a large dedicated-server line from data centers in Germany, Finland, the US and Singapore. InterServer, founded in New Jersey in 1999, sells VPS in fixed-price slices, dedicated servers, colocation and an unlimited shared plan from its own facility in Secaucus and a site in Los Angeles, with phone support. Prices below are live from our tracker.
At a glance
| Hetzner | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1997, Germany | 1999, New Jersey |
| Entry virtual server | CX23: $6.23/mo (2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 40 GB NVME · 20 TB traffic · 10 Gbps) | 1 Slice: $3.00/mo (1 vCPU · 2 GB RAM · 40 GB SSD · 2 TB traffic · 10 Gbps) |
| Pricing | Flat; cloud billed hourly | Flat; the same price at renewal |
| Dedicated servers | AX41 at $64.98/mo (6 Cores · 64 GB RAM · 1024 GB NVME · Unlimited traffic · 1 Gbps) | From $149.00/mo (12 Cores · 64 GB RAM · Unlimited traffic · 1 Gbps) |
| Locations | Falkenstein, Nuremberg, Helsinki, Ashburn, Hillsboro, Singapore | Secaucus (New Jersey) and Los Angeles |
| Support | Tickets; phone on weekdays, 8am–6pm CET | 24/7 ticket, live chat and phone |
| Guarantee | 14-day right of withdrawal | 30-day money-back on web hosting only |
Virtual servers
Hetzner's CX23 costs $6.23 a month for 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 40 GB NVME · 20 TB traffic · 10 Gbps, billed by the hour up to that cap, with 20 TB of traffic on EU plans. InterServer's VPS comes in slices: each costs $3.00 and adds 1 core, 2 GB of RAM, 40 GB of SSD and 2 TB of traffic, up to 32 slices on one server, on a 10 Gbps shared port. Neither uses introductory pricing on these servers, so what you pay in the first month is what you keep paying.
Dedicated servers
Both sell bare metal with unmetered or unlimited traffic. InterServer's dedicated servers start at $149.00 for 12 Cores · 64 GB RAM · Unlimited traffic · 1 Gbps, with IPMI access and 10 Gbps port options. Hetzner's range includes the AX41 at $64.98 for 6 Cores · 64 GB RAM · 1024 GB NVME · Unlimited traffic · 1 Gbps and a server auction with older machines; some larger Hetzner models carry a one-time setup fee.
Everything else
InterServer also sells an unlimited shared hosting plan, Windows VPS, a GPU server built on NVIDIA's DGX Spark, and colocation in its own facility. Hetzner adds load balancers, storage boxes, object storage and dedicated GPU servers, with an official Terraform provider for automation.
Locations, support and guarantees
InterServer's servers are in the US only, in New Jersey and Los Angeles; Hetzner serves Europe from Germany and Finland and also runs locations in Ashburn, Hillsboro and Singapore. InterServer answers by phone, live chat and ticket around the clock; Hetzner works through tickets and a phone line open on weekdays from 8am to 6pm CET, with 24/7 data-center lines for dedicated servers. Our monitor checks each company's own website every few minutes; over the last 30 days it measured 99.78% for Hetzner and 99.57% for InterServer.
Which one should you pick?
- Choose Hetzner for European hosting, hourly cloud billing, 20 TB of included EU traffic and a wide dedicated range.
- Choose InterServer for servers on the US East or West Coast, VPS that scales slice by slice, 24/7 phone support, or colocation.
About HetznerHetzner is a German cloud and dedicated-server provider famous for the best price-to-performance in Europe. Where Contabo competes on raw resources, Hetzner competes on network quality, low latency and a polished API — ideal for developers running latency-sensitive workloads.
About InterServerInterServer is a US hosting company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, right across the river from Manhattan. It owns its own data center and sells the classic hosting staples without marketing games: one unlimited shared plan for $2.50 the first month, VPS "slices" that scale from $3/month, bare-metal dedicated servers, GPU machines and colocation. The VPS model is the star of the catalog — you buy resources in $3 increments (1 core, 2 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD, 2 TB traffic each) and grow a slice at a time. Pricing is flat and published: the same slice costs the same every month, and the shared plan's $7 renewal is printed right on the page. Support is 24/7 with a real phone line, and the 30-day money-back guarantee applies to web hosting.
InterServer founded by Mike Lavrik and John Quaglieri. The company began with a focus on affordable hosting and hands-on customer support and has since expanded into a broad range of infrastructure services, including shared web hosting, cloud VPS, dedicated servers, colocation, and specialized computing solutions.
Headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, InterServer operates its own infrastructure and provides hosting services for individuals, developers, small businesses, agencies, and organizations with more demanding technical requirements. Its service portfolio is designed to support customers from entry-level websites to production workloads that require dedicated hardware or customized infrastructure.
A key aspect of InterServer's business model is its emphasis on straightforward pricing, technical support, and direct involvement in infrastructure operations. The company offers managed hosting options for customers who prefer a simpler experience, as well as more configurable cloud and bare-metal solutions for users who need greater control over their environments.
Company History
InterServer was established in 1999 by Mike Lavrik and John Quaglieri. The business initially operated in the domain and reseller hosting market before expanding its product portfolio to include web hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and colocation services.
In 2006, InterServer built a data center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Over time, the company developed a broader infrastructure operation, including network connectivity, server deployment, and in-house technical support. Its founders have remained closely involved in the company's operations and technical development.
Today, InterServer continues to operate as an independent hosting provider with a focus on infrastructure services and customer support.
Hosting and Infrastructure Services
InterServer offers a range of hosting and infrastructure products designed for different workloads and technical requirements.
Web Hosting
InterServer's web hosting services are aimed at individuals, website owners, small businesses, and organizations looking for a managed environment. Its hosting portfolio includes standard web hosting, reseller hosting, cPanel hosting, ASP.NET hosting, email hosting, and solutions for e-commerce websites.
The company also offers website-building tools and specialized hosting options for students and nonprofit organizations.
Cloud VPS
InterServer provides cloud virtual private servers for customers who need more flexibility and control than traditional shared hosting can offer. Its VPS offerings include different operating systems, control panel options, and application-focused configurations.
Cloud VPS services can be used for websites, applications, development environments, online services, and other workloads requiring configurable computing resources.
Dedicated and Bare-Metal Servers
InterServer offers dedicated servers for customers who require exclusive access to physical hardware. These solutions are intended for demanding websites, business applications, private infrastructure, high-traffic projects, and workloads that benefit from dedicated computing resources.
The company also provides specialized server options, including storage-focused systems, high-bandwidth servers, and GPU-equipped infrastructure for selected high-performance computing and AI-related workloads.
Colocation
InterServer provides colocation services for businesses and organizations that want to deploy their own hardware in a professional data center environment. Colocation services include access to facility space, power, network connectivity, and technical infrastructure support.
This option is suitable for customers who want to retain ownership and control of their equipment while outsourcing data center facilities and related infrastructure requirements.
Storage, Backup, and Email
The company's product portfolio also includes storage and backup solutions, private email hosting, and services intended to support websites, virtual servers, and business data.
Data Centers and Network Infrastructure
InterServer's infrastructure is deployed across facilities in the United States, with key service regions including the New York metropolitan area, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
The company maintains a network infrastructure that uses multiple connectivity providers, BGP routing, and peering arrangements. According to InterServer's technical information, its network architecture incorporates high-capacity connectivity and redundancy measures designed to support hosting, cloud, and dedicated-server workloads.
Its data center operations include services such as hardware maintenance, server deployment, operating system reloads, and remote-hands assistance. Facility-level security, power, cooling, and redundancy arrangements vary by location.
Customer Support
InterServer provides 24/7 customer support for its hosting and infrastructure services. Support covers a range of operational and technical issues, including account management, hosting configuration, DNS, email, migrations, and server-related matters.
The company emphasizes direct technical assistance and maintains a team involved in hosting operations, hardware management, billing, and infrastructure support.
Pricing and Business Model
InterServer positions its services around practical pricing and a broad selection of hosting options. Customers can choose between managed hosting plans, virtual servers, dedicated hardware, and colocation services depending on their technical needs and budget.
Pricing varies by product, configuration, billing term, and promotional offer. Customers should review the current plan specifications, resource limits, additional fees, and renewal terms before making a purchasing decision.
Who Is InterServer For?
InterServer serves a broad range of customers, including:
- Individuals and bloggers launching websites.
- Small businesses seeking affordable web hosting.
- Developers and agencies managing multiple projects.
- Resellers building their own hosting businesses.
- Organizations requiring VPS or dedicated infrastructure.
- Businesses running applications and higher-resource workloads.
- Customers interested in colocation and specialized server hardware.
Summary
InterServer is an established U.S. hosting and infrastructure provider with a history dating back to 1999. Its portfolio spans managed web hosting, cloud VPS, dedicated servers, GPU infrastructure, storage, email, and colocation.
With an emphasis on technical support, infrastructure ownership, and multiple hosting options, InterServer provides customers with a range of ways to deploy and manage online projects. Its suitability depends on the customer's requirements for location, performance, management, support, and total hosting costs.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Hetzner | InterServer |
|---|---|---|
| Price / mo | $1.81 win | $2.50 |
| Renewal price | Same as initial | Shared renews at $7 (3x first month) |
| Datacenters | 6 win | 2 |
| NVMe storage | ✓ Yes win | ✗ No |
| Free domain | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Backups | Paid | — |
| CDN | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Support | Tickets, weekday phone | 24/7 ticket, chat & phone |
| Uptime · 30d | 99.78% win | 99.57% |
Price History
Hetzner · Webhosting SCollecting price history — the trend fills in as we track this plan.
InterServer · Standard Web HostingCollecting price history — the trend fills in as we track this plan.
Uptime & Performance
Hetzner 99.78% InterServer 99.57%Pros & Cons
Hetzner- Hourly cloud billing with no renewal step
- 20 TB of monthly traffic on EU cloud plans
- Wide dedicated range, including the AX41 at $64.98/mo
- Terraform provider, load balancers and storage boxes
- No live chat, and the general phone line is open on weekdays only
- Setup fees on some larger dedicated models
- Primary IPv4 costs extra on cloud servers
InterServer- VPS slices at $3.00/mo each, the same price at renewal
- 24/7 phone, live chat and ticket support
- Owns its data center in Secaucus, New Jersey
- Colocation, a GPU server and unlimited shared hosting
- Only two locations, both in the US
- The money-back guarantee covers web hosting only
- VPS and dedicated servers are self-managed
The Verdict
Both deliver honest, flat pricing on hardware they operate themselves. Hetzner is the natural choice for European workloads, with an hourly-billed cloud, generous included traffic and a popular dedicated line. InterServer is the natural choice for North American workloads, with VPS slices that scale in small steps at a fixed price, round-the-clock phone support and colocation in its own New Jersey facility. Let your users' location decide first, then the support model.
Hetzner & InterServer alternatives
Cheaper than Hetzner / InterServer
FAQ
They are priced differently. Hetzner's CX23 costs $6.23 a month for 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 40 GB NVME · 20 TB traffic · 10 Gbps; an InterServer slice costs $3.00 for 1 vCPU · 2 GB RAM · 40 GB SSD · 2 TB traffic · 10 Gbps. Both keep the same price at renewal.
Hetzner runs Falkenstein and Nuremberg in Germany, Helsinki, Ashburn, Hillsboro and Singapore. InterServer runs its own facility in Secaucus, New Jersey, and a location in Los Angeles.
Both do. InterServer answers by phone 24/7, along with live chat and tickets. Hetzner's phone line is open on weekdays from 8am to 6pm CET, with 24/7 data-center lines for dedicated servers.
Yes. InterServer's start at $149.00 a month and Hetzner's range includes the AX41 at $64.98.
InterServer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on web hosting only. Hetzner offers a 14-day right of withdrawal under German law, and its cloud servers cost nothing once deleted.