A VPS, a VDS and a dedicated server differ in how much of a physical server is yours. A VPS (virtual private server) is a virtual machine that usually shares the host server's CPU and RAM with other virtual machines. A VDS (virtual dedicated server) is also a virtual machine, but its CPU cores and RAM are reserved for you. A dedicated server is a whole physical machine that nobody else uses.
This guide explains the three, compares them side by side and helps you choose. At LyraHosting, a VDS is called a hybrid server: our hybrid servers (VDS) are KVM virtual machines with dedicated CPU and RAM.
VPS vs VDS vs dedicated server at a glance
This is how the three compare at LyraHosting:
- What you rent: a Linux or Windows VPS and a hybrid server (VDS) are KVM virtual machines, each with its own kernel, on a physical host they share with other virtual servers. Our storage VPS run on OpenVZ instead. A dedicated server is a whole physical server.
- CPU and RAM: on a VPS, shared with other virtual servers under fair usage. On a VDS, reserved for you. On a dedicated server, the whole machine is yours.
- Network port: a Linux VPS has a port of up to 1 Gbps, shared under fair usage. A VDS has an unmetered 1 Gbps port, also shared under fair usage. A dedicated server has a port of its own: unmetered 1 Gbps on most plans, and up to 20 Gbps on our 10Gbps servers.
- Remote access: dedicated servers include IPMI, for control at the hardware level. On a Linux VPS, the Virtualizor control panel includes a VNC or serial console for when SSH doesn't connect.
- Setup: a Linux VPS and a VDS are activated as soon as your order is processed. A dedicated server is usually ready within a few hours, and within 24 hours at most.
- Upgrades: a Linux VPS moves to a larger plan with a quick reboot, and your data and IP address stay. A VDS scales from 2 to 16 vCores and from 8 to 64 GB RAM. On a dedicated server, you can ask for extra RAM, storage, bandwidth or a faster port at any time.
- Price: a Linux VPS starts at €8.99 a month (a storage VPS at €7.99), a VDS at €49.99 and a dedicated server at €99.00. Higher up, the ranges overlap: a VDS with 16 GB of RAM (€98.00) costs less than a Linux VPS with 16 GB (€114.99), and a dedicated server with 32 GB (€109.99) less than a VDS with 32 GB (€196.00).
What is a VPS?
A VPS (virtual private server) is a virtual machine on a physical server that runs several of them. Software called a hypervisor divides the server's CPU, memory, storage and network among the virtual machines. On a KVM VPS, each one boots its own operating system and kernel and works like a separate server: you install the software you need and configure it yourself. Container-based VPS, such as OpenVZ, share the host's kernel instead; our OpenVZ vs KVM comparison explains the difference.
On a VPS, the CPU and RAM are usually shared with the other virtual servers on the host. That keeps the price low. The trade-off is that how much CPU time your server gets can vary with what the others are doing.
Our offshore Linux VPS plans run on KVM: each VPS is its own virtual machine with its own kernel, full root access and a dedicated IPv4 address. Their CPU and RAM are shared on the host server under the fair usage policy in our Terms of Service. The plans start at €8.99 a month with 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 20 GB of SSD storage, and go up to 32 vCPU and 32 GB RAM. Our Windows VPS plans run Windows Server, with the license included, and our storage VPS run on OpenVZ, from €7.99 a month.
What is a VDS (virtual dedicated server)?
VDS stands for virtual dedicated server. A VDS is a virtual machine too, but the CPU cores and RAM in its plan are reserved for it: no other virtual server on the host can use them. You get steady performance from dedicated resources without renting a whole machine.
The name isn't a standard. Some providers use VDS and VPS for the same thing, so check whether a plan says its CPU and RAM are dedicated.
At LyraHosting, our hybrid servers are KVM virtual servers whose CPU cores and RAM are not shared with other virtual servers on the cluster. The plans run from 2 vCores and 8 GB of DDR4 RAM at €49.99 a month to 16 vCores and 64 GB at €299.00, with SSD storage and an unmetered 1 Gbps port. The network port is still shared, under fair usage.
What is a dedicated server?
A dedicated server is a whole physical server rented to one customer. Its CPU, RAM, disks and network port are yours alone, and no virtualization layer sits between your operating system and the hardware.
Our offshore dedicated servers are Intel Xeon machines with SSD or HDD storage, up to 150 TB on the storage servers. Each includes full root access and IPMI, so you can manage it remotely at the hardware level, even when the operating system isn't responding. Dedicated servers are not under fair usage: their resources and uplink are their own. The plans start at €99.00 a month, with an unmetered 1 Gbps port. For more bandwidth, see our 10 and 20 Gbps dedicated servers. We can also build a server to your requirements, ready within 24 hours.
VPS vs VDS: the difference
The difference is the CPU and RAM: shared on a VPS, reserved on a VDS. Both are virtual machines that run their own operating system, and at LyraHosting both are ready as soon as your order is processed.
A Linux VPS starts lower, at €8.99 a month against €49.99, and for many websites, small applications, VPN servers and test servers, a shared CPU is enough. On a VDS, the cores in your plan stay yours however busy the host gets, so performance stays steady. That suits a busy online shop, a database or an application whose response time matters.
VPS vs dedicated server: the difference
A VPS is a share of a server; a dedicated server is the whole server. With our dedicated servers, there are no other customers on the machine and no fair usage on its resources, and you get IPMI, larger storage and faster port options. They start higher, at €99.00 a month, and take up to 24 hours to set up instead of minutes.
If you plan to run game servers, our Acceptable Use Policy allows them on dedicated servers only, not on a VPS or a hybrid server.
VDS vs dedicated server: the difference
A VDS gives you dedicated CPU and RAM without renting a whole machine. A dedicated server adds the rest of the hardware: its disks, its own network port with no fair usage, and, with ours, IPMI. Our VDS starts lower, at €49.99 a month against €99.00, but for 32 GB of RAM or more, compare the plans: some of our dedicated servers cost less than the larger VDS plans.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose a VPS to start a website, an application, a VPN or a test server, when your load varies or the price matters most. Our Linux VPS plans start at €8.99 a month.
- Choose a VDS when you need steady CPU performance, for example when your application keeps the CPU busy most of the time, or when you have outgrown a VPS but don't need a whole machine. Our hybrid server (VDS) plans start at €49.99 a month.
- Choose a dedicated server for heavy databases, high-traffic sites, large storage, game servers, or when you need hardware-level access. Our dedicated servers start at €99.00 a month.
Frequently asked questions
What does VDS mean?
VDS means virtual dedicated server: a virtual machine whose CPU cores and RAM are reserved for one customer. It sits between a VPS, which shares them, and a dedicated server, which is a whole physical machine.
Is a VDS the same as a VPS?
Not quite. Both are virtual machines, but a VDS has its CPU and RAM reserved, while a VPS shares them with other virtual servers. Some providers use the two names for the same product, so check what a plan includes. At LyraHosting, a VPS shares CPU and RAM, and a hybrid server (VDS) has them reserved.
Is a VDS faster than a VPS?
Not automatically. Its performance is steadier, because no other virtual server can use its CPU cores and RAM. A VPS can perform well too, but how much CPU time it gets can vary with the other virtual servers on the host.
Is a VDS as good as a dedicated server?
For CPU and RAM, a VDS comes close: they are reserved for you. A dedicated server also gives you its own disks and network port and, at LyraHosting, IPMI.
Which is cheapest?
To start with, a VPS: at LyraHosting, Linux VPS plans start at €8.99 a month and storage VPS plans at €7.99, hybrid servers (VDS) at €49.99 and dedicated servers at €99.00. For the same amount of RAM the order can change, so compare the plans.
