If you want to test drive a Virtual Private Server (VPS) without immediately handing over your credit card details, a free trial is the perfect option. VPS solutions have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years for their affordability, flexibility and scalability compared to alternatives like dedicated servers.
This guide will showcase the top 9 providers that offer generous, no-obligation VPS free trials. We‘ve thoroughly evaluated them so you can take your pick of the best and see if this hosting model is the right fit before spending a dime.
What is VPS Hosting?
Before diving into the top free trials, let‘s quickly explain what exactly VPS hosting is.
A VPS gives you your own virtual server environment hosted on a physical machine. The physical server‘s resources are shared between multiple VPS accounts. But each VPS gets its own allocation of compute resources like CPU, RAM, storage and bandwidth that is isolated from other accounts.
This gives you guaranteed resources and dedicated compute capacity for your needs, rather than competing for shared resources like on shared hosting plans.
VPS solutions offer compelling advantages like:
- Cost savings – More affordable than dedicated servers. You only pay for the resources your sites need.
- Flexibility – Easily scale up or down as your resource needs change.
- Performance – Predictable performance with dedicated resources isolated from other users.
- Control – Admin level access to configure server settings as you wish.
- Security – Accounts are segregated to prevent activity of other users impacting you.
With many top providers now offering VPS free trials, you have the perfect opportunity to experience these benefits first-hand before deciding if it‘s the right solution for your use case.
Overview of VPS Free Trials
Most leading VPS providers now offer a free trial, typically ranging from 7 to 60 days. The table below gives a quick overview of the top VPS solutions offering credit card-free trials:
| Provider | Free Trial Duration | Trial Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudways | 7 days | – |
| Kamatera | 30 days | $100 credit |
| Vultr | 14 days | $100 credit |
| InterServer | 1 month | 1 cent for first month |
| Linode | 2 months | $100 credit |
| AccuWeb Hosting | 3 days | – |
| UpCloud | 7 days | €25 credit |
| DigitalOcean | 60 days | $100 credit |
| Flywheel | 14 days | – |
These free trials allow you to spin up a live VPS server and evaluate the provider‘s features, performance, reliability and support with zero commitment or financial risk.
Now let‘s look at each of these top VPS solutions in more detail, including the highlights of their free trial offers.
1. Cloudways
Cloudways has quickly emerged as a top VPS contender thanks to their simplified cloud hosting platform. Rather than managing your VPS yourself, everything is handled for you.
Their platform provides an intuitive interface for launching VPS servers on top providers like DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr and Google Cloud. You get the flexibility of VPS with the ease of shared hosting.
Cloudways Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 7 days free
- Features: Full Cloudways platform access
- Limitations: Max 1 site hosted
Cloudways is ideal for users who want the power of VPS without the complexity. Their free trial lets you test drive their managed solution.
2. Kamatera
Kamatera delivers high-performance VPS hosting backed by cutting-edge data centers worldwide. They offer robust performance for demanding workloads.
Their solution is targeted at developers, agencies and SMBs who value configurable VPS environments. Their platform makes it easy to optimize servers to your specific needs.
Kamatera Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 30 days
- Credit: $100 free credit
- Features: Full platform access
Kamatera‘s generous $100 trial credit lets you thoroughly evaluate their high-end VPS hosting services for a month risk-free.
3. Vultr
Vultr has earned a reputation as a leading infrastructure provider thanks to their global footprint of data centers and blazing fast SSD-backed VPS solutions.
Their platform makes it easy to spin up optimized VPS servers on demand. It provides extensive options to fine-tune resources to your requirements with per-hour billing for flexibility.
Vultr Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 14 days
- Credit: $100 free credit
- Features: Full platform access
Vultr‘s free trial is ideal for testing their fast VPS infrastructure using $100 in credits.
4. InterServer
InterServer is a reputable provider known for affordable, reliable VPS services and stellar 24/7 support.
They offer robust performance with generous amounts of compute resources, storage and bandwidth even on their budget plans.
InterServer Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 1 month
- Credit: First month for 1 cent
- Features: Full VPS access
You can spin up one of InterServer‘s loaded VPS configurations for just 1 cent to evaluate them for a full month.
5. Linode
Linode delivers some of the best performance in the VPS market thanks to their high-end infrastructure and SSD storage.
Their solution is geared towards developers and engineers needing flexibility and access to fine-tune their VPS environment. Their platform offers extensive capabilities for customization.
Linode Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 2 months
- Credit: $100 free credit
- Features: Full VPS access
Linode grants a full $100 credit for a 2 month trial period, providing ample time to thoroughly test their VPS service.
6. AccuWeb Hosting
AccuWeb Hosting delivers managed VPS solutions for users who want a turnkey experience without complex configuration.
Their servers are pre-optimized for performance and come with essential tools like cPanel pre-installed. Responsive 24/7 support is provided to handle issues.
AccuWeb Hosting Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 3 days free
- Credit: –
- Features: Full VPS access
While shorter than some trials, AccuWeb‘s free 3 days is enough to gauge their hassle-free managed VPS service.
7. UpCloud
UpCloud is an innovative provider lauded for their top-notch infrastructure delivering exceptional performance.
Their platform offers extensive options for customizing your VPS environment paired with superb automation features to streamline management.
UpCloud Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 7 days
- Credit: €25 free credit
- Features: Full platform access
UpCloud‘s free week trial with €25 credit lets you experience their industry-leading performance first-hand.
8. DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean has earned a huge following with their simplified VPS hosting targeted at developers and startups.
Their acclaimed control panel and extensive library of tutorials makes it easy for even beginners to launch and manage VPS servers.
DigitalOcean Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 60 days
- Credit: $100 free credit
- Features: Full platform access
DigitalOcean provides the longest trial at 60 days with $100 credit to thoroughly evaluate their acclaimed developer-friendly VPS platform.
9. Flywheel
Flywheel offers a specialized VPS solution optimized specifically for WordPress sites.
Their architecture squeezes maximum WordPress performance through tuned servers, a proprietary page cache and SSD storage.
Flywheel Free Trial Highlights
- Duration: 14 days free
- Credit: –
- Features: 1 WordPress site
Flywheel grants 14 days free to test drive their finely-tuned WordPress VPS architecture.
Finding the Best Free VPS Trial
With many excellent VPS providers now offering free trials, how do you pick the right one to test drive? Here are a few key criteria to consider:
- Duration – The longer the free trial, the more time you have to thoroughly evaluate a provider‘s services.
- Credit – Trials with credit allow you to test higher tier packages and add-ons at no cost.
- Features – Ensure the trial grants full access to the platform‘s capabilities.
- Support – Free trials should come with the provider‘s full technical support.
- Use Case – Select a provider tailored to your needs – whether that‘s a developer platform or managed WordPress hosting.
Making the Most of Your Free VPS Trial
To properly evaluate a provider during your free VPS trial, here are some tips:
- Simulate your actual workload – Don‘t just spin up a test server.Replicate your live site‘s traffic, plugins, themes and extensions to benchmark real-world performance.
- Study the control panel – Test all aspects of managing your VPS like deploying apps, configuring resources and scaling capacity.
- Open a support ticket – Get a feel for the provider‘s technical support team by engaging them during the trial.
- Read reviews – Take advantage of the trial period to read feedback from real users to learn the pros and cons.
- Compare pricing – Make sure to evaluate pricing and upgrade options to confirm they align with your budget.
VPS Free Trial FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about VPS free trials:
Are VPS free trials really free?
Yes, the top providers offer genuine free trials that don‘t require you to submit any payment details. You can test out their platform at zero cost for the trial period.
What happens when my trial ends?
Once your free trial period expires, your VPS server will be suspended unless you provide credit card details and select a paid hosting plan. Be sure to set a reminder to cancel your trial if you don‘t plan to continue using the service.
What are the resource limitations?
Free trials often limit certain resources like RAM, compute cores, storage space and bandwidth. The limits still allow you to effectively test the provider though. Refer to each company‘s trial terms for specifics.
Can I upgrade my plan during the trial?
Many providers let you upgrade to higher resource packages, add-ons and additional features during your trial. Upgrading during the trial allows you to test out the larger plans before committing.
What if I need more than just a free trial?
Most of the providers offer extensive free resources beyond just the VPS trial, like guides, community forums, and open-source tools. Take advantage of these to get a feel for the provider‘s ecosystem.
Conclusion
A VPS free trial lets you extensively evaluate providers at zero risk before making any long-term hosting decision. The top solutions outlined all offer generous free VPS trials ideal for spinning up temporary servers and putting their platform to the test. Use the criteria above to select the right trial offer for your needs.
With a range of reputable companies now granting free access to their VPS platform, you have no excuse not to take them for a test drive! Just don‘t forget to set a reminder to cancel and avoid surprise charges when your trial ends. Happy hosting!
