Best Free VPS Hosting: Is VPS Hosting Really Free?

The term’ free VPS hosting’ sounds incredibly appealing, so much so that it’ll leave you wondering how the hell it is possible. If you turn on a few more percent of your brain, you’ll conclude that it isn’t — and you’ll be right. So, how do free VPS providers actually work?

As we said — they don’t! Free VPS is a term used to describe free trials on Virtual Private Server hosting. It’s a way to experience the service risk-free and incur no financial cost. In a recent guide, we showcased the best free web hosting services. Such services can be 100% free.

The reason for that comes down to lower maintenance costs. A VPS, on the other hand, is incredibly costly to maintain. That’s why it’s often pricier than shared hosting and, by extension, not free forever. Henceforth, we’ll discuss the best VPS free trials in 2025.

Best Free Trial VPS Hosting in 2025 Tested

With six outstanding options procured by our experts, the selection might seem a bit too wide. Don’t worry. We’ll help you narrow it down by discussing our experience with each, as well as pointing out their advantages and shortcomings.

Let’s get down to business, shall we?

1. Hostinger

Try Hostinger Now

Can you get a reliable Virtual Private Server for just a few quids? Indeed. In fact, this one is also free for 30 days, so you don’t even need to beg for a refund. Subscribe, enjoy it for up to 30 days, and if you’re not satisfied, the refund is yours if you request it. What’s in it for you?

Plenty. Hostinger’s best-value Kernel-Based Virtual Machine 2 (KVM 2) plan brings a lot to the table. At $6.99 per month, you get two vCPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, and 100 GB of lightning-fast NVMe storage. Bandwidth is “limited” to 8 TB, but really, is that what you call a limit?

Hostinger is a strictly Linux-based hosting provider which supports a high level of customization. It also allows for smoother performance, to which LiteSpeed servers additionally contribute. Additionally, it’s worth noting that Hostinger utilizes AMD EPYC CPUs.

Being some of the most powerful processors worldwide, we can see why its VPS is so versatile. Hostinger operates numerous servers worldwide, and you can select from ten different locations. For example, Hostinger is one of the rare hosting providers with servers in Singapore.

If you’re looking for maximum freedom, this free trial VPS is for you. Hosting management is performed via hPanel, and support is available for various apps and platforms, including n8n, Dokku, Docker, and many more. Best of all, Hostinger offers full WordPress support.

But even if that’s insufficient, there’s a rock-hard Web Application Firewall and Wanguard DDoS filtering to keep all threats away. Hostinger offers KVM plans with 1, 2, 4, and 8 vCPU cores, each offering greater capabilities than the previous one. Explore them all and pick your free VPS hosting in 2025.

---

2. InMotion Hosting

Try InMotion Hosting Now

When you discover that InMotion comes with a 90-day free trial on its VPS hosting, you’ll go crazy. Welcome to the hype train — let’s ride it together. Best of all, you can start at as little as $4.49 per month for the VPS 2 vCPU plan. We, however, recommend something else.

The VPS 4 vCPU plan at $9.99 per month for 3 years. It offers four vCPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, and 160 GB of NVMe storage. With 5 TB of bandwidth, you’ll never run out of fuel. Additionally, there are two dedicated IP addresses that few free VPS providers offer.

Speaking of freebies, InMotion is generous enough to include free SSL and DDoS protection to keep your site safe, like a baby in the cradle. If you’re migrating from another host, you can do it for free, and InMotion’s timely support will handle the heavy lifting for you.

One of the best things about it is the panel selection. Yes, this is a known cPanel host, but you can use a proprietary panel if the other one seems a bit outdated. Moreover, like Hostinger, InMotion Hosting features multiple server locations, albeit not as many.

You can choose from the US or EU based on your target audience. InMotion’s plans include weekly site backups, which may be a concern for some users. At least there’s the option to spend $2.99 per month for daily backups. Luckily, InMotion compensates for that with its speed.

Our test results were impressive, with a nearly 100% uptime across three months and industry-leading load times. Overall, InMotion’s free VPS hosting is among the best in class. While barely touching Hostinger, its free trial length gives it a substantial boost in our eyes.

---

3. DreamHost

Try DreamHost Now

DreamHost is usually not our top choice. However, its VPS hosting is free for 30 days and, overall, a low-cost investment that provides plenty. We’d skip the Business plan and immediately jump to the Professional plan, which comes with a whopping 120 GB of NVMe storage.

DreamHost also allows you to host an unlimited number of websites while providing a dual-core CPU and 4 GB of RAM. One of the best features is the ability to handle unlimited traffic, which easily accommodates extreme loads. Additionally, DreamHost offers a choice between NGINX and Apache servers.

NGINX is a better option for speed, in which case, you’ll have nearly 100% uptime and sub-250-ms average response times. DreamHost behaves well security-wise. With free SSL and built-in DDoS protection, all malignancies will be destroyed. There’s also email hosting.

Since it’s unlimited, you can create as many email accounts as you need for your domain. We appreciate that DreamHost offers multiple server locations in North America and Europe. This makes it a reliable VPS host that you can trust wherever you are. Another perk is Traffic Analysis.

It’s a type of security measure that identifies and blocks harmful bots. DreamHost’s in-house panel is easy to use, although it requires a mandatory adjustment period. As it’s a nearly perfect free trial VPS host, it’s flexible enough to allow you to increase your computing resources if need be.

Enterprise and Premier plans offer even more CPU cores, RAM, and NVMe storage. If you’re unsure how to start, DreamHost’s award-winning support will help you glide safely. It’s a friendly service that keeps its user base coming back for more, driven solely by sheer quality.

---

4. Bluehost

Try Bluehost Now

Bluehost doesn’t run away from modern hardware. In fact, it embraces it and utilizes the same AMD EPYC processors as Hostinger. To spice things up, it adds DDR5 RAM and ironclad NVMe storage, which deserves a spot on our free VPS hosting ranking list for 2025.

While not as generous as InMotion Hosting’s 90-day free trial, Bluehost’s 30-day trial is more than sufficient. Its Enhanced NVMe 8 plan is the best of the bunch, but keep in mind that it’s $70.99 per month for 3 years, so the initial investment is quite substantial.

If you don’t mind this, you’ll enjoy a quad-core CPU, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and 200GB of NVMe storage. Bluehost features two dedicated IP addresses and unlimited bandwidth to support a higher volume of visitors without compromising performance. If you want, you can also migrate your site for free.

In our Bluehost review, we praised it for its WordPress accommodation. Indeed, it’s among the best picks, to be sure. However, its free VPS hosting plans can handle much more thanks to unbeatable flexibility and a comprehensive control panel for swift hosting management.

Bluehost doesn’t lack security either, but it’s arguably not as strong as InMotion Hosting and Hostinger. Still, you can apply Let’s Encrypt SSL and enjoy DDoS protection. Bluehost also supports off-site backups, which prevent them from occupying space on your server.

Simultaneously, they serve as a disaster recovery option if your website becomes corrupted abruptly. Bluehost is a fantastic choice but with one small caveat: a high initial investment. If you can stomach it, you can enjoy some of the most potent free trial VPS options on the market.

---

5. Hosting.com (A2 Hosting)

Try Hosting.com Now

A change of identity can be beneficial when your core remains the same. A2 Hosting, now known as Hosting.com, retained its prowess fully and modernized its services to meet the latest and most extraordinary demands and trends. One of them is a free 30-day VPS hosting plan.

Hosting.com is all about freedom. You can choose between unmanaged and managed VPS hosting — the latter will be more expensive. The former starts at $4.99 per month for the VPS XS plan, which includes a dual-core CPU, 4 GB of memory, and 80 GB of storage — cPanel is optional.

Each consecutive plan provides more computing power, up to VPS L, with 16 CPU cores, 32 GB of memory, and 640 GB of storage. Despite their higher prices, managed plans are significantly better—computing power scales in the same fashion but with a few notable add-ons.

For example, users get free SSL and the CloudLinux operating system. Imunify360 is also part of the game for added security and malware protection. Hosting.com now offers its in-house panel as an alternative to cPanel. It’s equally intuitive and beginner-friendly.

It’s worth noting that small businesses can utilize Hosting.com’s generous bandwidth options, which range from 1 TB to 4 TB. All servers are also Kernel-based Virtual Machines featuring advanced technologies such as daily backups, spyware protection, and virus removal.

Ultimately, these advancements are locked behind the managed VPS plans that start at $38 per month. Considering that Hostinger and InMotion Hosting cost less and provide more, it’s easy to justify Hosting.com’s placing.

---

6. GreenGeeks

Check this out. GreenGeeks lets you host a website on its risk-free VPS for 30 days and plant a tree! Each subscription helps our planet by planting a tree, which hopefully won’t be removed from the ground if you cancel your subscription. Regardless, GreenGeeks offers managed VPS plans.

This means you’re still in the driver’s seat but with ample helpful assistance. For example, GreenGeeks includes free SSL and even free website transfers, which usually cost roughly $15 on its shared plans. GreenGeeks also contains a free Softaculous license, making software installations significantly easier.

In terms of price, it’s not very affordable. The initial plan is a whopping $69.95 per month — a price called “Special,” which is mind-boggling. The silver lining is that GreenGeeks never compromises on quality. A 99.95% uptime is consistently maintained, accompanied by impressive average response times and page-load parameters.

After testing GreenGeeks, we were impressed by its security. Proactive monitoring is now available, enabling the company to promptly detect and block viruses, malware, and other threats. Best of all, threats are removed so quickly that you won’t notice that happening.

GreenGeeks free VPS hosting offers a diverse selection of servers. You can host your site in the USA, Europe, Canada, and Asia. Users can also enjoy cPanel, which feels at home with its comprehensive interface. Computing resources aren’t up to par with some of its rivals.

The initial plan features 4GB of RAM, a quad-core CPU, and a 75GB SSD. We don’t say it’s insufficient. However, GreenGeeks doesn’t offer NVMe storage and more than six vCPU cores. Meanwhile, Hostinger and InMotion Hosting offer up to 8 and 16 vCPU cores, respectively, and twice the RAM.

---

Free VPS vs. Free Shared Hosting Differences

To settle this once and for all, VPS hosting will be more powerful than shared hosting.

After all, a Virtual Private Server provides more computing resources and offers better user isolation. Shared hosting is by no means a bad option — it’s used by millions of websites worldwide. However, it lags behind in customization, performance, and flexibility.

When it comes to their free versions, we must make a crucial distinction.

VPS cannot be free indefinitely! Shared hosting can be free forever. Neither is particularly impressive, as both require ongoing maintenance expenses. As shared hosting is cheaper to maintain, providers can usually get away with offering it for free while cutting down certain, nonetheless essential, features.

They’re still slower, lack proper security, and are missing dedicated IP addresses, email addresses, and other essential features. Whichever one you choose, be aware of its limitations. If you go the no-investment route, be content with crumbs because that’s what you’ll get in both cases.

How to Pick the Best Free Trial VPS in 2025

You should always choose exactly what you need at the moment and scale later on. There’s no point in investing in a costly VPS plan only to use 20% of it. Going the opposite route is no wiser than poking the bear. You don’t want your VPS to be a bottleneck for your performance.

Since we presented six options, each offering something different, here’s how to make your life a smidge easier and pick the free VPS trial that suits you the most:

• Gauge your performance needs. Evaluate the amount of computing power you currently require. If you require 4GB of RAM and a less powerful dual-core CPU, opt for the plan that matches these requirements. Remember that you can always scale up down the line.
• Think about your experience. Have you ever hosted a website? Do you, for example, know how to make a site in WordPress? If you have ample hosting knowledge, pick the option with the best customization, such as Hostinger or InMotion Hosting. If you’re a beginner, settle for a fully managed service like DreamHost or GreenGeeks.
• Emphasize server security. Don’t neglect security — you don’t know just how MANY websites are attacked by cyber-terrorists. Choose the free VPS hosting with the strongest security, such as Hostinger, which includes not only essentials but also advanced security features for comprehensive protection.
• Don’t forget customer support. It’s quintessential for any hosting. Whenever you encounter an inconvenience, you want a timely support team to pull you out of the mud and get you back on your feet.

The Final Rundown

Even in a fairytale, there’s always a nasty witch or a monster that spoils the fun. The real world is spoiled by money, and because of it, there’s no way to get 100% free VPS hosting that you could use forever. You have to be happy with a 30 or 90-day free trial instead.

The best option is Hostinger, whose free trial length is not particularly impressive. However, it ticks all the boxes with its features, performance, feasible prices, security, ease of use, and more. InMotion Hosting should not be neglected, as it’s free for the entire 90 days!

While DreamHost and Bluehost are prime examples of potent performance and stability, Hosting.com and GreenGeeks excel in flexibility and security. As you can see, each one offers something unique, making no choice a bad one. By the way, what’s your choice?

Try Hostinger Risk-Free

---

FAQ

If we haven’t addressed all your questions, don’t sign off yet — now is the time to do so.

Does SiteGround offer free VPS hosting?

No. It comes with standard shared and cloud hosting, with reseller hosting available as an add-on for those looking to earn a profit by reselling hosting services. Cloud hosting is also a great option, but it’s typically more expensive than VPS hosting, which is why it’s not used as frequently.

Why is VPS hosting never free for an indefinite period?

Because it’s way too expensive to maintain. Computing resources provided by a Virtual Private Server are costly, including bandwidth, processors, memory, associated support, security, and other related expenses. It’s like going to a luxury car dealership and wanting to buy one for $10,000. That sounds silly, right?

Do all VPS free trials require a credit card to be provided?

Yes, because they all require an initial subscription.

You aren’t only providing your credit card. You’re using it to buy your free VPS trial. The refund at the end makes the trial free of charge. If you don’t get a refund in 30 or 90 days, you’ve essentially paid for a server that you’ll use for a year, two, three, or more, depending on the plan.