Server cost calculator

Type in what a provider advertises and what its small print says. The calculator adds every charge over the months you plan to keep the server, the same way ServerDiff ranks every plan it lists.

The price

Fees on top

Enter 0 when the IPv4 address is included or you won’t add backups.

Traffic

Your terms

What it really costs a month €5.00 On these terms the bill is the price tag: nothing is added.
Total, 12 months
€60.00
Due at sign-up
€5.00

The bill, line by line

Bill for 12 months
Server 12 × €5.00€60.00
Setup fee None€0.00
IPv4 address Included€0.00
Traffic 1 TB of 1 TB included€0.00
Total, 12 months€60.00
Per month€5.00

ServerDiff ranks 1,927 servers by this same bill, with each provider’s IPv4, setup and renewal prices filled in. From €3.02 a month today.

Compare on these terms Find the same for less

Works in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere.

How it is calculated

A server’s advertised price is one line of its bill. The calculator adds the others over the months you plan to keep it: the introductory months and the regular price after them, the IPv4 address and backups each month, a setup fee once, traffic beyond the allowance, and VAT on the whole. Dividing by the months gives a monthly figure that two offers can be compared by.

months paid = months kept, rounded up to whole billing periods
base = intro months × intro price + other months × price
extras = months × (IPv4 + backups) + setup + extra TB × price per TB × months kept
per month = (base + extras) × (1 + VAT) ÷ months kept

A plan billed every 12 months costs twelve months even if you leave after three, so the period you keep it for matters as much as the price. VAT is added when you pick your country: providers usually show prices without it, and consumers in Europe pay it on top.

Example

A €4.00 server with a €1.00 IPv4 address and a €5.00 setup fee, kept 12 months with German VAT: (12 × 4.00 + 12 × 1.00 + 5.00) × 1.19 = €77.35, or €6.45 a month against a price tag of €4.76 with VAT.

Questions

How do I work out the real monthly cost of a VPS?

Add up everything you will pay over the time you keep it: the monthly price (the intro price for the intro months, the regular price after), monthly extras such as the IPv4 address and backups, one-time fees, traffic over the allowance and VAT. Divide the total by the number of months.

Why is my VPS bill higher than the advertised price?

Usually for one of four reasons: the IPv4 address is billed separately, there is a setup fee, the advertised price was an introductory one that renews higher, or VAT was added at checkout. Traffic over the monthly allowance is a fifth on some clouds.

Is it cheaper to pay for a VPS yearly?

Often the monthly rate is lower, but you pay for the whole period up front and rarely get money back if you leave early. Set “Keep it for” to how long you will really use the server: a yearly plan kept for three months costs twelve.

Do VPS prices include VAT?

Most providers show prices without VAT and add it at checkout for consumers in countries that charge it. Businesses with a VAT number in another EU country usually pay none (the reverse charge). Choose your country here to see the price you will pay.