For a typical Docker Compose stack (an app, a database and a reverse proxy), the cheapest VPS that fits is OVHcloud's VPS-1: 2 vCPUs, 4 GB of RAM and 40 GB of NVMe for $5.03 a month (€4.49). For a single small container, netcup's VPS pico costs $2.07 (€1.85), and for a busier host with several stacks, Contabo's Cloud VPS 4 gives you 8 GB for $6.16 (€5.50).
We checked these prices on 11 October 2026. We didn't benchmark anything; this guide matches Docker's requirements against the verified specs and prices in our data.
What Docker needs from a VPS
Three things matter, and price is not one of them.
- Root access and your own kernel. Docker uses kernel features (namespaces, cgroups, overlay filesystems) that container-based virtualization such as OpenVZ often restricts. A KVM-based VPS behaves like a real machine and runs Docker without workarounds. Every plan in this guide gives you root access on an unmanaged Linux server.
- Enough RAM for your containers plus the system. The Docker daemon itself is light. Your images are what use memory: a database container alone can want 512 MB to 1 GB.
- Disk for images. Images, layers, volumes and logs add up. A 10 GB disk fills quickly; 40 GB or more is comfortable.
Shared hosting and most managed WordPress plans can't run Docker at all, because you don't get root. If that is what you have now, a VPS is the step up; our guide to what hosting costs by type covers the price difference.
The cheapest plan for each Docker setup
| Setup | RAM to plan for | Cheapest fit | vCPU | Storage | Price per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One small container (bot, proxy, static site) | 1 GB | netcup VPS pico G11.5s | 1 | 30 GB SSD | $2.07 (€1.85) |
| One app without a database | 2 GB | InterServer Linux VPS 1 Slice | 1 | 40 GB SSD | $3.00 |
| Compose stack: app, database, proxy | 4 GB | OVHcloud VPS-1 | 2 | 40 GB NVMe | $5.03 (€4.49) |
| Several stacks or a build server | 8 GB | Contabo Cloud VPS 4 SSD | 4 | 100 GB SSD | $6.16 (€5.50) |
The RAM column is a planning figure, not a hard rule. Check what your own images use with docker stats before you size up or down.
1 GB: a single container
netcup's VPS pico has 1 vCPU, 1 GB of RAM and 30 GB of SSD for €1.85 a month. It needs a 12-month contract, so it is for something you already know you'll keep running. Scaleway's STARDUST1-S is listed even lower, at $0.48 a month (€0.43) billed hourly, but its 10 GB disk leaves little room for images.
If you'd rather pay by the hour, UpCloud's Starter 1 GB is $3.36 (€3.00) and Vultr's and Linode's 1 GB plans are $5.00. With 1 GB, run one or two small containers and add swap space; a database next to your app will be tight.
2 GB: one application
InterServer's 1 Slice has 2 GB of RAM and 40 GB of SSD for $3.00 a month, paid monthly, in the United States. In Europe, netcup's VPS nano has 2 vCPUs, 2 GB and 60 GB for $3.47 (€3.10) on a 6-month contract. Either runs an app container with a lightweight database such as SQLite, or a small PostgreSQL if nothing else competes for memory. Our 2 GB VPS ranking lists every option.
4 GB: the Compose stack
This is the size most self-hosters end up on. An app, PostgreSQL or MySQL, Redis and a reverse proxy such as Traefik, Caddy or Nginx fit in 4 GB with room to spare.
| Plan | vCPU | Storage | Price per month | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVHcloud VPS-1 | 2 | 40 GB NVMe | $5.03 (€4.49) | Monthly |
| netcup VPS Lite 1 G12.5s | 2 | 80 GB SSD | $5.51 (€4.92) | 6-month contract |
| InterServer Linux VPS 2 Slices | 1 | 80 GB SSD | $6.00 | Monthly |
| Contabo Storage VPS 10 | 2 | 300 GB SSD | $6.16 (€5.50) | Monthly |
| Hetzner Cloud CX23 | 2 | 40 GB NVMe | $6.71 (€5.99) | Hourly |
OVHcloud is the cheapest with no contract. Hetzner costs a little more and bills by the hour, which is useful when you want to spin up a copy of your stack to test an upgrade and delete it afterwards. Contabo's Storage VPS 10 has 300 GB of disk for the same money, the one to pick if your containers store a lot of files.
The big clouds charge far more for the same RAM: Vultr's 4 GB plan is $20.00 a month and DigitalOcean's, Linode's and Lightsail's are $24.00.
8 GB: several stacks on one host
Contabo's Cloud VPS 4 gives you 4 vCPUs, 8 GB of RAM and 100 GB of SSD for €5.50 a month, less than most 4 GB plans. OVHcloud's VPS-2 (4 vCPUs, 8 GB, 75 GB NVMe) is $9.51 (€8.49) and Hetzner's CX33 is $10.07 (€8.99). All three renew at the same price. See the 8 GB comparison for the rest.
ARM servers: cheap, with one catch
ARM plans cost about the same as x86 ones in our data: Hetzner's CAX11 has 2 vCPUs and 4 GB for $7.27 a month (€6.49), and netcup's VPS 500 ARM has the same for $8.94 (€7.98) or about $6.61 on a 24-month term.
The catch is the images. Docker runs fine on ARM, but each image must be built for the arm64 architecture. Most official images (PostgreSQL, Redis, Nginx, Node.js, Python) are published for both architectures and pull the right one automatically. Smaller projects and older images sometimes ship only an x86 build, and those won't start on an ARM server without emulation, which is slow. Check the image's supported platforms before you buy, and if you build your own images on an x86 laptop, build them for linux/arm64 with docker buildx.
If you don't want to think about it, buy x86.
Watch out for
- Contracts. netcup's Lite plans bill in 6-month or 12-month periods. OVHcloud, InterServer, Contabo and Hetzner let you pay by the month or less.
- Traffic caps. InterServer includes 2 TB per slice and Hetzner 20 TB; OVHcloud's and Contabo's plans are unmetered in our data, with fair-use terms.
- Backups. A volume holding your database is your responsibility on an unmanaged server. Budget for the provider's backup add-on or copy dumps off the server.
- Managed "Docker hosting". App platforms run your container for you at a higher price per gigabyte. DigitalOcean's App Platform, for example, charges $12.00 a month for a 1 GB container. They are compared on our app hosting page.
FAQ
How much RAM do I need for Docker?
Docker itself needs very little. Plan for what your containers use: 1 GB for a single small service, 2 GB for one app, 4 GB for an app with a database and proxy, 8 GB for several stacks.
Can I run Docker on shared hosting?
No. Docker needs root access and kernel features that shared hosting does not expose. The cheapest plans that work are small VPSs from about $2 to $5 a month.
Is an ARM VPS fine for Docker?
Yes, as long as every image you use is published for arm64. Official images usually are. If one isn't, it won't run natively.
The bottom line
Buy by RAM: netcup's pico ($2.07) for one container, InterServer's 1 Slice ($3.00) for one app, OVHcloud's VPS-1 ($5.03) for a Compose stack, and Contabo's Cloud VPS 4 ($6.16) when one host runs everything. Avoid anything without root access, and check image support before choosing ARM.
Filter every VPS by RAM and price on the VPS hosting page, or see the cheapest VPS plans overall.
