If you’re looking to scale up your website or have outgrown your current hosting provider, VPS hosting is a fantastic option for you! VPS hosting not only provides users with a dedicated amount of server resources, but also boasts a long list of other features. So, if you’re in search of the best VPS hosting Australia has to offer, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will be showcasing five great providers for all your hosting needs.
A Note To New Website Owners…
Hold your horses, partner! If you’re about to create your first website, there are a few things you should consider before jumping into a VPS hosting package. Firstly, ask yourself the following questions:
How much traffic will my website receive?
If you expect to receive over 100,000 visits per month, then in most cases, a VPS package would be ideal. However, if you expect to receive fewer than 100,000 visitors/mo, a shared web hosting plan may be a better option. For example, I currently host over 10 websites on an unlimited shared hosting plan that receives around 75,000 visitors/mo, saving me a significant amount of money compared to VPS hosting plans that can cost between $30-$200/mo. Additionally, shared hosting plans can still support WordPress websites, online stores, small business websites, and much more. You can find out more about shared hosts here.
Top 5 Best VPS Hosting Australia Picks 2023
1. BlueHost: Best For All Websites (Cheapest)
First on our list is BlueHost, a provider that has been around since 1996 and hosts over 2.5 million websites. BlueHost is also the top recommended host by WordPress.org.
But wait, isn’t BlueHost a shared hosting provider? Yes, it is! In fact, I am a current customer of their shared unlimited plan (which I love). However, BlueHost also offers great VPS and dedicated hosting plans.
Their VPS plans start from $29.17AUD/mo (including GST) and include 30GB SSD storage, 2GB RAM, 1TB bandwidth, 2 Core CPU, CDN, and 1 IP address. Additionally, BlueHost provides a free domain name (for one year) and a free SSL certificate. Although BlueHost doesn’t have any servers located in Australia, their servers deliver great speeds both locally and internationally, making them ideal for all types of websites.
Overall, BlueHost is an excellent web host with exceptional customer service, affordable pricing, and top-notch speeds and uptime.
2. SiteGround: For Australian/ US/ EU Traffic
Next on our list is SiteGround, another heavy-hitter when it comes to web hosting that has been around since 2004. SiteGround is also WordPress’s third most recommended web host.
SiteGround stands out for its multiple server locations, with data centers located in the USA, UK, Netherlands, and Singapore. These server locations, particularly Singapore, provide less latency in Australia, resulting in incredibly fast speeds.
SiteGround’s VPS cloud plan includes 2 CPU cores, 4GB memory, 40GB SSD storage, and 5TB of bandwidth. Additionally, they offer a free Cloudflare CDN, daily backups, private DNS, free SSL, SSH/SFTP access, and a dedicated IP address.
The price for SiteGround’s VPS cloud plan is on the higher side at $80AUD/mo (including GST), but the plan is well worth the investment.
3. Crucial Hosting: Ideal for Australian-based Traffic Websites
Moving on to my next recommendation, I’d like to introduce Crucial Hosting. This hosting provider has been around since 2004 and is entirely Australian-owned and operated.
As an Australian-based host, Crucial has its servers located at the Australian Pacific Data Centre in Sydney. Having locally-based servers makes Crucial an excellent choice for small businesses and websites targeting local Australian traffic. The proximity of the servers ensures lightning-fast speeds and an exceptional user experience. Additionally, Crucial provides exceptional customer support, with a local toll-free number that customers can call for assistance.
Crucial’s hosting plan includes 1GB RAM, 1 Core CPU, 15GB storage, 500GB bandwidth, and a dedicated IP address. While these specifications might seem limited, the price is very reasonable, starting at just $10AUD per month.
- High Uptime and Fast Loading Speed
- Reliable Security
- Seamless WordPress Integration
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- Optimized for WordPress
- Enhanced Security Features
- 99.9% Uptime
- Excellent Customer Support
- Australian-Owned
- Locally-Based Servers
- Excellent Customer Support
- Reasonable Pricing
4. Ransomit: Multiple AUS Server Locations
If you’re looking for an Australian-based VPS provider that allows you to choose which city you’d like to host your files in, Ransomit is an excellent option. Unlike Crucial, Ransomit lets users choose from multiple Australian cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Unfortunately, Canberra is not included in their list of cities.
Ransomit’s VPS plan is affordably priced at $10AUD per month, including 1GB RAM, 20GB storage, and 600GB bandwidth. Users can upgrade their plans at any time and opt for a managed option as well.
5. Micron21: Premium Melbourne-based VPS Provider
If you’re looking for a premium VPS provider based in Melbourne, Micron21 is an absolute powerhouse in the hosting industry. Although their beginner plan starts from $200AUD per month, their customers undoubtedly get their money’s worth.
Micron21’s beginner VPS plan includes 4GB RAM, 2 Core CPU, 100GB SSD storage, Linux architecture, 2TB bandwidth, and DDoS protection, among other features. If you’re after a top-of-the-line Melbourne-based provider that offers some of the fastest speeds in Australia, Micron21 might be the perfect choice for your website.
It’s worth noting that Micron21 also boasts Australia’s first Tier 4 data centre, further solidifying its position as a premium hosting provider in the region.
How I Picked The Best Australians VPS Hosting Providers
When it came to selecting the best VPS hosting providers in Australia, I employed a thorough checklist to ensure that only the most desirable options made it onto the list. By doing so, I was able to eliminate less-than-optimal providers that wouldn’t meet the mark, particularly for Australians. For a more detailed look at how I evaluated and ranked each web host, you can find more information below.
Server Locations:
Given that Australia is geographically isolated, it was imperative to find VPS web hosts with locally-based servers/data centres. By using servers based in Australia, data can be transmitted within the country, resulting in lightning-fast speeds without having to transfer data through undersea cables. This localisation also offers some SEO benefits. Nonetheless, I understand that not all Australians will be creating websites exclusively for local audiences, considering that 70% of all web traffic originates from the United States. As a result, I have included a balanced selection of local and international VPS providers.
Pricing:
Whether you’re starting a new website for your small business or a new online venture, keeping a close eye on pricing is crucial. Additionally, VPS hosting is positioned between shared and dedicated hosting, making it more expensive than usual. Depending on the provider, server location, and server resources, pricing can range from $30 to $300. To provide options, I’ve only included affordable/cheap VPS hosts.
Website Migration Options:
If you already have a website and want to move to a more reputable web host, having the ability to migrate your website files is critical. As a result, all providers on this list can transfer and migrate files from an existing provider. Some companies offer this service for free, while others charge a small fee. It’s also worth contacting your existing host, as they may do this for you at no cost.
Server Storage & Bandwidth:
Ultimately, VPS is intended to deliver enhanced server storage/resources and bandwidth. As a result, I’ve included providers that prioritise both bandwidth and disk space, allowing you to have more than enough hardware/data transfer for your website.
Frequent Backups:
Do you know what one of the most frightening things that can happen to an online business owner is? As you may have guessed, it’s when a website crashes or you lose data. When this happens, you’ll be grateful that you chose a VPS host that performs frequent backups. Although each web host has a different backup process and frequency, I’ve only included companies that perform backups on a daily or at least weekly basis.
Exceptional Customer Support
Moving from shared web hosting to VPS hosting can be a daunting task, with users having to navigate through more complex settings such as Linux, cPanel, Windows commands, FTP, MySQL, and much more. To ensure a smooth transition, it’s crucial to have a web hosting provider that is knowledgeable and supportive.
Therefore, in this article, we have curated a list of VPS hosting providers in Australia that offer exceptional customer support. With their expertise and willingness to assist, you can be assured that any queries or concerns will be resolved promptly, making your VPS hosting experience stress-free.
Scalability Options
One of the most significant benefits of VPS hosting is the ability to scale your website effortlessly, especially if it experiences high bandwidth or traffic demands. Therefore, we have selected VPS hosting providers that allow users to scale their website with just a click of a button, providing more cloud computing power and hardware/bandwidth resources.
Robust Security Features
In today’s digital age, safeguarding your website files and data against cyber threats is crucial. Therefore, we only recommend VPS hosting providers that offer robust security features such as network monitoring, firewall protection, DDoS prevention, malware detection, two-factor authentication (2FA), and automated updates. These security measures ensure that your website remains secure and safe from any potential threats.
Moreover, some of the VPS hosting providers on our list have redundant servers, backup generators, bullet-proof glass, and 24/7 manned data centres, further enhancing their security measures.
Fast Load Times
In this fast-paced world, website speed is critical. Users want access to information, movies, and friends instantly. Hence, we have included only those VPS hosting providers that offer lightning-fast website loading speeds of under one second. This speed not only keeps your website visitors engaged but also helps improve your website’s SEO ranking.
Furthermore, we have selected VPS hosting providers that own and operate locally-based servers. This ensures that all Australian cities can access your website quickly, providing a superior user experience.
Managed and Unmanaged Options
Another important factor we considered while selecting the best VPS hosting providers in Australia was the availability of managed and unmanaged VPS hosting packages. Managed VPS hosting plans offer assistance from a representative who manages software and plugin updates, theme updates, and ensures your website runs smoothly.
On the other hand, unmanaged VPS hosting plans provide more control over your website but require technical expertise to manage. Therefore, we have included VPS hosting providers that offer both managed and unmanaged options, providing you with flexibility based on your website’s needs.
Reliable Uptimes
Lastly, we have only included VPS hosting providers that guarantee a minimum uptime of 99.80%. This means that your website will experience only minutes of downtime per month, ensuring that your website visitors have uninterrupted access to your site. With reliable uptimes, you can be assured that your website generates revenue, traffic, and leads consistently, providing a positive impression of your business.
VPS Web Hosting: A Simplified Explanation
Explaining the various types of web hosting can quickly become complicated, but in this article, we’ll simplify VPS hosting.
To understand VPS hosting, we first need to look at shared web hosting, which involves sharing a server with hundreds or thousands of other customers. Think of it like living in an apartment block with shared utilities and an affordable price.
On the other hand, VPS hosting still involves sharing a server with other users, but each customer is allocated a certain amount of hardware that is partitioned from others. This is similar to living in a townhouse, where there are only a few users sharing the same block, allowing for more space, room to grow, and greater control.
Now, let’s explore who VPS hosting is best suited for.
Who Is VPS Hosting Good For?
VPS hosting is ideal for websites that receive over 100,000 visitors per month, as most plans come with a minimum of 500GB-1TB bandwidth. It’s also great for websites with complex back-end development, where multiple FTP accounts, user accounts, and Linux, Windows, and cPanel architecture options are required.
Scalability is also a crucial consideration, especially for businesses where website traffic can quickly surge due to new product launches or services. VPS hosting allows for the allocation of additional RAM, CPU, storage, and bandwidth, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to scale.
Lastly, VPS hosting offers full control, combining all of the above advantages to deliver an unparalleled level of control that shared hosting simply can’t match. This makes VPS hosting a great option at an affordable and realistic price.
VPS Vs Shared Web Hosting
While shared hosting can be an excellent option for small-scale businesses or personal blogs, VPS hosting is the way to go if you need more control and the ability to handle large amounts of traffic while being able to scale with ease.
Ultimately, the right choice will depend on your website’s specific needs and traffic estimations, so make sure to choose the option that best suits your requirements.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all the providers listed in this article would be excellent choices for hosting an Australian-based or global website. However, if there are any additional VPS hosting services that you believe I may have overlooked, please feel free to let me know in the comments section below. I will gladly update this article with the information you provide to ensure it remains current and informative for readers.