Contabo Trust pilot rating 4.4/5 (from 7,760+ reviews). Great value for money and fast performance, though customer support can be slow during busy times. And this post contains affiliate links — if you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are based on thorough research from user reviews, benchmarks, and official sources.
What You Need to Know First
In the world of VPS hosting, finding a provider that balances rock-bottom prices with solid performance can feel like a quest. Enter Contabo, the German powerhouse that’s been delivering affordable cloud infrastructure since 2003.
If you’re searching for “Contabo VPS pricing ” or wondering about the cheapest NVMe plans, you’ve landed in the right spot.
As someone deeply immersed in the hosting space—running a WordPress site on Hostinger . I’ve spent hours digging into what real users say about Contabo on forums like Reddit, Trustpilot, and VPSBenchmarks. While I haven’t spun up a server there myself (yet), the consensus is clear.
Contabo shines for budget-conscious devs and site owners who need power without the premium price tag. In this guide, we’ll break down the latest Contabo VPS pricing, speed and also the alternatives, spotlight the NVMe-equipped plans that deliver blazing speeds, Plus, we’ll cover performance tests, support realities, pros/cons, and alternatives.
By the end, you’ll know if Contabo’s your next move—or if something else fits better. Whether you’re migrating a WordPress blog, testing Laravel apps, host backend code or scaling a small e-commerce site, let’s dive in and see if Contabo lives up to the hype.
A Global Hosting Powerhouse
Contabo’s long-standing credibility is backed by impressive global statistics. With over 22 years in business, the company has successfully scaled its operations to serve 215,000+ customers across 190 countries. This massive worldwide adoption is powered by an extensive, high-performance infrastructure, with more than 450,000+ servers running globally to deliver their highly regarded value.
Contabo Hosting Plans & Full Pricing Breakdown
Contabo offers a simplified hosting lineup built on Cloud VPS (shared vCPU for entry-level), Cloud VDS (Virtual Dedicated Servers with dedicated CPU cores for heavy workloads), and Dedicated Servers (bare-metal hardware). The entry-level Cloud VPS 10 is priced at approximately $3.96–$4.95 per month, often with special discounts for a 12-month commitment. All plans include full root access, an IPv4/IPv6 address, and Unlimited Traffic (subject to fair use). Current hardware is focused on performance, featuring AMD processors and NVMe SSDs across the VPS and VDS tiers. While setup fees are typically waived on VPS plans, they may occasionally apply to monthly VDS and Dedicated Server contracts.
Cloud VPS (Shared CPU) – Cheapest NVMe Plans
Best for – Blog, dev testing, small apps, wp multisite, E-com, moderate traffic.
Cloud VDS (Dedicated CPU Cores)
NVMe Storage Breakdown – Which Plans Actually Use Pure NVMe
| Plan Type | Storage Type | Primary Goal | Benchmark Speed (Avg) | Resource Isolation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud VPS 10–30 | Pure NVMe SSD (optional) | Speed & value | ~3,000+ MB/s read/write | Shared vCPU cores |
| Cloud VDS S–L | Enterprise NVMe | Guaranteed I/O performance | ~4,500+ MB/s read/write | Dedicated CPU cores |
| Dedicated Servers | RAID NVMe (configurable) | Maximum customization & redundancy | ~5,000+ MB/s read/write | Dedicated hardware |
| Storage VPS | Large SSD volume | High capacity / archival | Lower I/O focus | Shared resources |
Performance & Speed Tests
| Metric | Typical Benchmark Range | Application Context |
|---|---|---|
| CPU (Geekbench 6) – Single-Core | 1,600 – 2,100 | Strong single-thread performance ideal for WordPress and similar CMS platforms that depend heavily on fast single-core speed. |
| CPU (Geekbench 6) – Multi-Core | 4,000 – 6,500+ | Supports high concurrency and multi-tasking, capable of handling 500+ concurrent users on optimized applications. |
| Disk I/O (FIO, Read) | 3,000 – 3,500 MB/s | Excellent for database-heavy workloads (Laravel, Django, WP queries), ensuring fast data access with Pure NVMe SSDs. |
| Network Speed | 600+ Mbps (Up/Down) | High throughput for media-heavy sites, large file transfers, and handling high-traffic environments without bottlenecks. |
Contabo Customer Support: Focus on Self-Service and Fast Chat
Pros and Cons of Contabo (Honest List)
✅ Pros (Strengths)
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Unbeatable Value: Extremely low cost for high resources (e.g., 8 GB RAM NVMe often available for under $3.96/mo on annual terms).
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Strong Benchmarks: Consistently ranks high in VPS performance reports due to powerful AMD EPYC CPUs and fast NVMe storage.
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Global Reach: Extensive network of Data Centers (DCs) for optimized latency worldwide.
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“Lifetime” Discounts: Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals often offer permanent price reductions on VPS/VDS plans.
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Included Essentials: All plans come with Unlimited Traffic and Free Snapshots.
❌ Cons (Limitations)
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Unmanaged Service: Requires technical knowledge; there is no hand-holding or managed support for beginners.
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Support Lag: Ticket response times can be slow, sometimes extending to 10–12 hours during peak times.
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Oversell Complaints: Occasional reports of lag or CPU steal on shared VPS plans during high-load periods.
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Paid Backups: Daily Auto Backup is an optional paid add-on, not included for free.
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No Free Trial: Users must pay upfront (offset by a 14-day money-back guarantee).
Who Should Use Contabo? (Best Use Cases)
Contabo’s a powerhouse for:
- Developers/DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes, or staging on VDS ($15+).
- WordPress Blogs/Agencies: Multisite on VPS 20 ($12) with NVMe for fast loads.
- Small E-com: Dedicated servers ($55+) for inventory databases.
- Budget Gamers/Streamers: Low-ping NVMe for Minecraft or OBS.
Skip if you’re a total newbie needing managed hosting or run ultra-high-traffic sites (go enterprise-tier). From research, it’s gold for cost-savvy EU/US users scaling affordably.
Top Contabo Alternatives (If You Want Something Else)
| Provider | Starting VPS Price (USD) | Key Edge | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | $3.99 (managed) | Beginner-friendly panels, smooth onboarding | WordPress beginners, easy-start users |
| IONOS | $2.00 | Very low entry cost, US & EU datacenters | Budget users, shared→VPS upgrades |
| DigitalOcean | $4.00 | Developer-friendly ecosystem, scalable droplets | Developers, small–mid web apps |
| Vultr | $5.00 | Wide global locations, flexible billing | Global projects, dev/test workloads |
Final Verdict – Is Contabo Still Worth It today?
Yes — Contabo continues to offer some of the best price-to-performance value in the VPS market. The updated Cloud VPS 20 plan gives you 6 vCPU cores, 12 GB RAM, and 100 GB NVMe (or 200 GB SSD) for just $7.95/month — or as low as $6.36 with annual billing. Combined with 300 Mbit/s ports, unlimited traffic, and solid real-world uptime, it’s hard to match at this price point.
Support has also improved with live chat and AI-assisted responses, and seasonal deals (especially Black Friday) make it an even stronger long-term option.
Overall, I’d rate it 4.1/5 for sheer value.
If you’re considering it, grab a plan and see how it performs for your workload→
Note: The information listed may vary in the future as Contabo updates its plans.
FAQ — Contabo VPS
What is the cheapest Contabo VPS?
The cheapest option is the Cloud VPS 10, priced at $3.96–$4.95/month. It comes with 4 vCPU cores, 8 GB RAM, 75 GB NVMe or 150 GB SSD, 1 snapshot, 200 Mbit/s port, and unlimited traffic.
Does Contabo offer any coupon code?
No traditional coupon codes are available. Discounts (up to 25% off) are applied automatically during seasonal promotions like Cyber Week or Black Friday, or by selecting a 12-month billing cycle. You can check current promotions and the best annual pricing here: Check Current Deals Here.
Is Contabo NVMe really faster than SSD?
Yes, NVMe is significantly faster than standard SSDs. Benchmark speeds exceed 3,000 MB/s with ultra-low latency (around 0.12 ms). This makes NVMe ideal for high-speed applications and databases.
How long does Contabo support take to reply?
Support tickets usually receive a reply in about 2 hours, while live chat responses are typically 1–2 minutes. During peak times, ticket responses may take up to 12 hours.
How about the review of Contabo on Trustpilot?
Contabo’s Trustpilot score right now 4.4 out of 5. Users appreciate its value and performance, with most complaints focused on ticket response speed.
What is the best cheap alternative to Contabo?
For simplicity and support, Hostinger is a solid choice. For flexibility and developer-friendly features, DigitalOcean is recommended.