Best VPS for Plex and Jellyfin
VPS plans with the memory and storage for a Plex or Jellyfin media server that direct-plays your library. We only list plans with at least 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU and 100 GB storage: 217 plans from 29 providers qualify.
Prices checked on November 4, 2026. Monthly prices in USD on the billing term shown with each plan, including discounts through our links. We earn a fee if you buy through a provider link, which never changes the ranking. How we rank
- Minimum RAM
- 4 GB
- Minimum vCPU
- 2
- Cheapest plan
- $5.28/mo
- Plans that qualify
- 217
Sources: Plex Media Server requirements (official) and Jellyfin hardware selection (official), checked November 3, 2026. The 4 GB RAM minimum is what Plex calls typically more than sufficient, and the 100 GB storage minimum is Jellyfin's figure for the system, Jellyfin and its transcoding cache. The 2 vCPU minimum is our estimate for Plex's Core i3-class CPU.
The best value VPS plans for Plex and Jellyfin
| # | Provider and plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Price | Visit provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ContaboCloud VPS 6 | 6 | 12 GB | 200 GB SSD | Unlimited | $7.20/mo2-year term · renews at $9.00/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 2 | ContaboCloud VPS 8 | 8 | 24 GB | 300 GB SSD | Unlimited | $13.44/mo2-year term · renews at $16.80/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 3 | ContaboCloud VPS 12 | 12 | 48 GB | 400 GB SSD | Unlimited | $24.00/mo2-year term · renews at $30.00/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 4 | ContaboCloud VPS 4 | 4 | 8 GB | 100 GB SSD | Unlimited | $5.28/mo2-year term · renews at $6.60/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 5 | ContaboCloud VPS 18 | 18 | 96 GB | 600 GB SSD | Unlimited | $47.04/mo2-year term · renews at $58.80/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 6 | AccuWebHostingVPS Power | 3 | 16 GB | 200 GB NVME | 0.65 TB | $9.66/mo2-year term · renews at $38.83/mo | Visit AccuWebHosting |
| 7 | ContaboCloud VPS 16 | 16 | 64 GB | 500 GB SSD | Unlimited | $35.60/mo2-year term · renews at $44.50/mo | Visit Contabo |
| 8 | HostingerKVM 4 | 4 | 16 GB | 200 GB NVME | 16 TB | $10.39/mo20% off with us2-year term · renews at $28.99/mo | Visit Hostinger |
| 9 | HostingerKVM 8 | 8 | 32 GB | 400 GB NVME | 32 TB | $20.79/mo20% off with us2-year term · renews at $49.99/mo | Visit Hostinger |
| 10 | AccuWebHostingVPS Supreme | 4 | 32 GB | 400 GB NVME | 1 TB | $19.37/mo2-year term · renews at $77.66/mo | Visit AccuWebHosting |
| 11 | A2 HostingSelf Managed Linux 32GB | 16 | 32 GB | 640 GB NVME | Unlimited | $34.99/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher | Visit A2 Hosting |
| 12 | RackNerd6 GB KVM VPS | 6 | 6 GB | 100 GB SSD | 12 TB | $7.50/mo1-year term | Visit RackNerd |
| 13 | RackNerd8 GB KVM VPS | 7 | 8 GB | 150 GB SSD | 20 TB | $10.00/mo1-year term | Visit RackNerd |
| 14 | A2 HostingSelf Managed Linux 16GB | 8 | 16 GB | 320 GB NVME | Unlimited | $17.99/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher | Visit A2 Hosting |
| 15 | AccuWebHostingVPS Peak | 2 | 8 GB | 100 GB NVME | 0.45 TB | $6.75/mo2-year term · renews at $19.41/mo | Visit AccuWebHosting |
| 16 | HostingerKVM 2 | 2 | 8 GB | 100 GB NVME | 8 TB | $7.03/mo20% off with us2-year term · renews at $14.99/mo | Visit Hostinger |
| 17 | HostPapaExcel | 16 | 16 GB | 300 GB NVME | Unlimited | $22.45/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher | Visit HostPapa |
| 18 | A2 HostingSelf Managed Linux 8GB | 4 | 8 GB | 160 GB NVME | Unlimited | $9.99/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher | Visit A2 Hosting |
| 19 | HostPapaTriumph | 32 | 32 GB | 500 GB NVME | Unlimited | $44.45/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher | Visit HostPapa |
| 20 | ContaboCloud VPS Plus 6 | 6 | 12 GB | 300 GB NVME | Unlimited | $18.40/mo2-year term · renews at $23.00/mo | Visit Contabo |
Plex and Jellyfin server requirements
What each source says, in its own figures.
- Plex Media Server requirements
Official source, checked November 3, 2026
- Minimum
- CPU: Intel Core i3 (or equivalent) or faster. 4 GB of RAM is typically more than sufficient; Linux installs can often run with even less.
- Jellyfin hardware selection
Official source, checked November 3, 2026
- Minimum
- 4 GB of RAM may be enough for a Linux server without a GUI. Storage: a 100 GB SSD for the OS, Jellyfin files and transcoding cache.
- Recommended
- At least 8 GB of RAM for the average deployment.
- Notes
- Not having a GPU is not recommended, as video transcoding on the CPU is very performance demanding.
How to size a VPS for Plex and Jellyfin
Plex says its media server doesn't need much memory: 4 GB is typically more than sufficient, and Linux installs can often run with less. It recommends at least an Intel Core i3 or equivalent CPU. Jellyfin recommends at least 8 GB for an average deployment, says 4 GB may be enough for a Linux server without a desktop, and wants a 100 GB SSD for the system, Jellyfin and its transcoding cache, before any media.
The plans here have no GPU, and Jellyfin's docs say running without one is not recommended, because transcoding video on the CPU is very demanding. Plex warns that a CPU that can't keep up with transcoding causes pausing and buffering. Set your apps to direct play, and compare plans on storage and bandwidth more than on CPU.
Streaming uses transfer quickly, so check the monthly bandwidth column and the provider's terms before you upload a library.
Our recommendation: 4 vCPU and 4 to 8 GB RAM, with as much storage and monthly bandwidth for the price as you can get. Avoid transcoding.
The cheapest qualifying plan at each provider
| Provider | Plan | RAM | vCPU | Storage | Per GB RAM | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contabo | Cloud VPS 4 | 8 GB | 4 | 100 GB SSD | $0.66 | $5.28/mo2-year term · renews at $6.60/mo |
| AccuWebHosting | VPS Peak | 8 GB | 2 | 100 GB NVME | $0.84 | $6.75/mo2-year term · renews at $19.41/mo |
| Hostinger | KVM 2 | 8 GB | 2 | 100 GB NVME | $0.88 | $7.03/mo2-year term · renews at $14.99/mo |
| HostPapa | Progress | 4 GB | 4 | 100 GB NVME | $1.86 | $7.45/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| RackNerd | 6 GB KVM VPS | 6 GB | 6 | 100 GB SSD | $1.25 | $7.50/mo1-year term |
| HostGator | Snappy 2000 - NVMe 4 | 4 GB | 2 | 100 GB NVME | $2.12 | $8.49/mo2-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| Bluehost | NVMe 4 | 4 GB | 2 | 100 GB NVME | $2.37 | $9.49/mo2-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| A2 Hosting | Self Managed Linux 8GB | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB NVME | $1.25 | $9.99/mo3-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| IONOS | VPS M+ | 4 GB | 2 | 120 GB NVME | $2.94 | $11.75/mo1-year term · renews at $14.00/mo |
| Fasthosts | VPS 2 | 4 GB | 2 | 120 GB NVME | $3.17 | $12.66/mo1-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| Namecheap | Quasar | 6 GB | 4 | 120 GB SSD | $2.15 | $12.88/mo1-year term |
| InMotion Hosting | VPS 4 vCPU | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB NVME | $1.84 | $14.70/mo2-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| GreenGeeks | Self-managed VPS 8GB | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB NVME | $2.50 | $19.99/mo1-year term · renews at $39.99/mo |
| Liquid Web | Compute 6GB | 6 GB | 2 | 120 GB SSD | $3.67 | $22.00/mobilled monthly |
| Vultr | High Performance AMD 2 vCPU / 4 GB | 4 GB | 2 | 100 GB NVME | $6.00 | $24.00/mobilled monthly |
| UltaHost | VPS Enterprise | 6 GB | 4 | 100 GB NVME | $4.37 | $26.24/mo1-year term |
| Time4VPS | Linux 16 | 16 GB | 4 | 160 GB SSD | $1.76 | $28.21/mo1-year term · intro price, renews higher |
| Hostwinds | Managed VPS 6GB RAM 2CPU | 6 GB | 2 | 100 GB SSD | $4.83 | $28.99/mobilled monthly |
| SupportHost | Cloud 2 UnManaged | 16 GB | 8 | 160 GB NVME | $1.97 | $31.52/mo1-year term |
| StableHost | VZ 4GB | 4 GB | 4 | 100 GB SSD | $9.14 | $36.56/mo1-year term |
| ScalaHosting | Config #2 | 8 GB | 4 | 100 GB NVME | $4.62 | $36.95/mo1-year term · renews at $49.95/mo |
| Hetzner | CPX32 | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB NVME | $4.89 | $39.12/mobilled monthly |
| AWS Lightsail | Lightsail 4 GB | 4 GB | 2 | 160 GB SSD | $10.50 | $42.00/mobilled monthly |
| HawkHost | HawkHost 8GB | 8 GB | 4 | 165 GB NVME | $6.00 | $48.00/mobilled monthly |
| DigitalOcean | Basic 8 GB | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB SSD | $6.00 | $48.00/mobilled monthly |
| Linode | Linode 8GB | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB SSD | $6.00 | $48.00/mobilled monthly |
| FastComet | Cloud 3 | 8 GB | 4 | 160 GB NVME | $8.66 | $69.27/morenews at $98.95/mo |
| RoseHosting | NVME 8 vps | 8 GB | 4 | 120 GB NVME | $11.25 | $89.99/mobilled monthly |
| VPSBG | Cloud VPS 4 vCPU / 16 GB | 16 GB | 4 | 100 GB NVME | $6.11 | $97.83/mo1-year term |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best VPS for Plex and Jellyfin?
Among plans with at least 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU and 100 GB storage, the best value right now is Contabo Cloud VPS 6 with 12 GB RAM and 6 vCPU for $7.20 a month. The cheapest plan that meets the minimum is Contabo at $5.28.
What VPS specs do I need for Plex and Jellyfin?
We list plans with at least 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU and 100 GB storage. The 4 GB RAM minimum is what Plex calls typically more than sufficient, and the 100 GB storage minimum is Jellyfin's figure for the system, Jellyfin and its transcoding cache. The 2 vCPU minimum is our estimate for Plex's Core i3-class CPU. We recommend 4 vCPU and 4 to 8 GB RAM, with as much storage and monthly bandwidth for the price as you can get. Avoid transcoding.
Can a VPS transcode video for Plex or Jellyfin?
Only slowly, because these plans have no GPU. Jellyfin's docs say not having a GPU is not recommended for transcoding, so plan on direct play.
How much RAM does Plex need?
Plex says 4 GB is typically more than sufficient, and Linux installs can often run with less. Jellyfin recommends 8 GB, or 4 GB for a Linux server without a desktop.
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