How We Test & Benchmark VPS Performance
Transparent testing methodology you can trust. We use industry-standard tools to measure real VPS performance.
Our Testing Philosophy
We believe in complete transparency. Every benchmark we run, every test we perform, and every metric we publish is documented here. Our goal is to provide you with actionable, real-world performance data you can use to make informed decisions about your VPS hosting.
Performance Benchmarks We Run
CPU Performance
We measure CPU performance using Geekbench 6, the industry-standard cross-platform benchmark.
Measures single-threaded performance for tasks like web servers, databases, and most applications.
Measures multi-threaded performance for parallel workloads, video encoding, and scientific computing.
Single-core performance matters most for typical web hosting (most applications can't effectively use multiple cores). Multi-core scores are important for CPU-intensive workloads like video transcoding, scientific computing, or running multiple containers.
Disk I/O Performance
We test disk performance using FIO (Flexible I/O) with multiple test patterns.
Large file read speed (MB/s) - important for media serving, backups, and large datasets.
Large file write speed (MB/s) - important for file uploads, log writing, and data processing.
4K random read/write IOPS - critical for databases and applications with many small files.
Disk I/O is often the bottleneck in VPS performance. Fast sequential speeds help with file transfers and media serving. High IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) are crucial for database performance (MySQL, PostgreSQL) and applications that handle many small files like web servers.
Network Performance
Network throughput and latency are tested using iperf3.
Maximum outbound bandwidth (Mbps/Gbps) - affects how fast you can serve content to users.
Maximum inbound bandwidth (Mbps/Gbps) - affects how fast you can pull updates, backups, and files.
Network speed determines how quickly your VPS can serve website content to visitors and how fast you can transfer files to/from the server. Most VPS providers offer 1Gbps+ connections, but real-world speeds can vary due to network congestion and infrastructure quality.
Latency Measurements
We measure network latency from multiple global locations using Globalping.
RTT (Round Trip Time) from 10+ global probe locations - shows how fast your VPS responds from different regions.
We assign latency tiers (S/A/B/C) based on distance-based estimates and real measurements when available.
Low latency is crucial for user experience. Every 100ms of latency can reduce conversion rates by 1%. Choose a VPS location close to your target audience for the best performance.
Our Scoring System
We calculate a single score for each VPS plan to help you quickly identify the best value. The score considers multiple factors:
CPU cores, RAM, storage capacity
NVMe SSD gets bonus points
IPv6 support, bandwidth
Money-back guarantee bonus
Performance per dollar ratio
Real test results when available
The score is a heuristic, not a benchmark. Use it to sort results and create a shortlist, then verify real-world performance for your specific workload. When renewal pricing is available, we use renewal prices to avoid over-weighting short-term promos.
Testing Tools We Use
YABS (Yet Another Bench Script)
Automated benchmark script that tests Geekbench, disk I/O with FIO, and network speed with iperf3. This is our primary testing tool for consistent results.
Geekbench 6
Cross-platform CPU benchmark that measures single-core and multi-core performance. Used by reviewers worldwide for consistent CPU comparisons.
FIO (Flexible I/O)
Industry-standard disk I/O testing tool. We test sequential read/write (1M blocks) and random read/write (4K blocks) for comprehensive disk performance.
Globalping
Global network measurement platform with probes in 100+ locations. We use it for latency measurements from multiple regions.
Real-World Scenarios
Benchmarks are useful, but real-world performance matters most. Here's what different workloads need:
🌐 Web Hosting (WordPress, Static Sites)
Critical: Single-core CPU performance, disk IOPS
Important: Network latency, bandwidth
Less Important: Multi-core CPU, storage capacity
🗄️ Database Server (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Critical: RAM, random disk IOPS
Important: Single-core CPU, network latency
Less Important: Storage capacity (unless large DB)
🎬 Media Server (Plex, Jellyfin)
Critical: Storage capacity, CPU for transcoding
Important: Network bandwidth
Less Important: Disk IOPS, latency
🎮 Game Server (Minecraft, Rust)
Critical: Single-core CPU, low latency
Important: RAM, network stability
Less Important: Storage capacity, disk speed
🐳 Containers / Docker
Critical: RAM, CPU cores, disk IOPS
Important: Storage speed, network
Less Important: Large storage (use external)
💼 Application Server (Node.js, Python)
Critical: RAM, single-core CPU
Important: Network latency, disk IOPS
Less Important: Multi-core, storage
Data Freshness & Updates
Pricing Data
VPS plan pricing and specifications are updated weekly from official provider pages. Last update dates are recorded for each plan and provider.
Benchmark Data
Benchmarks are run periodically or imported from trusted third-party sources (like VPSBenchmarks). Each benchmark entry includes the test date and source.
Latency Measurements
Latency data comes from Globalping measurements when available, with distance-based estimates for plans without direct measurements. See our Latency tiers page for details.
Provider Information
Provider details, features, and policies are verified during initial provider setup and reviewed quarterly for accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do benchmark results vary?
VPS performance varies due to several factors:
- Noisy neighbors: Other VPS instances on the same host competing for resources
- Time of day: Network congestion varies by time
- Host differences: Different hardware generations even within the same plan
- Location: Network routes can vary between data centers
That's why we treat benchmarks as signals, not guarantees. Always test your specific workload.
Can I request a benchmark for a specific plan?
Currently, we don't offer custom benchmark requests. However, you can run your own benchmarks using the YABS script:
curl -sL yabs.sh | bash This will test CPU, disk, and network performance in about 10-15 minutes.
Do you accept user-submitted benchmarks?
Not currently, but we're exploring this feature for the future. For now, we import benchmark data from trusted sources like VPSBenchmarks.com and run our own tests.
How accurate are the latency measurements?
Latency measurements are highly accurate when based on actual Globalping tests. For plans without direct measurements, we use distance-based estimates which provide reasonable approximations but may not account for network routing, peering, and infrastructure quality. Always test latency from your actual location if low latency is critical for your use case.
Why don't you test Windows VPS plans?
Most of our benchmarking tools are Linux-based. Windows VPS performance can differ significantly due to OS overhead, different I/O stacks, and licensing costs. We focus on Linux VPS plans which are the most common choice for web hosting, applications, and development environments.
See Our Data
Dataset & Freshness
View our entire VPS plan dataset and see when each provider and plan was last updated.
View dataLatency Tiers
Explore our latency measurement targets and see how we assign tiers (S/A/B/C) to each plan.
View latency dataPerformance Leaderboard
See which VPS plans have the best benchmark scores across CPU, disk, and network tests.
View rankingsTransparency Guarantee
We're committed to complete transparency in our testing methodology. If you have questions about our methods, suggestions for improvements, or want to report an error in our data, please contact us.
Our methodology is continuously evolving as we add new tests and improve our benchmarks. This page is updated whenever we make significant changes to our testing approach.