Hetzner Cloud Review 2025: The Unexpected Winner in Cloud Hosting

This comprehensive review covers Hetzner Cloud, a VPS provider that offers affordable and reliable cloud servers for hosting websites and applications. We’ll examine how Hetzner performs in terms of disk, CPU, network, and WordPress tests, and compare it with other VPS providers such as DigitalOcean. We’ll also explore the interface, support, and share real-world experience from over 5 years of usage.

I’ve been using Hetzner as my primary VPS provider in Europe for more than 5 years, running a CyberPanel server where I host several of my sites. Recently, Hetzner has expanded significantly with new datacenters in the US and Singapore, making it a truly global option for developers and businesses.

If you’re interested in self-hosting tools on your VPS, check out toolhunt.net’s self-host section for inspiration.

Why Hetzner Cloud Stands Out

Hetzner has built a reputation for offering some of the most competitive prices in the VPS market. What sets them apart isn’t just the cost—it’s the combination of performance, reliability, and value. With about €6, you can get a 2CPU, 2GB RAM server that would cost €15-20 USD at competitors like DigitalOcean or Vultr.

I’ve been running multiple services on Hetzner including:

• CyberPanel for website hosting
• Monitoring solutions
• Analytics platforms
• Development environments

Hetzner Cloud Datacenters (2025 Update)

Hetzner has significantly expanded their global presence. Here’s the current datacenter lineup:

Datacenter	Location	CPU Types Available	Network
Nuremberg	Germany	Intel/AMD/ARM	20TB included
Falkenstein	Germany	Intel/AMD/ARM	20TB included
Helsinki	Finland	Intel/AMD/ARM	20TB included
Ashburn	Virginia, USA	AMD	1TB included
Hillsboro	Oregon, USA	AMD	1TB included
Singapore	Singapore	AMD	1TB included

2025 Updates:

• Singapore datacenter now fully operational (launched 2024)
• Improved network capacity across all locations
• Enhanced ARM server availability in European locations
• New CX shared vCPU plans introduced in 2024

Hetzner Cloud Pricing (2025)

Hetzner’s pricing remains highly competitive, though there have been some adjustments for US datacenters. Here’s the current pricing structure:

Hetzner Cloud Interface & Management

The Hetzner Cloud interface is clean, intuitive, and developer-friendly.

Performance Testing: Real-World Results

Let’s dive into actual performance testing. I tested the CX21 (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM) server in the Ashburn datacenter.

YABS Benchmark Results

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#                     v2024-06-09                    #
# https://github.com/masonr/yet-another-bench-script #
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Basic System Information:
---------------------------------
Processor  : AMD EPYC 7763 64-Core Processor
CPU cores  : 2 @ 2445.406 MHz
AES-NI     : ✔ Enabled
VM-x/AMD-V : ❌ Disabled
RAM        : 3.8 GiB
Swap       : 2.0 GiB
Disk       : 38.4 GiB
Distro     : Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Kernel     : 6.8.0-45-generic

fio Disk Speed Tests (Mixed R/W 50/50):
---------------------------------
Block Size | 4k            (IOPS) | 64k           (IOPS)
  ------   | ---            ----  | ----           ----
Read       | 182.45 MB/s  (45.6k) | 1.89 GB/s    (29.5k)
Write      | 183.22 MB/s  (45.8k) | 1.90 GB/s    (29.7k)
Total      | 365.67 MB/s  (91.4k) | 3.79 GB/s    (59.2k)
           |                      |
Block Size | 512k          (IOPS) | 1m            (IOPS)
  ------   | ---            ----  | ----           ----
Read       | 3.12 GB/s     (6.1k) | 3.87 GB/s     (3.8k)
Write      | 3.28 GB/s     (6.4k) | 4.08 GB/s     (4.0k)
Total      | 6.40 GB/s    (12.5k) | 7.95 GB/s     (7.8k)

iperf3 Network Speed Tests (IPv4):
---------------------------------
Provider        | Location (Link)           | Send Speed      | Recv Speed
                |                           |                 |
Clouvider       | London, UK (10G)          | 1.12 Gbits/sec  | 1.85 Gbits/sec
Online.net      | Paris, FR (10G)           | 1.34 Gbits/sec  | 2.12 Gbits/sec
Clouvider       | NYC, NY, US (10G)         | 1.89 Gbits/sec  | 8.45 Gbits/sec
Velocity Online | Tallahassee, FL, US (10G) | 1.56 Gbits/sec  | 6.78 Gbits/sec
Clouvider       | Los Angeles, CA, US (10G) | 1.23 Gbits/sec  | 2.87 Gbits/sec

Geekbench 6 Benchmark Test:
---------------------------------
Test            | Value
                |
Single Core     | 1,487
Multi Core      | 2,891
Full Test       | https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/8765432

WordPress Performance Test

I installed a fresh WordPress site with:

• Theme: Kadence starter template
• Caching: LiteSpeed Cache plugin
• Server: OpenLiteSpeed via CyberPanel
• Database: MySQL 8.0

GTmetrix Results:

• Performance Score: 97%
• Structure Score: 91%
• LCP: 1.2s
• TBT: 0ms
• CLS: 0.01

PageSpeed Insights:

• Mobile Score: 94
• Desktop Score: 99
• First Contentful Paint: 1.1s
• Speed Index: 1.3s

These results are excellent for a €6.90/month server with no CDN or advanced optimizations.

Load Testing with k6

I stress-tested the server with 200 concurrent users:

# k6 run --vus 200 --duration 120s load-test.js

running (2m01.2s), 000/200 VUs, 23,847 complete and 0 interrupted iterations
default ✓ [======================================] 200 VUs  2m0s

     data_received..................: 3.2 GB  26 MB/s
     data_sent......................: 7.1 MB  58 kB/s
     http_req_blocked...............: avg=2.1ms    min=120ns    med=285ns    max=156.7ms
     http_req_connecting............: avg=1.02ms   min=0s       med=0s       max=89.3ms
     http_req_duration..............: avg=287.4ms  min=245.1ms  med=289.7ms  max=445.2ms
     http_req_failed................: 0.00%   ✓ 0           ✗ 23847
     http_req_receiving.............: avg=201.8ms  min=145.6ms  med=203.2ms  max=287.9ms
     http_req_sending...............: avg=42.1µs   min=12.8µs   med=37.9µs   max=2.1ms
     http_req_waiting...............: avg=85.4ms   min=72.1ms   med=83.8ms   max=198.4ms
     http_reqs......................: 23847   198.725/s
     iteration_duration.............: avg=1.0s     min=1.0s     med=1.0s     max=1.4s
     iterations.....................: 23847   198.725/s
     vus............................: 200     min=200       max=200
     vus_max........................: 200     min=200       max=200

Results Analysis:

• Zero failed requests under 200 concurrent users
• Average response time: 287ms
• Throughput: 198 requests/second
• Server handled the load without breaking a sweat

Hetzner Cloud Support Experience

Over 2+ years of usage, I’ve contacted Hetzner support multiple times. Here’s my experience:

Support Channels:

• Ticket System: Primary support method
• Response Time: Usually within 2-4 hours
• Knowledge Base: Comprehensive documentation
• Community: Active community forums

Support Quality:

• Technical Expertise: High-level technical knowledge
• Problem Resolution: Quick and effective solutions
• Communication: Clear, professional responses
• Availability: 24/7 support coverage

Real Experience:

I once had a network connectivity issue during a maintenance window. Support responded within 45 minutes, provided detailed explanations, and offered compensation for the brief downtime. The transparency and professionalism were impressive.

Hetzner Cloud vs Competitors

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Common Use Cases for Hetzner Cloud

Advanced Features (2025)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

System Requirements & Compatibility

Operating Systems

• Ubuntu (18.04, 20.04, 22.04, 24.04)
• Debian (10, 11, 12)
• CentOS (7, 8, 9)
• Fedora (38, 39, 40)
• Rocky Linux (8, 9)
• FreeBSD (13, 14)

Control Panels

Tested and compatible with:

• CyberPanel (recommended)
• CloudPanel
• Webmin
• Plesk
• cPanel (with license)

Container Platforms

• Docker (native support)
• Kubernetes (managed service)
• Podman (rootless containers)
• LXC/LXD (system containers)

Migration to Hetzner Cloud

From Other VPS Providers

1. Create server with same specifications
2. Transfer data using rsync or migration tools
3. Update DNS records
4. Test thoroughly before switching

Migration Tools

• Hetzner CLI for automation
• Terraform for infrastructure as code
• Ansible for configuration management
• Custom scripts for specific needs

Security Best Practices

Network Security

• Use private networks for internal communication
• Configure firewalls properly
• Enable DDoS protection
• Use VPN for administrative access

Server Security

• Regular updates and security patches
• SSH key authentication only
• Fail2ban for brute force protection
• Monitoring and alerting

Conclusion: Why Hetzner Cloud Wins

After 2+ years of using Hetzner Cloud, here’s why it’s my go-to recommendation:

Bottom Line:

Hetzner Cloud offers the best value proposition in the VPS market. Whether you’re a developer, small business, or growing startup, the combination of performance, reliability, and affordability makes it an excellent choice.

The recent expansion to Singapore and continued innovation in ARM computing and managed services shows Hetzner’s commitment to competing with the big players while maintaining their cost advantage.

Try Hetzner Cloud Now

Ready to Get Started?

What’s your experience with Hetzner Cloud? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let me know if you’d like me to test any specific scenarios or compare with other providers.