Hetzner vs. Contabo – A Comparison

At Contabo, we value transparency and informed decision-making. With this in mind, we’ve worked on a detailed comparison between our offerings and those of Hetzner. Recognizing that this analysis comes from the Contabo blog, it’s important to state upfront our commitment to presenting an unbiased evaluation. While we are proud of our services, our aim here is to offer a clear picture of how Contabo vs. Hetzner stack up against each other, focusing on the key aspects that matter most to our users, including service offerings, pricing, performance, and customer support. 

This comparison is designed to equip you with the information necessary to choose the provider that best meets your needs. We understand that every user has their unique set of requirements and preferences, and our goal is to help you navigate these choices by providing a balanced view of what both Contabo and Hetzner have to offer. 

What is Hetzner?

Hetzner Online is a well-respected name in the web hosting and cloud computing industry, originating from Germany. Since its inception in 1997, Hetzner has established a strong reputation for providing reliable and high-performance hosting solutions tailored to meet the needs of IT professionals and businesses worldwide. The company prides itself on offering a wide range of services, from dedicated servers and cloud solutions to colocation services, all designed to cater to the diverse requirements of its global customer base. 

What is Contabo?

Similarly, Contabo, also hailing from Germany and founded in 2003, has carved out a significant presence in the hosting market. We cater to IT professionals and companies in search of robust and scalable hosting services. With a focus on delivering exceptional value, performance, and customer service, Contabo aims to provide solutions that support the varying demands of our customers, from small projects to large-scale enterprise operations.  

Both Hetzner and Contabo share a commitment to serving a similar audience, yet each with its unique approach and strengths, reflecting our dedication to empowering IT professionals with the tools and services they need to succeed. 

Product Offerings

Let us start by comparing the diverse range of hosting solutions provided by Contabo and Hetzner, from dedicated servers and cloud computing to VPS and website hosting. We’ll examine the additional features, including storage options, backup services, and network enhancements, that complement these primary products. Security is a top priority, so we’ll also shed light on the measures each company employs to protect your data, such as SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and encryption practices.  

Contabo vs. Hetzner Product Offerings

Now let’s talk about the range of services offered by Contabo and Hetzner, highlighting Virtual Private Servers (VPS), Dedicated Servers (Bare Metal), various web hosting packages, and domain registration services. 

In summarizing the product offerings, both Contabo and Hetzner present a wide array of hosting solutions, including VPS, VDS, and dedicated servers, tailored to meet various needs. A distinctive feature of Contabo is its S3-compatible object storage, enhancing its service portfolio, as well as a more customized approach to virtual servers. 

Addons

Add-ons available out of the box significantly enhance hosting services by providing immediate access to advanced functionalities, security, and performance optimizations. By examining Contabo and Hetzner’s extensive add-on offerings, we highlight their commitment to deliver adaptable and secure solutions from the start. These features streamline the setup process and ensure users can effectively manage and scale their online presence, catering to a wide range of evolving needs. 

Both Contabo and Hetzner offer essential add-ons like backups, SSH keys setup, and private networking, but they diverge in certain key areas. Hetzner, on the other hand, offers unique add-ons such as block storage and load balancers. The absence of object storage from Hetzner’s offerings contrasts with Contabo’s provision, showcasing each provider’s distinct approach to catering to customer needs. 

Contabo vs. Hetzner – Extra Features

When it comes to extra features provided, Contabo and Hetzner both cover all bases related to IPv4 and IPv6 provisioning, REST API, Firewall, DDoS protection, as well as Cloud-init support. 

Operating Systems & Panels

We explore the selection of operating systems and control panels available through Contabo and Hetzner, showcasing the diversityof their hosting solutions. Compatibility with major operating systems like Linux and Windows, alongside leading control panel options including cPanel and Plesk, significantly impacts the management and user experience of hosted environments. Choosing the right combination is essential for the smooth and efficient operation of web projects. 

In the comparison of operating systems and control panels, Contabo distinguishes itself by offering broader access to popular management tools across its hosting plans. Unlike Hetzner, which limits the access to cPanel Plesk or Webmin to only dedicated server offerings, Contabo extends these control panel options to a wider range of its services, enhancing flexibility and user choice regardless of the hosting plan selected.

Payments and Billing

The overview of payments and billing options available reveals significant differences in how both companies adapt to international markets and tax requirements. Contabo stands out by offering transactions and billing in multiple currencies, including USD and GBP, in addition to the Euro, catering to a global clientele with greater financial flexibility. In contrast, Hetzner only offers Euro payments and invoicing. 

Contabo vs. Hetzner – Accepted Currencies

Concluding our discussion on payments and billing, Contabo’s acceptance of USD and GBP, alongside the Euro, underscores our openness and commitment to the US and UK markets. This financial flexibility not only simplifies transactions for customers in these regions but also reflects our aim to provide accessible and user-friendly hosting solutions globally. 

Contabo vs. Hetzner – Accepted Payment Methods

Let us have a look at the payment methods both Contabo and Hetzner offer: 

Contabo vs. Hetzner – Billing Cycles

This chapter examines the impact of billing cycles on the affordability of subscriptions, contrasting longer-term commitments with more flexible, short-term options. We explore how the choice between these billing strategies can significantly affect the overall cost-effectiveness of a service, depending on the user’s specific needs and use case. 

In conclusion, while Hetzner’s hourly billing option for their Cloud offers great flexibility, it also demands high vigilance from customers to manage costs more effectively over a longer term. Contabo, opting for more traditional billing periods ranging from monthly to yearly, including quarterly and every 6 months option, provides a structured approach that can offer more predictable budgeting without the constant monitoring required by hourly billing. Additionally, Contabo’s prepay and selective postpaid options cater to a variety of market needs, ensuring customers can choose a payment plan that best suits their financial planning and project timelines. 

Ultimately, the choice between Contabo’s structured plans and Hetzner’s flexible hourly billing depends on the customer’s preference for predictability versus adaptability in managing their hosting expenses. 

Pricing & Plans Table

This chapter presents a concise overview of pricing and plans for VPS, Dedicated Server, and Web Hosting, comparing Contabo and Hetzner across entry-level, mid-level, and top-tier options. Numerous factors contribute to the overall value and suitability of each plan for different use cases, therefore cost by itself should not qualify an offer as better than the other. Considerations about count and type of CPUs or RAM amount should also be taken into account. 

Contabo vs. Hetzner VPS Hosting

Dedicated Server Hosting

Web Hosting

It becomes clear that selecting the right hosting solution extends far beyond price comparisons alone. The choice should be driven by careful consideration of specific needs, available configurations, and the features that were detailed in previous chapters. Additionally, the geographical location of the hosting services, which we will explore in the next chapter, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of your project. This comprehensive approach ensures that decisions are not merely cost-based but are informed by a holistic view of what each provider offers, aligning closely with the project’s technical requirements, performance expectations, and strategic objectives. 

Locations Availability

The location of the data center where a server is hosted directly impacts the success of online projects, influencing factors such as latency, data sovereignty, and compliance with local regulations. In this context, the certifications held by data centers, reflecting their security and operational standards, are also to be taken into account. This chapter explores how the geographical distribution and certification levels of Contabo and Hetzner’s data centers contribute to meeting diverse project requirements and achieving optimal performance. 

Contabo’s wider server distribution, spanning across 4 regions including locations in the EU, UK, US, Asia, and Australia, demonstrates a strong international presence and commitment to providing global access to its services. This extensive geographical coverage ensures that Contabo can meet the diverse needs of a global customer base, offering lower latency, enhanced data sovereignty, and adherence to local regulations across a broader spectrum of locations compared to Hetzner’s focus on Germany, Finland and the US. 

Support – Contabo vs Hetzner

Effective support is pivotal to the smooth operation of hosting services, with the diversity of contact methods enhancing accessibility for users. This chapter will examine the various channels through which support can be reached. 

In conclusion, Contabo’s inclusion of video guides enhances troubleshooting accessibility, contributing to a more comprehensive support experience. 

Conclusion

In closing, let’s recap the key points of comparison between Contabo and Hetzner. Contabo shines with its comprehensive product offerings, including diverse server locations, broader support for different currencies, and the inclusion of phone support across all products. Meanwhile, Hetzner distinguishes itself with its flexible hourly billing option and compelling reputation for reliability and quality in the German hosting market. We acknowledge that each provider has its strengths and weaknesses, and our aim has been to provide you with a fair comparison to help inform your decision. Despite the pros and cons, we remain committed to transparency and impartiality, and we hope that you will still consider choosing Contabo for your hosting needs, as we strive to deliver exceptional service and support to our valued customers.