OVHcloud
First on 4.5 out of 5 and ahead in every area. DDoS protection on every server.
A dedicated server is a whole physical computer in a data centre that nobody else shares. Developers love Hetzner because it rents them more cheaply than almost anyone, with unlimited traffic thrown in. We wanted to know what that low price buys, so we ran Hetzner's entry server through the same month-long routine as every host in our dedicated servers group.
The machine worked, but nothing about the experience stood out. It took 394 minutes before we could log in, the server passed 6 of our 12 performance checks, and it was reachable 99.414% of the time. Support needed a median of 1,131 minutes to reply.
Hetzner scored 2 out of 5, fourth of five. It's a sensible choice for experienced developers who mainly want cheap raw power and can fix their own problems. Businesses that need quick help when something breaks should look higher up the ranking.
Hetzner's five scores
Value is its strongest area at 3, thanks to low prices and unlimited traffic. Support is the weakest at 1.
Performance2.5
Ease of use1.5
Features2.0
Support1.0
Value for money3.0
Overall: 2 out of 5 (we average the five marks and round to the closest half).
- Performance (2.5/5): 6 of 12 processor, disk and network checks passed, network speed reached 430 Mb/s and uptime was 99.414%.
- Ease of use (1.5/5): Six and a half hours passed before we had a login, and from then on everything is your job.
- Features (2/5): Unlimited traffic and no minimum term, but few extras beyond a rescue system and web console.
- Support (1/5): A median of 1,131 minutes to reply, with only 2 of 3 answers useful.
- Value for money (3/5): The AX41 starts at 59 EUR a month before VAT with no setup fee, among the cheapest whole servers we priced.
Best of 2026
See the ranking →
Hosts that beat Hetzner
Three of the five servers we rented did better. Compare them before you order.
What Hetzner sells, in plain English
Most small websites live on shared hosting, where one computer serves hundreds of customers. When a site or app outgrows that, the next step is often a dedicated server: you rent an entire machine, so its processor, memory and disks are yours alone. You choose the operating system, install the software and keep it secure.
Hetzner is a German company, founded in 1997 and based in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, that rents these machines in several lines: AX (AMD processors), EX, GPU (for AI work), SX (storage-heavy) and DX, plus a Server Auction of refurbished hardware. Its main data centres are in Nuremberg, Falkenstein and Helsinki, with further sites in Ashburn and Hillsboro in the US and in Singapore.
Compared with many hosts in our websites and hosting section, Hetzner is deliberately bare. The servers are "unmanaged", meaning Hetzner keeps the hardware and network running and you handle everything else. That keeps prices low, but it assumes you know what you're doing.
From order to a running server
Ordering is quick; the real work starts once you have access.
1. Choose a model. Pick an AX, EX, GPU, SX or DX server, or browse the Server Auction for a cheaper refurbished one.
2. Configure it. Select memory, storage and the data-centre location closest to your customers.
3. Order and verify. Pay any setup fee and pass Hetzner's account checks; new customers can be asked for extra verification.
4. Install and run it. Use the web console, rescue system and API to install your software, then monitor and maintain it yourself.
What you get
Hetzner competes on hardware and price rather than on tools.
AX servers
AMD Ryzen and EPYC machines, from the entry AX41 up to the AX162.
Unlimited traffic
AX models come with unlimited traffic on a 1 Gbit/s port; only the 10G uplink add-on is metered.
No minimum term
Listed AX models have no minimum period and can be billed by the hour.
Server Auction
Refurbished servers without setup fees, priced through an auction that drops over time.
GPU servers
Machines with graphics processors for AI and other heavy computing.
A month on Hetzner's entry server
Our Hetzner test ran for 30 days, from October 5 to November 3, 2026. We ordered the entry server and ran the same routine as every host in this group: time to a working machine, processor, disk and network benchmarks, outside uptime monitoring and three standard support questions. The testing method page explains each step.
Getting going was slow for a simple order: 394 minutes, more than six and a half hours between signing up and first logging in, nearly the slowest in the group. If you need a machine today, most of a working day disappears.
Performance was middling. The server scored 128 on our processor index, where higher is faster, read and wrote data at 400 MB/s and reached 430 Mb/s on the network. That added up to 6 passes out of 12 performance checks.
Our outside monitor reached the server 99.414% of the time. That sounds high, but over a month it means real downtime, and it sits below the 99.9% yearly network target Hetzner aims for. Support was the weak spot: the median reply to our three questions took 1,131 minutes, and only two answers solved the problem.
| What we timed or counted | Hetzner's figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up to a usable server | 394 min | Don't expect a working machine the same morning. |
| Processor index and disk speed | CPU 128; disk 400 MB/s | Fine for everyday work; half our checks passed. |
| Uptime over 30 days | 99.414% | Plan monitoring and backups. |
| Support on 3 questions | 1,131 min median; 2/3 useful | Expect to wait most of a day. |
Cheap hardware that does an average job, then, with slow help when you need it.
Tested October 5, 2026 to November 3, 2026.
The trade-offs
Very low entry price
A whole server from 59 EUR a month before VAT, with no setup fee on the AX41.
Traffic included, no lock-in
Unlimited traffic on AX models and no minimum term, so you can try it and leave with a month's notice.
Slow, patchy support
1,131 minutes to a typical reply. If you can't fix problems yourself, that wait can cost you sales.
Average performance
6 of 12 performance checks and 430 Mb/s on the network; busier sites may feel the gap to the leaders.
More downtime than the best
99.414% uptime over the month, below OVHcloud and IONOS in the same test.
Pros
- AX41 from 59 EUR a month before VAT
- Unlimited traffic on AX models
- No minimum term on listed AX models
- Data centres in the EU, US and Singapore
- 14-day right of withdrawal
Cons
- 394 minutes to a working server
- Half our performance checks failed
- 1,131-minute median support reply
- 99.414% uptime over 30 days
- Several price rises in 2026
Hetzner prices
Prices are in euros and shown before VAT. There's no free plan or free trial. These figures are from November 3, 2026; Hetzner's price list didn't display for our automated recheck on November 14, and it raised prices several times in 2026, so confirm at checkout.
The AX41 starts at 59 EUR a month with no setup fee. The AX42 starts at 79 EUR a month plus a 49 EUR setup fee, the AX102 at 159 EUR plus 129 EUR, and the AX162 at 319 EUR plus 304 EUR. Most small projects would start on the AX41.
AX41
59 EUR
a month, before VAT
- Ryzen 5 3600, 64 GB memory
- 2 x 512 GB NVMe, no setup fee
AX42
79 EUR
a month, before VAT
- Ryzen 7 PRO 8700GE, 64 GB DDR5 ECC
- 49 EUR setup fee
AX102
159 EUR
a month, before VAT
- Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 128 GB memory
- 129 EUR setup fee
AX162
319 EUR
a month, before VAT
- EPYC 9454P, 128 to 512 GB memory
- 304 EUR setup fee
Listed AX models have no minimum term and can be billed by the hour. Hetzner's terms give a 14-day right of withdrawal with a refund within 14 days; if the service has started, you pay pro rata for the time used. To cancel, give 30 days' notice to the end of a month. Server Auction machines carry no setup fee.
Prices as read on November 3, 2026; Hetzner's price list couldn't be rechecked on November 14.
Hetzner compared with other hosts
OVHcloud, the other big European host in our test, topped the group on 4.5 out of 5 and beat Hetzner in every area, from $79 a month. IONOS took second place on 3 and also includes unlimited traffic, though prices are by quote. Hivelocity scored 2.5 and answered support faster.
A cloud server, where you rent part of a machine, is easier to resize but usually charges for traffic separately. A dedicated server suits steady, heavy workloads. Our dedicated server ranking has every result.
| Option | Entry price | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | From 59 EUR a month | Low-cost unmanaged servers, unlimited traffic |
| OVHcloud | From $79 a month | Four ranges, DDoS protection on every server |
| Cloud servers | Pay as you go | Rent part of a machine and scale up or down |
Security and account risks
Hetzner says its data centres are certified to ISO 27001:2022. Because the servers are unmanaged, securing the software and data on them is your job. A 2013 breach exposed customer data.
The day-to-day risk is your account. Hetzner's terms let it lock accounts without notice for good cause, and its liability is capped at one month's fee. Users report locks over invoice errors and verification steps that blocked new orders, and in 2025 it removed the Ukrainian media site Zaborona over an overdue payment of 173.89 EUR. Crypto mining and network scanning are banned.
Keep billing details current and store backups somewhere other than Hetzner.
What customers say
Opinion is split down the middle. On Trustpilot, checked November 14, 2026, Hetzner has 2.9 out of 5 from 3,045 reviews, 592 of them in the past year. Half give 5 stars and 40% give 1, with little in between.
Fans praise the price for the power, quick deployment and reliable uptime. Critics describe slow support, accounts locked over verification or invoices, a verification fee with no server delivered, long outages without compensation, price rises and trouble closing accounts.
Liked
- Price for the power
- Quick deployment
- Reliable uptime
Disliked
- Slow support
- Account locks and verification
- Price rises
- Closing accounts
Our month fell between the two camps: deployment wasn't quick for us and uptime wasn't perfect, but the server worked, and slow support matched a common complaint.
Alternatives to Hetzner
Three hosts beat Hetzner and one tied with it.
IONOS
Second on 3 out of 5, ahead on most areas. Unlimited traffic, but prices by quote.
Hivelocity
2.5 out of 5 with much quicker support. Many locations, from $97 a month.
InterServer
Tied on 2 out of 5. US servers with unmetered bandwidth and no setup fee.
2/5
Should you rent from Hetzner?
Only if price comes first and you can manage a server alone. Over our month it took 394 minutes to set up, passed half our performance checks, was up 99.414% of the time and took a median 1,131 minutes to answer support questions, which held it to 2 out of 5 and fourth of five.
For a developer who rarely needs help, the AX41 with no minimum term is a low-risk way to try it. Keep backups elsewhere. Running a business site that needs quick help? Pay more for a host higher up the list.
Hetzner suits experienced developers on a tight budget; businesses that need dependable support should look elsewhere.
Still deciding?
Compare dedicated servers →
Put Hetzner beside the other four
Five hosts, one month of identical checks. See set-up, speed, uptime and support together.
Disagree with our review?
Make your case
If you use Hetzner, or work there, and think we got something wrong, email us. Tell us what you saw and attach screenshots if you have them. We'll take another look and update the review if it changes our findings.
review.now.team@gmail.com
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Frequently asked questions
What does a Hetzner dedicated server cost?
As of November 3, 2026, the AX41 started at 59 EUR a month before VAT with no setup fee, the AX42 at 79 EUR, the AX102 at 159 EUR and the AX162 at 319 EUR, each of the last three with a setup fee. Hetzner raised prices several times in 2026, so check at checkout.
Is Hetzner traffic really unlimited?
On AX models, yes. The 1 Gbit/s connection carries as much data as you like, with only the 10G uplink add-on metered. In our test the entry server's network reached 430 Mb/s.
Is there a minimum contract?
Not on the listed AX models, which can be billed by the hour. To cancel, give 30 days' notice to the end of a month. US contracts renew automatically until you end them.
Where are Hetzner's data centres?
Nuremberg and Falkenstein in Germany, Helsinki in Finland, Ashburn and Hillsboro in the US, and Singapore. Hetzner says its data centres are certified to ISO 27001:2022.
Can I get a refund from Hetzner?
Its terms give a 14-day right of withdrawal with a refund within 14 days. If your service has already started, you pay pro rata for the time used.
When did you test Hetzner?
We ran Hetzner's entry server for 30 days, beginning October 5, 2026 and ending November 3, 2026, measuring set-up time, processor, disk and network speed, outside uptime and support replies.
Written by
Jason Kim
I've never been impressed by software simply because it looks modern. I'm far more interested in what happens when you actually start using the platform.