Oracle Cloud vs Hetzner Cloud?
Oracle may give you a free ARM server with excellent specifications, but capacity availability and stopping policies make it unsuitable for every project. This is the real difference between free and reliable.
Oracle Cloud is cheaper in 3 of 3 comparable price tiers, with an average gap of 100% versus Hetzner Cloud.
The verdict is based on four standard price tiers and base plan prices in USD. Add your actual backup, traffic, and license needs for a more accurate picture.
Price tier comparison
For each tier we pick the cheapest plan that meets the minimum specs. Green marks the cheaper option in that tier.
This page shows the minimum-requirements mode. For exact equal-spec pricing see equal-specs comparison .
| Tier | Oracle Cloud | Price | Hetzner Cloud | Price | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry 1 vCPU · 1 GB RAM · 25 GB
Blogs and personal sites | Always Free ARM 4 vCPU · 24 GB · 200 GB
| $0 | CPX12 1 vCPU · 2 GB · 40 GB
| $11.03 | Oracle Cloud Gap 100% |
| Serious start 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 80 GB
WordPress and light apps | Always Free ARM 4 vCPU · 24 GB · 200 GB
| $0 | CPX22 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 80 GB
| $18.75 | Oracle Cloud Gap 100% |
| Growth 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 160 GB
Production apps and databases | Always Free ARM 4 vCPU · 24 GB · 200 GB
| $0 | CPX32 4 vCPU · 8 GB · 160 GB
| $33.66 | Oracle Cloud Gap 100% |
| Scale 8 vCPU · 16 GB RAM · 320 GB
High traffic and multiple workloads | — | — | CPX42 8 vCPU · 16 GB · 320 GB
| $65.67 | Unavailable |
Comparison tiers set a minimum spec level; the chosen plan may give you more than that minimum, in which case the price is not a like-for-like comparison. Check the specs column or use the equal-specs page. Plans the provider lists as unavailable for new orders are excluded. Prices are converted to USD at an estimated rate and exclude taxes or add-ons.
Which provider fits your case?
The same comparison gives a different answer depending on project size.
Serious start · WordPress and light apps
Oracle Cloud: Always Free ARM — $0
Hetzner Cloud: CPX22 — $18.75
Growth · Production apps and databases
Oracle Cloud: Always Free ARM — $0
Hetzner Cloud: CPX32 — $33.66
Scale · High traffic and multiple workloads
Oracle Cloud: No matching plan — —
Hetzner Cloud: CPX42 — $65.67
“No matching plan” means the provider does not offer a plan covering this tier's minimum in our current data.
Side details that make the difference
Beyond the monthly price: flexibility, extra costs, and free tiers.
| Item | Oracle Cloud | Hetzner Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8/10 | 9.6/10 |
| Cheapest paid plan | Free | $6.06 |
| Data centers | Multiple global regions depending on capacity | Germany, Finland, Singapore, United States |
| Currency | USD | EUR |
| Backups | Unavailable | +20% |
| Extra IPv4 | Included | €0.5 / mo |
| Traffic overage | $8.5 / TB | €1 / TB |
| Free tier | 4 ARM OCPU + 24 GB RAM + 200 GB storage | None |
Oracle Cloud
- Generous free tier with no time limit
- Strong ARM resources for lightweight services
- 10 TB of monthly egress
Points to watch
- Capacity is not guaranteed and may require waiting
- Idle resources may be stopped automatically
- A credit card is required for verification
Hetzner Cloud
- Among the lowest price per GB of RAM on this list
- 20 TB of monthly traffic in European locations
- Excellent NVMe performance and a fast network
Points to watch
- Limited fully managed options
- No phone or live chat support
- Prices exclude European VAT
FAQs about this comparison
What most readers ask before choosing between providers.
Which is cheaper: Oracle Cloud or Hetzner Cloud?
Does the comparison use the same specs?
Does the price include backups and extra traffic?
Which is better to start with?
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More comparisons
Widen the comparison before finalizing your decision.
At the 2 vCPU / 4 GB tier: Hetzner Cloud is cheaper — CPX22 (2 vCPU, 4 GB) at $18.75
At the 2 vCPU / 4 GB tier: Hetzner Cloud is cheaper — CPX22 (2 vCPU, 4 GB) at $18.75
At the 2 vCPU / 4 GB tier: Contabo is cheaper — Cloud VPS 4 (4 vCPU, 8 GB) at $6.07
Compare for your project's size
Preset tiers are only a starting point. Enter your actual CPU, RAM, and traffic needs, add backups and licenses, and see the real invoice for every provider.