1. Traffic overage
Most plans include a set monthly traffic allowance, and after that the meter starts running. Costs vary enormously between providers: from one dollar per extra terabyte to tens of dollars.
A small content site rarely uses more than 1–2 TB, but a video site or file-download service may use several times that. Check the overage price before relying on the included traffic.
| Provider | Included traffic | Approx. overage price |
|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | 20 TB | €1 / TB |
| DigitalOcean | 1–6 TB | $10 / TB |
| Linode | 1–8 TB | $5 / TB |
| OVHcloud | Unlimited under fair use | Usually none |
| AWS Lightsail | 2–7 TB | About $90 / TB |
2. Backups
Automatic backups are often not free: DigitalOcean adds 20%, Linode 25%, and Hetzner about 20%. Some providers like Hostinger include a weekly backup, but restoring it may cost more or be less flexible.
Budget for backups from the start, especially if the server holds a store database or customer data.
3. Extra IPv4 address
Most plans include one IPv4 address. If you need a separate address for each site or for email, you may pay $1 to $4 per month per extra address. This line adds up quickly on servers hosting several projects.
4. Control panels and licences
cPanel, Plesk and other management panels are additional costs that are often forgotten. A separate cPanel licence can cost $15 or more per month, often more than the server itself.
If you're comfortable with the Linux command line or the provider's basic interface, that's the easiest way to cut the bill.
5. Setup fees and renewal prices
Some providers charge a one-time setup fee with monthly billing, and some offer a promotional price for the first term only and then return to a much higher price. The calculator here uses Hostinger's annual renewal price for a fair comparison.
6. Taxes and currency
If the provider is European, VAT may be added depending on your country, and the exchange rate may differ when you pay. Add a 10–20% buffer to your calculations if you're comparing in dollars.
7. Management and time
The cheapest unmanaged server means you're responsible for updates, security, backups and monitoring. If your time has value, calculate that cost too. Sometimes the more expensive managed service is actually the cheaper option.
Before buying, add every line you'll actually pay for: backup, IP address, licence, traffic and tax. Then compare. The calculator on this site is designed to do that for you.