Software Alternatives & Startups

Contabo VS CloudLinux

Compare Contabo VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Contabo

German Quality from 2003 | Global Availability | VPS from €3.99 /mo | 100k+ happy customers | Trusted Server Provider | Hosting | Cloud

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Contabo seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 13 times since March 2021.

social mentions
13 vs 0
VPS popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Contabo
CloudLinux
Website contabo.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Company Startup from Germany —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Contabo 10 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Cost-Effective
    Contabo offers some of the most affordable VPS and dedicated server plans on the market, making it a cost-effective option for businesses and developers.
  • High Resource Allocation
    Contabo provides generous resource allocations, including large amounts of RAM and storage, even with their lower-tier plans.
  • Wide Range of Services
    Contabo offers a wide array of services including VPS, dedicated servers, and web hosting, as well as additional features like storage VPS and object storage.
  • Flexible Configurations
    Users can customize their server configurations extensively to meet specific requirements, allowing for flexible and scalable solutions.
  • Global Data Centers
    Contabo has multiple data centers around the world, which ensures better performance and redundancy.
  • S3-Compatible
    Compatible with Amazon S3 Standard
  • Always-On DDos Protection
    Automatic detection and mitigation of DDoS attacks
  • Guaranteed Redundancy
    Redundancy and End-to-End Encryption
  • High Performance and Speed
    High-speed throughput with low latency
  • Three Object Storage Regions
    Files and data are secured with guaranteed confidentiality at any of the three available Object Storage Regions (Europe/USA/Asia)

Possible disadvantages

  • Customer Support
    Customer support is not 24/7, and response times can be slow compared to more premium hosting providers, potentially causing delays in issue resolution.
  • Control Panel Costs Extra
    The availability of cPanel and other advanced control panels is an additional cost, which can increase the overall expenditure.
  • Setup Time
    Server setup can take a considerable amount of time, sometimes several hours, which can be inconvenient for those who need a quick deployment.
  • Limited Managed Services
    Contabo's focus is more on providing unmanaged hosting solutions, which might not be ideal for users who require extensive managed services.
  • Variable Performance
    While resource allocations are generous, performance can sometimes be inconsistent, particularly during peak usage times.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Contabo
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Contabo is a solid choice for users looking for budget-friendly hosting solutions with reliable performance. It balances affordability with the essential features needed for most hosting needs, making it suitable for both individuals and small to medium-sized businesses. However, those requiring more rapid customer support or advanced features may need to explore additional options.

Why this product is good

  • Performance
    Contabo generally provides robust performance with good uptime and server reliability, especially considering the price point.
  • Scalability
    They offer a range of plans that can be easily scaled to accommodate growing needs, from VPS to dedicated servers.
  • Customer support
    While support is well-regarded for its technical expertise, it can sometimes be slower to respond compared to more premium services.
  • Affordable pricing
    Contabo offers very competitive pricing for their hosting services, making them an attractive option for budget-conscious users.
  • Global data centers
    Contabo has several data centers around the world, providing flexibility in server location and potentially improving latency for specific regions.

Recommended for

  • Startups and small businesses looking for cost-effective hosting solutions.
  • Developers and tech-savvy users who can manage some aspects of hosting without extensive support.
  • Bloggers and website owners who want reliable hosting on a budget.
  • Businesses with moderate performance needs that prioritize affordability.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Contabo 5 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

Contabo Hosting Review 2021 | Best VPS Hosting Provider with Unlimited Bandwidth | Full Review 2021

More videos

  • - How to set up and use Object Storage by Contabo I Step-by-step tutorial
  • - Contabo Review 2021 | Hosting Services | King Valagamba
  • - How to: Host a Static Website on Contabo Object Storage
  • - Setting Up Contabo Object Storage On #Vironeer Applications

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Contabo
CloudLinux
100% 100%
VPS
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
96% 96%
4% 4%
94% 94%
6% 6%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Contabo no reviews yet
CloudLinux no reviews yet

We have no reviews of CloudLinux yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Contabo 13 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Hourly billed prepaid VPS
    Not hourly billed but cheap for a vps with great IP reputation https://contabo.com/en I use it for my email server. No verification needed I use paypal. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How much can you get out of a $4 VPS?
    - Contabo: https://contabo.com/en (pretty good option, the UI used to be a bit antiquated, there are setup fees, apparently a bit overprovisioned). - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Self-hosting in 2023: Nextcloud on Linode, or _?_ on _?_?
    Hello! At Swiftpoll -- https://swiftpoll.net (The best polling app on the web! We promise!), we use a combination of Racknerd (https://www.racknerd.com/NewYear/) and Contabo (https://contabo.com/en!) For our Gitlab runners, the metrics... - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Contabo and CloudLinux

When comparing Contabo and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.