Vultr and Linode (now Akamai Cloud) launched the flat-rate $5 cloud VM era together — and both survived the hyperscaler wave. In 2026 the fight isn't about who invented the cheap VPS; it's about what sits around the VM: pricing granularity, region count, and bandwidth.
Both are solid, independent-feeling clouds. The differences are in the details that show up on your monthly bill.
| Vultr | Linode | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Cloud Compute from $2.50/mo (IPv6-only) / $3.50 | Nanode from $5/mo (1 vCPU, 1 GB) |
| 2 vCPU / 4 GB | $24/mo (High Performance, 5 TB transfer) | $24/mo (Shared 4 GB, 4 TB transfer) |
| Regions | 32+ regions, strong emerging-market coverage | ~24 core regions, densest in the US |
| Managed extras | Kubernetes, bare metal, one-click apps | Managed Kubernetes, managed DBs, object storage |
| New-account credit | Occasional promo credits | $100 credit for new accounts |
| Backups | Snapshots $0.05/GB; auto-backup add-on | Backup service $2/mo add-on on shared plans |
| Best for | Tinkerers who want the cheapest entry and bare-metal options | Teams that want an Akamai-backed cloud with managed databases |
Global VPS fleet with high-frequency and GPU options.
Cloud Compute from $2.50/mo (IPv6-only) or $3.50/mo; High Performance
Try Vultr →Akamai's developer cloud: flat pricing, massive network.
Nanode from $5/mo; Shared 4 GB $24/mo; dedicated CPU from $36/mo; $100
Try Linode →At $24/mo for 2 vCPU / 4 GB they're priced neck and neck — the decision is geography and ecosystem. Vultr wins on entry price and region count; Linode (Akamai) wins on managed services and the edge network behind your apps. US-focused? Linode. Emerging markets or the cheapest possible box? Vultr.
The infrastructure is the same and the pricing barely moved, but the brand is now Akamai Cloud and the roadmap skews enterprise. The developer-friendly core hasn't changed.
Both are generous by hyperscaler standards: Vultr's 2 vCPU / 4 GB plan includes 5 TB, Linode's 4 TB. Overage is $0.01/GB on both.
Linode offers a $100 new-account credit. Vultr runs periodic promo credits — check their site; both are enough to evaluate a real workload.