Best VPS for Home Assistant in 2026
Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform. Compare VPS options for remote access and cloud features. We tested the top 5 VPS providers to find which one delivers the best performance and value for running Home Assistant.
Hetzner is the Best VPS for Home Assistant
With competitive pricing starting at $4.15/mo, excellent performance, and European data centers, Hetzner offers the best value for hosting Home Assistant.
Get Hetzner VPS →What is Home Assistant?
Home Assistant is a popular open-source home automation platform that integrates with thousands of smart home devices. While commonly run on local hardware, hosting the companion services or a full instance on a VPS enables remote access, cloud-based automations, and reliable uptime without local hardware maintenance.
Running Home Assistant on a VPS gives you reliable remote access to your smart home without depending on local hardware uptime. It also enables cloud-based integrations and ensures your automations run even during local power outages.
Self-hosting Home Assistant on a VPS gives you full control over your data, better performance, and lower long-term costs compared to managed solutions. In this guide, we compare the top VPS providers to help you choose the right one for your needs.
Minimum Server Requirements for Home Assistant
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 2 GB | 4 GB |
| CPU | 2 vCPU | 2+ vCPUs |
| Storage | 20 GB | 40+ GB NVMe |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04+ | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS |
Top 5 VPS Providers for Home Assistant Compared
We deployed Home Assistant on each provider and measured startup time, response latency, and resource usage. Here are the results:
Pros
- Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio
- European data centers with strong privacy
- NVMe storage on all plans
Cons
- No US data centers
- Control panel less polished than competitors
All Hetzner Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CX22 | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 40 GB NVMe | $4.15/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX32 | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | 80 GB NVMe | $7.49/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX42 | 8 vCPU | 16 GB | 160 GB NVMe | $14.49/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX52 | 16 vCPU | 32 GB | 320 GB NVMe | $28.49/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- Very beginner-friendly control panel
- Competitive pricing with frequent deals
- 24/7 customer support
Cons
- Renewal prices are higher
- Limited advanced configuration options
All Hostinger Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVM 1 | 1 vCPU | 4 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $4.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 2 | 2 vCPU | 8 GB | 100 GB NVMe | $6.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 4 | 4 vCPU | 16 GB | 200 GB NVMe | $12.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 8 | 8 vCPU | 32 GB | 400 GB NVMe | $19.99/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- Excellent documentation and tutorials
- $200 free credit for new accounts
- Strong developer ecosystem
Cons
- Higher pricing than budget providers
- No phone support available
All DigitalOcean Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | 50 GB SSD | $12.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Regular | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $24.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| CPU-Optimized | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 25 GB SSD | $42.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Memory-Opt | 2 vCPU | 16 GB | 50 GB SSD | $84.00/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- 32 data center locations worldwide
- Hourly billing with no lock-in
- High-performance NVMe storage
Cons
- Interface can be overwhelming for beginners
- Support response times vary
All Vultr Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Compute | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | 50 GB SSD | $10.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Cloud Compute | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $20.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| High Frequency | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 64 GB NVMe | $24.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Bare Metal | E-2286G | 32 GB | 2x 480GB SSD | $120.00/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- One-click deploys from Git
- Auto-scaling based on usage
- No server management needed
Cons
- Can get expensive at scale
- Less control over infrastructure
All Railway Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby | Shared 8 vCPU | 8 GB | 100 GB | $5.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Pro | Shared 32 vCPU | 32 GB | 250 GB | $20.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom | Get Plan → |
Architecture Overview
A typical Home Assistant deployment on a VPS uses Docker for easy management and Nginx as a reverse proxy:
Home Assistant Deployment Architecture
How to Set Up Home Assistant on a VPS
Step 1: Provision VPS close to your location
Choose your VPS provider (we recommend Hetzner for the best value), select an Ubuntu 24.04 LTS image, and configure your SSH keys. Most providers have this ready in under 2 minutes.
Step 2: Deploy Home Assistant with Docker
SSH into your server, install Docker and Docker Compose, and pull the Home Assistant container image. Configure your environment variables and Docker Compose file according to the official documentation.
Step 3: Configure VPN or remote access
Set up Nginx as a reverse proxy with SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt. Point your domain to the server IP, and your Home Assistant instance will be accessible via HTTPS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Home Assistant run on a VPS?
Yes. Home Assistant Core and Container installations work on VPS instances, enabling cloud-based smart home control.
What about local device control?
For local devices, pair the VPS instance with a local hub or use a VPN to bridge your home network.
How much RAM for Home Assistant?
Home Assistant Core needs 2 GB minimum. With many integrations and add-ons, 4 GB is recommended.
Is Home Assistant free?
Yes. Home Assistant is open source and free. Optional cloud subscription available for remote access features.
Can I run Home Assistant alongside other services?
Yes. On a 4 GB VPS you can run Home Assistant alongside Uptime Kuma and other lightweight services.