VPS guide
What Can You Do With a VPS? 10 Practical Uses
In short
A VPS is a server you control, online all the time, with guaranteed CPU and memory. Businesses use them for websites, shops and apps. Individuals use them for game servers, VPNs and self-hosted tools.
Root access means you can install any software the operating system supports. These are ten common uses, from business websites to tools you run for yourself.
1. Host busy WordPress sites
A VPS gives WordPress guaranteed cores and memory, so a traffic spike on someone else's site can't slow yours. Install the web server and PHP yourself, or add a control panel. See speeding up WordPress.
2. Run a WooCommerce shop
Basket, checkout and account pages can't be page-cached, so each one runs PHP and database queries. A VPS gives them CPU and RAM that aren't shared out. Check the WooCommerce hosting requirements.
3. Host several sites on one server
Agencies and freelancers often put client sites on one VPS, each with its own database and SSL certificate, instead of paying for separate hosting accounts.
4. Run web apps and APIs
Node.js, Python, Go, Ruby and .NET apps, background workers and APIs need software that shared hosting won't let you install. With root access you choose the runtime and the version.
5. Run a database server
Put MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL on its own VPS so your app servers and the database don't compete for memory.
6. Staging and development
Test plugin updates, new themes or code changes on a copy of your live site before customers see them. A small VPS is usually enough for a staging copy.
7. Game servers
Minecraft, Valheim, Rust and many other games run dedicated servers on Linux. A VPS stays online when your PC is off, and every plan we sell includes DDoS protection. Game servers that lean on one thread run best on the Ryzen upgrade.
8. Your own VPN
WireGuard or OpenVPN on a UK VPS gives you an encrypted tunnel and a fixed UK IP address, for public Wi-Fi or for reaching office systems from home.
9. Block ads for your whole network
Pi-hole filters ads and trackers at the DNS level for every device that uses it. Our Pi-hole guide covers the install and how to lock it down.
10. Self-hosted tools and automation
Uptime monitoring (Uptime Kuma), file sync (Nextcloud), a password manager (Vaultwarden), scheduled scripts and chat bots all need a machine that's always on. One small VPS can run several of them.
Put a UK VPS to work
Full root access, guaranteed AMD EPYC cores and DDoS protection from £5.99 a month, or the Ryzen upgrade for faster cores.
See VPS plansQuestions
Do I need a VPS or will shared hosting do?
If you run a small website, shared hosting may be enough. For busy sites, apps, databases or anything that needs root access, a VPS fits better.
Can I host multiple websites on one VPS?
Yes. With root access you can host many sites, each with its own database and SSL certificate, sharing the server's resources.
Can I run a game server on a VPS?
Yes. Game servers that depend on one fast thread, such as Minecraft, run best on our Ryzen plans, which have faster cores and a 2 Gbps port. Every plan includes DDoS protection.