Best VPS for Ollama in 2026
Updated Aug 2026 · 8 plans benchmarked
Ollama hosting is a RAM story: the model weights must fit in memory or nothing runs, so the winning box is the one with the most GB per dollar. CPU-only inference works fine — no GPU required — but tokens per second is what you'll feel, especially if agents or automations sit on the API, so fast cores and headroom above the model size matter.
- Size RAM to the model: 8 GB runs 3B models comfortably and 7B with tight context, 16 GB is the 7B sweet spot, 32 GB unlocks 13B, and 30B+ models want 64 GB or more.
- Be honest about CPU-only: cheap VPS plans have no GPU, and a 7B model on a 4-core box generates roughly 5–10 tokens per second — fine for chat and background automation, too slow for real-time generation at scale.
- Budget disk for weights — each model is roughly 5–20 GB, and NVMe keeps pulls and model loads from stalling.
- Never expose port 11434 to the internet: Ollama's API has no authentication, so bind it to localhost and put a TLS reverse proxy (Caddy or Nginx) in front.
The picks
The most RAM per dollar on this list — the entry Cloud VPS 4 puts 8 GB and 100 GB of NVMe under the lowest price here, and the 24 GB Cloud VPS 8 reaches 13B-class models for less than most rivals charge for 8 GB.
The VPS-2 (4 vCPU / 8 GB) covers small models with unlimited traffic, anti-DDoS, and daily backups included, and the range steps to 24 GB without leaving NVMe.
The CX32 (4 vCPU / 8 GB NVMe) clears the small-model floor, and the CX42 (8 vCPU / 16 GB) is the cheapest fast-core route here to the 16 GB that 7B models really want.
The picks, side by side
Prices verified Aug 2026 · How we benchmark →
Common questions
How much RAM does Ollama need?
Ollama itself is light — the model is what needs memory. 8 GB runs 3B models comfortably and 7B models with tight context; 16 GB is the sweet spot for 7B with reasonable context; 13B wants 32 GB and 30B+ wants 64 GB or more.
Can Ollama run on a CPU-only VPS?
Yes — Ollama falls back to CPU inference automatically, no GPU needed. Expect roughly 5–10 tokens per second for a 7B model on a 4-core box: fine for chat, summarization, and automation, but noticeably slower than the hosted APIs you may be used to.
Do I need a GPU VPS for Ollama?
Only for speed or scale. A GPU delivers 5–10x the tokens per second but multiplies the price, and the same sizing logic applies — a 7B model still needs ~4–6 GB of VRAM. For a personal or small-team setup, a well-sized CPU box is usually the better value.
How much disk space do Ollama models take?
Roughly 2–5 GB for 3B models, 4–8 GB for 7B, and 20 GB+ for the largest you'd run on a VPS. Weights are re-downloadable, so disk is about convenience, not backup — but keep enough free space for two or three models at once.