Best VPS for PocketBase in 2026
Updated Oct 2026 · 8 plans compared
PocketBase is the rare self-hosted app where the honest recommendation is the smallest VPS a provider sells. It's a single Go binary with SQLite embedded, so there's no separate database server, no external cache, and no background worker competing for RAM — realtime subscriptions, auth, and file storage all live inside the same low-memory process. Any of these picks will run it comfortably; the deciding factor is really price and whether you might grow into other services on the same box.
- PocketBase's own minimum is 512 MB — the single Go binary with embedded SQLite genuinely needs that little. Add the OS and a lightweight reverse proxy for TLS on top of it and a provider's smallest 1-2 GB tier already has headroom to spare.
- There's no separate database to provision or tune — SQLite lives on the same disk as the binary, so storage speed matters more than storage size. Any of these providers' entry-tier NVMe or SSD is plenty; you're sizing for your app's uploaded files and backups, not for a database engine.
- CPU is close to a non-issue at small scale: a single shared vCPU handles the REST API and realtime subscriptions for a typical hobby or small-team app without strain. Don't pay extra for cores PocketBase can't use yet.
- Pick the provider for its upgrade path, not its day-one specs. If the app later grows into heavier file storage or more concurrent realtime connections, a provider you can resize in place beats one where growth means rebuilding the server.
The picks
The $4/mo entry plan (1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB NVMe) already covers PocketBase's real footprint, and Kamatera's custom sizing lets you dial RAM up in small steps later instead of jumping a whole tier. The 30-day free trial means you can try it before paying anything.
$5/mo for 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB SSD — the same tiny footprint PocketBase actually needs, with hourly billing that makes it cheap to test-drive before committing to a full month.
$6/mo for 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB — a dollar more than the cheapest options here, but the most approachable docs and a one-click marketplace image if you'd rather not hand-configure a reverse proxy in front of a single Go binary.
The $5/mo Nanode (1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB NVMe) is the same small size as the others, backed by Linode's best-in-class docs if this is your first time putting a bare Go binary behind a reverse proxy.
The picks, side by side
Prices verified Oct 2026 · How we benchmark →
Common questions
How much RAM does PocketBase actually need?
512 MB, per PocketBase's own minimum — the single Go binary embeds SQLite, so there's no separate database process competing for memory. A 1-2 GB VPS is the sensible floor once you add a reverse proxy for TLS; anything beyond that is headroom for growth, not a requirement.
Do I need a managed database for PocketBase?
No — that's the point of PocketBase. SQLite is embedded in the binary, so you're not provisioning, patching, or paying for a separate database server. Size the VPS for disk and file storage, not for a database engine.
Should I upgrade past the smallest VPS tier just to be safe?
Only if you know you'll run other services alongside PocketBase. On its own it won't use a 4 GB+ plan's extra RAM or vCPUs — pick a provider you can resize later instead of over-provisioning up front.