[DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) launched [Managed VPS Hosting](https://www.deployhq.com/hosting/managed-vps) this year — fully-managed Linux servers with the deployment pipeline built in. Provision a cloud server from inside [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com), push to your repository, and your code is live. One workflow, one bill, no separate hosting account to manage. Servers run on DigitalOcean infrastructure and are fully managed by [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com).

This guide covers what [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) Managed VPS is, who it's for, how it compares to going direct (DigitalOcean App Platform, Linode, Render), what it costs, and how to provision your first server in under a minute.

## What DeployHQ Managed VPS is

A Linux VPS that [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) provisions, runs, and ships your code to — all from the same dashboard you'd already use for deployments. Under the hood it's DigitalOcean infrastructure with the deployment pipeline pre-wired: SSH keys generated automatically, deployment path configured at provision time, build commands and post-deploy hooks ready to run.

The current beta supports server sizes from 1 vCPU / 1 GB RAM up to 2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM. Common workloads:

- Laravel, Symfony, and other PHP apps — see [the Laravel deployment guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/laravel) for the pipeline shape
- Rails apps and Sidekiq workers — [the Rails guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/ruby-on-rails) covers the build-and-deploy cycle
- Node.js / Express / Fastify APIs — see [the Express guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/express)
- Django and FastAPI — [Django guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/django)
- WordPress with custom themes or plugins — see [the WordPress theme guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/how-to-deploy-your-wordpress-theme-with-git)

If your app needs a real Linux box with SSH access, custom services, or cron jobs, Managed VPS is the right surface. (For static frontends, [DeployHQ Static Hosting](https://www.deployhq.com/hosting/static) is simpler and cheaper.)

## Why DeployHQ Managed VPS

Most managed VPS providers give you a server. [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) Managed VPS gives you a server **and** the pipeline that ships code to it — provisioning, SSH keys, build pipeline, rollback history, and billing all live in the same dashboard:

- **One workflow.** No separate accounts at a VPS host and a deployment tool. Provision and ship from the same project.
- **Automatic SSH key management.** [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) generates and rotates the deployment key for you; nothing to copy, paste, or upload. You can also bring your own key if you'd rather.
- **Built-in zero-downtime deploys.** Atomic transfers, parallel uploads, and one-click rollback work the same way they do for a bring-your-own server.
- **One bill.** The VPS cost appears alongside your [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) plan on the same monthly invoice instead of a separate hosting account.
- **DigitalOcean infrastructure under the hood.** Same uptime profile, same region selection, same hardware as direct DigitalOcean Droplets. You don't lose IaaS-level reliability by going managed.
- **Bring-your-own still supported.** You can mix DeployHQ-managed VPS resources with your own VPS, shared hosting, or cloud accounts inside the same project.

## How it works

Managed VPS is currently a beta feature. To enable it on your account, go to **Settings \> Beta Features** and turn it on. After that, it appears as a server type when you add a new server to any project.

### Provisioning a server

1. In your [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) project, click **New Server**.
2. Enter a name for the server (this is just for your reference).
3. Select **Managed VPS** from the protocol picker, under the **Hosting** section.
4. Choose a **region** (data center location) and a **server size** (1 vCPU / 1 GB up to 2 vCPU / 4 GB).
5. Optionally select an existing **SSH key** or paste your own private key. If you skip this step, [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) creates a new key called Managed VPS Key automatically.
6. Set your **deployment path** (where your files will be placed on the server).
7. Click **Create Server**.

Provisioning usually takes about a minute. The status updates automatically once the server is ready, and the server appears in **Settings \> Hosted Resources** alongside any other managed resources on your account. From there you can view the IP address, region, size, monthly cost, sync status, and which projects are using the server.

### SSH keys

[DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) handles key management automatically — generate a fresh key per server, or reuse an existing global key from your account. The key never leaves [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) in plaintext: deployments use it server-side. If you bring your own private key, it's saved as a global SSH key for reuse.

You can manage keys from **Settings \> SSH Keys** , including rotating them or removing access from a server.

### Deploying

Once the server is active, deploy to it the same way you'd deploy to any other server in [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com). Push to your repository (or trigger a manual deployment) and the server connects over SSH using the key configured at provisioning time. Default config:

- **Username** : root
- **Port** : 22
- **Protocol** : SSH/SFTP

You can configure the deployment path, enable accelerated transfers, parallel uploads, and zero-downtime (atomic) deployments from the server settings page — same surface as any BYO server in [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com).

[Start a free](https://www.deployhq.com/signup)[DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) trial to provision your first Managed VPS — trial accounts get one server at the smallest size at no charge.

### Power, suspension, and lifecycle

- **Power on/off** : toggle the server's **Enabled** state from its settings page. Disabling powers off the VPS; re-enabling powers it back on. Billing continues while the server is powered off.
- **Account suspension** : if your account is suspended (e.g., trial expires without payment, renewal fails), all Managed VPS resources are powered off and marked suspended. Reactivating restores them. Trial accounts get a 7-day grace period before suspended resources are permanently destroyed; paid accounts get 30 days. A warning notification fires 5 days before destruction.
- **Destroying** : deleting the server from your project's server list destroys the underlying infrastructure and cancels billing.

## How it compares to DigitalOcean, Linode, and Render

[DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) Managed VPS overlaps with several adjacent products. The right choice depends on what you want around the VPS:

| Capability | DeployHQ Managed VPS | DigitalOcean App Platform | Linode | Render |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Underlying infrastructure | DigitalOcean | DigitalOcean | Akamai Cloud | AWS / GCP |
| Deployment pipeline | Built-in (DeployHQ) | Built-in (App Platform) | Self-managed | Built-in (Render) |
| Root SSH access | Yes | No (PaaS sandbox) | Yes | No (PaaS sandbox) |
| Server sizes | 1-2 vCPU / 1-4 GB (beta) | Tiered containers | Wide range, ARM available | Tiered containers |
| Custom services / cron / daemons | Yes | Limited | Yes | Limited |
| One bill with deployment | Yes | Yes (DO ecosystem) | No | Yes |
| Beta status | Yes (mid-2026) | GA | GA | GA |

**Choose [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) Managed VPS if** you already use (or are evaluating) [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) for code deployments, you want SSH access to a real Linux box rather than a PaaS sandbox, you value workflow consolidation over vendor lock-in to a single cloud, and you're OK with the current beta size limits.

**Choose DigitalOcean App Platform if** you're already deep in the DigitalOcean ecosystem and want their PaaS model (no SSH, but auto-scaling and managed databases). Note: [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) Managed VPS runs on DigitalOcean too — the difference is whether you want PaaS-style abstraction or a real VPS with SSH access.

**Choose Linode (Akamai Cloud) if** you want non-DigitalOcean infrastructure (different region coverage, ARM instances, Akamai's edge network) or much larger server sizes than the current Managed VPS beta supports. We have a [DeployHQ + Linode deployment guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/linode) if you want a BYO-Linode setup with [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) on top.

**Choose Render if** you want a fully managed PaaS with auto-scaling, integrated databases, and zero infrastructure decisions. Render trades the SSH-access flexibility of a real VPS for a simpler operational model.

For the broader comparison across the deployment-tool category (not just VPS), see our roundup of [the best software deployment tools in 2026](https://www.deployhq.com/blog/best-software-deployment-tools). And if you're still on shared hosting trying to decide whether VPS is the right next step, [shared hosting vs VPS for junior developers](https://www.deployhq.com/blog/shared-hosting-vs-vps-a-comprehensive-guide-for-junior-developers) walks through the trade-offs first.

## Pricing

Available server sizes range from 1 vCPU / 1 GB RAM up to 2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM. The provisioning form shows the current monthly cost for each size in your account's currency. Pricing appears alongside your [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) plan on the same monthly invoice — one bill for the platform and the infrastructure.

Trial accounts can provision one Managed VPS server using the smallest available size. Custom SSH keys aren't available on trial; the platform generates and uses a managed key automatically. To provision additional servers, choose larger sizes, or use a custom SSH key, upgrade to a paid plan.

## When Managed VPS isn't the right fit

Honest trade-offs — Managed VPS won't cover every workload:

- **Static sites and SPAs.** If you're hosting a static frontend (Next.js static export, Astro, SvelteKit prerendered, Hugo, Jekyll), [DeployHQ Static Hosting](https://www.deployhq.com/support/servers/static-hosting) is simpler and cheaper. It runs on Cloudflare's edge with framework auto-detection and atomic deploys — no server to manage at all.
- **Server sizes above 2 vCPU / 4 GB.** The current beta tops out at that size. If you need more, use BYO VPS via [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) — we'll deploy to any [DigitalOcean Droplet](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/digitalocean), [Linode VPS](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/linode), [Hetzner Cloud server](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/hetzner), or any other host you can SSH into.
- **Kubernetes / container orchestration.** Managed VPS is single-node Linux, not Kubernetes. Use a managed Kubernetes service (Linode LKE, AWS EKS, DigitalOcean Kubernetes) and a GitOps tool like Argo CD for that workflow.
- **Windows servers.** Linux x86 only. We have a [Windows IIS deployment guide](https://www.deployhq.com/guides/iis) for BYO Windows servers via [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com).
- **ARM instances.** Current beta is x86 only.
- **Hourly / per-second IaaS billing.** Managed VPS is fixed monthly. If you need spiky scale-up workloads with hourly billing, go direct to AWS / GCP / DO and use [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) on top.

If you outgrow Managed VPS, the same [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) project supports any of these alternatives without rebuilding your pipeline — only the deployment target changes.

For VPS sizing fundamentals (how to pick between server sizes, when to scale up, when to scale out), [installing cPanel on AlmaLinux or Ubuntu with DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com/blog/installing-cpanel-on-ubuntu-22-04-and-deployhq) walks through a representative real-world VPS setup. And if you're upgrading from shared hosting to your first VPS, [5 signs it's time to upgrade from shared hosting to automated deployments](https://www.deployhq.com/blog/5-signs-it-s-time-to-upgrade-from-shared-hosting-to-automated-deployments) covers when the move makes sense.

## Get started

1. Enable beta features under **Settings \> Beta Features** on your [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) account.
2. Open any project (or [create a new one](https://www.deployhq.com/signup) if you're new) and click **New Server**.
3. Pick **Managed VPS** , choose a region and size, set a deployment path, and create the server.
4. Push to your connected repository — [DeployHQ](https://www.deployhq.com) builds and deploys automatically.

Full provisioning, SSH-key, lifecycle, and management docs are at [Managed VPS Hosting in the support library](https://www.deployhq.com/support/servers/managed-vps-hosting). For the broader context of where Managed VPS fits among DeployHQ's five hosting types, see [your universal deployment and hosting platform](https://www.deployhq.com/blog/deployhq-your-universal-deployment-platform-for-all-hosting-types).

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Questions or feedback on Managed VPS? Email [support@deployhq.com](mailto:support@deployhq.com) or follow [@deployhq](https://x.com/deployhq) on X for product updates.