Choosing a VPS Configuration: How Many vCPUs, How Much Memory and Disk

The most common mistake when ordering a server is to “add plenty of headroom.” With daily billing, it’s smarter to start small and add resources as real needs appear.

Where to start

Resources should be sized by workload type, not by gut feeling. A website and a database behave differently: the first most often runs short of CPU at traffic peaks, while the second is bound by memory and disk speed.

Guidelines by workload

• Business-card site, landing page: 1 vCPU, 1–2 GB of memory, 10–20 GB of disk.
• Corporate website, small online store: 2 vCPU, 2–4 GB of memory, 30–50 GB of disk.
• Store with active traffic, 1C-Bitrix: 4 vCPU, 8 GB of memory, 80–150 GB of disk.
• Database server: memory matters more than cores — the working data set should fit in RAM.
• 1C with several users: from 4 vCPU and 8 GB, plus extra disk for databases and backups.
• Test environment: a minimal configuration, switched on only for the days you need it.

Disk: count more than just your data

On top of your files and databases, add space for the operating system, logs, temporary files and at least one local copy of your data. A practical rule: take your estimated volume and double it.

How to tell you’re short of resources

Don’t look at a momentary “100% load” — look for a sustained pattern. A consistently high load average and a CPU run queue mean too few cores. Active swap and OOM-killer entries in the logs mean too little memory. High disk wait times mean the disk subsystem is the bottleneck.

Why it’s better to start small

Resources can be changed on request, and daily billing means an upgrade takes effect from the next day. It’s far cheaper to run a modest configuration for a week, see the real numbers and add exactly what’s missing than to pay for unused headroom for months.

Build your configuration in the calculator on the VPS page — the price updates instantly, and you can copy the estimate and send it to colleagues.