Provider Comparison
Liquid Web vs Hetzner: Which Dedicated Server Provider is Right for You?
A comprehensive side-by-side comparison of Liquid Web and Hetzner dedicated servers covering pricing, features, performance, support, and datacenter coverage.
Liquid Web (4.3/5, from $169/mo) is best for businesses needing fully managed dedicated hosting with premium support. Hetzner (4.6/5, from $49/mo) is best for budget-conscious developers and self-hosters wanting maximum value per dollar. Hetzner scores higher in our testing, while Hetzner offers the lower entry price.
Side-by-Side Overview
Here is how Liquid Web and Hetzner compare on the key metrics that matter most when choosing a dedicated server provider.
| Specification | Liquid Web | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | Winner | |
| Starting Price | $169/mo | $49/mo Cheaper |
| Founded | 1997 | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Lansing, Michigan, USA | Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, Germany |
| Datacenters | 3 locations | 5 locations More |
| Managed Options | Yes | No |
| Best For | Businesses needing fully managed dedicated hosting with premium support | Budget-conscious developers and self-hosters wanting maximum value per dollar |
Pricing Comparison
Liquid Web starts at $169/mo while Hetzner starts at $49/mo. That makes Hetzner the more affordable entry point by $120/mo. Here are the cheapest plans from each provider:
- CPU: Intel Xeon processor
- RAM: 16 GB RAM
- Storage: 2x 480GB SSD (RAID 1)
- Bandwidth: 5 TB on 10 Gbps network
- Managed: Yes
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8700GE (8 cores / 16 threads, Zen4 Phoenix)
- RAM: 64 GB DDR5 ECC
- Storage: 2x 512GB NVMe Gen4 SSD
- Bandwidth: Unlimited at 1 Gbps
- Managed: No
Features Comparison
A feature-by-feature breakdown showing what each provider includes with their dedicated servers.
| Feature | Liquid Web | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Fully managed hosting | ✓ | — |
| 24/7/365 Heroic Support | ✓ | — |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| 100% uptime SLA | ✓ | — |
| Root access | ✓ | — |
| ServerSecure hardening | ✓ | — |
| Free migrations | ✓ | — |
| Server Auction (discounted refurbished servers) | — | ✓ |
| Robot API | — | ✓ |
| IPMI access | — | ✓ |
| vSwitch private networking | — | ✓ |
| 1 Gbps connection | — | ✓ |
| Unlimited traffic | — | ✓ |
Liquid Web offers 7 key features while Hetzner offers 7. The total unique features across both providers is 13.
Pros and Cons
Liquid Web
Pros
- ✓ Best-in-class managed support (Heroic Support) — phone, chat, ticket 24/7
- ✓ 100% uptime guarantee backed by real SLA credits
- ✓ Fully managed or self-managed options available
- ✓ ServerSecure advanced security hardening included
Cons
- ✗ Premium pricing — dedicated servers start at $169/mo, higher than unmanaged competitors
- ✗ Only 3 data center locations (US-MI, US-AZ, EU-NL)
- ✗ Setup fees may apply on some configurations
- ✗ Some recent user reviews report declining support quality
Hetzner
Pros
- ✓ Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio in Europe
- ✓ Server Auction offers deeply discounted refurbished servers
- ✓ #1 recommended provider in self-hosting communities (r/selfhosted, r/homelab)
- ✓ Excellent uptime and network quality with 100% green electricity
Cons
- ✗ Support is email/ticket only — no phone or live chat
- ✗ Affiliate/referral program pays in cloud credits only, not cash
- ✗ US presence still limited (2 locations: Ashburn VA, Hillsboro OR)
- ✗ Price increase effective April 1, 2026 (AX42: €47.30 → €57.30/mo)
Datacenter Locations
Liquid Web operates from 3 locations while Hetzner has 5. Hetzner provides broader geographic coverage.
Liquid Web (3 locations)
Hetzner (5 locations)
Performance Benchmarks
We run standardized benchmarks on servers from both providers using Geekbench 6, fio, iperf3, and real application workloads.
Our Verdict
Both Liquid Web and Hetzner are legitimate dedicated server providers, but they serve different audiences. Here is our recommendation based on your use case:
Choose Liquid Web if...
- › You want businesses needing fully managed dedicated hosting with premium support
- › Best-in-class managed support (Heroic Support) — phone, chat, ticket 24/7
- › You need servers in US-Michigan, US-Arizona, EU-Netherlands
- › You prefer fully managed server administration
Choose Hetzner if...
- › You want budget-conscious developers and self-hosters wanting maximum value per dollar
- › Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio in Europe
- › You need servers in DE-Nuremberg, DE-Falkenstein, FI-Helsinki
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