Hetzner and Linode are both veteran infrastructure providers that don't publish flat starting prices on their main marketing pages, so the real differentiator…
Best for Hetzner: Teams prioritizing low-cost, European-based infrastructure who want free one-click app installs, firewalls, and load balancers bundled in, and are comfortable with an independently run provider.
Best for Linode: Teams that want the reach and backing of Akamai's global network, along with flat, predictable pricing, low egress fees, managed MySQL/PostgreSQL databases, and an App Platform layer.
At a Glance
Hetzner
Linode
Primary category
Hosting
Hosting
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Usage-based
Starting price
EUR 5.49/month
$5/month
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Key Differences
Ownership and backing
Hetzner: Operates independently, founded in 1997, with no acquisition mentioned.
Linode: Was acquired by Akamai Technologies in 2022 and now operates as Akamai Connected Cloud, backed by Akamai's global network.
Buyers weigh the reliability and global reach of a hyperscaler-backed provider against the independence and pricing of a standalone operator.
Headquarters location
Hetzner: Headquartered in Gunzenhausen, Germany.
Linode: Originally headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Data residency preferences and support timezone alignment often follow a provider's home region.
Server hardware lineup
Hetzner: Offers six dedicated server lines (EX, AX, RX, SX, GPU, DX) plus three cloud server tiers (Cost-Optimized, Regular Performance, General Purpose).
Linode: Compute lineup spans Essential Compute, GPU, Accelerated Compute, Kubernetes, and an App Platform.
Teams with specific dedicated-hardware needs versus teams wanting a higher-level PaaS layer will find different fits.
Bundled networking extras
Hetzner: States free stateful firewalls, load balancers, and private networking are included.
Linode: Offers Cloud Firewall, DNS Manager, and NodeBalancers as part of its networking category, without stating they are free.
Whether networking add-ons are free or billed affects total cost of ownership.
Managed operations add-on
Hetzner: No equivalent managed-operations add-on documented.
Linode: Offers 'Linode Managed,' an optional managed-services add-on for infrastructure oversight.
Teams without in-house ops staff may need a vendor-provided managed layer.
Feature-by-Feature
Core Infrastructure
Feature
Hetzner
Linode
Dedicated/bare-metal server lines
Available
Not documented
Kubernetes
Not documented
Available
Managed databases
Not documented
Available
GPU compute
Available
Available
One-click app installs
Available
Not documented
Networking & Storage
Feature
Hetzner
Linode
Firewalls
Available
Available
Object storage
Available
Available
Load balancers
Available
Available
Company & Support
Feature
Hetzner
Linode
Independent ownership
Available
Unavailable
Managed services add-on
Not documented
Available
Flat published pricing on main page
Unavailable
Unavailable
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Hetzner
Cloud CX (Cost-Optimized) — From EUR 5.49/month monthly
Nanode (Shared CPU) — $5/month Hourly, monthly cap
Shared CPU (higher tiers) — From $10/month and up Hourly, monthly cap
Dedicated CPU — Varies by instance size Hourly, monthly cap
GPU and High Memory — Varies by instance size Hourly, monthly cap
Pros & Cons
Hetzner
Pros
Significantly cheaper than AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud for comparable compute
All-inclusive pricing with no extra charges for bandwidth, IPv4/IPv6, or DDoS protection
Strong infrastructure-as-code support via Terraform, Ansible, and Kubernetes tooling
EU data residency and ISO/IEC 27001 certification appeal to privacy-conscious organizations
Simple, well-documented API and console for fast provisioning
Cons
Multiple price increases through 2026 have narrowed the cost advantage on some server lines
Fewer managed services (databases, AI, serverless) compared to AWS or Google Cloud
Support is primarily ticket and email based rather than 24/7 live chat for lower tiers
Smaller global data center footprint than the major hyperscalers
Account verification and fraud checks can delay onboarding for some new customers
Linode
Pros
Simple, transparent, flat-rate pricing that is easy to predict compared to hyperscalers
Long operating history (founded 2003) with a strong reputation for developer trust and support
Now backed by Akamai's global edge network, CDN, and security infrastructure
Straightforward control panel and API that are easy for small teams to adopt quickly
Entry-level compute starts as low as $5/month, competitive with other developer-friendly clouds
Cons
Smaller service catalog than AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud for advanced enterprise and managed services
Post-acquisition rebrand to Akamai Cloud Computing has caused some confusion among long-time Linode users
Fewer regions than the largest hyperscalers, though the footprint has grown under Akamai
GPU and dedicated-CPU instance availability can be more limited than specialized GPU cloud providers
Advanced enterprise features (compliance certifications, enterprise support tiers) are less mature than legacy big-three clouds
Use Cases
Choose Hetzner: Teams prioritizing low-cost, European-based infrastructure who want free one-click app installs, firewalls, and load balancers bundled in, and are comfortable with an independently run provider.
Choose Linode: Teams that want the reach and backing of Akamai's global network, along with flat, predictable pricing, low egress fees, managed MySQL/PostgreSQL databases, and an App Platform layer.
Need both: A team managing infrastructure across regions might use Hetzner for low-cost EU-based workloads while relying on Linode/Akamai for broader global network reach or managed database needs elsewhere.
Hetzner
Startup and SaaS hosting — Early-stage companies run production applications, databases, and staging environments on Hetzner Cloud to control infrastructure costs while scaling.
Self-hosted app deployment — Developers and small teams use one-click apps and Storage Box to self-host tools like Nextcloud, GitLab, and WordPress instead of paying for SaaS subscriptions.
EU data residency workloads — Organizations with GDPR or data sovereignty requirements host regulated workloads in Hetzner's German and Finnish data centers.
Linode
Startup and small business hosting — Cost-conscious teams host web apps, APIs, and staging environments on predictable, flat-rate compute instances.
Kubernetes-based application deployment — Engineering teams run containerized workloads on LKE, Linode's managed Kubernetes service, without operating their own control plane.
Edge-accelerated global applications — Businesses combine Linode compute with Akamai's CDN and edge security to serve latency-sensitive applications worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hetzner based?
Hetzner Online is headquartered in Gunzenhausen, Germany, and was founded in 1997.
Is Linode still independent?
No, Linode was acquired by Akamai Technologies in 2022 and now operates as Akamai Connected Cloud.
When was Linode founded?
Linode was founded in 2003 and was originally headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Does Hetzner support one-click app installs?
Yes, including Docker, WordPress, Nextcloud, and GitLab.
What databases does Linode manage?
Linode offers managed MySQL and PostgreSQL database services.
Are firewalls included with Hetzner?
Yes, Hetzner includes free stateful firewalls with its cloud servers.