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DigitalOcean Basic is the clearest documented starting point for a Paperclip VPS: its 1-vCPU, 2-GiB plan meets Paperclip’s published entry requirement and was listed at $12 per month when checked on October 7, 2026. If you choose another host, compare its current 2-GB Linux plan, location, storage, transfer allowance, and management workflow rather than assuming one provider is universally best.
What Paperclip needs from a VPS
Paperclip’s installation guide says that any Linux VPS with 1 vCPU and 2 GB of RAM is enough to get started. Its reference setup uses Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS and gives DigitalOcean Basic as an example; it also names AWS EC2, Google Compute Engine, Hetzner, Linode, and Vultr as viable hosts.
That is a starting threshold, not a guarantee that the same size will suit every workload. The published minimum does not specify a concurrency target or establish that every deployment needs more CPU. If you expect heavier concurrent activity, compare larger CPU allocations, but treat that as capacity planning rather than a Paperclip requirement.
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Check the software prerequisites
Before provisioning, check the project’s current runtime requirements: the Paperclip repository lists Node.js 24.11+ and pnpm 9.15+. The CLI guide specifies Node.js 24.11.0 or newer for managed installation. The usual setup can use embedded PostgreSQL, so a separate database is not mandatory for a small instance; the installation guide also describes hosted PostgreSQL as an option.
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Top VPS choices for Paperclip
Best-documented starting point: DigitalOcean Basic
DigitalOcean is the most straightforward recommendation when you want a concrete plan tied to Paperclip’s own example. Its official Droplet pricing page listed these Basic configurations on October 7, 2026:
| Configuration | Listed resources | Listed monthly price | When to consider it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 vCPU, 2 GiB RAM, 50 GiB SSD, 2,000 GiB transfer | $12/month | Matches Paperclip’s published getting-started baseline. |
| Basic | 2 vCPUs, 2 GiB RAM, 60 GiB SSD, 3,000 GiB transfer | $18/month | Consider if you want the additional listed CPU allocation; Paperclip does not require it for every deployment. |
These are DigitalOcean’s listed rates, not a complete market comparison or a promise about taxes, promotions, or regional differences. Check the pricing page before ordering. DigitalOcean says per-second Droplet billing with a 60-second or $0.01 minimum took effect January 1, 2026.
Value alternative to price-check: Hetzner Cloud
Paperclip names Hetzner as a suitable VPS provider. Compare its current regional Linux plans with the 1-vCPU, 2-GB baseline, including the exact CPU allocation, disk, transfer terms, and data-center location. No current Hetzner price is established here, so do not assume it is cheaper than DigitalOcean without checking the live plan and region you intend to use.
Other mainstream options: Linode, Vultr, AWS, and Google Cloud
Paperclip’s installation guide also names Linode, Vultr, AWS EC2, and Google Compute Engine. These are viable options, but the documentation does not rank them or establish a like-for-like current price comparison. AWS and Google Cloud have multiple configuration and billing choices, so compare a specific Linux instance, region, disk, network allowance, and billing setup against the baseline before choosing.
Not a conventional VPS comparison: Fly.io
Paperclip’s deployment guide describes Fly.io as a fast deployment path and a single VPS as the “boring backup.” Fly.io is a separate deployment approach, not a directly comparable VPS plan; consider it if you are open to a managed or container-oriented workflow rather than choosing a traditional virtual machine.
How to choose between VPS plans
Once a host meets the baseline, compare the details that affect cost, responsiveness, and maintenance:
- Monthly cost: compare the recurring rate for at least 1 vCPU and 2 GB RAM, and check whether billing is hourly, per-second, or monthly.
- CPU allocation: note the number of vCPUs and whether they are shared or dedicated; a vCPU count alone does not make unlike plans equivalent.
- Storage: check SSD or NVMe capacity and allow for database and log growth over time.
- Network allowance: compare included outbound transfer and the provider’s overage terms.
- Region: choose a data center near the people and connected services that need to reach the instance, subject to where the provider offers the plan.
- Operations: assess how the provider handles firewall rules, backups, server access, and support, as well as how much infrastructure you are prepared to manage.
For many first deployments, the practical choice is the plan that meets Paperclip’s baseline in an appropriate region and whose operating workflow you can maintain. There is no provider performance benchmark here that justifies a universal speed, uptime, or support ranking.
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What public access requires beyond the VM
A public Paperclip deployment is more than a running server. Paperclip’s VPS example calls for a domain, DNS pointing to the server’s public IPv4 address, HTTPS, and a reverse proxy. It uses Nginx as the proxy and recommends authenticated mode, a configured public base URL, and an allowed hostname.
Follow the documented network pattern
- Use a Linux VPS, with Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS as the guide’s reference environment.
- Create a DNS A record for your hostname that points to the VPS’s public IPv4 address.
- Allow inbound TCP 22 for SSH and TCP 80 and 443 for HTTP and HTTPS, as appropriate for your deployment.
- Put Nginx or another reverse proxy in front of Paperclip and configure HTTPS for the public hostname.
- Keep Paperclip bound to
127.0.0.1behind the proxy. Do not expose port 3100 directly to the internet. - Configure authenticated mode, the public base URL, and the allowed hostname as described in the installation guide.
A low-cost VPS remains self-managed infrastructure: plan for updates, firewall configuration, certificate maintenance, and backups. The deployment guide also covers database migrations, agent-runner placement, observability, and cost; account for those operational needs if the instance will be persistent or production-facing.
Quick Recap
Recommendation by use case
| Your priority | Practical choice | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| A documented, simple first VPS | DigitalOcean Basic with 2 GiB RAM | Confirm current listed price, region, and plan terms. |
| Finding a potentially lower-cost regional plan | Compare Hetzner Cloud | Check current local availability and whether the exact plan meets the baseline. |
| Using an existing cloud account or preferred provider | Linode, Vultr, AWS EC2, or Google Compute Engine | Compare a specific configuration’s full cost and allowances; there is no universal ranking. |
| A deployment path other than a traditional VPS | Consider Paperclip’s Fly.io path | Decide whether its deployment model fits your operational preferences. |
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