Contabo is a Munich-based web hosting company that specializes in server and cloud solutions. The Contabo web hosting company was established in 2003. Contabo cuts a nice figure in shared web hosting, albeit with some limitations, thanks to its unique features and smooth operation, but it came last in the performance test. Our test demonstrates whether the VPS plan has the same pros and limitations as the shared hosting plan.
Only a few minutes after registering, our Contabo account was activated. The VPS ordering process was also simple, taking only around 30 seconds. Contabo prioritizes the operating system choices over the order. Then, an employee inspects the order after it has been completed. That was similarly rapid for us: our VPS package was activated in 25 minutes (on holiday), and we received an email with the server login information.
Overall, Contabo makes setup fairly simple, although it should be noted that the user interface is not always up to date.
The control panel for your VPS is part of the main Contabo login area. The user interface is a little dated (after all, you removed the mascot since our last test! ), but it is user-friendly.
A list of all Contabo products, including VPS, may be found under "Your Services." In addition, you can easily access functions such as the rescue system or perform a new installation by pressing the "Administration" button. These can also be found in the "VPS control" section.
In Contabo's VPS control, your VPS is listed separately. Compared to other providers, the control area is smaller: In addition to the server IP, host system, and status report, there is a distinct button for each function in the list. You may simply stop, start, or restart your server with a single click.
Under "Reinstallation," you can install a new Linux distribution. Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora, FreeBSD, openSUSE Leap, and Ubuntu are among the operating systems you can install without a panel or with Plesk, LAMP, or Webmin. Contabo generates a safe password for you.
For emergencies, the rescue system is a bootable image based on a Linux distribution. SystemRescueCD (64 bit), Debian 9 Live, and Clonezilla Live are the three options provided by Contabo. "Start rescue system" causes your server to reboot and boot into the rescue system. You can use your provided password to log in there.
Snapshots can be made using the same-named menu item. This is a recording of your VPS in its current state. All snapshots are listed under the linked server in the VPS menu and can be restored by selecting "Rollback." The admin panel does not allow you to scale your server. You must order a new tariff if you want more resources or to get by with less. You'll also be unable to obtain information about your statistics, such as traffic and utilization. Contabo is limited to the essentials, yet they are organized in a particularly user-friendly manner. Regrettably, the setting possibilities are restricted.
While our main issue of Contabo was its poor performance in terms of loading time in shared hosting, the provider's performance in the VPS Server field is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Contabo and 1blu are tied for top place in all four categories, with good to excellent results in each.
Contabo assistance is available by phone from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and you can also send an email to the staff. There is no contact form or live chat, however. Nevertheless, we spoke with a polite staffer on the phone in less than a minute, and we received a detailed and helpful response to our queries via email in around 90 minutes.
Contabo offers seven different VPS packages, each of which is compatible with Linux and Windows. Three of the tariffs are HDD-based with an SSD increase, while the remaining four rates are SSD-only. Aside from that, the prices vary depending on the number of cores, RAM, storage space, and bandwidth available. Snapshots are likewise limited to the SSD tariffs.
While we were only able to recommend Contabo's shared hosting packages with reservations due to low availability, the VPS packages have little to complain about: Contabo combines exceptional performance with a high level of user-friendliness and the experience is rounded out by excellent support and a rapid setup. The user interface isn't perfect, and there's a little more flexibility in terms of tariffs elsewhere, but Contabo can be trusted when it counts.
Contabo is well-liked by users: good to excellent ratings can be found on practically all review sites. In addition, many customers like the helpful customer service and the excellent price/performance ratio.
Only one other supplier could keep up with Contabo in our performance test: 1blu. STRATO, on the other hand, performs admirably. Unfortunately, the majority of the other web hosting providers are a bit behind (but still good), although some, like Netcup, have more up-to-date user interfaces.
