BuyVM
One of the most vocal FOSS advocates in hosting. Competitive pricing, legendary block storage slabs, and a genuine community spirit.
What Makes It FOSS-Friendly
BuyVM (operated by FranTech Solutions) is one of the most outspoken FOSS advocates among hosting providers. Their founder regularly engages with the hosting community on LowEndTalk and is transparent about their philosophy: open source software should run on open infrastructure.
They've built their own control panel — Stallion — instead of relying on proprietary alternatives like cPanel or Plesk. This is a concrete example of putting FOSS principles into practice, not just paying lip service in marketing materials.
Their block storage slabs are legendary in the self-hosting community: massive storage at prices that make proprietary cloud storage look like robbery. This directly enables FOSS projects to store large datasets, run media servers, and maintain backups without breaking the bank.
Caveats & Gotchas
Stock availability is the biggest pain point. Popular plans can be out of stock for days or weeks. Check back regularly or join their Discord for availability announcements.
Payment options are limited — primarily PayPal and cryptocurrency. No credit card processing directly, which is unusual for a provider of this size. Support is community-first: forums and Discord are primary channels.
BuyVM stock frequently sells out, especially in Las Vegas. Join their Discord for real-time availability announcements and check back often — plans are replenished regularly.
Pricing Tiers
Slice 512
$2.00/mo1 vCPU, 512 MB RAM, 10 GB SSD, unmetered
Best for: Lightweight services, VPN, monitoring
Slice 1024
$3.50/mo1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 20 GB SSD, unmetered
Best for: Web apps, small Docker, development
Slice 2048
$7.00/mo2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD, unmetered
Best for: Production apps, Coolify, CI runners
Block Storage
$1.25/mo per slab256 GB slab, attachable to any VPS
Best for: Backups, media servers, large datasets
Verdict
Recommended if…
You need massive block storage at the lowest price in the market, value a provider that actively advocates for FOSS, and can handle self-service management.
Avoid if…
You need a provider that always has stock, want credit card payment, require managed services, or have compliance needs that demand non-US jurisdiction.