BuyVM is a smaller VPS provider known for its affordable block storage and straightforward pricing. I've used their Las Vegas and New York nodes for two years. Here's my review.
What BuyVM Does Well
Cheap block storage. BuyVM's block storage costs $1.25 per 25 GB slice, with no minimum commitment. You can attach up to 10 slices to a VPS. This is significantly cheaper than DigitalOcean ($0.10/GB) or AWS EBS ($0.08/GB).
Good uptime. I've experienced 99.98% uptime over two years. Rare network issues are communicated clearly via their status page.
Straightforward pricing. No hidden fees. The $5 plan gives 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB NVMe, and 1 TB traffic. Block storage and additional IPs are priced separately.
DDoS protection included. Basic DDoS mitigation at no extra cost. Not as robust as OVH but fine for small websites.
IPv6 support. Free IPv6 address with every VPS.
Where BuyVM Falls Short
Limited data centers. Only Las Vegas, New York, and Luxembourg. No Asia or Australia locations. High latency for Asian users.
Control panel is basic. The custom panel works, but lacks one‑click apps or advanced features. You'll need to install software manually.
Support is ticket‑only. Response times vary between 2‑6 hours. No live chat.
No automatic backups. You must configure your own backup solution or use block storage snapshots (manual).
Performance Benchmarks
I tested the $5 plan (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB NVMe) in Las Vegas running Ubuntu 24.04.
UnixBench single‑core: around 900. Disk I/O: 600 MB/s sequential read. Network latency from US West: <10 ms, from Europe: ~100 ms. Good enough for small web servers and development environments.
The block storage performs similarly, with around 400 MB/s read speed. Ideal for backup or media storage.
Plans and Pricing (2026)
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Traffic | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slice 512 | 1 | 512 MB | 20 GB NVMe | 1 TB | $3.50 | VPN, proxy |
| Slice 1024 | 1 | 1 GB | 40 GB NVMe | 1 TB | $5 | Small blog |
| Slice 2048 | 2 | 2 GB | 80 GB NVMe | 2 TB | $10 | Production site |
Block storage: $1.25 per 25 GB slice. Additional IPv4 address: $2/month.
Who Should Use BuyVM?
Users needing cheap block storage. The $1.25/25 GB price is unbeatable for backups or media storage.
US‑based projects. Las Vegas and New York locations work well for North American audiences.
Budget‑conscious developers. Low prices and reliable uptime make it a good fit for testing and small projects.
Users who prefer manual configuration. No‑frills, you get a blank VPS and do the rest yourself.
Who Should Skip BuyVM?
Users outside North America. No data centers in Asia or Australia.
Beginners needing one‑click apps. No WordPress or Docker pre‑installed options.
Users needing advanced support. Ticket‑only with limited hours.
Final Verdict
BuyVM is a solid provider for US‑based users who value cheap block storage and stable uptime. The pricing is transparent, and the service is reliable. It's not for beginners or global audiences, but for developers and small projects, it's a hidden gem.
Score: 7.8/10
- Price: 8/10
- Block storage value: 10/10
- Performance: 7/10
- Support: 5/10