Top 10 bare metal cloud hosting providers in 2024
Would you like a reliable server with powerful, customizable hardware — and a more compliant hosting solution that protects data privacy? If yes, it’s time to choose a bare metal cloud provider.
Unlike traditional cloud hosting solutions, bare metal servers offer 100% dedicated hardware and software resources, which makes them more personalized, consistent, and secure. With this in mind, many business owners are switching to bare metal, with the global market expected to reach $56.6 billion by 2031.
Not all bare metal server providers are built the same, though. This guide will explain what bare metal hosting is and when it’s useful. Then, you’ll discover the best bare metal server providers to choose from.
Understanding bare metal cloud hosting
Hosting providers rent out physical servers for clients who are, effectively, tenants. Some tenants have digital neighbors — that’s called shared hosting.
For example, traditional cloud servers are shared spaces where each tenant has their own storage and bandwidth allotted. This is good for cost savings but comes with drawbacks from the server’s resources shared between digital neighbors.
But with a bare metal hosting provider, you get your own physical server where you don’t share computing resources with anyone. Furthermore, bare metal cloud servers don’t have a pre-installed virtualization layer (also known as a hypervisor). In other types of servers, these layers are used to create separate digital spaces for clients to use a fraction of the server’s resources — kind of like how an apartment is divided into rental units.
Since bare metal cloud servers are free from pre-installed virtualization layers, you get complete control of the underlying hardware. That’s a handy perk many other server types can’t claim.
Why use bare metal servers?
Let’s consider the perks of bare metal servers in-depth so you can imagine the best use cases.
No noisy neighbors
In a shared server ecosystem, any tenant can hog the server resources, affecting the performance of their neighbors.
This noisy neighbor problem doesn’t exist in bare metal servers because they’re single-tenant and have no pre-existing virtualization — there is no resource sharing in the bare metal cloud.
Hence, a bare metal cloud server is entirely available for you to harness the server’s full power.
Better Security
Bare metal servers are more secure than shared servers and dedicated servers.
Although shared hosting does come with security measures, there are inherent risks. For example, if one of the tenants gets infected by malicious activity, the server’s entire IP address could get blocklisted, affecting all the other tenants.
Data stored in shared hosting is more prone to security risks such as DDoS attacks, which involve targeting weak systems in a network. Even if your website has robust security measures, hackers can still access your server through a client with weaker security.
Cyberattacks are increasing in frequency — Radware reported a 150% increase in DDoS attacks in 2022, compared to the previous year. And since one shared server houses multiple clients, hackers take advantage of the opportunity for a larger-scale cyberattack.
Your business can avoid these security risks by using bare metal cloud servers. Your data will be isolated, and your IP address will be assigned solely to your organization.
Bare metal cloud providers also give you direct access to hardware firewalls. You can add additional security layers right to the core of your server.
Customizability
Bare metal servers offer greater customizability compared to other server types. For example, shared servers are created by dividing software layers, and users never get complete control of the underlying infrastructure. But with bare metal, you have control of the software and the physical server. This allows you to customize any aspect according to your needs.
Bare metal servers are also scalable on short notice since you can contact the data center to allocate new hardware. For instance, let’s say your business relies on processing big data for analytics. With this in mind, you can modify the number of CPU cores and storage capacity to accommodate with a bare metal server. And if a project draws more computing power than expected, you can call your provider for adjustments that deploy the same day.
Consistency and predictability
A shared server can have thousands of other tenants on it. Consequently, the processing power available to you is subject to resource allocation limits, determining the amount of power other tenants are pulling. But there’s no way for you to monitor or predict these settings. A tenant can assign a higher workload at any given moment, affecting your performance if appropriate limits aren't set and maintained.
A bare metal server eliminates this uncontrollable factor, which is important if your business relies on consistent, low-latency results. You initially determine the required capacity, and you will always get 100% dedicated resource allocation.
Intensive data handling capabilities
Bare metal cloud providers have servers that can handle enterprise-level workloads. You can get servers with anywhere from 50 to a million gigabytes of storage capacity and CPU performance of several gigahertz.
The servers are also available in different bandwidths and CPU core numbers — you can choose the exact parameters needed to handle intensive workloads.
Moreover, as there is no pre-existing virtualization layer, you can make maximum use of these hardware resources.
Regulatory compliance
Many organizations are under data protection laws, especially in the health and finance industry. These laws, such as HIPAA, are strict about who can access an organization’s customers' private data.
With bare metal cloud servers, your data is isolated. Legal compliance is easier when you control access to your data and have the power to ensure your customers’ information remains private.
In conclusion, bare metal servers have several advantages over other types of servers. To make the most out of your choice to switch, find a bare metal cloud provider that’s in tune with your requirements. Use the following section to discover the best options.
Bare metal providers
Pick the provider that offers features tailored to your business circumstances. Here’s a detailed rundown of the top bare metal hosting providers to make your choice easier:
1. Liquid Web
If you’re looking for a powerful and reliable bare metal cloud server, Liquid Web is the best overall option. Intel Xeon powers Liquid Web’s servers. They come with 5 TB of bandwidth and 16 GB of RAM, which you can increase if needed.
Since you get root-level access to server infrastructure, Liquid Web’s bare-metal servers deliver unmatched performance, even for intensive workloads.
With regular backups, 24/7/365 support, and a focus on security, this cloud provider has one of the highest NPS scores in the industry — its customers are loyal and outspoken.
The best part about Liquid Web is they offer both high-performance and standard servers to suit a variety of workloads. You can create custom servers according to your requirements and choose add-ons like the cloud load balancer and PCI compliance scanner.
More features:
- Monitor website traffic with DDoS protection.
- Enjoy a unique IP address and 100% server allotment.
- Experience the 100% uptime guarantee.
- Control server features with easy system panels.
Price: Standard servers start at $149 monthly for both Windows and Linux. Premium servers start at $199 monthly.
2. Cherry Servers
Cherry Servers is another bare metal hosting provider that offers a wide range of servers for light, moderate, and heavy workloads.
Its basic servers have four CPU cores with 3.5 GHz processing power and 32 GB of memory. You can use these prebuilt servers as they come or add more storage capacity and CPU cores if needed.
If you’re looking for something completely custom-made, you can alter most features and specs, including the platform, RAM, storage, and hardware.
While Cherry Servers offers control, it’s missing some security features — you won’t find web application protection or server protection for Windows and Linux — that you’d find with Liquid Web.
More features:
- Complete automation to manage server resources.
- Scalable storage with free backups.
- Respectable one to three Gbps bandwidth with DDoS protection.
Price:Lightweight server plans start at $104 monthly.
3. Hivelocity
Hivelocity is a good cloud service provider if you want on-demand bare metal servers that are deployable within 20 minutes. With a 99.9% connectivity guarantee, this cloud solution emphasizes reliability.
The basic Hivelocity servers have 32 GB of RAM and 3.5 GHz processors. If you don’t want to choose among the instant options, note they also have custom-made bare metal servers that run Windows or Linux. Its servers, powered by Intel and AMD, are housed in over 36 locations.
While Hivelocity has an extensive server management plan, they don’t offer some fundamental security features, like DDoS attack protection, as Liquid Web does.
More features:
- Control panel included for server management tasks like bandwidth monitoring.
- REST API makes server configuration easier.
- Two hours per month of reactive technical support.
Price: Premium plans start at $62 monthly.
4. Scaleway
If you’re interested in bare metal servers that have seamless communication with cloud infrastructure, Scaleway’s “Elastic Metal” servers are a great option.
Scaleway aims to provide bare metal servers with scalability akin to cloud servers so that you can increase and decrease the capacity at your convenience. The servers range from “Aluminum” to “Titanium” — five levels, each designed for a distinct use case and workload.
Though Elastic Metal servers offer convenience, standard functions such as backup and restoration can still be complicated with this provider.
More features:
- Instances and managed databases are included.
- Flexible IPs you can attach and detach at any time.
- Private network that facilitates building and scaling a secure infrastructure.
Price: The basic Aluminum plan starts at roughly $46.57 monthly.
5. Amazon
Amazon’s bare metal instances are part of Elastic Compute Cloud, its cloud services platform. The servers are powered by Intel and offer a 99.99% uptime due to multiple availability zones in the same region.
With several types of instances, Amazon offers root-level customization. You can choose the operating system, including Windows and Linux distributions like Ubuntu and SUSE.
The managed service provider also offers discounted prices on its “Spot” instances that capitalize on unused cloud infrastructure. But when compared to other bare metal cloud providers, Amazon’s servers are generally priced on the higher side.
More features:
- Time synchronization ensures accuracy across your tools.
- Billing per second means you pay only for what you use.
- EC2 instances can hibernate and resume according to usage.
Price:Request a quote for the most accurate pricing.
6. INAP
If you’re looking for bare metal cloud servers with added security, INAP is a good service provider to consider. INAP is focused on bringing secure servers to every organization’s reach, whether a small retail firm or a multinational big data company.
This service provider offers extensive data protection features that pair with its bare metal servers. This includes cloud backups, data seeding, and insider protection against malware and ransomware.
In addition, the servers offer high performance and low latency with NVMe. However, INAP’s servers come with just 10 TB of monthly data transfer. In contrast, Liquid Web’s servers include unlimited data transfer on all inbound bandwidth.
More features:
- Servers in multiple locations in North America, Asia, and Europe.
- Windows and Linux images are available — or provide your own image.
- Options for custom servers and instant servers.
Price: The budget-friendly server plan starts at $100 monthly.
7. RedSwitches
With bare metal servers from RedSwitches, you don’t need to worry about provisioning and managing your company servers. The provider has instant servers that deploy in a few minutes with preset requirements.
Alternatively, you can submit your requirements through the host’s website and get custom-made bare metal servers for your business.
RedSwitches’ plans feature cost-effective server management. They take care of everything from setting up the hardware to troubleshooting to rebooting when required. Additional security features are included, such as malware scanning and DDoS protection.
This bare metal server provider also boasts round-the-clock support. However, it doesn’t offer API access or a control panel — you’ll need to contact the company even for minor changes.
More features:
- 24/7 server monitoring and technical support.
- Worldwide availability with locations across the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Europe.
- Scalable and customizable hardware to suit all workload types.
Price: Servers start at roughly $40.05 monthly with annual billing.
8. OpenMetal
OpenMetal treats bare metal as a service, with the focal point being custom-made servers. This provider’s servers have 16 CPU cores and 3.2 TB NVMe. With up to 1 TB of RAM, they can already handle high performance computing.
But if those aren’t the specifications you’re looking for, you can communicate with the service provider for more options. However, compared to other bare metal cloud providers with similar hardware, OpenMetal’s prices are on the higher side.
More features:
- Highly efficient servers for all operating systems.
- Cluster system support, including Kubernetes and MongoDB.
- Many hardware options beyond the standard fleet.
Price: Plans cost as low as $356.40 monthly with a five-year agreement.
9. Oracle
Oracle’s bare metal cloud servers are made for compute-heavy organizations that require a large number of cores and private, dedicated hardware. Oracle offers up to 192 CPU cores and 1 PB of storage with its bare metal instances.
They are high-performance servers that run on low-latency cluster networks and are equipped with block storage. In addition, you can have Oracle services or third-party services integrated with your cloud environment.
Each server supports a range of Windows and Linux images provided by Oracle — or custom images provided by you. You can even use Oracle Partners to find a suitable image to manage your server apps.
More features:
- Uses root-of-trust techniques while protecting your data and software.
- Enjoy servers optimized for machine learning and AI.
- Integrate with useful Oracle tools, such as Siebel and Hyperion.
Price: Standard servers start at $0.0015 for every gigabyte per hour.
10. Vultr
Vultr is a high-performance bare metal cloud provider with a dedicated 10 Gbps network and up to 25 TB of RAM. With the latest Intel and AMD servers, Vultr makes a good option for businesses handling intensive workloads.
Vultr supports an array of operating systems, including Fedora and OpenBSD. Clients either choose from a list of available applications or provide their own, then create new instances in a few minutes.
This web hosting provider also provides a control panel to handle tasks like team management and API access quickly. However, the server plans don’t come with robust security features.
More features:
- Easy identity management via the control panel and a single sign-on.
- Supports tracking your data protection compliance objectives.
- Servers in over 32 global locations, leading to high-speed private and public cloud networks.
Price: Basic servers start at $120 monthly.
Final thoughts: The best bare metal cloud hosting providers
Now you know that every bare metal hosting provider is a bit different and how to consider your data processing needs, budget, and resource requirements to choose the right host.
With Liquid Web, you get a high performance bare metal cloud server with unlimited incoming bandwidth and round-the-clock IT support. The enterprise-tailored plans deliver you a stress-free cloud experience paired with the reliability and security of dedicated hardware.
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