--- title: "VPS or PaaS in 2026: should you rent a server?" url: https://while.sh/en/comparisons/vps-or-paas/ author: "Grégoire Mougeolle, co-founder of Nextmap" updated: 2026-11-02 --- # VPS or PaaS: should you rent a server for your app in 2026? A VPS costs a few euros per month, and that's tempting. But the system, the backups, the certificates and security are still on you. Here is what you gain, and what is left for you to do, with or without while. ## The right choice depends on your app - **Do you want to learn how to run a server, or host a game server?** Choose a VPS: it costs a few euros per month, and you do everything yourself (source 1). - **Do you want a PaaS, but on your own server?** Choose Coolify on a VPS: it deploys for you, and the server is still yours to run (source 2). - **Do you want no server to run at all?** Choose while: your AI agent deploys your apps, and the updates, backups and certificates are already taken care of. ## The comparison | Host | What is left for you | Your AI agent | In France | To get started | |---|---|---|---|---| | Hetzner | The system, the firewall settings, the backups, the certificates and the app (source 3) | No official MCP server | No: Germany, Finland, Singapore or the United States (source 4) | €6.49 per month excl. VAT, with backups extra (source 5) | | OVHcloud | Configuration, security, maintenance and the app (source 1) | MCP server with OAuth, with the permissions you give it, VPS cancellation included (source 6) | Yes, Gravelines or Strasbourg (source 7) | €3.81 per month excl. VAT, one daily backup included (source 1) | | Coolify | The server, its updates and your backups: Coolify deploys the app | Built-in MCP server, tokens with limited permissions, deletions included (source 8) | If your server is there | Free, or $5 per month in Cloud, plus your servers (source 9) | | while | Nothing: your agent deploys, and while takes care of the rest | MCP server with OAuth: sensitive actions wait for your approval | Yes, with Nextmap, a French company | €0 to get started, then €13.75 per month for an app and its database | ## Hetzner, servers with a capped price Hetzner rents servers with a price capped each month (source 5), with a firewall at no extra cost (source 4). ## OVHcloud, a VPS in France for a few euros OVHcloud, a French company, rents VPS in France from €3.81 per month, with a daily backup and unlimited traffic included (source 1). ## Coolify, a PaaS on your VPS Coolify is open source and free, and it turns any server into a PaaS (source 2). ## while, your app online with no server to run Your AI agent deploys your app over MCP, and there is no server to run: no system to update, no disk to watch, no certificate to renew. Your database is backed up every day, and a production backup is tested every day. Sensitive actions, like deleting a production database, wait for your approval, and your apps run in France, isolated from one another. ## Next steps - [Deploy a Docker container](/en/guides/deploy-docker-container/) - [Compare Coolify and while](/en/comparisons/while-vs-coolify/) - [Compare Dokploy and while](/en/comparisons/while-vs-dokploy/) ## Sources 1. [OVHcloud, VPS](https://www.ovhcloud.com/fr/vps/), 2026-11-02 2. [Coolify, home page](https://coolify.io/), 2026-11-02 3. [Hetzner, data protection (unmanaged servers)](https://docs.hetzner.com/general/company-and-policy/data-protection-at-hetzner/), 2026-11-02 4. [Hetzner Cloud, overview](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud), 2026-11-02 5. [Hetzner Cloud, Regular Performance servers and their prices](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance/), 2026-11-02 6. [OVHcloud, the MCP server](https://www.ovhcloud.com/fr/public-cloud/mcp-server/), 2026-11-02 7. [OVHcloud, VPS in France](https://www.ovhcloud.com/fr/vps/vps-france/), 2026-11-02 8. [Coolify, the MCP server](https://coolify.io/docs/mcp/overview), 2026-11-02 9. [Coolify, pricing and FAQ](https://coolify.io/pricing), 2026-11-02 ## Questions ### Isn't a VPS cheaper? The server is: €3.81 per month excl. VAT at OVHcloud (source 1). But updates, backups and security are still on you, and your time has a price too. ### Can my agent run a VPS? It can connect to it and run commands, with full permissions on the server. On while, it deploys over MCP, and sensitive actions, like deleting a production database, wait for your approval. ### Can I move from a VPS to while? Yes. Your agent takes your code or your Dockerfile, copies the database and carries over your settings.