Hetzner Cloud vs Linode (Akamai Cloud): Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Hetzner Cloud and Linode (Akamai Cloud) to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Hetzner Cloud
6.2/10
Hourly-billed virtual cloud servers, object storage, networking and load balancers from German host Hetzner, aimed at developers and cost-conscious technical teams.
Linode (Akamai Cloud)
7/10
Developer-focused cloud platform, now run by Akamai, offering VPS compute, managed Kubernetes, managed databases and object storage at flat, predictable prices.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | H Hetzner Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.2/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Reliability | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | €6/mo Cost-Optimized CX23 | $5/mo Nanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €6/mo Cost-Optimized CX23 | $5/mo Nanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| Features | ||
| API and CLI | ||
| Automatic Backups | ||
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Uptime SLA | ||
| VPS Hosting | ||
| DDoS Protection | Not listed | |
| Dedicated Servers | Not listed | |
| Managed Databases | Not listed | |
| Managed Kubernetes | Not listed | |
Hetzner Cloud vs Linode (Akamai Cloud) cost by team size
| Team size | Hetzner Cloud | Linode (Akamai Cloud) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €6/moCost-Optimized CX23 | $5/moNanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| 5 users | €6/moCost-Optimized CX23 | $5/moNanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| 10 users | €6/moCost-Optimized CX23 | $5/moNanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| 25 users | €6/moCost-Optimized CX23 | $5/moNanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
| 50 users | €6/moCost-Optimized CX23 | $5/moNanode 1 GB (Shared CPU) |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
HWhy choose Hetzner Cloud
Our data shows no clear advantage over Linode (Akamai Cloud).
Why choose Linode (Akamai Cloud)
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
HHetzner Cloud
Pros
- EU servers include 20 TB of traffic, and extra traffic costs only €1 per TB.
- Hourly billing capped at a monthly price, with no contracts.
- A full API and CLI plus Terraform and Ansible integrations make automation straightforward.
- Stateful firewalls and private networks come at no extra cost.
- Still cheaper per spec than DigitalOcean in independent 2026 comparisons.
Cons
- Prices rose twice in 2026, with CPX and CCX new orders up by as much as about 176%.
- Cost-Optimized types are listed as unavailable, and provisioning was limited for new customers from June 2026.
- Many users report account verification failures and suspensions with little explanation.
- No managed database, serverless or managed Kubernetes products.
- US and Singapore servers include far less traffic than EU servers.
Linode (Akamai Cloud)
Pros
- Flat published prices, starting at 5 dollars a month for a 1 GB Nanode, with hourly billing
- The standard Kubernetes control plane in LKE is free
- Egress overage costs only 0.005 dollars per GB, and most shared plans include 1 to 5 TB of transfer
- Its documentation, API, CLI and Terraform support are strong, which suits developers who automate their infrastructure
- DDoS protection is included, and inbound bandwidth is 40 Gbps on all plans
Cons
- Some 2025 reviews report new accounts flagged as fraud or suspended, with tickets taking 24 to 48 hours
- No live chat support is offered, and standard support has no published response-time SLA
- Reviewers say managed services and advanced enterprise features are fewer than on the hyperscalers
- Managed databases cost more than on budget providers, with HA starting around 246 dollars a month according to one third-party guide
- The Akamai rebrand has confused some customers and, by their account, hurt trust
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Linode (Akamai Cloud) scores higher on our Hosting & Infrastructure criteria: 7/10 against 6.2/10 for Hetzner Cloud. The largest gap is in Support: 4/10 for Hetzner Cloud and 6/10 for Linode (Akamai Cloud).
No, neither Hetzner Cloud nor Linode (Akamai Cloud) lists a free plan.
