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Docker is the default way to run apps on a VPS these days. The good news: Docker itself is lightweight. The catch: the containers you run aren’t — and RAM is usually the constraint on a budget box.
How much RAM do your containers need?
| Stack | Realistic RAM |
|---|---|
| 2–3 small containers (nginx, a bot, Watchtower) | 1–2 GB |
| Nextcloud / Gitea / Grafana + Prometheus | 2–3 GB |
| A few apps + a database + monitoring | 3–4 GB |
| Heavy microservices | 4 GB+ |
The pick: RackNerd 2GB or 4GB
RackNerd’s 2 GB ($35.99/yr) or 4 GB ($43.88/yr) plans are the sweet spot for Docker. KVM, full root, a dedicated IPv4, and enough RAM to run a real Compose stack — at a price that feels like a rounding error.
See RackNerd's Docker-friendly plansWhen to choose Hostinger
If your Docker workloads are RAM-hungry (multiple databases, Elasticsearch, build servers), Hostinger’s KVM 2 (8 GB, $8.99/mo intro) or KVM 4 (16 GB) gives you real headroom and faster NVMe storage.
Check Hostinger's VPS plansThree Docker-on-a-VPS tips
- Add swap — a 2 GB swapfile prevents OOM kills on RAM-limited boxes.
- Use
docker composeand keep your configs in Git for easy rebuilds. - Run Watchtower (or scheduled pulls) to keep images updated — but pin major versions to avoid surprise breakage.
Bottom line: Docker on a budget → RackNerd 3.5–4 GB. RAM-heavy stacks → Hostinger 8 GB+.