Disclosure: this page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Nextcloud is the most popular way to self-host your own Google-Drive-style file sync, calendar, and contacts. It’s a great VPS project — if you give it enough RAM and disk.
What Nextcloud actually needs
- RAM: 1 GB minimum, 2 GB+ comfortable for a single user; 4 GB if you run Collabora/OnlyOffice
- Disk: your files, plus the database and previews — budget generously; disk fills faster than you think
- CPU: modest; 2 vCPUs is plenty for personal use
The pick: RackNerd 2GB
For a personal Nextcloud, RackNerd’s 2 GB RAM / 65 GB SSD plan at $35.99/yr (~$2.71/mo) is the sweet spot. Enough RAM for a smooth instance, enough disk to start, full root to install Docker, and a dedicated IPv4.
See RackNerd's 2GB planIf you want more disk: Hostinger
Hostinger’s KVM 2 (8 GB RAM, 100 GB NVMe, $8.99/mo intro) is a comfortable upgrade if you plan to store a lot or run office suites. The NVMe storage is notably faster for preview generation.
Check Hostinger's VPS plansInstall tip
Use the official Nextcloud Docker image (or Nextcloud AIO) with Docker Compose. It handles the PHP, database and Redis setup that manual installs get wrong, and makes backups a one-file affair.
Bottom line: personal Nextcloud → RackNerd 2 GB. Heavier use or office suites → Hostinger 8 GB.