Introduction
Choosing a cloud host isn’t just about performance – it’s also about the invoice you receive each month. If you’ve ever wrestled with unexpected line‑items from Hetzner or OVH, you’re not alone. In this guide we compare their billing models, hidden fees, and cost‑saving tricks so you can pick the provider that keeps your budget happy.
How Hetzner Structures Its Invoices
Core pricing model
- Flat‑rate server rates: Dedicated and cloud servers are billed per hour or per month with clear, predictable rates.
- Bandwidth allowance: 20 TB outbound traffic is included; excess is charged €0.01 per GB.
- Additional services: IP addresses, backups, and OS licenses are listed as separate line items.
Common hidden costs
- Software‑defined storage snapshots – billed per GB per month.
- IPv6 subnet requests – a small €1‑per‑month fee.
- Late‑payment surcharge (2 % after 14 days).
How OVH Structures Its Invoices
Core pricing model
- Tiered bandwidth: First 500 GB/month is free, then €0.02 per GB up to 5 TB, with volume discounts beyond that.
- Instance‑based pricing: Compute instances are charged hourly; monthly caps apply for reserved instances.
- Ancillary services: Extra IPs, backup storage, and DDoS‑Extra are itemised separately.
Common hidden costs
- Public cloud snapshot storage – €0.12 per GB per month.
- API call limits – excess calls incur €0.005 per 1 000 requests.
- Early‑termination fees for reserved instances.
Side‑by‑Side Cost Comparison
| Feature | Hetzner | OVH |
|---|---|---|
| Base server (8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM) | €59/mo | €69/mo |
| Included outbound traffic | 20 TB | 0.5 TB |
| Extra traffic (per GB) | €0.01 | €0.02 |
| Snapshot storage (per GB) | €0.08 | €0.12 |
| Additional IPv4 address | €1/mo | €1.50/mo |
For workloads with heavy outbound traffic, Hetzner’s generous 20 TB allowance usually results in a lower total cost.
Tips to Reduce Your Monthly Invoice
General strategies
- Enable auto‑scale and shut down idle instances.
- Consolidate snapshots and delete outdated backups.
- Use reserved / yearly plans when you can predict usage.
Hetzner‑specific hacks
- Switch to traffic‑optimized servers if you rarely exceed 5 TB – they cost a few euros less.
- Leverage the free IPv6 pool instead of extra IPv4 addresses.
OVH‑specific hacks
- Cap your traffic with a bandwidth cap alert to avoid surprise overages.
- Combine several small instances into a single larger instance to reduce per‑instance overhead.
FAQ
- Which provider has a simpler invoice?
- Hetzner’s flat‑rate design makes its invoices easier to read, while OVH includes more tiered line items.
- Can I get a tax‑exempt invoice?
- Both providers support EU VAT‑exempt invoices for registered businesses; you must submit your VAT ID in the account settings.
- What happens if I exceed the bandwidth limit?
- Hetzner will charge €0.01 per GB; OVH will charge €0.02 per GB until the next tier is reached.
- Is there a discount for long‑term contracts?
- Yes – both offer up to 20 % off for 12‑month or 36‑month commitments.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Both Hetzner and OVH deliver solid performance, but when it comes to invoicing clarity and cost for data‑heavy projects, Hetzner usually takes the lead. Evaluate your traffic patterns, snapshot needs, and contract flexibility before deciding.
Ready to cut your cloud costs? Sign up with Hetzner today using the code SAVE20 for a 20 % discount on the first three months, or try OVH’s free trial to compare side‑by‑side.
Internal Linking Ideas
- "How to Optimize Cloud Bandwidth for Lower Bills" (link to a related post on bandwidth management).
- "Understanding Cloud Snapshots and When to Delete Them" (link to snapshot best practices).
External Reference Suggestion
Reference the latest EU Cloud Cost Transparency report for industry‑wide pricing benchmarks.
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