Compare list price, setup fees, overage for bandwidth or storage, and support tiers. Check contract length and exit terms. Transparent providers publish pricing and SLA; ask for a formal quote for large deployments.
What to compare
- List price: Monthly or annual base cost. Check what is included (CPU, RAM, disk, bandwidth, IPs).
- Setup fees: One-time charges for provisioning, migration, or custom config. Some providers waive them for annual commits.
- Overage: What happens when you exceed included bandwidth or storage? Per-GB or per-unit pricing; caps or hard limits. Avoid surprises in the first bill.
- Support tiers: Is support included or paid? Response time (SLA); business hours vs 24/7. Premium tiers often add account manager or proactive checks.
Contract and exit
- Length: Month-to-month vs 1–3 year commit. Discounts for longer commits; lock-in risk.
- Exit terms: Notice period; early termination fees; data export and handover. Can you leave without penalty if SLA is breached?
- SLA: Uptime guarantee and credit formula. Read the exclusions (maintenance, DDoS, your code). Formal quote should reference SLA.
Transparency checklist
- Published pricing: No "contact us" for standard plans. Overage and add-ons documented.
- Formal quote: For large or custom deployments, get a written quote with line items, commitment length, and renewal terms.
- No hidden fees: Ask explicitly about backup, monitoring, support, or egress that might be extra.
Summary
Compare list price, setup, overage, and support. Check contract length and exit terms. Prefer providers that publish pricing and SLA; get a formal quote for large deployments.
