Not all VPS are virtual machines
"VPS" covers two radically different technologies: full virtualization (KVM) and containerization (LXC, OpenVZ). The price gap between two "4 vCore / 8 GB" offers is often explained right there. Here's what it changes for you.
The fundamental difference
- KVM: every VPS is a real virtual machine, with its own Linux kernel, reserved memory, and CPU instructions virtualized by the hardware.
- Container: every VPS shares the host's kernel. CPU and RAM limits are software quotas enforced by that same kernel.
What KVM guarantees
Isolation. A kernel flaw exploited by your neighbor doesn't concern you the same way: on your side, it's a different kernel. In a container, everyone shares the same one — escape-type vulnerabilities exist and are regularly patched.
Software freedom. Your own kernel means: Docker without hacks, WireGuard and any kernel modules you want, sysctls that belong to you, and unrestricted distribution choice.
Genuinely reserved resources. With KVM, your RAM is allocated, period. In a container, the "available" memory depends on what neighbors aren't using — hence the famous €4 offers advertising 64 "vCores".
What containers impose
No nested Docker without privileged configuration (which breaks isolation). Read-only kernel sysctls. Distributions limited to those compatible with the host kernel. And above all, performance that depends on your neighborhood in opaque ways: steal time doesn't exist in containers — it disguises itself as random slowdowns.
The honest table
| Criterion | KVM | Container (LXC/OpenVZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Isolation | Strong (dedicated kernel) | Weak (shared kernel) |
| Docker / kernel modules | Yes | Limited |
| OS choice | Total | Restricted |
| Host density | Moderate | Very high |
| Price floor | Real | Artificially low |
How to tell what you're being sold
systemd-detect-virt
# kvm -> full virtualization
# lxc / openvz -> container disguised as a VPSIf the product page never mentions the virtualization technology, it's almost always a container.
Why we chose KVM back in 2020
Container density would let us sell three times as many VPS per machine. That's exactly why we don't: every GLOBALCLOUDHOSTING is a KVM VM with reserved resources, on every plan, from Apex to Singularity. Full virtualization costs the provider more — that's exactly what you're paying for, and nothing else.