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On Contabo’s US pricing page, checked October 3, 2026, Cloud VPS plans start at $5.28/month when billed on the displayed 24-month term. That is a plan rate, not a complete cost guarantee for a 24/7 YouTube stream: storage, whether the VPS must encode video, location, and billing term all affect the setup. At 14 Mbps, a continuous 1080p30 H.264 stream uses about 151 GB of transfer and recording storage per day before overhead.
Contabo VPS prices for a 24/7 stream
The following are displayed US rates on Contabo’s pricing pages, checked October 3, 2026. Contabo describes these as effective monthly prices for a 24-month subscription; they are not month-to-month rates. Prices and availability vary by location and can change. Contabo Cloud VPS pricing · Contabo Storage VPS plans.
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| Plan | Displayed US rate | Resources or storage | Availability note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud VPS 4 | $5.28/month, 24-month term | 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD, 200 Mbit/s port | Listed on the pricing page |
| Cloud VPS 6 | $7.20/month, 24-month term | 6 vCPU, 12 GB RAM, 200 GB SSD, 300 Mbit/s port | Listed on the pricing page |
| Cloud VPS 8 | $13.44/month, 24-month term | 8 vCPU, 24 GB RAM, 300 GB SSD, 600 Mbit/s port | Listed on the pricing page |
| Storage VPS 10 | $6.63/month, 24-month term | 300 GB SSD | Listed on the pricing page |
| Storage VPS 20 | $9.20/month, 24-month term | 400 GB SSD | Shown as unavailable |
| Storage VPS 30 | $17.54/month, 24-month term | 1 TB SSD | Listed on the pricing page |
| Storage VPS 40 | $31.20/month, 24-month term | 1.2 TB SSD | Listed on the pricing page |
| Storage VPS 50 | $46.10/month, 24-month term | 1.4 TB SSD | Listed on the pricing page |
These figures establish the plan rates, not a universal all-in cost for operating a stream. Confirm the rate and availability for the location and term you intend to buy, and account separately for any added storage or services rather than assuming an add-on price.
How much bandwidth and storage does a continuous stream use?
YouTube’s live encoder guidance recommends H.264 at 14 Mbps for 1080p30 and 17 Mbps for 1080p60. The estimates below are arithmetic from those bitrates using decimal units, not figures published by YouTube or Contabo. They assume an unchanging bitrate around the clock; audio, file/container overhead, extra tracks, and copies can raise actual use. YouTube live encoder settings.
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| Example feed | Approximate transfer per day | Approximate transfer in 30 days | Approximate recording footprint per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mbps, H.264 1080p30 | 151 GB | 4.53 TB | 151 GB |
| 17 Mbps, H.264 1080p60 | 184 GB | 5.51 TB | 184 GB |
The listed Cloud VPS port rates are above these example video bitrates on paper, but a port-rate specification does not guarantee an uninterrupted stream or establish that an instance can encode a particular format. Encoding capacity depends on the software, codec, settings, and workload.
What the plan prices mean for a storage budget
Cloud VPS 4 as a relay baseline
For a pre-encoded 1080p30 H.264 feed, Cloud VPS 4’s 200 Mbit/s port is far above the 14 Mbps video bitrate on paper. Its 100 GB SSD, however, cannot hold a full day of a 14 Mbps continuous recording. It may be a low-cost starting point for a relay or streaming process if the CPU and software suit the job and recordings are stored elsewhere or kept for less than a day. This is an inference from the listed specifications and bitrate arithmetic, not a performance guarantee from Contabo or YouTube.
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Separate streaming and archive storage
One possible layout is a Cloud VPS for the streaming process plus a separate Storage VPS for recordings. At roughly 151 GB/day for a 14 Mbps recording, 300 GB holds around two days and 1 TB holds less than seven days, before overhead. A larger plan or external/object storage may be needed for longer retention. Check the storage connection and any additional costs before treating the plan rates as a total monthly budget.
Traffic limits and fair use
Contabo advertises unlimited traffic, but outgoing traffic is subject to fair usage; the provider reserves the right to throttle exceptionally high or disruptive use. “Unlimited” therefore does not mean a guaranteed delivery rate for a continuous broadcast. YouTube recommends leaving 20% bandwidth headroom above the total stream bitrate and testing the complete path before relying on it. Contabo VPS pricing and traffic terms · Contabo Storage VPS traffic terms · YouTube streaming tips.
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Set the stream up for YouTube, then verify it
Contabo’s plan table alone cannot identify the right VPS size for every streaming setup. A relay that forwards an already encoded feed has a different compute load from a VPS that software-encodes video. Choose based on the actual software and workload, and test the complete stream rather than treating vCPU, RAM, or port speed as a reliability promise.
- Choose the encoder settings. For H.264, YouTube recommends 14 Mbps at 1080p30 or 17 Mbps at 1080p60, constant bitrate encoding, and a two-second keyframe interval (not more than four seconds). Use the settings appropriate to your resolution and frame rate. YouTube live encoder settings.
- Configure the YouTube stream destination. Use the stream URL and stream key shown in YouTube’s live-stream setup and enter them in your encoder or relay software. Treat the key as a password: do not publish it, include it in screenshots, or share it with anyone who should not control the stream.
- Check available outbound bandwidth. YouTube advises that total stream bitrate stay below available upload bandwidth and recommends leaving 20% headroom. Include all streams and tracks in the total, not just the video bitrate. YouTube streaming tips.
- Run a full-feed test. Check that the stream reaches YouTube at the intended quality and remains stable. If the VPS is encoding, test that exact codec, resolution, and frame rate under the intended workload; the plan’s published specifications do not establish encoding performance.
- Monitor recording growth and keep a backup. Confirm that the local recording file is growing and has enough space. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but streams over 12 hours may not be captured at all; it recommends a local archive as backup. A 24/7 stream should not rely on YouTube’s archive as its only copy. YouTube: Archive live streams.
Copyright and reused-content checks
A technically stable VPS does not establish that a channel or broadcast complies with YouTube’s policies. Before scheduling a 24/7 loop, verify that you have rights to every video, music track, and other included material, and review YouTube’s current policies for live streams and monetization. Repeating content is not, by itself, proof that you hold the rights or that a channel meets monetization requirements. Keep licenses and permissions available, and remove material you cannot substantiate.
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Use the StreamNeo copyright safety checklist as a practical pre-stream check; it does not replace YouTube’s policies or rights-holder permission.
Troubleshooting a VPS-based 24/7 stream
- The stream buffers, drops frames, or disconnects: Check the total outgoing bitrate against actual available bandwidth and leave YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. Test the network path and monitor the feed; a listed port rate alone is not a guarantee.
- The VPS cannot encode smoothly: Confirm whether the software is encoding or merely relaying. Test the intended codec, resolution, and frame rate on the chosen instance; the product specifications do not promise a particular encoding capacity.
- The disk fills sooner than expected: Recalculate storage from the actual bitrate and retention period, then include overhead, other tracks, and duplicate files. At 14 Mbps, the approximate recording footprint is 151 GB per day before overhead.
- The YouTube archive is missing or incomplete: Streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured. Keep a local recording and verify that it is being written and backed up.
- The displayed plan is unavailable or the price differs: Recheck the selected region, subscription term, and current availability on Contabo’s pricing page; the figures here are US-page rates checked October 3, 2026.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want to maintain a VPS, encoder, and archive-storage setup, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. The service loops uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera.
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