Neither host is better for every website. Hetzner offers two different products: managed web hosting packages, and configurable cloud servers that you set up and administer yourself. InMotion Hosting sells a wider catalog under one brand, covering shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, and reseller hosting. The published material from both providers does not establish which one performs better, so the right choice depends on how much server work you want to do, where your visitors are, and what the full bill looks like after the introductory term ends.
Start with the product you actually need
Most of the confusion in this comparison comes from treating “Hetzner” as a single hosting plan. Pick the row below that matches your situation, then read the matching section.
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| Your situation | Better starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want a managed site with backups, email, and SSL handled for you | Hetzner managed web hosting (S, M, L, or XL package) | Packages are managed through konsoleH, with nightly backups and unlimited mailboxes and forwarders according to Hetzner’s documentation (2026). |
| You want to configure and administer your own virtual server | Hetzner Cloud | Cloud servers are virtual machines where you choose resources and network options, and you carry the administration work. |
| You want a shared, WordPress, or VPS plan from a provider that advertises round-the-clock human support | InMotion Hosting | InMotion lists 24/7 human support and a WordPress product on its current web-hosting pages (accessed 2026). |
| You need reseller or dedicated hosting | InMotion Hosting | InMotion’s catalog includes both. The Hetzner pages reviewed here do not describe reseller hosting. |
Hetzner vs InMotion at a glance
The table compares the three products that a typical reader would consider: Hetzner managed web hosting, Hetzner Cloud, and InMotion Hosting. “Not stated” means the provider’s published pages reviewed for this comparison (accessed 2026) do not give that detail, so it should be checked on the order page before you decide.
| Factor | Hetzner managed web hosting | Hetzner Cloud | InMotion Hosting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product and management level | S, M, L, and XL packages managed through konsoleH | Configurable virtual machines that you administer | Shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, and reseller hosting |
| Server location | Nuremberg data center park, with German locations described on the feature page | Physical servers in Europe, the USA, and Singapore | Not stated in the reviewed pages |
| Resources | Package resource figures not stated in the reviewed documentation | Chosen per server; shared-resource and dedicated-resource instances are both offered | Example VPS: 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 160GB NVMe SSD, 5TB bandwidth |
| Backups and restore | Nightly; kept 14 days in a separate Hetzner data center; restorable by individual files or folders | Not stated in the reviewed cloud documentation | Not stated in the reviewed pages |
| Domain and IP costs | Domains booked separately; an externally booked domain used with a package carries a monthly charge (amount not stated) | No public IP by default; IPv4 Primary IP €0.50/month excl. VAT; IPv6 Primary IP free | Not stated in the reviewed pages |
| Uptime and guarantee | Not stated in the reviewed pages | Not stated in the reviewed pages | 99.99% uptime claim on the general service overview; 99.9% guarantee on the featured shared plan; up to a 90-day money-back guarantee |
| Support | Not stated in the reviewed pages | Not stated in the reviewed pages | 24/7 human support advertised |
| Price structure | Package prices not stated in the reviewed pages | Revised pricing applies to new orders and to servers rescaled from June 15, 2026; existing servers are unaffected unless rescaled (Hetzner service update) | Example VPS: $9.99/month on a 24-month term, renewing at $16.99/month |
| Currency | Euros, listed excl. VAT where stated | Euros, listed excl. VAT where stated | US dollars |
| Administration effort | Low for routine site and email tasks, per the managed feature set | Highest; you configure and maintain the server | Depends on the plan; the reviewed pages do not state how much administration each plan leaves to you |
Hetzner managed web hosting
What the packages include
Hetzner’s managed web hosting comes in S, M, L, and XL packages. According to Hetzner’s feature page and documentation (2026), the package set includes:
- Management through konsoleH
- Varnish caching
- Nightly backups
- Virus scanning
- SSL encryption
- Unlimited mailboxes and forwarders
The reviewed material does not give the CPU, RAM, or storage allocated to each package, so compare the package sheets directly if resource size matters to your site.
Backups and restores
Hetzner’s documentation says backups run nightly and are stored for 14 days in a separate Hetzner data center. You can restore individual files or folders rather than only the whole site. The 14-day window is the retention period stated for managed web hosting; if you need older copies, you need a process outside the package.
Domains, email, and location
Domains are not included in the package. They are booked separately, and an externally booked domain used with the package carries a monthly charge. Add that charge to your budget, because the reviewed documentation does not give its amount.
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The feature page says the web-hosting packages run in Hetzner’s Nuremberg data center park and that German server locations are used. Hetzner also describes the service as GDPR-compliant. That is Hetzner’s own statement. If you have compliance obligations, review the contract and data processing terms yourself rather than relying on the marketing wording.
Hetzner Cloud
Locations and resource types
Hetzner Cloud runs virtual machines on physical servers in Europe, the USA, and Singapore. You can choose between shared-resource and dedicated-resource instances. Cloud is a different product from managed web hosting: you select the server configuration and network options, and you are responsible for the software on it.
IP addresses and the cost you may not expect
Cloud servers do not include public IP addresses by default. An IPv4 Primary IP costs €0.50 per month excluding VAT, while an IPv6 Primary IP is listed as free. If your site or service needs an IPv4 address, add €0.50 per month to the server price before you compare it with a bundled plan.
The price change timing
Hetzner’s service update states that revised cloud pricing applies to new orders and to servers rescaled from June 15, 2026. Existing servers keep their current pricing unless they are rescaled. Because that date has already passed, confirm the current rate for the configuration you want on Hetzner’s order page before budgeting.
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Product range
InMotion’s catalog covers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, and reseller hosting. That breadth matters if you expect your needs to grow from a small shared site to a VPS or dedicated server while staying with one provider.
Uptime and support claims
InMotion’s general service overview (accessed 2026) advertises 99.99% uptime. Its featured shared plan lists a 99.9% uptime guarantee. These are different statements at different levels of the catalog, so quote the guarantee for the specific plan you buy rather than assuming one figure applies everywhere. Both are provider statements, not independent measurements. The same overview advertises 24/7 human support and a money-back guarantee of up to 90 days.
Rank #4
What the VPS example costs over time
InMotion’s current pricing page (accessed 2026) shows a sample 4 vCPU VPS with 8GB RAM, 160GB NVMe SSD, and 5TB bandwidth at $9.99 per month on a 24-month term. That term renews at $16.99 per month. Over the first 24 months, the example costs $239.76 in total. A full year at the renewal rate costs $203.88, which is roughly $35 more per year than the introductory rate would suggest. The page also shows other prices for other terms and configurations, so use the plan selector to confirm the exact price, billing period, and included control panel before purchase. Treat these figures as a dated offer that may change.
Is Hetzner cheaper than InMotion?
There is no like-for-like answer. The two providers bill in different currencies, sell different product types, and do not publish matched plans for comparison. A fair comparison requires you to build the same configuration on both sides:
- Choose one product from each provider that matches your workload. For example, compare Hetzner managed web hosting with an InMotion shared or WordPress plan, not a cloud server with a shared plan.
- Convert both prices into one currency at the current exchange rate, and state whether each figure includes VAT. Hetzner’s prices are listed excluding VAT where stated.
- Add every extra cost: a separately booked domain, an IPv4 address, and any backup or management add-on.
- Compare the total over the full term, including the renewal price, not only the starting price.
- Check the guarantee and support terms for the plan you chose, since the reviewed InMotion pages show different uptime figures at different levels.
Which is easier to manage?
Hetzner managed web hosting is the closer fit for people who want the provider to handle routine site and email work. Hetzner Cloud places the most administration on you. InMotion’s reviewed pages do not state how much server work each plan leaves to the customer, so before choosing a VPS, check the control panel, which tasks are handled by InMotion, and which tasks you must perform yourself.
Best Value
Which is better for WordPress?
InMotion publishes a WordPress hosting product, so it is the provider with a clearly named WordPress offer in the material reviewed. Hetzner’s managed web hosting documentation covers caching, backups, SSL, and email, but the reviewed material does not describe WordPress-specific features or support. If WordPress is your target, ask Hetzner directly whether its packages suit your setup before you commit.
Performance and reliability
Neither provider’s published material establishes a measured speed or reliability advantage. Hetzner’s and InMotion’s uptime and guarantee figures are advertised claims, and the products are not matched for a head-to-head test. Judge performance by testing your own site on a trial or short-term plan where one is offered, rather than by the marketing numbers on either provider’s page.
Quick Recap
Recommendations by reader profile
- Choose Hetzner managed web hosting if you want a managed package, nightly backups with 14-day retention, unlimited email, and German server locations, and you can budget for a separately booked domain.
- Choose Hetzner Cloud if you need a configurable virtual server, are comfortable administering it, and can budget for the IPv4 address you need.
- Choose InMotion Hosting if one of its shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, or reseller products matches your use case and you value its advertised 24/7 human support and money-back guarantee, provided you compare the renewal price and contract terms.
- If you cannot manage a server, avoid a cloud VPS unless the provider handles the tasks you need. Confirm that before you buy.
Before you buy: a checklist
- Confirm the current price, billing period, and renewal price on the provider’s order page.
- Add any separately booked domain and any IPv4 address to the total cost.
- Confirm the backup retention period and restore process for the plan you choose.
- Check the uptime guarantee and money-back terms for that specific plan.
- Confirm the server location and review the contract and data processing terms if you have compliance requirements.
- Confirm which control panel is included and which administration tasks are yours.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
