So You Start vs Hetzner Dedicated: Which Is Better in 2026?

So You Start vs Hetzner Dedicated: At a Glance

So You Start and Hetzner Dedicated serve different segments of the bare metal market. So You Start operates as OVH's mid-range dedicated server brand, positioning itself between budget Kimsufi servers and premium OVHcloud offerings. Starting at €26.99 monthly, the service provides dedicated hardware with built-in DDoS protection across datacenters in France and Canada.

Hetzner Dedicated focuses on transparent pricing and value-oriented bare metal servers throughout Europe. Beginning at €39 monthly, Hetzner offers Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors with no setup fees, KVM remote access, and reverse DNS management. The provider operates facilities in Germany and Finland.

The key distinction lies in their market approach: So You Start serves as a stepping stone within OVH's ecosystem, while Hetzner Dedicated emphasizes straightforward pricing and European infrastructure focus.

Specs Compared

So You Start configurations typically include Intel Xeon processors ranging from quad-core to multi-socket setups. Memory allocations start around 16GB RAM and scale to 64GB or higher on premium configurations. Storage options include both traditional SATA drives and SSD configurations, with software RAID capabilities standard across most plans.

Hetzner Dedicated servers feature both Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processor options. Entry-level configurations start with 4-core processors and 32GB DDR4 RAM. Storage configurations include NVMe SSD options alongside traditional SATA drives. Hetzner provides hardware RAID controllers on select configurations, with software RAID available across the range.

Network connectivity differs between providers. So You Start includes unmetered bandwidth on most plans with 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps port speeds. The service integrates OVH's anti-DDoS protection as a standard feature. Hetzner Dedicated provides unmetered traffic with 1 Gbps connections standard, scaling to 10 Gbps on higher-tier configurations.

Both providers offer IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, though allocation policies vary. So You Start includes multiple IPv4 addresses on most plans, while Hetzner typically provides one IPv4 address with additional addresses available for purchase.

Pricing Compared

So You Start pricing begins at €26.99 monthly for entry-level configurations. Mid-range servers typically cost €50-100 monthly, while high-performance configurations reach €200+ monthly. The pricing includes setup fees on some configurations, though promotional periods may waive these costs.

Hetzner Dedicated pricing starts at €39 monthly for basic configurations. Mid-tier servers range from €60-120 monthly, with high-end configurations extending to €300+ monthly. Hetzner emphasizes no setup fees as a standard policy, making initial costs more predictable.

Additional services pricing varies significantly. So You Start leverages OVH's broader ecosystem, offering backup services, additional IP addresses, and premium support tiers. Costs for additional IPv4 addresses align with OVH's standard pricing structure.

Hetzner charges separately for additional services like backup space, extra IP addresses, and KVM console access beyond the included allocation. The provider's transparent pricing model extends to these add-ons, with clear per-unit costs published on their website.

Bandwidth overages apply differently. So You Start typically includes generous unmetered allocations but may apply throttling after certain thresholds. Hetzner provides truly unmetered bandwidth on most configurations without throttling policies.

Performance and Locations

So You Start operates datacenters in Gravelines, France, and Beauharnois, Canada. The French facility connects to OVH's extensive European network backbone, while the Canadian location serves North American markets. Network performance benefits from OVH's global infrastructure investments and peering relationships.

Hetzner Dedicated maintains facilities in Nuremberg and Falkenstein, Germany, plus Helsinki, Finland. The German datacenters connect to major European internet exchanges, providing low latency to Central European markets. The Finnish facility serves Nordic regions and offers alternative routing paths.

Performance characteristics differ based on workload types. So You Start servers handle general-purpose computing workloads effectively, with the anti-DDoS protection providing additional security for public-facing services. The integration with OVH's content delivery and cloud services ecosystem enables hybrid architectures.

Hetzner Dedicated servers excel at compute-intensive workloads requiring consistent performance. The provider's focus on modern processors and NVMe storage configurations benefits applications requiring high IOPS or low-latency storage access. Network performance remains stable under sustained loads due to unmetered bandwidth policies.

Uptime commitments vary between providers. So You Start operates under OVH's standard SLA terms, which include hardware replacement guarantees and network availability commitments. Hetzner provides hardware replacement within specified timeframes and maintains detailed status pages for transparency.

Who Should Use So You Start?

Organizations already using OVH services benefit from So You Start's ecosystem integration. The shared control panel, billing system, and support channels simplify management for existing OVH customers. Teams running mixed workloads across budget and premium infrastructure find the mid-tier positioning appropriate.

Development teams requiring dedicated hardware for testing or staging environments use So You Start for cost-effective isolation. The anti-DDoS protection handles common attack patterns without additional configuration, reducing operational overhead for teams lacking specialized security expertise.

European businesses serving primarily French markets appreciate the Gravelines datacenter's connectivity and compliance characteristics. The facility's integration with OVH's broader infrastructure enables easy scaling to cloud services or content delivery networks as requirements evolve.

Small to medium hosting providers use So You Start servers for shared hosting, VPS hosting, or managed services platforms. The predictable pricing and included DDoS protection reduce operational complexity compared to implementing these features independently.

Gaming server operators benefit from the anti-DDoS protection and European network connectivity. The Canadian datacenter serves North American gaming communities requiring dedicated server performance without premium pricing.

Who Should Use Hetzner Dedicated?

Cost-conscious European businesses requiring dedicated hardware choose Hetzner for transparent pricing and performance value. The absence of setup fees and clear additional service costs enable accurate budget planning for growing organizations.

Development agencies running client infrastructure prefer Hetzner's straightforward configurations and reliable performance. The KVM remote access and flexible operating system installation options support diverse client requirements without vendor lock-in concerns.

Data-intensive applications requiring high storage performance benefit from Hetzner's NVMe SSD options and unmetered bandwidth. Research organizations, analytics platforms, and backup services utilize the combination of storage performance and network capacity effectively.

European SaaS providers serving regional markets use Hetzner's German and Finnish datacenters for data residency compliance. The provider's transparent operations and detailed documentation support audit requirements for regulated industries.

Cryptocurrency mining operations and blockchain infrastructure benefit from Hetzner's competitive processor pricing and unmetered electricity costs. The provider's policies allow legitimate cryptocurrency activities while maintaining network stability.

The Verdict

So You Start serves organizations prioritizing ecosystem integration and anti-DDoS protection within the OVH environment. The mid-tier positioning provides dedicated hardware benefits without premium pricing, though geographic options remain limited to France and Canada. Teams requiring straightforward dedicated servers with included security features find the offering appropriate for European and North American deployments.

Hetzner Dedicated appeals to cost-conscious European operations requiring transparent pricing and consistent performance. The provider's focus on value-oriented hardware configurations and no setup fees creates predictable costs for growing businesses. Organizations requiring geographic diversity beyond Central and Northern Europe may find location options limiting.

The choice depends on specific requirements: So You Start for OVH ecosystem integration and included DDoS protection, Hetzner Dedicated for European value focus and transparent pricing. Both providers deliver reliable dedicated server performance within their respective market segments and geographic constraints.

See the full comparison on ServerSpotter.