> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://repocloud.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# VPS Apps

> Dedicated Ubuntu servers with root SSH access, snapshots, power controls and a dedicated IPv4 address, set up by the DevOps AI Agent or by you

## VPS App Deployment

A VPS App is a dedicated virtual private server running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Unlike a Container App, which runs in a managed Docker container, a VPS App gives you an entire server with root access, SSH, and a full suite of management tools.

Every VPS App starts the same way: as a plain Ubuntu server with nothing installed. RepoCloud does not deploy servers from ready-made application templates. The application is installed after the server exists, either by the [DevOps AI Agent](https://repocloud.io/docs/ai-agents/devops-ai-agent.md) in a chat, or by you over SSH.

> [!NOTE]
>
> VPS Apps give you your own virtual server with root SSH access, a browser-based serial console, point-in-time snapshots, resizing, and a dedicated IPv4 address — all managed from the RepoCloud dashboard. A VPS App needs a balance above $3.

## Ways to Get a VPS App

> **[AI Deploy](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/ai-deploy.md)**
>
> Paste the URL of a public GitHub repository. A new Ubuntu server is created and the DevOps AI Agent installs and configures the application on it while you follow and steer in a chat

> **[Deploy as VPS](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/deploy-as-vps.md)**
>
> A Container App from the marketplace that has a public GitHub link can be deployed as a VPS with the DevOps AI Agent instead

> **[Ubuntu VPS](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/ubuntu.md)**
>
> A blank Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server from the marketplace, which you set up yourself with `apt` and SSH

> **[API and MCP](https://repocloud.io/docs/api/introduction.md)**
>
> Create and manage Ubuntu VPS servers programmatically, or let an AI coding agent do it through MCP

## Application Guides

Each of these guides explains what the application is, what to ask the DevOps AI Agent for when you install it with AI Deploy, and how to work with the application afterwards:

> **[Coolify](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/coolify.md)**
>
> Self-hosted alternative to Heroku and Netlify: Git deploys, hundreds of one-click templates and database backups

> **[Dokploy](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/dokploy.md)**
>
> Self-hosted deployment platform for Docker apps: Git and image deploys, Docker Compose, Traefik domains and databases in a few clicks

> **[OpenClaw](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/openclaw.md)**
>
> A personal AI assistant with a web interface and chat-app channels, using the AI provider you choose

> **[Hermes Agent](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/hermes-agent.md)**
>
> Open-source autonomous AI agent from Nous Research, with a web dashboard, models through OpenRouter and messaging integrations

## How VPS Apps Differ from Container Apps

| Feature | Container Apps | VPS Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Managed Docker containers | Dedicated virtual private server |
| Root access | No | Yes (SSH + browser console) |
| Autoscale | Optional (off by default) | Not available — fixed tiers only |
| Fixed tiers | Tier 1 (select apps) to Tier 7 ($3 to $96) | Tiers 2 to 7 ($6 to $96) |
| SSH access | No | Full root SSH with key management |
| Browser console | No | Serial console via xterm.js |
| Snapshots | No | Up to 5 point-in-time snapshots |
| Power controls | Pause only | Power off, power on, reboot (a powered-off VPS is billed in full) |
| Dedicated IPv4 | No dedicated address | Included at no extra charge |
| Custom domains | Two CNAME records (not for the OpenClaw container app) | Two CNAME records (not for a server named Ubuntu VPS) |
| Balance needed to deploy | At least $0.50 | Above $3 |

## Pricing

VPS Apps use fixed tiers with hourly billing. A dedicated IPv4 address is included with every VPS at no extra charge. Monthly figures are nominal: the hourly price times 720 hours.

| Tier | vCPU | RAM | SSD | Hourly | Monthly |
|------|------|-----|-----|--------|---------|
| Tier 2 | 1 | 2 GB | 30 GB | $0.0083 | $6 |
| Tier 3 | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | $0.0125 | $9 |
| Tier 4 | 2 | 4 GB | 40 GB | $0.0167 | $12 |
| Tier 5 | 4 | 8 GB | 80 GB | $0.0333 | $24 |
| Tier 6 | 8 | 16 GB | 160 GB | $0.0667 | $48 |
| Tier 7 | 16 | 32 GB | 320 GB | $0.1333 | $96 |

> [!NOTE]
>
> The $3/month tier (1 GB RAM) is available for select Container Apps only. VPS Apps start at $6/month (2 GB RAM).

### Additional VPS Costs

- **Snapshots**: $0.10 per GB per month — up to 5 snapshots per instance
- **Bandwidth**: $0.10 per GB of excess outbound transfer beyond the tier's free monthly allowance, which runs from 2 TB on Tier 2 up to 10 TB on Tier 7 (see [Tiers](https://repocloud.io/docs/pricing/tiers.md))
- **Paused billing**: full tier hourly rate (VPS instances are not discounted when paused because the dedicated IPv4 and disk remain allocated)

### Choosing a Tier

Every VPS App starts at Tier 2 (2 GB RAM): the 1 GB tier is not offered for a VPS. The application you install can need more than that, so read its own documentation before you choose, and pick a larger tier for heavy software. [Coolify](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/coolify.md), for example, documents 2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM as its minimum, and Tier 3 is the smallest tier with two vCPUs. A server can be resized later to any tier whose disk is not smaller than its current disk.

### Balance Requirement

A VPS App needs a balance above $3. Below that, the Deploy page asks for a deposit first: add credit on [Billing](https://repocloud.io/billing) and deploy again.

## Deployment Process

### With AI Deploy

**1. Open AI Deploy**

Go to [repocloud.io/ai-deploy](https://repocloud.io/ai-deploy) and paste the URL of the application's public GitHub repository.

**2. Select a Tier**

Choose a server tier. Tier 2 ($6 a month, 2 GB RAM) is the smallest, and you can add [custom instructions](https://repocloud.io/docs/ai-agents/custom-instructions.md) for the agent.

**3. Deploy and Follow the Chat**

Click **Deploy**. RepoCloud creates the server, and the chat opens: the agent installs and configures the application over SSH while you watch and steer. AI-assisted deployment typically takes 5–15 minutes.

**4. Collect the Result**

The agent reports the application's address and any logins it created. The root password comes by email, or with **Email Me** on the manage page.

### As a Blank Ubuntu Server

**1. Find the Listing**

Search the [RepoCloud marketplace](https://repocloud.io/results/) for "Ubuntu VPS".

**2. Configure Deployment**

Enter a project name and select a server tier.

**3. Deploy**

Click **Deploy** and wait for provisioning to complete (1–2 minutes).

**4. Receive the Deployment Email**

Once the server is online, you receive an email with your server's address, the root password, and SSH connection details; the private key of a generated key pair is included in it when one was generated.

**5. Set It Up**

Connect over SSH and install what you need. The [Ubuntu VPS guide](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/ubuntu.md) walks through the first steps. A server from this listing has no AI chat.

## VPS Manage Page

Every VPS instance has its own manage page. For full details on all management features, see [Managing VPS Apps](https://repocloud.io/docs/manage/vps-apps.md).

## Next Steps

> **[AI Deploy](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/ai-deploy.md)**
>
> Deploy a GitHub project to a VPS with AI assistance

> **[Deploy as VPS](https://repocloud.io/docs/deployment/deploy-as-vps.md)**
>
> Deploy a qualifying container app as a VPS instead

> **[Managing VPS Apps](https://repocloud.io/docs/manage/vps-apps.md)**
>
> Learn all the VPS management features

> **[API and MCP](https://repocloud.io/docs/api/introduction.md)**
>
> Programmatically deploy and manage VPS instances