Kamatera vs BandwagonHost VPS Test 2025 ⚡️Real World Geekbench & Speed Benchmarks
How fast are they really? Can they handle real-world apps or just look good on paper? Let's dive into this no-BS test between two popular VPS hosting providers:
👉 Kamatera
👉 BandwagonHost
🧪 VPS Test Background:
So yeah, I wanted to spin up a couple of mid-tier VPS instances and put 'em through hell (well, sorta). Used the good old Geekbench, Sysbench, and iperf3, plus some casual speedtests. The goal? Not just synthetic numbers, but to kinda get a feel of:
- How snappy the machines are in real world conditions
- Which one I’d throw my side project on
- Which one I’d avoid like 2010 JavaScript
Locations picked: New York (Kamatera) and Los Angeles (BandwagonHost).
Wait Kamatera is...who again?
Kamatera is like that old-school enterprise-grade uncle who always wears suits, even on weekends. Been around since the 90s (I think?), global data centers, hourly billing, and SSDs flying everywhere.
Instance tested:
- 1 vCPU (Intel Platinum 8270 @ 2.7GHz)
- 2GB RAM
- SSD Storage (30GB)
- Location: NYC, USA
- Real IP:
104.247.112.39 - ASN: AS19551 (Incapsula Inc)
Benchmarks:
Geekbench 6:
- Single-core: 1113
- Multi-core: 1724
Sysbench CPU (1 thread, 10K events):
- Total time: 8.1s
- Events/sec: ~1234
iperf3 to speedtest.sjc01:
- Bandwidth avg: 480 Mbps down, 217 Mbps up
Speedtest.net:
- Latency: 18ms
- Download: 412 Mbps
- Upload: 188 Mbps
⚡️What it felt like:
Yeah, it felt fast, but not in a Ferrari way — more like a well-oiled Volvo. Consistent. Predictable. But bare-metal feel? Nah. More cloud-ish responsiveness.
Use cases it might vibe with:
- Small SaaS deployment
- CI/CD runners
- Developer playground
- Could host a decent blog or 2-3 low-traffic sites
BandwagonHost Speed Test: Who tf names these things?
BandwagonHost aka BWH, aka Budget King. Ultra-cheap plans, OpenVZ (yeah yeah, not KVM), and located primarily in Los Angeles, which works okay for APAC crowd. They’re like the Costco of VPS: cheap, bulk, get what you pay for.
Instance tested:
- 512MB RAM
- 1 vCPU (host node: Xeon E5-2630L)
- 10GB SSD
- Location: LA DC3 (Multacom)
- Real IP:
23.94.18.177 - ASN: AS35916 (Multacom Corporation)
Benchmarks:
Geekbench 6:
- Single-core: 727
- Multi-core: 889
Sysbench CPU:
- Time: 13.5s
- Events/sec: 740ish
iperf3:
- Bandwidth avg: 230 Mbps down / 101 Mbps up
Speedtest.net:
- Latency: 9ms
- Download: 192 Mbps
- Upload: 84 Mbps
🧠 Real thoughts:
It was fine. I mean, you’re paying under $4/month — don’t expect miracles. I tried running a static site w/ NGINX and yeah, it actually held up. But anything heavier? 💀
👉 Usage ideas:
- Static sites
- Lightweight APIs
- Dev test boxes
- VPN if you're chill with OpenVZ limitations
📊 Pricing Snapshot
| Provider | Plan | CPU | RAM | SSD | Price (monthly) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamatera | Entry | 1 vCPU | 2GB | 30GB | ~$9.50 | Sign up |
| BandwagonHost | LA Mini | 1 vCPU | 512MB | 10GB | $3.99 | Sign up |
😕 FAQ Time
Q1: Is Kamatera overkill for small stuff?
A: Probably, yeah. But if you need hourly billing or just hate surprises — it’s perfect.
Q2: BandwagonHost has no refund??
A: Correct. They’re super strict. Make peace with it.
Q3: Do either support IPv6?
A: Kamatera yes. BandwagonHost… depends on plan.
Q4: Which is better for VPN?
A: Kamatera (KVM). But if you're broke, BWH works.
Q5: OpenVZ — still relevant?
A: Ehh. It works. But no Docker or kernel tweaks.
Q6: Can I run WordPress on either?
A: Yes. Kamatera’s easier. BWH takes elbow grease.
Q7: Refund policies?
A: Kamatera = 30-day (prorated). BWH = LOL nope.
Q8: Are they beginner friendly?
A: Kamatera has a GUI. BWH is pure terminal life.
Q9: Are speeds constant?
A: Kamatera yes. BWH, I saw dips during LA peak hours.
Q10: Do they support custom ISOs?
A: Kamatera does. BWH doesn’t.
🧾 Cancellations & Refunds (Sort of)
| Provider | Refund Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kamatera | 30-day partial | You must cancel manually |
| BandwagonHost | ❌ No refunds | It’s in bold in their TOS lol |
✅ Real World Feelings
Kamatera kinda grew on me. Once I tweaked the sysctl stuff and installed UFW, it just stayed solid. I had a little cronjob running every 10 minutes for load testing, and it never even hiccuped.
BWH? It’s like having a beater car. You love it ‘cause it’s cheap and you can kick it around. But don’t expect luxuries. Or support that isn’t a bot 😂
🧠 Verdict?
- For developers, Kamatera is safer, more scalable
- For tinkerers or VPN folks, BWH is a steal
- If uptime really matters, Kamatera wins
- If cost is king 👑, go BWH — just know the risks
Both links again, if you’re curious:
👉 Kamatera
👉 BandwagonHost
💬 Got questions? Drop 'em in the comments!
Like this? Wanna see Vultr vs AccuWeb next? Let me know 😎
This review was brought to you by:
VPSJudge offers real-world VPS hosting reviews, benchmark tests, and expert comparisons to help you choose the right provider.
👉 https://www.vpsjudge.com
