How to choose a VPS for a self-hosted proxy
Compare Shlii, VMISS, DMIT and RFC Host across regions, routes, configurations and pricing for a self-hosted proxy node.
CPU and memory are rarely the first constraints for a personal proxy node. Route quality, region, transfer allowance and IP type matter more.
| Position | Provider | Best for | First choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Shlii | Learning and inexpensive backup nodes | 512 MB–1 GB NAT VPS |
| Best value | VMISS | A balance of China connectivity, hosting and proxy use | Hong Kong BGP, US or Japan TRI |
| Premium route | DMIT | A Los Angeles exit with more transfer and port capacity | LAX.AS3.EB.TINY |
| Premium route | RFC Host | Route quality and stability over price | HK-CO or JP2-CO |
Start with the workload
| Workload | Suggested CPU / memory | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| One personal proxy | 1 core / 512 MB–1 GB | 5–10 GB |
| Proxy with Docker management | 1 core / 1 GB | 10–20 GB |
| Proxy and a small website | 1–2 cores / 2 GB | 20 GB+ |
| Multiple services or databases | 2 cores / 4 GB+ | 40 GB+ |
Start with monthly billing. Test daytime and peak-hour latency, packet loss and throughput before committing to a longer term.
Entry-level NAT VPS: Shlii
Shlii is an Incus-based NAT VPS platform offering LXC and KVM plans. A NAT VPS shares a public IPv4 address and exposes services through mapped ports, making it inexpensive but unsuitable for workloads that require dedicated standard ports.
It also includes a second-hand marketplace with renewal prices, remaining terms and transaction history. Check the IP status, expiration date, renewal cost and premium carefully before purchasing a listed instance.
Referral code:
AFF-1439--21O5F8M
Create a Shlii NAT VPS with this referral code
Value-oriented VPS: VMISS
VMISS bills in CAD and offers Hong Kong, Tokyo and Los Angeles products optimized for mainland China.
Hong Kong BGP
CN.HK.BGP.DC3 is the first choice for a mainland-facing small website or low-latency remote management. Basic and Core suit a single personal node; choose Pro or Elite when you need more memory and transfer or plan to run Docker, monitoring or a website.
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 core / 1 GB / 10 GB SSD | 300 GB / 100 Mbps | 5 CAD/month |
| Core | 1 core / 1 GB / 15 GB SSD | 600 GB / 100 Mbps | 10 CAD/month |
| Pro | 1 core / 2 GB / 20 GB SSD | 1,000 GB / 100 Mbps | 16 CAD/month |
| Elite | 2 cores / 4 GB / 40 GB SSD | 1,600 GB / 100 Mbps | 30 CAD/month |
Los Angeles TRI
US.LA.TRI uses carrier-specific optimized routes and usually provides a better traffic-to-price ratio than Hong Kong.
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 core / 1 GB / 10 GB SSD | 400 GB / 200 Mbps | 5 CAD/month |
| Core | 1 core / 2 GB / 15 GB SSD | 800 GB / 200 Mbps | 10 CAD/month |
| Pro | 1 core / 3 GB / 20 GB SSD | 1,200 GB / 300 Mbps | 16 CAD/month |
| Elite | 2 cores / 4 GB / 40 GB SSD | 2,000 GB / 300 Mbps | 30 CAD/month |
Tokyo TRI
JP.TKY.TRI is an alternative when your local ISP performs better toward Tokyo, although it costs considerably more.
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 core / 1 GB / 10 GB SSD | 400 GB / 100 Mbps | 12 CAD/month |
| Core | 1 core / 2 GB / 15 GB SSD | 800 GB / 100 Mbps | 24 CAD/month |
| Pro | 1 core / 3 GB / 20 GB SSD | 1,200 GB / 200 Mbps | 38 CAD/month |
| Elite | 2 cores / 4 GB / 40 GB SSD | 2,000 GB / 200 Mbps | 75 CAD/month |
Browse VMISS optimized VPS plans
Premium routes: DMIT and RFC Host
When route quality matters more than the lower pricing of VMISS, choose between DMIT and RFC Host by region: DMIT LAX.AS3.EB.TINY for the US, or RFC Host's CO products for Hong Kong and Japan.
DMIT LAX.AS3.EB.TINY: optimized US route
DMIT offers LAX.AS3.EB.TINY in Los Angeles. Its resources, monthly transfer and port capacity make it a strong personal US exit when bandwidth matters more than finding the lowest possible price.
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX.AS3.EB.TINY | 1 core / 2 GB / 20 GB SSD | 1,500 GB / 2 Gbps | US$10.90/month |
The route emphasizes China Unicom 9929 and China Mobile CMIN2 rather than CN2 GIA. Unicom and Mobile users should consider it first, while China Telecom users should test their local route and peak-hour performance before purchasing. Compared with VMISS US.LA.TRI, it provides a larger port and more monthly transfer at a higher price.
RFC Host: optimized Hong Kong and Japan routes
RFC Host offers China Optimization products for users who prioritize route quality.
HK-CO
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| HK-CO-Mini | 1 core / 1 GB / 15 GB SSD | 1,500 GB / 200 Mbps | US$24.99 |
| HK-CO-Standard | 1 core / 2 GB / 30 GB SSD | 2,500 GB / 500 Mbps | US$50.99 |
JP2-CO
| Plan | Configuration | Transfer / port | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2-CO-Micro | 1 core / 512 MB / 10 GB SSD | 1 TB / 200 Mbps | US$19.99 |
| JP2-CO-Mini | 1 core / 1 GB / 20 GB SSD | 1.5 TB / 500 Mbps | US$28.99 |
| JP2-CO-Standard | 2 cores / 2 GB / 40 GB SSD | 2.5 TB / 700 Mbps | US$45.99 |
Choose Mini for a dedicated proxy node and Standard when Docker, monitoring or a website will share the server.
Browse RFC Host HK-CO and JP2-CO
Before purchasing
Check the virtualization type, NAT versus dedicated IPv4, route tier, transfer accounting, port limits, refund policy and IP replacement terms. After provisioning, test both daytime and peak-hour connectivity with mtr or nexttrace, then verify reboot recovery and backups.