gridscale vs Hostinger

Compare gridscale and Hostinger on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: DigitalOcean

gridscale

Germany· Cloud Computing

Needs review

Shortlist when you need a German GmbH cloud with EU/CH/AT location choice, managed Kubernetes/databases, and Hybrid Core white-label HCI. Skip when you need global hyperscaler coverage or pure lowest-cost VMs—consider Hetzner for cost-sensitive compute or AWS/Azure for worldwide breadth; use OVHcloud parent portfolio when scale across more European regions is the priority.

EU-operated (DE entity)Multi-country EU/CH locationsManaged KubernetesHybrid Core HCIBSI C5 (claimed)OVHcloud group

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Hostinger

Lithuania· Cloud Computing

Needs review

Shortlist Hostinger when you want managed WordPress or a simple KVM VPS with an EU data-center option and a published DPA. Skip it when you need HIPAA or PCI, an EU-only data path, or a custom enterprise SLA. Consider Hetzner or OVHcloud instead for more operator-centric European infrastructure.

EU-operated (Cyprus contract)ISO 27001 (claimed)Managed WordPressKVM VPS + public APIPublic DPASelectable EU data centers

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Highlighted rows differ between the two products.

gridscale vs Hostinger: Snapshot
Feature	gridscale	Hostinger
Country of origin	Germany	Lithuania
Category	Cloud Computing	Cloud Computing
Open source	No	No
Self-hosted	No	No
Headquarters	Germany	Lithuania
Legal entity	gridscale GmbH, Oskar-Jäger-Straße 173, 50825 Köln (HRB 97235, Amtsgericht Cologne)	EU customers: Hostinger International Ltd (Cyprus). Affiliates: HOSTINGER, UAB and HOSTINGER operations, UAB (Vilnius). Also Hostinger UK Limited and Hostinger Global S.a r.l. (Luxembourg).
Governing law	German law (GTC; English GTC for information only—German prevails)	Not listed
US parent / control	No known US parent	No known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Medium	Medium
Hosting / residency	Customer infrastructure marketed on European Tier 3 locations (Frankfurt multi-AZ, Eichenzell, Hannover, Paderborn, Amsterdam, Gais, Lucerne, Vienna); some Hybrid Core sites partner-operated (hosttech, rhöncloud, BAIONITY, windCORES). Privacy policy also lists US-group ancillary processors: Stripe (payments), Google Analytics/GTM, Microsoft Bing Ads, Meta, LinkedIn; Mautic on-prem DE; Recruitee NL. No public claim that primary VM storage runs on AWS/GCP/Azure.	Customer-chosen DCs: FR, DE, LT, NL, UK plus US (Phoenix, Boston, Asheville), Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia (plan-dependent). DPA subprocessors include AWS EMEA SARL, Google Cloud EMEA Limited, Cloudflare, Inc., MailChannels, Proofpoint, Inc., Anthropic Ireland, and spectra tech UAB. Privacy policy also names Google Analytics, Meta ads, Ravelin, and iDenfy.
Summary	Cologne-based German IaaS/PaaS and Hybrid Core HCI cloud (OVHcloud group) with European locations, managed Kubernetes, and white-label private cloud options for DACH teams.	Lithuania-founded web hosting for WordPress, managed cloud, and KVM VPS, with selectable European data centers and Cyprus contracting for EU customers.
Tags	cloud iaas paas kubernetes hybrid-cloud hci german-cloud data-sovereignty api	web-hosting wordpress vps kvm cloud-hosting domains gdpr lithuania

At a glance: gridscale vs Hostinger
At a glance	gridscale	Hostinger
HQ	Cologne, Germany	Not listed
Legal entity	gridscale GmbH (HRB 97235)	Not listed
Parent	OVHcloud (100% since Sept 2023)	Not listed
Hosting	European Tier 3 sites DE/NL/CH/AT (+ partners)	Not listed
Commercial model	B2B; trial then per-minute usage metering	Prepaid subscription with auto-renew; 30-day money-back on eligible hosting
Open source	No (API/IaC clients only)	Not listed
HQ / operations	Not listed	Vilnius, Lithuania (also Kaunas; Yogyakarta office)
EU contracting entity	Not listed	Hostinger International Ltd (Larnaca, Cyprus)
Founded	Not listed	2004 as Hosting Media; Hostinger brand in 2011
Product shape	Not listed	Managed web/WordPress, managed cloud, KVM VPS, domains, email
Open source / self-host	Not listed	Neither. Proprietary platform; VPS guests are customer-managed

Key capabilities: gridscale vs Hostinger
Key capabilities	gridscale	Hostinger
EU-operated (DE entity)	Yes	Yes
Multi-country EU/CH locations	Yes	Not listed
Managed Kubernetes	Yes	Not listed
Hybrid Core HCI	Yes	Not listed
BSI C5 (claimed)	Yes	Not listed
OVHcloud group	Yes	Not listed
ISO 27001 (claimed)	Not listed	Yes
Managed WordPress	Not listed	Yes
KVM VPS + public API	Not listed	Yes
Public DPA	Not listed	Yes
Selectable EU data centers	Not listed	Yes

gridscale

Panel + API + Terraform provisioning
Deploy VMs with attached storage in seconds via the control panel or automate with the REST API and common IaC clients (Terraform, Packer). Built for teams that want both click-ops and git-ops without a hyperscaler control-plane learning curve.
Managed Kubernetes, databases, and load balancers
PaaS layers cover managed Kubernetes orchestration plus fully managed databases with audit logs and automatic backups, and managed load balancers for traffic distribution—so app teams avoid running the full stack themselves.
S3-compatible object storage and Rocket NVMe storage
Object storage follows S3-style APIs for backups, archives, and unstructured data, with region choice called out for GDPR-oriented placement. Rocket Storage targets high-IOPS NVMe workloads; not every Hybrid Core location exposes object storage—check the data-center matrix.
Per-minute GPU bare-metal for AI/ML
GPU instances are marketed as dedicated bare-metal performance for AI/ML and data science, with CPU, RAM, and storage included and usage billed by the minute rather than only long-term reserved shapes.
Hybrid Core Concierge HCI and white-label cloud
Fully managed hyperconverged packages combine hardware delivery, installation, remote operations, white-label branding/SAML options, and access to the wider gridscale location ecosystem—aimed at enterprises and hosters building private or partner clouds.

Hostinger

Selectable European and global data centers
Web and cloud plans can be placed in France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom, or in the United States, Brazil, India, Indonesia, or Malaysia. VPS omits the Netherlands. Location is chosen at setup and can be moved later on web and cloud, but not on VPS without rebuild.
Managed WordPress on LiteSpeed and hPanel
Plans include one-click install, staging, automatic updates, malware scanning, WAF, Let's Encrypt, WP-CLI, SSH, and Git. WordPress.org lists Hostinger as a recommended host. Shared plans isolate accounts with CloudLinux LVE. Not a self-hosted WordPress appliance you run elsewhere.
KVM VPS with root, templates, and a public API
KVM guests use AMD EPYC and NVMe, weekly backups, snapshots, a managed firewall, Wanguard DDoS filtering, and one-click OS or app templates (Docker, n8n, Ubuntu, and others). A documented public API and MCP server support automation. The guest is unmanaged: you patch the OS.
Managed cloud with dedicated IP and NVMe
Cloud plans keep hPanel and add more CPU, RAM, NVMe, PHP workers, inode headroom, a dedicated IP, CDN, and daily or on-demand backups. Aimed at agencies and busier WordPress or Node.js sites that do not want root. Upgrade path from shared hosting is in-panel.
In-house hPanel, Access Manager, and migrations
hPanel is Hostinger's control plane for sites, DNS, mail, backups, and collaborators. Access Manager shares scoped access without handing over the account password. Website migration is a supported request flow for common CMS stacks. Developer tools (SSH, Git, PHP versions) live in the same panel.
Public DPA with a named sub-processor list
A click-through DPA covers hosting, VPS, email, domains, Website Builder, Horizons, and Reach. Appendix 3 lists AWS EMEA, Google Cloud EMEA, Cloudflare, MailChannels, Proofpoint, Anthropic Ireland, and spectra tech UAB. New sub-processors can be added with a 10-day objection window.

Assurance & compliance: gridscale vs Hostinger
Assurance & compliance	gridscale	Hostinger
Independent security / no-logs audit	Not applicable IaaS/PaaS provider—not a no-logs VPN product. Request penetration-test or SOC-style reports under NDA if required.	Not found Vendor describes internal pentests and a HackerOne-style responsible disclosure programme. No public independent audit PDF found.
ISO 27001	Vendor claimed Vendor compliance pages and chronology claim ISO/IEC 27001; obtain current certificate for verification.	Vendor claimed Trust Center and security article claim ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Certificate download requires Trust Center access. Not independently verified here.
ISO 27017 (cloud security)	Vendor claimed Compliance page links a certificate PDF download; treat as vendor-published evidence until auditor validates.	Not listed
ISO 27018 (cloud PII)	Vendor claimed Claimed on compliance/about materials; request current scope.	Not listed
SOC 2 / SOC 3	Not found No public SOC 2 found; vendor promotes ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2 instead (different standard).	Not found No public SOC 2 or SOC 3 report found on Trust Center overview or legal pages.
ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2	Vendor claimed About chronology highlights successful ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2 (incl. January 2025 call-out). Request full report.	Not listed
BSI C5	Vendor claimed Prominently listed on compliance pages; About chronology pairs C5 with January 2025 certification success. Request current attestation.	Not listed
GDPR / EU data protection	Vendor claimed German controller (gridscale GmbH); European location marketing; privacy policy under DS-GVO. Confirm DPA and location selection for your processing.	Vendor claimed EU/UK/Luxembourg contracting entities; privacy policy cites GDPR; DPA includes EU SCCs and UK addendum. Confirm entity on the invoice.
US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Partial EU entity, no known US parent (OVHcloud France owns group). Customer hosting marketed in EU/CH/AT. Partial because privacy recipient list includes US-group Stripe, Google Analytics/GTM, Microsoft, Meta, LinkedIn for payments/marketing. Not legal advice.	Partial European group, no known US parent. Exposure is medium because customers may select US data centers and the DPA names US-group processors (AWS EMEA, Google Cloud EMEA, Cloudflare, Proofpoint). Not legal advice.
Data processing agreement (B2B)	Vendor claimed GTC §14.2 requires a separate order-processing contract when gridscale processes personal data for the customer, finalised at latest on contract conclusion. Execute AV/DPA—do not rely on website privacy alone.	Vendor claimed Public DPA incorporated into the Terms of Service. Parties: Hostinger International Ltd, Hostinger UK Limited, or Hostinger Global S.a r.l.
EU AI Act	Not applicable Infrastructure cloud; not an AI system product. GPU capacity may host customer AI workloads under shared-responsibility model.	Not applicable Core product is hosting. Horizons, Kodee, and Reach are AI features inside that product, not an AI-centric system of record.
Trusted Cloud (DE)	Vendor claimed Compliance page links Trusted Cloud service listing; verify current entry on trusted-cloud.de.	Not listed
HIPAA / PCI environment	Not listed	Not applicable Hosting agreement: services are not intended to provide a PCI or HIPAA compliant environment.

Considerations & known limitations: gridscale vs Hostinger
Considerations & known limitations	gridscale	Hostinger
Parent-group integration after OVHcloud acquisition	Medium 100% OVHcloud ownership since 2023 may change roadmap, tooling, support model, or cross-entity data flows over time. Confirm entity, subcontractors, and exit terms for your contract generation.	Not listed
Partner-operated Hybrid Core locations	Medium Some sites are operated with partners (hosttech, rhöncloud, BAIONITY, windCORES, etc.). Capability matrices differ (for example object storage not everywhere). Map exact location codes to SLA and subprocessor wording.	Not listed
US-group ancillary processors (account/marketing)	Medium Privacy policy lists Stripe, Google Analytics/GTM, Microsoft Bing Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn. Material for DPIAs even when VM disks stay in EU halls. Ask which tools touch production account identities versus marketing only.	Not listed
Certifications need current attestation packs	Low BSI C5, ISAE 3402, and ISO claims are vendor-published. Production security reviews should obtain dated reports rather than relying on marketing badges alone.	Not listed
Narrower global footprint than hyperscalers	Low Location set is European-weighted. Unsuitable as a drop-in for multi-continent latency or hyperscaler-only services (global CDN marketplaces, specialized managed services).	Not listed
Optional non-EU hosting regions	Not listed	Medium US, Brazil, and Asia data centers are first-class options. An operator can place production outside the EEA at checkout. Lock region in procurement if residency is required.
US-group cloud, CDN, email, and security vendors	Not listed	Medium Even an EU VM still depends on AWS EMEA, Google Cloud EMEA, Cloudflare, Proofpoint, MailChannels, plus Google/Meta marketing tools. This is why CLOUD Act exposure is not low.
Cyprus contract vs Lithuanian operations	Not listed	Low HQ and affiliates are Lithuanian; EU paper is usually Hostinger International Ltd (Cyprus). Invoices may also be charged by other group entities. Confirm the contracting party before security review.
ISO 27001 certificate not independently verified here	Not listed	Low The cert is claimed on the Trust Center but gated. Download it before treating ISO as verified.
Customer still owns CMS, guest OS, and backups	Not listed	Medium VPS is unmanaged. Terms require you to keep your own backups even when Hostinger offers weekly copies. Shared and cloud plans are not HIPAA/PCI environments.

Fit

gridscale

Best fit when

DACH mid-market teams wanting German contracting plus managed PaaS (Kubernetes, databases, load balancers)
MSPs and hosters needing white-label branding, multi-tenant accounts, and optional Hybrid Core hardware
Workloads that must pick DE/NL/CH/AT regions with Tier 3 marketing claims and green-energy positioning
AI/ML or data-science jobs that need GPU bare-metal with per-minute metering
Buyers who value panel + API/Terraform over hyperscaler IAM sprawl

Poor fit when

Global multi-region applications that need hyperscaler edge, marketplace services, or non-European regions
Teams optimising only for lowest bare VM or dedicated-server unit cost (evaluate Hetzner first)
Buyers requiring public SOC 2 Type II specifically rather than ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2 / BSI C5 packs
Organisations that forbid any US-group ancillary processors (Stripe/Google marketing tools appear in the privacy recipient list)

Consider instead when

When: You need the broader European hyperscale portfolio and more regions under one group brand
Consider: OVHcloud
OVHcloud is the parent group; gridscale stays the HCI/panel-focused product line
When: Cost-sensitive VMs or dedicated servers dominate and you do not need Hybrid Core white-label
Consider: Hetzner
Hetzner typically wins raw price/performance for simple compute
When: France-centric developer cloud with different location and product skew
Consider: Scaleway
Compare ARM options and FR footprint versus gridscale DACH Hybrid Core
When: Swiss-rooted EU cloud positioning is the primary evaluation criterion
Consider: Exoscale
Still compare DE/CH site maps and managed service depth side by side
When: You need worldwide regions, marketplace depth, or US-public-sector cloud programmes
Consider: Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure
Trade EU-entity simplicity for hyperscaler breadth and US ownership path

Hostinger

Best fit when

SMBs and creators who want domain, SSL, mail, and a WordPress or builder site in one hPanel
Teams that can pick an EU data center (FR, DE, LT, NL, or UK) and still accept named US-group subprocessors
Agencies managing multiple client WordPress sites on Hostinger Pro or cloud plans
Developers who want a straightforward KVM VPS with templates, weekly backups, and a public API
Buyers who need a click-through DPA and published sub-processor list before legal review

Poor fit when

Workloads that require a HIPAA or PCI environment (explicitly excluded in the hosting agreement)
Organisations that mandate EU-only processing with no US-group cloud, CDN, email, or analytics vendors
Buyers who need a custom enterprise SLA, dedicated account team, or AWS/GCP-scale IaaS catalog
Operators who need to relocate a VPS between regions without a backup-and-reinstall

Consider instead when

When: You want German-operated dedicated servers, object storage, or more operator-centric VPS without a consumer website-builder overlay
Consider: Hetzner
Hetzner is in the catalog as German web hosting and cloud.
When: You need a large European public cloud with many regions and a stronger IaaS and public-sector posture
Consider: OVHcloud or IONOS
Both are catalog EU clouds; IONOS also covers consumer-style web hosting.
When: You need US-centric SMB WordPress hosting already familiar to North American agencies
Consider: GoDaddy or Bluehost
Different jurisdiction. Useful only if European contracting is not a filter.

Open questions for due diligence

gridscale

Will gridscale execute your template AV/DPA and attach a location-specific subprocessor list for the regions you enable?
What is the current scope and report date for BSI C5 and ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2 covering the services you will buy?
Which privacy-policy third parties process production account/identity data versus website marketing only?
How are OVHcloud group affiliates involved in support, billing, or platform operations for gridscale customers post-acquisition?
For Hybrid Core partner sites, who is the data-center operator of record and what audit rights apply?

Hostinger

Which Hostinger group entity will appear on our invoice and DPA counterparty line?
Can we obtain the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certificate and statement of applicability without NDA friction?
Which subprocessors and regions actually touch our account if we pin web hosting to Lithuania or Germany and disable AI, Reach, and Dark Web Monitor?
Is a SOC 2 or equivalent report available under NDA?
What is the exact SLA credit process and exclusion list for our plan versus the 99.9% marketing figure?