Raff and Netcup both serve VPS buyers who care about price, bandwidth, and control, but the buying model is different. Netcup VPS 500 G12 gives 2 vCore, 4 GB DDR5 ECC RAM, and 128 GB NVMe at a lower committed monthly price. Raff’s comparable General Purpose 4 GB tier gives 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and 80 GB NVMe at $9.99/mo with no setup fee, while the entry 2 GB tier starts at $5.99/mo. The biggest differences are setup fees, commitment pricing, bandwidth policy, support, and how much local storage you want inside the VM.
Netcup vs Raff: which is right for you?
- Choose Netcup for storage-heavy VPS value — Netcup includes 128 GB NVMe on VPS 500 G12, while Raff’s comparable 4 GB General Purpose plan includes 80 GB NVMe.
- Choose Raff for no setup fee — Raff VM plans have no setup fee, while the flexible 0-month Netcup VPS 500 G12 checkout shows a €4.20 setup fee.
- Choose Netcup for lower committed pricing — Netcup’s 12-month VPS 500 G12 price is €5.91/mo, about $6.81/mo.
- Choose Raff for cleaner monthly pricing — Raff’s 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB plan is $9.99/mo with simple monthly billing and no first-month setup jump.
- Choose Netcup if you want one large local disk — Netcup is stronger when the VPS itself needs to hold more data.
- Choose Raff if you want cloud operations around the VM — Raff combines VMs with backups, snapshots, private networking, object storage, and 24/7 human support.
Netcup overview
Netcup is a German hosting provider offering VPS, Root Server, web hosting, domains, and related infrastructure products. Its VPS G12 line is attractive for users who want large included NVMe storage, DDR5 ECC RAM, traffic included, remote console access, snapshots, and aggressive euro pricing.
The key Netcup detail for this comparison is pricing structure. The lower VPS 500 G12 price applies to the 12-month version. The flexible 0-month version shown in checkout costs more per month and adds a setup fee.
Netcup is a strong choice for self-managed users who understand Linux server operations, want larger local storage by default, and are comfortable with a traditional hosting-style VPS workflow.
Raff overview
Raff Technologies is a cloud infrastructure platform focused on fast, simple, reliable virtual machines for developers, startups, agencies, and small teams. Raff’s current General Purpose lineup starts at $5.99/mo for 2 vCPU / 2 GB RAM / 40 GB NVMe SSD. The comparable 4 GB tier is $9.99/mo for 2 vCPU HiMem / 4 GB RAM / 80 GB NVMe SSD.
Raff includes unmetered bandwidth, 3 Gbps standard port speed, resize support, IPv4 with optional IPv6 dual-stack, snapshots, automated backups, firewall controls, private networking, web console access, and 24/7 human support.
Raff operates 10,000+ production VMs and is rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot across 14 verified reviews. The Raff position is not “more local disk than Netcup.” The Raff position is simpler cloud operations with no setup fee, predictable pricing, and support around the VM.
Netcup pricing vs Raff pricing
The pricing comparison needs to separate three things:
- Netcup’s 12-month committed price.
- Netcup’s flexible 0-month price with setup fee.
- Raff’s monthly and yearly/24-month lock pricing.
Using an estimated exchange rate of €1 ≈ $1.153:
| Option | Commitment | Monthly cost | First-month cost | Setup fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raff 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB | Monthly | $9.99/mo | $9.99 | $0 |
| Raff 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB | 12 or 24 months | ≈ $8.33/mo effective | Paid upfront | $0 |
| Netcup VPS 500 G12 | 12 months | €5.91/mo ≈ $6.81/mo | ≈ $6.81 | €0 |
| Netcup VPS 500 G12 | 0 months | €6.60/mo ≈ $7.61/mo | €10.80 ≈ $12.45 | €4.20 ≈ $4.84 |
Note: Raff also has a smaller entry plan at $5.99/mo for 2 vCPU / 2 GB / 40 GB NVMe SSD, but Netcup VPS 500 G12 has no direct 2 GB match. Netcup includes more local NVMe storage at the 4 GB tier, while Raff has no setup fee, simpler billing, unmetered bandwidth, and included cloud operations features.
Netcup is cheaper at the 4 GB RAM tier if you compare only committed monthly price and local storage. Netcup VPS 500 G12 gives 4 GB RAM and 128 GB NVMe at about $6.81/mo on a 12-month commitment.
The flexible monthly comparison is closer. Netcup’s 0-month option is about $7.61/mo, but the first month becomes about $12.45 after the setup fee. Raff’s 4 GB comparable tier is $9.99/mo with no setup fee.
Raff’s 12-month and 24-month lock options also matter. Raff’s $9.99/mo 4 GB plan becomes about $8.33/mo effective when paid on the 10-of-12 structure. That does not make Raff cheaper than Netcup’s committed 12-month price, but it makes the comparison more honest than comparing Raff monthly against Netcup’s committed headline price.
Pricing methodology
Prices are shown in USD estimates for comparison. Netcup prices are first stated in EUR because Netcup bills in EUR. USD estimates use €1 ≈ $1.153. Actual card charges can vary based on exchange rate, bank fees, VAT status, and customer location.
This comparison uses Raff General Purpose because Netcup VPS G12 is a shared-resource VPS line. Raff CPU-Optimized should be compared separately against dedicated-vCPU or dedicated-core product lines.
Automated backups
Raff includes automated backups as part of the VM platform story, alongside snapshots and restore-oriented operations. Netcup VPS 500 G12 lists snapshots and remote console access on the product page, but automated backups are not the same headline inclusion in the VPS checkout flow.
For production workloads, backups should not be treated as an optional detail. The monthly VPS price is only one part of the real operating cost.
Setup fees and first-month cost
The setup-fee difference is one of the strongest points for the updated Netcup comparison.
Raff charges no setup fee on VM plans.
Netcup’s 12-month VPS 500 G12 page shows €0 setup fee. The flexible 0-month checkout shown for VPS 500 G12 displays a €4.20 setup fee. That means Netcup’s first month on the flexible option is not just €6.60. The first month is €10.80 before currency conversion.
This should be stated clearly because many buyers compare only the monthly card and miss the first-month total.
Bandwidth and transfer policy
Raff includes unmetered bandwidth with a 3 Gbps standard port on visible General Purpose plans. For small teams, developers, and startup workloads, that removes a common cloud-pricing concern: estimating every outbound gigabyte before the application has real traffic.
Netcup includes traffic on VPS 500 G12, but the product details include a fair-use condition. If average network traffic over the last 24 hours exceeds 2 TB, temporary throttling to 200 Mbit/s is applied until the condition no longer applies.
That does not make Netcup a bad bandwidth choice. It simply means the comparison should not say both providers are “unlimited” without context.
Choose Raff if you want the cleaner bandwidth story: unmetered bandwidth, 3 Gbps port speed, and no separate egress-bill calculation. Choose Netcup if its included traffic policy fits your usage and the storage-heavy VPS price matters more.
Feature comparison: Netcup vs Raff
Compute
| Feature | Raff | Netcup |
|---|---|---|
| Main comparison class | General Purpose VMs | VPS 500 G12 / x86 VPS G12 |
| Comparable 4 GB tier | 2 vCPU HiMem / 4 GB RAM | 2 vCore / 4 GB DDR5 ECC RAM |
| Comparable storage | 80 GB NVMe SSD | 128 GB NVMe |
| Entry visible price | $5.99/mo for 2 vCPU / 2 GB | No direct 2 GB VPS 500 G12 match |
| 4 GB monthly price | $9.99/mo | €6.60/mo flexible or €5.91/mo committed |
| 12-month discount | Pay 10 of 12 months | Lower 12-month product price |
| Setup fee | $0 | €4.20 on the 0-month option |
Networking
| Feature | Raff | Netcup |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth language | Unmetered bandwidth | Traffic included |
| Port speed | 3 Gbps standard port | 2.5 Gbit/s interface speed |
| Fair-use throttle | Not positioned as a 2 TB / 24h throttle | Throttling to 200 Mbit/s after 2 TB average traffic over 24h |
| IPv4 | Included with VM | IPv4 + IPv6 connectivity available |
| IPv6 | Optional dual-stack | IPv6 available |
| Private networking | Available | Not the main VPS 500 G12 comparison angle |
| DDoS protection | Included | Available on Netcup product positioning |
Storage and backups
| Feature | Raff | Netcup |
|---|---|---|
| Included local storage at 4 GB tier | 80 GB NVMe | 128 GB NVMe |
| Storage advantage | Broader cloud storage model | More local NVMe by default |
| Block storage | Available | Local Block Storage expandable up to max. 8 TB |
| Snapshots | Available | Copy-on-write snapshots available |
| Automated backups | Available as part of Raff VM operations | Not the central VPS 500 G12 checkout emphasis |
| Object storage | S3-compatible object storage available | Not the main VPS 500 G12 comparison angle |
Platform
| Feature | Raff | Netcup |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | Cloud VM dashboard | Hosting/VPS control workflow |
| Web console | Available | Remote management console available |
| Custom images | Available | Import of custom images available |
| API / CLI | Available | API access available |
| Terraform | Available | Not the main comparison angle |
| Support model | 24/7 human support | Ticket, help center, contact, and community resources |
| Trust signal | 10,000+ production VMs; 4.5/5 on Trustpilot | Established German hosting provider |
When you should choose Netcup over Raff
- More local storage — Netcup VPS 500 G12 includes 128 GB NVMe at the 4 GB RAM tier.
- Lower committed price — Netcup VPS 500 G12 12M is €5.91/mo, about $6.81/mo.
- Traditional VPS workflow — Netcup fits users who are comfortable managing servers through a hosting-style setup.
- European provider preference — Netcup is a German hosting provider with strong European market recognition.
- Large single-disk workloads — Netcup is attractive when a project needs more local disk inside one VPS.
- Self-managed operations — Netcup works well for users who do not need Raff’s support-oriented cloud model.
When you should choose Raff over Netcup
- No setup fee — Raff VM plans have $0 setup fee, while Netcup’s 0-month VPS 500 G12 checkout shows a €4.20 setup fee.
- Cleaner monthly pricing — Raff’s comparable 4 GB tier is $9.99/mo with no first-month setup jump.
- Commitment discount — Raff yearly and 24-month VM locks use a simple 10-of-12 structure, about 17% off.
- Unmetered bandwidth — Raff includes unmetered bandwidth with 3 Gbps standard port speed.
- Cloud operations — Raff includes snapshots, backups, private networking, firewall controls, object storage, and console access.
- Human support — Raff provides 24/7 human support for small teams that do not have dedicated infrastructure staff.
- Trust at scale — Raff runs 10,000+ production VMs and is rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot across 14 verified reviews.
Migrating from Netcup to Raff
- Inventory Netcup instances — record OS version, region, attached storage, public IPs, DNS records, firewall rules, database engines, and backup schedule.
- Provision matching Raff VMs — choose equal or greater CPU and RAM. If the Netcup server relies heavily on the 128 GB local disk, plan Raff block storage or object storage before migration.
- Transfer data safely — use
rsyncover SSH for application files and native tools such aspg_dump,mysqldump, or application-level exports for databases. - Update DNS carefully — lower DNS TTL to 300 seconds before cutover, then point records to the Raff VM once the application passes smoke tests.
- Verify operations — test HTTP responses, login flows, background jobs, firewall rules, backups, and restore paths before switching traffic fully.
- Decommission Netcup after the cutover window — keep the Netcup VPS online temporarily until Raff logs, traffic, and backups are verified.
For stateful workloads, plan a short maintenance window during DNS swap. Stateless services behind a load balancer can be moved gradually, but databases and uploaded files need a stricter cutover plan.
About Netcup
Netcup is operated by netcup GmbH, headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany. The company was merged into netcup GmbH in 2008 and has been part of the Anexia group since 2016. Netcup offers VPS, Root Server, web hosting, domains, and related hosting services. Read more on the official Netcup website: https://www.netcup.com/en
Conclusion: Netcup or Raff?
The comparison resolves across four measured axes:
- Pricing structure — Netcup is cheaper on the 12-month committed VPS 500 G12 price, while Raff avoids setup fees and keeps a simpler 10-of-12 commitment discount.
- First-month cost — Raff’s 4 GB plan is $9.99 with $0 setup, while Netcup’s flexible 0-month option is about $12.45 in the first month after setup.
- Storage — Netcup includes more local NVMe storage at the 4 GB tier, with 128 GB versus Raff’s 80 GB.
- Operations — Raff is stronger for support, unmetered bandwidth, backups, snapshots, private networking, object storage, and small-team cloud workflows.
Choose Netcup if your priority is lower committed pricing and more local NVMe storage inside a self-managed VPS. Choose Raff if your priority is no setup fee, cleaner monthly pricing, unmetered bandwidth, included operational features, and 24/7 human support.
Verified rating: Raff Technologies is rated 4.5/5 across 14 verified reviews on Trustpilot, with 10,000+ production VMs running on the platform.