/blog / comparison
OVH Eco vs Hetzner Server Auction: where the real bargains live
Two markets for second-hand dedicated servers, both badly designed, both worth knowing.
- dedicated
- comparison
- ovh
- hetzner
- auction
Both providers run a “you take what we have left” tier — OVH calls it Eco, Hetzner calls it Server Auction. Both list older hardware at meaningful discounts. Neither has a sane filter UI.
The Hetzner auction
Refreshed every few hours. You can sometimes find a 64GB-RAM Xeon for €30/mo. The catch is the stock turns over fast — bookmark the listing, decide quickly.
OVH Eco
More stable inventory, generally newer hardware, slightly higher prices. UI is similarly hostile but at least filters work.
When to pick which
If you can tolerate volatile inventory, Hetzner Auction has the absolute cheapest listings. If you want predictability with a small premium, OVH Eco. We’ve used both.
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