Skiff 1
$ 4 /month
- vCPU
- 1 × shared
- RAM
- 1 GB
- Storage
- 20 GB NVMe SSD
- Transfer
- 2 TB
- IPv4 / IPv6
- 1 / /64 routed
Operating system
Alpine Linux VPS hosting — under 100 MB RAM
3.22 · 3.21Min 128 MBRecommended 1 GBAlpine Linux
Short answer
Alpine boots in under 100 MB of RAM using musl libc and BusyBox instead of glibc and GNU coreutils. That makes it the smallest useful server image available and the best fit for a $4 instance — at the cost of occasional compatibility problems with software that assumes glibc.
Strengths
- Under 100 MB base footprint
- Very small attack surface
- Fast boot
- Ideal for containers
Trade-offs
- musl libc breaks some binaries
- BusyBox tools differ from GNU
Best suited to
Minimal VPS instancesContainer hostsFirewalls and routersSingle-purpose appliances
Alpine Linux on a KVM virtual server
Running Alpine on KVM gives you a kernel and an init system that the host does not constrain. Container VPSs share the host kernel, so you get what they give you. With KVM you can load a custom kernel, boot your own ISO, and build a machine that is genuinely yours. Before you choose it, know that a two-year support horizon per release means you will track versions. Plan for that cadence.
People run Alpine here as a router or firewall, a container host, or a single-purpose appliance. Its small footprint and fast boot suit minimal instances. But musl libc breaks some binaries, and BusyBox differs from GNU tools, so anything assuming glibc may need a rebuild or a different distro.
How much machine Alpine Linux actually needs
Alpine boots in as little as 128 MB, but start with 1 GB for comfort. The OS itself leaves nearly all of that for your application. Disk is cheap, so buy 20 GB if you can; the kernel and base packages take only a few hundred megabytes.
Plans that suit Alpine Linux
Skiff 2
$ 7 /month
- vCPU
- 1 × shared
- RAM
- 2 GB
- Storage
- 40 GB NVMe SSD
- Transfer
- 3 TB
- IPv4 / IPv6
- 1 / /64 routed
Skiff 4
$ 12 /month
- vCPU
- 2 × shared
- RAM
- 4 GB
- Storage
- 60 GB NVMe SSD
- Transfer
- 4 TB
- IPv4 / IPv6
- 1 / /64 routed
Frequently asked questions
How much RAM does Alpine Linux need?
Alpine Linux boots in 128 MB and is comfortable with 1 GB. Add whatever your application needs on top of that — the operating system baseline is a floor, not a budget.
Can I run Alpine Linux on a VPS?
Yes, on true KVM virtualisation, which is what every OnionVPS instance runs. It is available as a ready template and can also be installed from your own ISO.
How long is Alpine Linux supported?
2 years per release
What exactly differs between musl and glibc?
musl is a smaller, stricter libc. Some binary software expects glibc's behaviour or symbols, and will fail to start or crash. Compile from source when possible, or check for musl-compatible builds. BusyBox's utilities also differ from GNU's, so scripts may need adjusting.
Can I run Docker containers on Alpine?
Yes, and it is a common use here. Alpine's tiny host footprint leaves more memory for containers. The kernel is yours under KVM, so you can enable the modules Docker needs. Just be aware that containers expecting glibc may have the same compatibility issues as native software.