Skiff 1
$ 4 /month
- vCPU
- 1 × shared
- RAM
- 1 GB
- Storage
- 20 GB NVMe SSD
- Transfer
- 2 TB
- IPv4 / IPv6
- 1 / /64 routed
Shared-core KVM
Skiff
The cheapest way to own a real, isolated machine.
Shared AMD EPYC 7003 / 9004NVMe (RAID-10)From $4/mo
Short answer
Entry KVM virtual servers on shared AMD EPYC cores with NVMe storage. Full root, custom kernels, and the same network and privacy posture as every other line — the only thing you give up is guaranteed CPU burst.
Skiff plans
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
Available in all 138 locations.
What Skiff is for
Skiff is the line for workloads that need isolation but not a dedicated core. Each instance is true KVM, so you get your own kernel and full root; the shared EPYC cores only limit burst capacity. VPN endpoints, small bots, and monitoring nodes rarely need sustained CPU, so this is where you stop paying for hardware you will not use. When network, storage, and privacy posture matter more than guaranteed compute, Skiff is the right purchase.
People run WireGuard and OpenVPN endpoints, Tor relays, DNS resolvers, monitoring agents like Prometheus Node Exporter, and small Telegram or IRC bots. These sit mostly idle, so shared cores handle them comfortably. NVMe storage and the included DDoS mitigation make Skiff suitable for public-facing services that need to stay up under attack.
Choosing a size
Choose between Skiff 1, 2, and 4 based on RAM and transfer. Skiff 1 handles a VPN endpoint or a few bots; Skiff 2 adds headroom for caching and more concurrent connections; Skiff 4 suits DNS or monitoring with heavier logging. If the CPU is constantly pegged and the node is no longer responsive, you have bought too small and should move up.
Specifications
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Transfer | IPv4 | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skiff 1 | 1 | 1 GB | 20 GB NVMe SSD | 2 TB | 1 | $4 |
| Skiff 2 | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB NVMe SSD | 3 TB | 1 | $7 |
| Skiff 4 | 2 | 4 GB | 60 GB NVMe SSD | 4 TB | 1 | $12 |
Best suited to
VPN endpointsTor relaysSmall botsDNSMonitoring nodesLearning Linux
In every plan, at every tier
| Included | What it means |
|---|---|
| Full root / Administrator access | Including custom kernels, nested virtualisation and raw sockets. |
| True KVM virtualisation | Not a container. Your own kernel, your own /proc, no shared namespace. |
| Custom ISO upload | Boot anything: OpenBSD, NixOS, Whonix, a hand-rolled image. |
| Out-of-band VNC console | Recover a broken network config without opening a ticket. |
| Routed IPv6 /64 | Not a single address — a whole subnet, at no cost. |
| Always-on DDoS mitigation | Up to 12 Tbps of edge scrubbing capacity, included at every tier. |
| Three free snapshots | Instant, and taken without pausing the instance. |
| Self-service reverse DNS | Set PTR records from the panel; essential for mail. |
| Full REST API and Terraform provider | Everything the panel does, scriptable. |
| No identity verification, ever | An email address you control is the only account identifier we hold. |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Skiff line for?
Entry KVM virtual servers on shared AMD EPYC cores with NVMe storage. Full root, custom kernels, and the same network and privacy posture as every other line — the only thing you give up is guaranteed CPU burst.
Are Skiff cores dedicated?
No — this line uses shared cores, which is why it is priced as it is. That is genuinely fine for workloads that are idle most of the time. If tail latency matters, choose Cutter or Clipper.
Can I upgrade later?
CPU and RAM increase with a short reboot, and disk grows online. Moving down a tier requires a rebuild, so start smaller than you think you need.
What does shared CPU mean for performance?
Your instance gets a guaranteed allocation of vCPUs on a shared AMD EPYC 7003 or 9004 host. Neighbouring instances can use spare cycles, so you may see burst performance, but sustained heavy load can be throttled. For light, intermittent workloads this is fine; for constant number-crunching you should look at a dedicated CPU line.
Can I install a custom kernel on Skiff?
Yes. Skiff is true KVM, not a container, so you have full root and can load custom kernels, enable nested virtualisation, or use raw sockets. You also get a custom ISO upload to boot anything from OpenBSD to a hand-rolled image. The shared CPU only affects performance, not what you can run.