Web stacks

LEMP Stack VPS HostingNGINX and PHP-FPM on Your Own Server

NGINX in front of PHP-FPM and MySQL or MariaDB: the stack most high-traffic PHP sites run on. We install and secure it on a KVM VPS with reserved CPU and RAM, and you get root SSH to tune every layer.

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Full root & SSH NVMe storage Daily backups Anti-DDoS 99.9% uptime SLA 11 locations

  • Root and SSH access

    Edit server blocks, FPM pools and my.cnf directly.

  • Reserved vCores and RAM

    PHP-FPM workers sized to resources that are yours.

  • NVMe storage

    Fast reads for PHP files, sessions and database pages.

  • Anti-DDoS, IPv4 + IPv6

    Dedicated addresses with always-on mitigation.

Why a VPS

Why Choose LEMP on a VPS

NGINX handles thousands of idle and slow connections with a few worker processes, leaving more of the server's memory for PHP and the database.

  1. Lower memory per connection

    NGINX's event-driven workers do not tie up a process per visitor the way Apache prefork does, so the same RAM serves more people at once.

  2. Static files served without PHP

    Images, CSS and JavaScript go straight from NGINX with cache headers; only dynamic requests reach PHP-FPM.

  3. Built-in page caching

    FastCGI cache stores rendered pages on NVMe and serves them without running PHP, which suits content sites with mostly anonymous visitors.

  4. Separate PHP pools per site

    Each site gets its own PHP-FPM pool and Linux user, with its own worker limits and PHP settings.

The stack

How the LEMP Stack Handles a Request

NGINX answers what it can itself; everything dynamic goes to PHP-FPM over a local socket.

Request from a browser or app (HTTPS)

  1. Web server

    NGINX

    Terminates HTTPS and HTTP/2, serves static files and cached pages, and passes .php requests on.

  2. PHP runtime

    PHP-FPM + OPcache

    A pool of PHP workers per site on a Unix socket, with compiled code kept in memory.

  3. Database

    MySQL or MariaDB

    Listens on localhost only, with one database and user per application.

  4. OS

    Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky)

    Firewall, Fail2ban and automatic security updates run here.

Worth knowing

  • NGINX does not read .htaccess: rewrite rules go into the site's server block.
  • The E in LEMP comes from how NGINX is pronounced: "engine-x".
  • pm = ondemand lets quiet sites idle at almost no memory; pm = static suits steady traffic.
  • Redis can be added for WordPress object caching or framework sessions.
What you can run

What You Can Run on a LEMP VPS

  • High-traffic WordPress

    FastCGI cache and Redis object caching in front of WordPress or WooCommerce.

  • Laravel and Symfony apps

    Modern PHP frameworks are usually deployed on NGINX and PHP-FPM in production.

  • Several PHP sites, one server

    Separate server blocks, pools and users for company or client sites.

  • Magento, PrestaShop and OpenCart

    PHP stores with many static assets, which NGINX serves efficiently.

  • APIs and headless back ends

    PHP APIs with rate limiting and response caching handled in NGINX.

  • Apps with a single front controller

    Custom code that routes everything through index.php runs on NGINX with one try_files rule.

VPS Plans

VPS Plans for Your LEMP Server

VPS-1 is a good start for a handful of PHP sites. Busy WooCommerce stores and sites with large databases do better on VPS-2 or VPS-3.

VPS-1

Small websites, APIs, bots and development servers.

₹1,008 /mo
Get Started
  • 2 vCores
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 40 GB NVMe
  • 500 Mbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation
Most Popular

VPS-2

Production apps, WordPress and online stores.

₹1,906 /mo
Get Started
  • 4 vCores
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 75 GB NVMe
  • 1 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

VPS-3

Busy stores, SaaS products and several projects.

₹2,748 /mo
Get Started
  • 6 vCores
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 100 GB NVMe
  • 2 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

VPS-4

High-traffic apps, large databases and agencies.

₹5,274 /mo
Get Started
  • 8 vCores
  • 24 GB RAM
  • 200 GB NVMe
  • 3 Gbps
  • Full root and SSH access
  • Free initial stack installation
  • Server hardening and firewall setup
  • Daily backup of the previous 24 hours
  • Unlimited traffic *
  • Anti-DDoS protection
  • Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6
  • KVM virtualisation

* Unlimited traffic in Europe and North America. In Mumbai, Singapore and Sydney a monthly allowance applies (VPS-1 500 GB, VPS-2/VPS-3 1 TB, VPS-4 3 TB), then speed is limited to 10 Mbps until the next month.

Sizing guide

Which Plan for Your LEMP Server

NGINX itself needs little memory. Size the plan for PHP-FPM workers and the database.

Recommended VPS plan for each LEMP workload
Workload Start with Why
Several small PHP sites VPS-1 2 vCores · 4 GB RAM NGINX, PHP-FPM and MariaDB fit comfortably in 4 GB.
High-traffic WordPress with FastCGI cache VPS-2 4 vCores · 8 GB RAM Cached pages are cheap; RAM goes to PHP and the database for logged-in users.
WooCommerce, Magento or PrestaShop store VPS-3 6 vCores · 12 GB RAM Catalogue search and checkout are PHP- and database-heavy.
Agency or multi-store server VPS-4 8 vCores · 24 GB RAM Room for many server blocks, pools and databases.

A starting point, not a limit: every plan upgrades in place, keeping your data, IP address and configuration.

LEMP or LAMP on a VPS?

Both run the same PHP apps. The web server in front is what differs.

Feature LAMP (Apache) LEMP (NGINX)
Connection handling Processes or threads (event MPM narrows the gap) Event-driven, a few workers
Memory under many connections Higher Lower
.htaccess support Yes No: rules go in the server block
Static files Good Very efficient
Built-in page cache mod_cache (less common) FastCGI cache
Best for Software that relies on .htaccess Busy sites and modern frameworks
Explore LAMP (Apache) See Plans
After handover

Your First LEMP Site After Handover

Deploy over SSH into the server block we set up, then reload NGINX and PHP-FPM.

  1. Upload your code

    Clone your repository into the document root.

  2. Install dependencies

    For Composer-based apps, install production dependencies.

  3. Check the server block

    Test the NGINX configuration before applying it.

  4. Reload services

    Apply the config and clear OPcache by reloading PHP-FPM.

# 1. Upload your code

cd /var/www/example.com

git clone [email protected]:you/app.git .

# 2. Install dependencies

composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

# 3. Check the server block

sudo nginx -t

# 4. Reload services

sudo systemctl reload nginx

sudo systemctl reload php8.3-fpm

Example shell commands; adjust paths, names and versions to your project.

Example commands; adjust names, paths and versions to your project. Deploying and maintaining your application is yours to do (or ask us for a quote).

Free one-time setup

Installed and Secured Before You Log In

The VPS is unmanaged: after handover the server is yours to run. Before that, our engineers do the first setup once, free, so you start from a hardened server with LEMP in place.

  1. Choose a plan and location

    Pick the resources you need and the datacentre closest to your users.

  2. Tell us your LEMP setup

    Versions, database and domain: at order or right after.

  3. We install and secure it

    Server hardened, LEMP installed and tested, HTTPS on your domain.

  4. You take over with root

    SSH access to a working server, ready for your code and data.

Your LEMP stack

  • NGINX with HTTP/2 and gzip compression
  • PHP-FPM with OPcache and common extensions
  • MySQL or MariaDB, secured, with a database and user for your app
  • A server block for your domain with HTTPS
  • Redis or phpMyAdmin on request

Yours to run after handover

  • Ongoing server administration
  • Application maintenance and updates
  • Debugging your code
  • Migrating existing sites or data

Not included in the free setup, but we can quote for it. No control panel by default: CloudPanel, HestiaCP or Virtualmin on request at no cost; cPanel and Plesk need their own licence.

Under the hood

Platform Specs and Locations

The same KVM platform on every plan; only the CPU, RAM, storage and port speed change.

VPS platform specifications
Virtualisation KVM with reserved vCores and RAM
Storage NVMe SSD on every plan
Network Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6, 500 Mbps to 3 Gbps per plan
Operating systems Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04 LTS · Debian 13, 12 and 11 · AlmaLinux · Rocky Linux · Fedora · FreeBSD
Access Full root over SSH, key-based login
Backups Automatic daily backup of the previous 24 hours; snapshots and longer retention on request
Protection Always-on anti-DDoS mitigation
Availability 99.9% uptime SLA

Secured before we hand it over

  • Non-root sudo user created for daily work
  • SSH key login, password login for root disabled
  • Firewall (UFW) open only for the ports you use
  • Fail2ban blocking repeated login attempts
  • Automatic security updates enabled
  • Free Let's Encrypt SSL on your domain
  • Timezone, swap and hostname configured

Asia-Pacific

  • Mumbai
  • Singapore
  • Sydney

Europe

  • London
  • Limburg
  • Roubaix
  • Gravelines
  • Strasbourg
  • Milan
  • Warsaw

North America

  • Beauharnois

Availability per location changes with demand; we confirm your location before setup. In Mumbai, Singapore and Sydney each plan includes a monthly traffic allowance (VPS-1 500 GB, VPS-2 and VPS-3 1 TB, VPS-4 3 TB); beyond it, speed is limited to 10 Mbps until the next month.

Who it's for

Who a LEMP VPS Suits

  • Busy PHP sites

    Stores and content sites whose traffic peaks have outgrown shared hosting.

  • Developers who know NGINX

    Comfortable editing server blocks and FPM pool files over SSH.

  • Agencies

    Many client sites on one server, isolated by PHP-FPM pool and user.

Running it well

Security and Performance on a LEMP Server

Security

  • Only pass real files to PHP: try_files $uri =404 in the PHP location block.
  • Deny access to hidden files and folders such as .git and .env.
  • Run each site's PHP-FPM pool as its own user.
  • Hide version numbers with server_tokens off and expose_php = Off.

Performance

  • Set worker_processes auto so NGINX uses every vCore.
  • Enable OPcache and size pm.max_children to the RAM left after the database.
  • Use FastCGI cache for anonymous traffic on content sites.
  • Give static assets long expiry headers and enable gzip.
LEMP VPS FAQs

Questions Before You Deploy

Not covered here? Ask an engineer before you order.

Get a LEMP Server Ready for Traffic

Choose a plan and tell us your PHP version and database. We hand over NGINX, PHP-FPM and MySQL installed and secured.

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