VPS Virtual Private Server
A VM with root access that a hosting provider sells cheaply. The basis of all "rent-a-Linux" hosting. $5–20/month for basic, root access to install whatever.
Distinct from shared hosting (many customers on the same OS instance) and dedicated server (physical machine). Major independent VPS providers: Hetzner (Germany, price leader), Digital Ocean (US, dev-focus), Linode (Akamai-owned), OVH (France), Vultr, Netcup. Hyperscaler versions (EC2, Compute Engine, Droplets) are pricier but have more ecosystem. 37signals + Basecamp drove the "leave the cloud, rent VPS" trend in 2023–2024.