Docker Hosting
Docker depends on Linux kernel namespaces and cgroups. On container-based virtualization - OpenVZ, LXC - those features may be restricted, missing, or broken, because the kernel is shared with the host. On KVM, your server runs its own kernel. Docker works the way it's supposed to.
Why KVM matters for Docker
A lot of VPS providers use OpenVZ or LXC because container-based virtualization lets them run more tenants on the same hardware. That's their problem to manage, not yours - except that it becomes yours when Docker does not behave as expected. Docker relies on kernel features (network namespaces, user namespaces, cgroup v2, overlay filesystem) that require kernel-level access. On a shared kernel, some of these are unavailable or limited by the host. On KVM, the kernel is yours.
KVM virtualization - your own kernel
Each Bitfoo VPS runs on KVM, which provides true hardware-level isolation. Your server boots its own kernel. Docker Engine installs cleanly, all namespaces are available, overlay filesystem works as expected, and there are no host-imposed restrictions on what Docker can do. No workarounds, no degraded modes.
Full root access from first boot
SSH in as root the moment your server is provisioned. Install Docker Engine, configure the daemon, set up networks, manage volumes - no support ticket, no waiting for a host to enable something. It's your server.
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X - high single-core performance
Container startup time, build speed, and application throughput all benefit from strong single-core CPU performance. Ryzen 9 (Zen 5) delivers high clock speeds on individual threads - relevant for sequential build steps, PHP-FPM workers inside containers, and any workload that does not parallelize cleanly across cores.
NVMe SSD storage
Container image pulls, overlay filesystem operations, and volume mounts are I/O-intensive. NVMe SSD handles the small random reads and writes that container workloads generate with lower latency than SATA SSD - measurable during image builds and application startup.
Dedicated resources - no shared pool
Every VPS plan allocates dedicated vCPU cores, RAM, and bandwidth. Unlike burstable cloud instances that throttle CPU credits when you need them, your allocated resources are available consistently. What the plan specifies is what your containers get.
10Gbps network ports
All plans connect on 10Gbps network ports. Container-to-container communication is handled internally; external traffic moves at the port speed available to your plan's bandwidth allocation.
IPv6 included
Every VPS plan includes IPv6. Docker's networking stack supports IPv6 natively - configure it in the Docker daemon and expose container services on IPv6 addresses if your infrastructure requires it.
Plans
All plans run on the same KVM infrastructure with the same hardware platform. The right plan depends on how many containers you're running, their memory footprint, and your storage and bandwidth requirements.
| VPS-1 Development environments, CI/CD runners, or a single lightweight service | VPS-2 Small production deployments - 2 to 4 containerised services running together | VPS-4 Multi-container production workloads with databases, queues, and web services | VPS-6 Larger deployments, resource-intensive builds, or containerised infrastructure at scale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vCPU | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| RAM | 1GB DDR5 | 2GB DDR5 | 4GB DDR5 | 8GB DDR5 |
| Storage | 25GB NVMe | 50GB NVMe | 100GB NVMe | 200GB NVMe |
| Bandwidth | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB | 6TB |
| IPv4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Price | [price] | [price] | [price] | [price] |
| Deploy your VPS. | Deploy your VPS. | Deploy your VPS. | Deploy your VPS. |
These are renewal prices. What you pay today is what you pay next year.
If your server exceeds its monthly bandwidth allocation, throughput is throttled for the remainder of the billing cycle - no additional charges.
All VPS plans are unmanaged. Bitfoo handles the hardware and network; Docker installation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance are your responsibility.
Getting started
Once your VPS is provisioned - typically within minutes of payment - getting Docker running is straightforward:
- Choose Ubuntu or Debian as your OS
Both are first-class platforms for Docker Engine and have the most complete installation documentation. Select your preferred distribution at order time. AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and CentOS Stream are also supported. - SSH in as root
Your server credentials are available immediately from the client portal. Connect over SSH and you have full root access from the first session. - Install Docker Engine
Follow the official installation guide at docs.docker.com for your chosen distribution. Docker's own package repositories are the recommended source - do not use the distribution's default repository, as it often ships an older version. - Install Docker Compose (if needed)
Docker Compose V2 is included as a Docker CLI plugin in current Docker Engine releases. If your workflow requires Compose, it is available without a separate installation on recent Docker versions.
From there, your environment is standard Docker - pull images from Docker Hub or a private registry, run containers, configure networks, set up volumes. Nothing about Bitfoo's infrastructure changes how Docker behaves.
What every VPS plan includes
Everything on the VPS hosting page applies here. For Docker specifically, the relevant features are:
- KVM virtualization - full kernel-level isolation; Docker namespaces, cgroups, and overlay filesystem work without host-imposed restrictions
- Full root access and SSH from first boot - install Docker Engine and configure the daemon without opening a support ticket
- Self-service control panel - OS reinstall, power control, console access, SSH key management, and resource graphs; if Docker causes a boot issue, use the browser-based emergency console to recover
- Browser-based emergency console - access your server even if SSH is unreachable; useful during daemon misconfiguration
- Custom ISO support - bring your own image if your Docker environment has specific OS requirements
- IPv6 on every plan - configure Docker networking with IPv6 if your stack requires it
- Reverse DNS management - set PTR records from the self-service panel; useful for containerised mail infrastructure
- Resource monitoring - real-time and historical graphs for CPU, RAM, and network; useful for right-sizing container resource limits
- 99.9% uptime SLA - measured monthly, service credit issued for any shortfall
- Automated provisioning - server ready within minutes of payment
- 5 datacenter locations at order time: US East, US West, UK, EU, Asia-Pacific
Who uses this
Docker runs in development environments, production infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and containerised application stacks - across every industry and team size.
Developers · SaaS companies · Startups · Agencies · Enterprise
Common questions
Does Docker work on Bitfoo VPS?
Yes. Bitfoo VPS runs on KVM - true hardware-level virtualization with a dedicated kernel per server. Docker Engine installs cleanly from the official Docker repositories on Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and CentOS Stream. All kernel features Docker relies on - namespaces, cgroups, overlay filesystem - are available without restriction. If you have encountered issues running Docker on a previous VPS, it was almost certainly running OpenVZ or LXC, where the shared kernel limits what Docker can do. If you're comparing containers to a direct PM2 + Nginx deployment for a Node.js application, see the Node.js hosting page. If you're containerising a Django or FastAPI application, see the Python hosting page. If you're deploying Rails with Kamal, see the Ruby on Rails hosting page.
Do I need to install Docker myself?
Yes. All Bitfoo VPS plans are unmanaged - your server comes with your chosen OS installed, and you configure everything from there. Docker installation takes a few minutes following the official guide at docs.docker.com. If you run into anything during setup, support is available via the client portal.
Can I run Docker Compose?
Yes. Docker Compose V2 is included as a CLI plugin in current Docker Engine releases - run `docker compose` once Docker Engine is installed. If your workflow depends on Compose V1 behaviour, it can be installed separately, though Docker has deprecated it in favour of V2.
Can I run Kubernetes on a Bitfoo VPS?
Lightweight single-node Kubernetes distributions run well on VPS-2 and above. They are a practical choice for staging clusters, development environments, or small production workloads that benefit from orchestration without the overhead of a full cluster. Full multi-node Kubernetes requires multiple servers - a single VPS can act as a control plane node, but you would need additional nodes for a properly functioning cluster. Docker Swarm is a simpler alternative for multi-container orchestration on a single server.
Can I use private container registries?
Yes. Docker's registry authentication works as normal - `docker login` with any registry that supports the Docker registry protocol: Docker Hub, GitHub Container Registry, GitLab Registry, AWS ECR, Google Artifact Registry, or a self-hosted registry. There are no host-level restrictions on outbound connections to registry endpoints.
How do I manage container networking and expose ports?
Docker's networking stack operates as it would on any Linux machine. Bridge networks, host networking, and overlay networks all work. Expose container ports using the standard `-p` flag or Docker Compose port mappings. Inbound connections are handled at the OS level - configure firewall rules with `ufw` or `iptables` as you normally would. IPv4 and IPv6 are both available. Reverse DNS for your server's IP is managed from the self-service panel.
Which plan should I choose for Docker?
VPS-1 suits a single lightweight service or a development/staging environment where you are not running a full production stack. VPS-2 handles 2 to 4 services running together - a web server, a database, a queue, and a cache, for example. VPS-4 is the right starting point for production multi-container applications where each service needs reliable headroom. VPS-6 suits larger deployments, resource-intensive workloads like CI/CD runners, or containerised infrastructure that needs consistent performance under load. Container RAM usage is cumulative - add up the memory limits of everything you plan to run and leave headroom for the OS and Docker daemon (roughly 200-300MB baseline).