Managed vs. Unmanaged Hosting
With unmanaged hosting you run the server yourself; with managed hosting the provider takes care of updates, monitoring and backups – at centron from €53.11 per month. So the difference lies not in the technology, but in who is responsible. This guide explains which model suits which situation, what each costs and which providers in Germany offer managed hosting with 24/7 support.
Same hardware, different responsibilities
Technically speaking, both models offer the same infrastructure. The difference lies in who is responsible for running the service – and who is liable if something breaks down at night.
They run it themselves
You are granted root access to a virtual or physical machine – everything else is up to you: the operating system, updates, security patches, monitoring, backups and recovery in the event of a failure.
- Full control over every configuration
- Best-value infrastructure pricing – from €3.11 per month
- In-house expertise required – Linux/Windows administration
- On-call duty required – including at night and at weekends
centron operates on your behalf
You use the server as if it were your own, without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure. centron takes care of the set-up, updates, security patches, monitoring and backups – with dedicated contact persons.
- No administrative burden within your own team
- 24/7 monitoring with proactive fault detection
- Updates installed automatically
- Backups included – Restoration by centron
Who does what – a direct comparison
The key question to ask before making your choice: Which of these tasks are you willing and able to take on yourself on a long-term basis?
| Task | Unmanaged | Managed by centron |
|---|---|---|
| Provision of hardware | centron | centron |
| Install the operating system | You | centron |
| Basic configuration & hardening | You | centron |
| Apply security patches | You | centron |
| Monitoring & Alerts | You | centron, 24/7 |
| Setting up and checking backups | You | centron |
| Recovery in the event of a fault | You | centron |
| Applications and data | You | You |
Even with the managed model, your applications and data remain under your control – centron takes care of the infrastructure, not your business.
How much both models actually cost
The unmanaged option is cheaper in terms of infrastructure costs. However, a fair calculation also takes into account the working hours tied up internally.
The invoice that’s often missing
An unmanaged server costs from €3.11 per month with centron. On top of this come the costs associated with patches, setting up monitoring, checking backups and troubleshooting – which, depending on the environment, can take several hours a month, plus on-call support.
Managed hosting shifts this workload to centron. Whether it’s worth it depends less on the price of the server than on how much an hour of administration costs your business – and how much a system outage would cost.
At centron, a managed server starts at €53.11 per month: a ccloud³ VM plus €50.00 for operation per VM – including patches, monitoring, backups and 24/7 support.
What’s included with the ‘Unmanaged’ option
- Working hours for patches and maintenance windows
- On-call service outside office hours
- Monitoring tools and their maintenance
- Building up expertise and arrangements for cover
- Downtime when no one is available
At centron, monitoring, backups and 24/7 support are included in the managed service model – with no extra charge or different support tiers.
Which model is right for you?
'Unmanaged' is the right choice if …
- You have your own in-house system administration team
- full control over every configuration is required
- They use Infrastructure-as-Code
- The focus is on test and development environments
Managed is suitable if …
- business-critical systems are running
- there is no in-house IT department
- Downtime directly impacts turnover
- Proof of compliance is required
Combine the two
- Manages production systems, test environments itself
- You can switch at any time – without the need for migration
- Managed services can be booked individually
- Premium Full Management for the entire infrastructure
The different levels at centron
There are several stages between ‘doing everything yourself’ and ‘outsourcing everything’. You don’t have to commit to one option permanently – you can switch between the models without having to migrate your systems.
- ccloud³ VM – Run it yourself, from €3.11 per month
- Managed Services – outsourcing individual tasks
- Managed Server – comprehensive server management provided by centron
- Premium Full Managing – comprehensive infrastructure management
Managed hosting providers at a glance
“Managed” does not mean the same thing everywhere: some providers only look after the infrastructure, others take over the entire server operation. The overview shows what managed offerings in Germany cover, what they cost to start with and where support is available around the clock.
| Criterion | centron | Hetzner | mittwald | plusserver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offering | Managed Server | Managed vServer (from MC30) | Managed vServer | Managed Cloud and Managed Services |
| What the provider takes care of | Operating system, hardening, patches, monitoring, backups, recovery | Pre-installed Debian with Apache, MariaDB and PHP, operating system and software updates, daily backups; no root access | Infrastructure, daily backups, scheduled updates | Administration, monitoring and patching on request |
| Entry price per month | from €53.11 | from €34.00 plus €34.00 setup | from €43 plus VAT | on request |
| Support | 24/7, German-speaking, dedicated contact persons | Phone and email free of charge, 24/7 on-site service in the data centre | 24/7, including weekends and public holidays | 24/7, German and English |
| Data centre | Own data centre in Hallstadt near Bamberg | Nuremberg | Own data centre in Germany, ISO 27001 | Four data centres in the DACH region |
| BSI C5 | C5:2020 Type 1 for ccloud³ / Managed Cloud | C5:2020 Type 2, including Managed Server | No attestation publicly stated | C5 Type 2 for pluscloud open and pluscloud VMware |
As of 24 September 2026, based on the providers’ publicly available information; no claim to completeness. Only the current information provided by the respective providers is authoritative. The trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners; there are no partnerships. centron prices plus VAT.
Managed and unmanaged hosting
What is the difference between managed and unmanaged hosting?
How much does managed hosting cost compared to unmanaged hosting?
When is managed hosting a good option?
Which managed hosting providers offer 24/7 support in Germany?
How much does a managed server cost in Germany?
Are there managed hosting offerings for small businesses?
Specifically, what tasks does centron handle as part of its managed hosting service?
Can I switch between models later on?
Is support included with managed hosting?
What level of availability is guaranteed for managed servers?
Note: Information on competitors reflects the publicly available position as of September 2026 and does not claim to be exhaustive; features and prices may have changed since. Only the current information provided by the respective providers is authoritative. The trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners; there are no partnerships. centron prices: entry-level prices plus VAT; details can be found on the product and pricing pages.
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