Linode was the first independent VPS host most developers used in the 2000s and 2010s. Their tutorials raised half of the modern web ops community. In 2022, Akamai acquired them, and what was once "Linode" is now part of "Akamai Cloud." This comparison covers what's actually different between OliveVPS and post-acquisition Linode/Akamai — pricing, hardware, the feel of the company, and where each wins.
What we compare
TL;DR — the short answer
Linode (now Akamai Cloud) is well-built, reliable, and has a genuinely impressive backbone — Akamai is one of the world's largest CDN/edge networks, and that infrastructure now backs the cloud product. Pricing is similar to DigitalOcean and Vultr.
OliveVPS is cheaper at the entry tiers, includes dedicated CPU at every plan, ships generous bandwidth allowances, and offers phone/chat support. We don't have Linode's enterprise pedigree or Akamai's edge network — we're a focused VPS host.
What changed when Akamai acquired Linode
Most of the user-facing experience hasn't changed dramatically. The Linode brand still exists (rebranded "Linode by Akamai" in 2023), the Cloud Manager UI is recognizably the same, and the API is unchanged. What did change:
- The product is now part of a larger Akamai cloud strategy — connected to their CDN, edge compute, and security products. Useful if you're already an Akamai customer.
- Some staff turnover and culture shift — the small-host scrappy feel is mostly gone. It's a corporate cloud now.
- New regions added via Akamai's edge footprint, including some specialty cities.
- Pricing has stayed remarkably stable — Akamai didn't slash entry-level pricing or bake in big surprise fees.
If you used Linode in 2018 and 2026, the day-to-day experience is similar. The vibe is different.
Pricing
Comparing equivalent specs (USD, 2026):
| Specs | OliveVPS | Linode (Akamai) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB NVMe | $3.99/mo | $5/mo (Nanode 1GB) |
| 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 60GB NVMe | $7.99/mo | $12/mo (Linode 2GB) |
| 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 80GB NVMe | $15.99/mo | $24/mo (Linode 4GB) |
| 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 160GB NVMe | $29.99/mo | $48/mo (Linode 8GB) |
Roughly the same delta as the other major hosts — 35-45% off depending on tier. Linode's Nanode 1GB at $5 is genuinely cheap and uses dedicated CPU (unlike DO Basic or Vultr Regular at the same price point), which is something Linode has historically done right.
Hardware
CPU
Linode uses dedicated CPU cores on their standard "Linode" plans (and on Nanodes). They also offer a "Dedicated CPU" higher-tier line for workloads that want guaranteed performance with no neighbors at all (vs. the standard "shared host, dedicated cores" model).
OliveVPS uses dedicated cores on AMD EPYC across all plans. Single-thread benchmarks are comparable to Linode's standard tiers.
Storage
Both use NVMe SSDs. Real NVMe performance on both. What NVMe actually delivers →
RAM
ECC server-grade memory on both. Equivalent.
The fair hardware verdict. Linode and OliveVPS use comparable VPS hardware. The price difference is almost entirely about company size, marketing spend, and product breadth — not what's running under your VM.
Network and DDoS
| Aspect | OliveVPS | Linode (Akamai) |
|---|---|---|
| Port speed | 10 Gbps shared | 40 Gbps in (1-10 Gbps out) |
| Transfer included | 4-10 TB/mo | 1-9 TB/mo |
| Overage | $0.01/GB | $0.005/GB (cheaper) |
| DDoS protection | 10 Gbps included | Akamai's edge network — strong |
| IPv6 | /64 included | /64 included |
Linode's overage rate is genuinely the cheapest in the industry — half of ours. If you anticipate routinely going over your transfer allowance, Linode wins on overage economics. Their DDoS protection backed by Akamai's edge is also legitimately strong — if you're a high-profile target, that's not nothing.
Bandwidth-included is roughly comparable. We tend to give more at lower tiers (Pro 4TB vs Linode 2GB tier 2TB), they catch up at higher tiers.
Regions
Linode has 20+ regions globally, plus a number of "Akamai edge" locations added since the acquisition. Coverage is strong in North America, Europe, India (Mumbai, Chennai), and Asia-Pacific. They lack some specialty cities Vultr offers.
OliveVPS has 20 regions. Comparable global footprint. All locations →
Feature set
What Linode/Akamai has that OliveVPS doesn't
- Akamai's CDN integration — natural fit if you're already buying Akamai edge services.
- Managed databases (Postgres, MySQL).
- LKE (managed Kubernetes).
- Object storage with Akamai's edge.
- NodeBalancers (managed load balancers).
- GPU instances (for ML workloads).
- Premium Plans line for guaranteed bare-metal-class performance.
What OliveVPS has that Linode doesn't
- ~40% cheaper at most tiers.
- Free daily backups on Pro and Premium (Linode charges $2-5/mo extra).
- Phone and live chat support.
- 10 Gbps DDoS protection on every plan (Linode offers it but tied to Akamai network — different model).
- Smaller, focused company with shorter feedback loops.
Support
Linode's support has historically been one of their selling points — well-trained Linux admins, 24/7 ticket and chat. The acquisition didn't degrade this materially. Phone support exists for higher-tier customers.
OliveVPS offers phone, chat, and tickets at all paid tiers (not gated by plan size). Linux engineers staff support. Median ticket response under 15 minutes during business hours.
Both are "good support" hosts. The differences are in style — Linode is corporate-polished, we're more conversational.
Try OliveVPS for seven days
Same hardware quality as Linode at ~40% off. Dedicated cores everywhere. Free backups on Pro and up. 7-day money-back, no questions.
See VPS Plans →Who wins for which use case
Pick Linode/Akamai if
- You're already an Akamai customer and want unified billing/integration.
- You want the cheapest overage rate in the industry ($0.005/GB).
- You need GPU instances or managed Kubernetes.
- You're an enterprise that already has Akamai approved through procurement.
- The Linode brand has emotional value for you (genuinely a thing for some long-time customers).
Pick OliveVPS if
- You want lower base pricing without giving up dedicated CPU.
- You're self-hosting and want included backups + DDoS without add-on fees.
- You want phone/chat support without enterprise-tier minimums.
- You like dealing with smaller companies (faster decisions, real humans).
FAQ
Is "Linode" still a separate brand, or all "Akamai" now?
Officially "Linode by Akamai" or "Akamai Connected Cloud." Marketing leans into the Akamai association more each year. The Linode brand still exists but the long-term direction is everything-as-Akamai.
Did the Akamai acquisition hurt Linode's quality?
Mostly no. The hardware and core service quality stayed consistent. What changed is the company culture, response time on community/forum interactions, and the breadth of side products as Akamai pushes its enterprise focus. Day-to-day VPS use is similar to pre-acquisition Linode.
Can I migrate from Linode to OliveVPS?
Yes. Snapshot your Linode, deploy a matching OliveVPS instance, restore data, update DNS. Both run KVM-based Linux. A few hours for typical workloads.
Why does Linode/Akamai charge half our overage rate?
Akamai owns one of the world's largest backbone networks — their bandwidth costs at scale are uniquely low. They can pass that to customers on overage. Honest answer: we can't match their per-GB economics on overage. Where we win is on transfer-included bundles and on hardware-per-dollar.
Is Linode reliable?
Yes. Their measured uptime is in the high 99.99% range. Their network is exceptional thanks to the Akamai backbone. Reliability is a strength.