LEMP VPS hosting: a server with Nginx, MySQL and PHP ready
- Nginx, MySQL and PHP-FPM installed
- Deploy PHP sites and Laravel right away
- Configure freely with root access
The HELPER VPS LEMP VPS is a Linux cloud server where Nginx, MySQL and PHP are installed on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS when you choose LEMP from the image list at creation, billed every 1, 3, 6 or 12 months from $25.00 per month. No need to install the web server and database one by one: upload your PHP files and your site is live.
What is LEMP?
LEMP stands for Linux, Nginx (pronounced "engine-x", hence the E), MySQL and PHP, one of the most common server setups for running PHP websites. Nginx receives visitor requests, sends static files straight back and passes PHP requests to PHP-FPM, while data is read from and written to the MySQL database.
Compared with LAMP, which uses Apache, Nginx is strong at handling many concurrent connections with little memory, so it is efficient even on small servers. All four are open source, and you can run PHP frameworks such as Laravel, Symfony and CodeIgniter or your own PHP sites on top as they are. Moving an older PHP site to a new server is easy too, since the setup is familiar and needs few changes.
What can I do with a LEMP VPS?
Run almost any web service built with PHP by self-hosting LEMP.
PHP websites
Upload your own PHP site or forum, connect it to a MySQL database and publish it right away.
Laravel and framework apps
Install dependencies with Composer and deploy Laravel and Symfony apps with a single Nginx config.
Several CMSs
Run PHP-based software such as WordPress, Drupal and MediaWiki side by side on one server.
API servers
Put a REST API built with PHP behind Nginx and connect it to mobile apps and other services.
How do I start with a LEMP VPS?
Create, connect, upload your files, and your site is live.
Step 1. Create server
Choose a region and size and select LEMP from the image list. Nginx, MySQL and PHP are installed on Ubuntu 24.04.
Step 2. Connect over SSH
Connect with your SSH key or root password and check the install with nginx -v, mysql --version and php -v.
Step 3. Upload your site
Create an Nginx site config, upload your PHP files to the web folder, then create a database and user for the site in MySQL.
Why self-host LEMP on your own VPS?
Less time installing, and settings tailored to your site.
Ready-made stack: save the time of installing and connecting a web server, database and PHP separately.
Manage config files yourself: tune Nginx, PHP-FPM and MySQL settings to suit your site.
Several sites: add an Nginx config for each domain to run several sites on one server.
Choose fast disks: run sites with heavy database reads and writes quickly on an NVMe plan.
Location of your choice: place your server close to your visitors in 40 cities across 31 countries.
Same price: the same plan has the same monthly price in any region, so budgeting is easy.
Tools used with the LEMP stack
The software that makes up a LEMP VPS, and tools that work well with it.
- NGINX
- MySQL
- PHP
- Redis
- Ubuntu
Place your server close to your users
Create LEMP servers at the same price anywhere in 40 cities across 31 countries.
How do I add a new site on a LEMP VPS?
Prepare three things for each site: an Nginx config, a database and a certificate.
On Ubuntu, Nginx keeps site configs in the /etc/nginx/sites-available folder and turns them on by linking them into sites-enabled. In the new site file, set your domain with server_name and the web folder with root, pass PHP requests to the PHP-FPM socket, check the syntax with sudo nginx -t, and apply it with sudo systemctl reload nginx.
For the database, connect with sudo mysql and create a separate database and user for each site, granting that user rights only to its own database, so data never mixes between sites. Point your domain's A record to the server IP and get a Let's Encrypt certificate with Certbot, and your HTTPS site is complete. Certbot renews the certificate automatically on a set schedule.
How do I keep a LEMP server stable for the long run?
Take care of updates, the firewall and backups regularly.
Get security updates for the OS, Nginx, MySQL and PHP with sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade. With Ubuntu's ufw firewall, open only SSH and the web ports (80, 443), and keep MySQL port 3306 closed to the outside and used only within the server for safety. Running sudo mysql_secure_installation at the start tidies up the default settings.
Export the database regularly with mysqldump and keep it somewhere else, and turn on the automatic backups option at creation to back up the whole server regularly. If your site grows and memory runs short, create a new server on a bigger plan and move the web folder and database over. Turning on the slow query log makes it easy to find what slows your site down.
LEMP hosting FAQ
Common questions when choosing and installing a LEMP VPS.
What is installed on a LEMP VPS?
The Nginx web server, MySQL database and PHP (PHP-FPM) are installed on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. As soon as you log in, you can create site configs and upload PHP files.
How much does LEMP VPS hosting cost?
The LEMP app has no extra charge; you pay only the price of the server plan you choose. The smallest plan starts at $25.00 per month, and the same plan has the same price in every region.
How do I buy a LEMP server?
Choose a region and size, select LEMP as the image, and pay to create the server. You can choose a billing period of 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, with 10% off for 3 months, 15% off for 6 months and 25% off for 12 months.
What is the difference between LEMP and LAMP?
The web server. LEMP uses Nginx and LAMP uses Apache. Nginx handles many connections with little memory, so it suits small VPS well, and PHP runs separately through PHP-FPM.
Can I install more PHP extensions?
Yes. With root access, install the extensions you need with sudo apt install php-name and restart PHP-FPM. You can install and use Composer yourself too.
Can I use another database instead of MySQL?
Yes. Install PostgreSQL or MariaDB on the same server or run them with Docker. Keep the installed MySQL as is, or turn it off if you do not use it.
Can I deploy a Laravel app?
Yes. Install dependencies with Composer and point the Nginx root to the app's public folder. Keep queue jobs running with a systemd service or Supervisor.
How do I send email from my site?
Connect a mail sending service that uses port 587 in your app's mail settings. Outgoing port 25 is closed on every server, so using a sending service is the standard way.
Can I connect to the database from outside?
We recommend connecting through an SSH tunnel. Use SSH port forwarding from your PC to the server's port 3306, and you can use management tools without opening the MySQL port to the internet.
How do backups work?
Choosing the automatic backup option at creation adds 5.6% of the plan price to the fee and backs up the whole server regularly. Rollbacks are requested on the support page once your first payment is confirmed, and keeping a separate copy of the database with mysqldump gives extra peace of mind.
Can I reinstall to the original state?
Yes. Choose the LEMP image again under OS reinstall on the server page for a fresh install. The disk is wiped, so download your web folder and database first.
Nginx, MySQL and PHP are open source software owned by their projects; HELPER VPS only installs them when the server is created. Updates after installation, configuration, your site code and questions about using the software are yours to manage. The server price is the price of the plan you choose, and the LEMP app itself has no extra charge.
LEMP server guides
Good things to do first after you get your server.