OpenVZ 7 vs KVM for my use case

I am looking at two offers for my personal projects. Both are budget providers. One is OpenVZ 7 at 2.50/month with 1GB RAM and 20GB SSD. The other is KVM at 4.50/month with same specs.

My use case is: static site generator, small PostgreSQL database, occasional Python scripts for data processing, and a personal Nextcloud for family photos. Maybe 3 users total.

I understand KVM gives me proper kernel access and better isolation. OpenVZ 7 claims "container with VM benefits" and the price difference matters to me long-term.

Did you test your restore? Whatever you choose, please follow 3-2-1 backup rule:

• 3 copies of data
• 2 different media types
• 1 offsite

I am leaning toward OpenVZ 7 for cost but worried about the "virtualization tax" people mention. What am I actually giving up?

KVM every time! The Ampere ARM nodes at HostHatch run circles around any OpenVZ box at twice the price! Insane value! You get real kernel modules! You can run your own WireGuard! You can compile whatever!

OpenVZ 7 still shares the host kernel! Your Python scripts hitting syscalls go through extra layers! On ARM KVM you get bare metal performance per dollar! I benchmarked nginx on both! KVM was 40% faster! Specs matter!

OpenVZ 7 is not KVM. Full stop.

Virtualization tax in OpenVZ 7: shared kernel means no custom modules, no wireguard if host lacks it, no bpf, no new filesystems. Your "VM benefits" marketing is cgroup v2 with extra steps.

KVM gives you real hardware virtualization. Your own kernel. Your own scheduler. Your own memory ballooning, not whatever the host admin sets.

For PostgreSQL specifically: shared_buffers tuning, huge pages, io_uring availability. All host-dependent on OpenVZ 7. You do not control the kernel release cycle.

The 2.50/month saves you 24/year. How many hours of debugging missing kernel features is that worth?

Virtualization tax is real. Pay it once or pay it in limitations.

I use OpenVZ 7 three years no problem make update when I want is not problem such expensive KVM for same RAM I make backup with rsync is fine such expensive for student

The OpenVZ is container good for money small is the PostgreSQL problem no is the Nextcloud is hungry memory how much cost the KVM double is the price such expensive for server personal I think the OpenVZ 7 works fine ¿why not¡

Can I run docker on OpenVZ 7? I need docker for a class project. Thank you everyone!