Move From AWS to a VPS to Lower Your Hosting Bill
For small apps paying more for AWS than they need, I move EC2, RDS, ElastiCache and S3-backed workloads to a simpler VPS you own, with backups, a rollback plan and an approved window, after a Cloud Cost Review. From $1,560 ($1,200 founding), about 4–6 weeks. Email your AWS services and bill.
See a sample report, proposal and weekly update- Price
- from $1,560
- Founding
- from $1,200
- Timeline
- ~4–6 weeks (2 months in a busy month)
- Format
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Hours
- US Eastern Time, async
Who this is for.
A good fit if
- Small SaaS and business apps on a handful of EC2/RDS instances
- Founders whose AWS bill grew faster than their usage
- Teams who don’t use most of what AWS offers
Common triggers
- The monthly bill doubled without more users
- Credits ran out
- NAT gateway, data transfer or idle instance charges nobody understands
Not a fit if
- You rely heavily on Lambda, DynamoDB, SQS or other AWS-only services
- You need auto-scaling, multi-region or strict compliance hosting
- You want a guaranteed savings figure
What I do, and what you get.
What I do
- Start from the Cloud Cost Review: what you pay for, what you use, what the VPS setup would cost
- Plan the move: each AWS service mapped to its VPS equivalent or kept on AWS
- Build the new setup (single server or app/database split) with hardening, backups and alerts
- Move the database and files with a fresh backup and a rehearsal
- Cut over in an approved window, with AWS kept as it is for rollback
- After you confirm, list what can be shut down in AWS (you do the deletion)
What you get
- A migration plan with service mapping, rollback steps and window, for your sign-off
- The app running on the new setup, tested
- A before/after monthly cost table using your real numbers
- Runbook and handover notes
- A shutdown list for the AWS resources
Your part
- AWS and new-provider access, and DNS
- A completed Cloud Cost Review (its fee is credited)
- Sign-off on the plan and window, and testing after the switch
- Running both setups for a short overlap
Included
- EC2, RDS, ElastiCache, S3-compatible storage moves
- Plan, rollback, backups, window
- Single server or app/database split
- Cost table from your numbers
Not included
- Rewriting Lambda or other AWS-only code
- Savings guarantees
- Auto-scaling, multi-region
- Deleting AWS resources for you
Fixed prices, agreed before work starts.
Move to one VPS. The Cloud Cost Review comes first; its fee is credited if you approve this project within 30 days
App and database servers split; two monthly milestones of $1,300 ($1,000 founding)
Build your scope
- Timeline
- ~4–6 weeks (2 months in a busy month)
- Payment
- 50% to start ($780), 50% before handover
- Earliest start
- Oct 5
Founding price: 3 of 7 spots left, until Mar 31, 2027 — one-off work, in return for a testimonial. How it works
Prices are in USD, paid by bank transfer against an invoice. Work under $1,000 is paid upfront; larger work is 50% to start and 50% before handover, or monthly milestones. How working together works
Variations
- Single server
- App, database and cache on one VPS.
- Split
- App and database on separate servers.
- Hybrid
- Keep S3 or SES on AWS and move compute and database.
- Other clouds
- Google Cloud or Azure VMs to a VPS follow the same steps.
How it runs.
- 01
Cloud Cost Review
The Cloud Cost Review gives you a written estimate for both setups.
- 02
Plan and sign-off
You sign a migration plan with mapping, rollback and window, and pay the prepaid invoice (50/50, or monthly milestones for Split).
- 03
Build and rehearse
I build and rehearse on the VPS with a recent data copy.
- 04
Cutover in the window
I cut over in the window, leaving AWS intact for rollback.
- 05
Costs and shutdown list
After your confirmation you get the cost table, the shutdown list and the runbook.
A new service, done openly.
I have not delivered this exact service for a client before, so there is no case study to point to yet. The approach above is built from parts I have shipped in production — see the case studies — and the fixed price and written scope protect you while it is new.
Questions buyers ask.
How much will I save?
I estimate both monthly bills from your real usage in the Cost Review. I don’t promise a percentage; your usage decides.
Does AWS charge to move data out?
AWS offers free data transfer out when you leave, on request to its support, with conditions. I’ll check whether it applies to you.
What about reliability?
A VPS has fewer moving parts but no auto-scaling or multi-zone failover. I’ll say plainly if your app needs those.
What if we want to go back?
AWS stays untouched until you confirm; rollback is written in the plan.
Have you moved apps off AWS before?
This is a new service, with no past AWS exit to point to. It’s built from work I’ve shipped: server provisioning on five clouds including AWS Lightsail, Docker packaging and production server setup.
Ask about AWS to VPS Migration.
Tell me what you have and where it hurts. I reply within one US business day with either a fixed quote or the entry step that makes a fixed quote possible.
Helpful to include
- AWS services in use
- Monthly bill (last 3 months)
- Database engine and size
- Traffic
- Compliance needs
- Target provider, if known
More in Cloud & Server Migration
Hosting Migration
I move your app, database, files and workers to a new server or provider with a written plan, a fresh backup, a rollback path and a short maintenance window you approve. From $390 ($300 founding) for one site or app, usually 1–3 weeks. Email the current and target hosting to start.
Heroku/PaaS Exit
I move your Heroku (or similar PaaS) app to Docker on a VPS you own: web, worker, Postgres, Redis, scheduler and deploys, with a backup, a rollback plan and a short approved window. From $780 ($600 founding), typically 2–4 weeks. A new service. Email your Heroku app list and add-ons to start.
Database Migration
I move your data between database engines with a backup, a rehearsal, row-count checks, a rollback plan and a window you approve. Redis to Valkey from $260 ($200 founding). MySQL ↔ Postgres from $1,040 ($800 founding) after a short assessment, for apps with up to 30 tables that mostly use an ORM. Email your database and stack.