Linode Review 2026

User reviews (372)

Linode is a name that cannot be overlooked. With over 18 years of experience in the industry, Linode has established itself as one of the leading cloud hosting providers, especially for developers and small to medium-sized businesses.


About Linode:
Owner/CEO:
Akamai Technologies
Established:
2003
Phone:
(+1) 609-380-7100
Address:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Servers Locations:
  • Data centrer in au
    Sydney
  • Data centrer in de
    Frankfurt
  • Data centrer in fr
    Paris
  • Data centrer in gb
    London
  • Data centrer in it
    Milan
  • Data centrer in jp
    Osaka
  • Data centrer in kr
    Seoul
  • Show all
Servers Locations: 14
  • Sydney
    Sydney
  • Frankfurt
    Frankfurt
  • Paris
    Paris
  • London
    London
  • Milan
    Milan
  • Osaka
    Osaka
  • Seoul
    Seoul
  • Amsterdam
    Amsterdam
  • Singapore
    Singapore
  • Seattle, Washington
    Seattle, Washington
  • Fremont, California
    Fremont, California
  • Newark, New Jersey
    Newark, New Jersey
  • Chicago, Illinois
    Chicago, Illinois
  • Dallas, Texas
    Dallas, Texas
Customer Support: 10
English
Website: English
All languages (10)
English
Support: English
All languages (11)
Live chat
United States
Service Available
4.6/5
Top-Tier Provider
Features Excellent
Reliability Trustworthy
User Friendly Excellent
Support Excellent
Price Very affordable
Promotion Good discount
Other Factors Excellent
Author

Hannah Diaz

Last updated: 29 January 2026

Linode's Screenshots

With my own expertise in VPS and server management to assess Linode—a well-known cloud hosting provider since 2003, now under Akamai. Here’s my take on its speed, pricing, server management tools, customer support, promotions, and a few other noteworthy aspects.
 
Linode

Speed

I’m impressed with Linode’s speed in regions like the US or near their 11 data centers (e.g., Fremont, London, Tokyo). With AMD EPYC CPUs, SSDs, and a 40Gbps network, page load times often dip below 1.5 seconds—fast enough for small to medium websites. That said, latency spikes if your audience is far away. Compared to DigitalOcean or AWS, Linode holds its own but doesn’t stand out. It’s reliable, though not exceptional.

Pricing

Linode starts at $5/month for its Shared CPU plan (1GB RAM, 1 core, 25GB SSD)—a steal for high-quality VPS. I like their hourly billing, which offers flexibility for short-term use without long contracts. However, add-ons like backups ($2/month) or NodeBalancer ($10/month) can inflate costs fast. For me, Linode’s pricing is reasonable, but not the cheapest compared to Vultr or Hostinger.

Server Management Software

I’m a fan of Linode’s Cloud Manager—clean, intuitive, and perfect for spinning up VPS instances, attaching load balancers, or monitoring resources. It’s not cPanel or Plesk, but for tech-savvy users, it’s a powerhouse. Their StackScripts for automation are a bonus if you’re comfortable with Linux. The downside? No Windows support—it’s Linux-only. I see this as a strength, but beginners might struggle.

Customer Support

Linode’s support impresses me with quick replies—tickets are often answered within 30 minutes, sometimes faster via IRC. The team knows their stuff, though I find they lean toward guiding you to fix issues yourself rather than fully hands-on help. Documentation is solid, and the community is active, but if you want managed hosting-style hand-holding, Linode falls short. Compared to Kamatera or Cloudways, they’re a step behind.

Promotions

Linode offers a generous $100 credit for 60 days of trial—plenty to test the waters. I think it’s a smart way to attract new users. That said, they don’t slash prices often like HostGator or Bluehost, and there are no flashy extras like free themes or plugins. For me, the $100 credit is enticing enough, but don’t expect jaw-dropping deals.

Other Noteworthy Points

    • Uptime: Linode promises 99.9% uptime and mostly delivers. I rarely see serious downtime complaints.
    • Security: Basic DDoS protection is included, but advanced firewalls require self-setup or extra fees.
    • Signup Hassle: A big gripe on TrustPilot—new accounts often get rejected for “fraud suspicion,” even with valid credit cards. I find this a major turn-off.

Conclusion

I give Linode an 8/10. Solid speed, fair pricing, flexible management, decent support, and a good trial offer. It’s perfect for developers or small businesses that know Linux and want a robust VPS without AWS-level complexity. But if you need simple hosting, top-tier support, or global performance, Linode isn’t the best fit. For me, it’s worth a shot—if you can get past the signup hurdle! What’s your take?

Linode

Linode is a name that cannot be overlooked. With over 18 years of experience in the industry, Linode has established itself as one of the leading cloud hosting providers, especially for developers and small to medium-sized businesses.

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Pros and Cons

Here are the pros and cons of using Linode as your hosting platform.

Positives

Flat-Rate Pricing: Predictable billing. Bandwidth is pooled, and they do not charge for "IOPS" or complex usage metrics like AWS.
Uses top-tier hardware (AMD EPYC CPUs and NVMe SSDs) ensuring blazing fast speeds.
One of the few cloud providers where you can call a phone number and speak to a qualified Linux technician immediately, for free.
The "Linode Library" is the gold standard for Linux tutorials.
1-Click apps available for WordPress, Minecraft, Docker, WireGuard, etc.

Negatives

Unmanaged service: If your server breaks due to a software update, you must fix it (unless you pay extra for "Managed" add-ons).
New accounts often face strict anti-fraud checks; you may need to provide ID to get approved.
Windows is possible but difficult and unsupported.
Limited Locations: they have fewer localized zones than AWS or Azure.

Interesting facts

Discover the unique features that make Linode stand out

Since the acquisition, Linode servers now ride on the Akamai backbone, which effectively reduces latency and improves security against DDoS attacks.

Their Object Storage is S3-compatible, meaning you can use it easily with tools designed for Amazon S3.

Automated backups are not free; they are a paid add-on (usually $2-$5/month depending on plan).

Linode's rating Top-Tier Provider

We rate features of services on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being the highest rating. We also take into account the opinions of other users when rating features. We read user reviews and feedback to get a sense of how other people are using the features and what they think of them.

Strong reputation and consistent customer trust. Mature operations, transparent terms, and reliable support—well-suited for business-critical hosting.

Features
4.6 /5 Excellent

Feature depth is a clear highlight in many cases. Across typical offerings from Linode, users often get free SSL, automatic backups, streamlined setup, and strong security options like DDoS protection and malware scanning. Performance tooling—such as SSD/NVMe, caching, and a CDN—is commonly available. Tools like staging and one-click restore tend to be clearly presented, with fewer forced add-ons. Transparent resource limits (CPU/RAM/IO) and built-in performance controls are major positives.

Reliability
4.9 /5 Trustworthy

High reliability is supported by measurable results and mature operations. With Linode, we commonly expect sustained uptime at ≥ 99.99%, fast and stable in-region TTFB (often p50 ≤ 200ms and p95 ≤ 500ms), and resilient load behavior (very low error rate, commonly ≤ 0.1%, no crashes, and fast recovery). When incidents happen, communication and remediation are typically timely and professional.

User Experience
4.2 /5 Excellent

The overall experience is polished and beginner-friendly. Setup is straightforward, the dashboard is clean, and common tasks—buying a plan, connecting a domain, installing WordPress, creating email—are simple with Linode. Tools like cPanel/Plesk, one-click install, staging, and auto SSL usually work smoothly, supported by clear guides and helpful error messaging. Performance tools (cache/CDN/PHP settings) are easy to find and configure.

Support
4.8 /5 Excellent

Support is consistently responsive and capable. With Linode, help is commonly available 24/7 via live chat and tickets (sometimes phone). Replies are fast, answers are clear, and issues are handled end-to-end. Documentation and incident communication are usually strong. In measurement-based checks, chat first response is often ≤ 2 minutes, ticket/email first response ≤ 60 minutes, and most common issues are resolved within 12–24 hours.

Pricing
4.7 /5 Very affordable

Pricing is typically clear and the value proposition is strong. With Linode, advertised prices often align with what most users pay, renewals are reasonable, and key needs—SSL, backups, and basic security—are included instead of sold as expensive add-ons. Billing is straightforward, and surprise fees are uncommon.

Promotions
4 /5 Good discount

Discounts are usually practical and easy to apply. For Linode, promotions and sale prices are commonly visible, conditions are mostly clear, and checkout is generally reliable. Some deals may require longer terms or apply only to first-time customers, but savings are typically meaningful.

Other Factors
5 /5 Excellent

Transparency and operational maturity are strong. With Linode, legal identity and contacts are clear, refund/SLA terms are consistent, and a public status page may be available. Handling of abuse/DMCA is typically mature, and privacy/compliance practices are clearly explained (e.g., GDPR where relevant). “Surprise clauses” are uncommon and policy language is generally consistent.

Linode's FAQs

What is the uptime guarantee for Linode?

Linode offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This means that your website will be online 99.9% of the time. If your website experiences any downtime, Linode will credit your account.

Does Linode offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes, Linode offers a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your hosting plan, you can cancel your account and receive a full refund.

 
How can I contact Linode customer support?

Linode offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, and email. You can also find a wealth of helpful information in the Linode knowledge base.

What are Linode's server locations?

Linode has data centers in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. This means that your website will be hosted on a server that is close to your visitors, which will improve your website's loading speed.

Does Linode offer a free trial?

Yes, Linode offers a $100 credit for new users. This means that you can try their services risk-free for up to 60 days.

 
What is Linode's refund policy?

Linode offers a 7-day money-back guarantee. This means that you can cancel your hosting plan at any time within 7 days of your purchase and receive a full refund.

How do I transfer my website to Linode?

Linode offers a free website transfer service. This means that you can transfer your website from another hosting provider to Linode without any hassle.

Latest user reviews

Crea Siry
• 3 months ago
Mahziyar Azimzadeh
• 3 months ago
I’ve been a Linode user for a while, but since September I’ve completely lost access to my account and all related services — without receiving any email or warning beforehand.What’s worse is that I’ve tried multiple times to contact Linode support, but there has been no response or resolution. This level of service is really disappointing and unprofessional, especially for a company that presents itself as developer-friendly and reliable.I received a marketing email recently, which felt ironic considering my account is still inaccessible and no one has addressed my issue.At this point, I cannot recommend Linode to anyone who values stability and customer support.— Mahziyar Azimzadeh
S Bliss
• 4 months ago
signed up, gave address, credit card details.Told me they were checking my account and it would be activated later. Within an hour got a snotty email telling me ...A recently created account with this email address was canceled by our automated systems. This was due to activity or patterns associated with fraudulent behavior. Additional attempts to sign up may also be rejected.This is the worst customer experience I've ever seen or heard of. They can keep their crappy service.And now they have my address and credit card details.Scary. Keep away from these cowboys !!
Waleed
• 5 months ago
I don't know why so negative here. Linode remains one of the best and most professional providers out there. Been a customer for over 10 years. Never a hiccup in the service.Their linodes are a bit pricey for the storage, but that's because they're ssd. For cheap storage, I use their object storage which is superb compared to other providers.
Marion
• 6 months ago
I’ve been charged for years for object storage when I took everything out of my storage they still were charging me. My card was expired. It still was charging me. I would not recommend this service to anyone.
Sam Ross
• 6 months ago
Other people writting about this as well. Server been down for 18 hours so far - no end in sight. I wouldn't host with them to save my mothers life. Ruined the repuation of my business I have sent years building.
LeanLow Jo
• 6 months ago
Today experiencing a 7 hour downtime. Yes it wasn't a typo A 7 HOUR DOWNTIME that keeps on going, avoid like a plague.Edit: Total downtime was 22hours.....
mauyo
• 7 months ago
I‘m honestly surprised by the negative feedback on here. While my sign up experience wasn't flawless, the rest is pretty good! We‘ve been a customer of Linode for quite some time now and have never had a bad experience. Our K8s cluster never had a problem. What we really appreciate is the rapid deployment speeds of new nodes, takes maybe 1-2 minutes max with Linode compared to AWS where it can take up to 10 minutes. Billing also works just fine. Would choose Linode any day for managed Kubernetes.
Lyubomir Markov
• 9 months ago
Racist company keep denying me services based on my name on the pretend that is because of fradualent activity when I've never had the access to their services. Network Chuck keep recomending them but i guess they sucks
PL
• 10 months ago
Cannot trust Akamai billing and lack of key infrastructure for a Cloud provider. For a student yes but for a big business they are not enterprise ready.

Payment method
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PayPal is accepted at Linode
Bitcoin is accepted at Linode
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Visa is accepted at Linode
MasterCard is accepted at Linode
BankTranfer is accepted at Linode
American Express is accepted at Linode
Visa Credit is accepted at Linode

Linode's Features

Money Back Guarantee
Hourly Payments
Monthly Payments
Yearly Payments
Domain Purchase
API
DDOS Protection
Accepts Bitcoin
Affiliate Program
Load Balancers
WordPress Hosting
VPS Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Shared Hosting
Site Builder
Email Service
Free SSL
Backup Services
CDN Services
SEO Hosting
Unlimited Hosting
Object Storage
Streaming Services
Kubernetes
User reviews (372)

User reviews of Linode

This is where you can share your experience with Linode. Read other users' reviews or write your own to highlight its pros and cons based on real use.

2.8

Reviewed by 372 users

5
134
4
31
3
9
2
16
1
182
0
0
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Honest user's ratings is our #1 priority! So bookmakers can't pay to change or delete reviews.
3 months ago
worst internet.
3 months ago
Lost Account Access Without Any Notice — No Support Response
I’ve been a Linode user for a while, but since September I’ve completely lost access to my account and all related services — without receiving any email or warning beforehand.What’s worse is that I’ve tried multiple times to contact Linode support, but there has been no response or resolution. This level of service is really disappointing and unprofessional, especially for a company that presents itself as developer-friendly and reliable.I received a marketing email recently, which felt ironic considering my account is still inaccessible and no one has addressed my issue.At this point, I cannot recommend Linode to anyone who values stability and customer support.— Mahziyar Azimzadeh
4 months ago
Ridiculous Company
signed up, gave address, credit card details.Told me they were checking my account and it would be activated later. Within an hour got a snotty email telling me ...A recently created account with this email address was canceled by our automated systems. This was due to activity or patterns associated with fraudulent behavior. Additional attempts to sign up may also be rejected.This is the worst customer experience I've ever seen or heard of. They can keep their crappy service.And now they have my address and credit card details.Scary. Keep away from these cowboys !!
5 months ago
Old company that knows what it's doing
I don't know why so negative here. Linode remains one of the best and most professional providers out there. Been a customer for over 10 years. Never a hiccup in the service.Their linodes are a bit pricey for the storage, but that's because they're ssd. For cheap storage, I use their object storage which is superb compared to other providers.
6 months ago
I’ve been charged for years for object…
I’ve been charged for years for object storage when I took everything out of my storage they still were charging me. My card was expired. It still was charging me. I would not recommend this service to anyone.
6 months ago
Avoid them
Other people writting about this as well. Server been down for 18 hours so far - no end in sight. I wouldn't host with them to save my mothers life. Ruined the repuation of my business I have sent years building.
6 months ago
Today experiencing a 7 hour downtime
Today experiencing a 7 hour downtime. Yes it wasn't a typo A 7 HOUR DOWNTIME that keeps on going, avoid like a plague.Edit: Total downtime was 22hours.....
7 months ago
Reliable provider and good K8s engine
I‘m honestly surprised by the negative feedback on here. While my sign up experience wasn't flawless, the rest is pretty good! We‘ve been a customer of Linode for quite some time now and have never had a bad experience. Our K8s cluster never had a problem. What we really appreciate is the rapid deployment speeds of new nodes, takes maybe 1-2 minutes max with Linode compared to AWS where it can take up to 10 minutes. Billing also works just fine. Would choose Linode any day for managed Kubernetes.
9 months ago
Racist company keep denying me services…
Racist company keep denying me services based on my name on the pretend that is because of fradualent activity when I've never had the access to their services. Network Chuck keep recomending them but i guess they sucks
10 months ago
Cannot trust Akamai billing and lack of…
Cannot trust Akamai billing and lack of key infrastructure for a Cloud provider. For a student yes but for a big business they are not enterprise ready.
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