Search in all categories
Search in all categories
About Hostinger
Affiliates and Referrals
Agency Hosting Plans
AI Automation Apps
API
Billing
Blog
Codex
cPanel
Design
DNS
Domains
Email
Features
Files Management
General
Getting Started
Google Ads
Hostinger Agent
Hostinger AI Builder
Hostinger AI Router
Hostinger dashboard
Hostinger Ecommerce
Hostinger Reach
Integrations
MySQL Databases
Online Store
Pages and Navigation
Partner Program
PHP
Profile Management
SEO
SSL Certificates
VPS
Website
Website Elements
Website Sections

What is the CPU use limit for VPS at Hostinger

What happens when CPU limits are reached on VPS

Updated 2 weeks ago

Every Hostinger VPS can use 100% of its allocated vCPUs for demanding tasks, and CPU credits decide how long that burst can last. Credits build up while your server is lightly used and are spent during heavy work. If the balance runs out, CPU capacity is limited temporarily and returns automatically once usage drops.

This system keeps performance fair for everyone on the same hardware without capping normal workloads. There is nothing to enable or configure.

For more on what can cause unexpected CPU consumption, see understanding CPU steal and its impact on VPS at Hostinger.

CPU credits at a glance

Think of your credit balance as a rechargeable battery:

  1. Light usage charges it. Below your plan’s baseline, your VPS earns credits until the balance is full.
  2. Heavy usage drains it. Above the baseline, your VPS spends credits and keeps full CPU power. A full balance covers about three hours at 100% on all vCPUs.
  3. An empty balance limits CPU. Available capacity drops to your plan’s limit. Your VPS keeps running, but heavy tasks get slower.
  4. Recovery is automatic. Once CPU demand drops and the balance rebuilds to 20% of its maximum, full capacity returns. An idle VPS gets there in 24 to 84 minutes, depending on the plan.

New VPS instances start with a full balance, and stopped instances keep theirs.

For the exact formulas, credit capacity per plan and recovery rules, read How CPU credits work on Hostinger VPS.

How to tell if your VPS is CPU limited

  • Dashboard: check VPS resource usage in hPanel for CPU usage over time.VPS warning: resources limited due to CPU overuse, with “Remove limitations now” button
  • Inside the VPS: CPU time above the limit shows up as CPU steal (st in top). Steal can also come from shared host resources, explained in Understanding CPU steal.
  • Symptoms: tasks take longer and applications respond slowly, even though usage inside the VPS looks well below 100%.

What to do if your VPS is CPU limited

Lower CPU demand so credits can rebuild; the limit lifts on its own.

  1. Find the busiest processes with top or htop. To stop one gracefully, press k in top (or F9 in htop) and send signal 15.
  2. Pause non-essential heavy jobs and avoid running several at once.
  3. Ask Hostinger Agent VPS Terminal Edition to check live CPU usage, running processes and container health for you.
  4. If usage stays high for no clear reason, run the VPS Malware Scanner.
  5. Optimize application code, database queries and caching to cut ongoing load.

CPU credits suit workloads that alternate between quiet periods and occasional heavy tasks. If your VPS keeps running out of credits after optimization, your project has likely outgrown its plan: consider upgrading your VPS.

FAQ

Is there a fixed CPU cap on my VPS?
No. Your VPS can use 100% of its vCPUs while it has credits. It is limited only when the credit balance is empty, to between 5% and 20% of capacity depending on your plan.

Can I remove the limit manually?
Yes, once every week. But you don’t need to. Full capacity returns automatically once CPU demand drops and the balance rebuilds.

Can I turn CPU credits off?
No. The system runs automatically on all Hostinger VPS plans.

Does a reboot or stopping my VPS reset credits?
No. A stopped VPS keeps its balance, and reboots don’t affect the calculation.

Additional resources