ClickHouse hosting in the UK: run ClickHouse on a VPS or dedicated server
ClickHouse is fast when it is fed and sized properly. Here is how to think about running your own instance on a VPS or a dedicated server, and what to decide before you install it.
Short answer
- 1ClickHouse is an open-source columnar database for analytics. You install and run it yourself on a VPS or dedicated server with root access.
- 2Start on a single VPS for a proof of concept or a modest event table; move to a dedicated server when data volume, concurrency or merge load outgrow it.
- 3The ClickHouse docs say sizing depends on concurrency, throughput, data volume and retention, so measure your own workload rather than copy a number.
- 4Our datacentre is in Frankfurt, not in the UK. We publish no latency figures, so test round trips from your own office or application.
- 54hosting does not run ClickHouse for you as a managed database. The DevOps hours in your plan can cover setup, tuning, replication and backups.
VPS or dedicated server?
A VPS (NVMe SSD, root access, Docker ready) suits a proof of concept, a staging cluster or a moderate analytics workload. You can upgrade the plan as the data grows, and the plan includes monthly DevOps hours.
A dedicated server suits heavy scans, many concurrent dashboards or large retention. Our dedicated range uses AMD Ryzen and EPYC or Intel Core and Xeon CPUs, with NVMe disks in pairs, unmetered traffic and a 99.99% SLA. Check the current specifications on the plans page.
Either way, run ClickHouse on storage that is not your only copy. Replication and backups are yours to design; that is exactly the kind of work the DevOps hours are for.
Sizing: what the ClickHouse docs say
The official sizing guidance lists concurrency, throughput, data volume, retention, hardware and maintenance cost as the factors that decide the configuration. It gives no single universal size.
| Resource | What to watch |
|---|---|
| CPU cores | Background merges compete with queries and inserts. The docs suggest giving roughly half the cores to insert threads so merges keep up. |
| RAM | Sets insert block size and peak memory. Plan for the heaviest query plus merges, not the average day. |
| Disk | NVMe helps scans and merges. Size for raw data, retention policy and headroom for merges. |
| Inserts | Batch in blocks of at least 1,000 rows, ideally 10,000 to 100,000, at roughly one insert per second; otherwise use asynchronous inserts. |
Hosting outside the UK: what it means
Your servers would sit in Frankfurt, so queries from UK offices cross the North Sea or more. For dashboards and batch analytics that is usually fine; for interactive tools, test from your own network before you commit. We do not publish latency numbers because we have not measured them for your location.
If the tables hold personal data, see our page on GDPR compliance. 4hosting offers a data processing agreement under Article 28 and standard contractual clauses for transfers. We are not a compliance certifier and do not sign off your legal position.
Two examples
- Product analytics. A SaaS team moves event data out of its transactional PostgreSQL into ClickHouse on a VPS, batching inserts from its application and keeping PostgreSQL for orders.
- Log and metrics store. An operations team keeps months of logs in ClickHouse on a dedicated server with replication to a second node, and restores from backup in a rehearsal each quarter.
Common mistakes
- Inserting row by row. Many tiny inserts create many parts and leave background merges struggling.
- Sizing from a benchmark you did not run on your own schema and queries.
- Keeping the only copy on one server with no tested restore.
- Putting personal data into analytics tables without deciding on retention and deletion first.
How 4hosting helps
You get root access on a VPS or a dedicated server, EU datacentres, free migration and monthly DevOps hours. Request hours from the client panel, propose a date, and the team delivers. Hours do not roll over, and work beyond the allowance is billed separately by the hour.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run ClickHouse on a 4hosting VPS?
Yes. A VPS gives you root access and Docker, so you install the ClickHouse version you need yourself. We do not sell ClickHouse as a managed service.
Does 4hosting help with ClickHouse tuning and backups?
Our DevOps service covers PostgreSQL and ClickHouse: data modelling for OLTP and OLAP, replication, point-in-time backups, tuning and partitioning. It is delivered from the DevOps hours included in your plan; anything beyond the monthly allowance is accepted and billed separately.
Are the servers in the UK?
No. Our datacentre is in the EU, in Frankfurt. Plans are invoiced in EUR.