The verdict in three sentences
Hosting a brochure site on OVH or Scaleway to stay GDPR-compliant costs 15 to 90 EUR/month in Amsterdam in 2026, depending on whether you choose shared, VPS or managed cloud. A full GDPR audit adds a one-off 1,200 to 3,000 EUR. The point is not just price: it is data sovereignty, with a clear provider DPA and zero transfers outside the EU.
The line items of compliant hosting
Compliant GDPR hosting is not just the server. You need a CDN for performance, automatic backups, an SSL certificate, a data processing agreement (DPA) with the host, and guaranteed EU data location.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | 15 - 30 /month | Monthly |
| Managed VPS | 40 - 90 /month | Monthly |
| CDN (EU edge) | 0 - 25 /month | Monthly |
| Automatic backups | 5 - 20 /month | Monthly |
| SSL certificate | 0 (Let's Encrypt) - 120 /year | Annual |
| Initial GDPR audit | 1,200 - 3,000 | One-off |
Free SSL via Let's Encrypt is enough for a brochure site; a paid EV certificate is only justified for enhanced-trust needs.
Shared, VPS or managed cloud
The architecture choice depends on traffic, performance needs and operating budget. Here is how the three options compare for an Amsterdam brochure site in 2026.
| Criterion | Shared | Managed VPS | Managed cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost / month | 15 - 30 EUR | 40 - 90 EUR | 90 - 250 EUR |
| Performance | Fair | Good | Excellent |
| EU location | Yes (OVH/Scaleway) | Yes | Yes |
| Resource isolation | Low | Good | High |
| Traffic scalability | Limited | Medium | High |
| Ideal for | Simple brochure | Brochure + traffic | E-commerce/peaks |
For most brochure sites, a managed VPS on OVH or Scaleway offers the best balance of sovereignty, performance and controlled cost.
Mini case study
Yann, director of an Amsterdam recruitment firm, hosted his site with a US provider, exposing his form data to non-EU transfers. He migrates to a Scaleway VPS at 55 EUR/month and commissions a GDPR audit at 1,800 EUR. Result: documented compliance (record, DPA, notices), data located in the EU, and a concrete sales argument with his large-account clients who care about sovereignty. Total first-year cost: about 2,460 EUR, paid back by a single reassured client contract.
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FAQ
Is US hosting really a GDPR risk?
Yes, because transferring data outside the EU requires strict safeguards (standard contractual clauses) that are often absent or fragile. Hosting in the EU on OVH or Scaleway radically simplifies compliance.
How much does a GDPR audit cost in Amsterdam in 2026?
Between 1,200 and 3,000 EUR for a brochure site: the audit covers the processing record, the DPA, legal notices, cookie policy and security measures.
Must the SSL certificate be paid?
No, Let's Encrypt (free) is enough for a brochure site and provides HTTPS encryption. A paid certificate is only justified for specific enhanced-trust needs.
What is the difference between shared and VPS for compliance?
GDPR compliance is identical as long as data stays in the EU. The difference is performance and isolation: a VPS isolates your resources, shared hosting pools them.
Do I need a DPA even for a simple brochure site?
Yes, as soon as you collect data via a form, a data processing agreement (DPA) with the host is required. OVH and Scaleway provide it as standard.
Let's scope your project. Share your monthly traffic and the data you collect so we can choose the EU architecture and quote the GDPR audit. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
