HostDare vs BandwagonHost: Routes, Bandwidth, and Pricing Compared
When your primary reason for renting a VPS is running a proxy to bypass censorship, the specs on the box barely matter. What actually determines your day-to-day experience is route quality, packet loss during peak hours, and how long your IP stays alive.
HostDare and BandwagonHost are the two providers most closely associated with US West Coast VPS hosting for users in China. Both offer CN2 GIA routes, and their target audiences overlap almost entirely. But the price gap is significant — BandwagonHost's CN2 GIA starts at $49.99/quarter (~$200/year), while HostDare's CSSD series starts at $40.99/year. What exactly does that price difference buy?
Route Types Explained
Before diving into the comparison, here's a quick primer on the route types you'll encounter:
| Route Type | Description | Used By |
|---|---|---|
| CN2 GIA | China Telecom's next-gen premium international network (AS4809). Three-ISP high-priority channel. | BandwagonHost E-Commerce / SLA series |
| CU Premium (AS10099) | China Unicom's premium route | BandwagonHost SLA series, HostDare CSSD |
| AS9929 (CUVIP) | China Unicom's international premium network. Quality approaches CN2 GIA. | HostDare CSSD/CAMD |
| CMIN2 (AS58807) | China Mobile International premium network. Noticeably improved in recent years. | BandwagonHost SLA series, HostDare CSSD |
| Standard peering | Basic China-direction peering without dedicated route guarantee. Can congest during peaks. | BandwagonHost Basic series |
Quality ranking: CN2 GIA (SLA) ≥ CN2 GIA (E-Commerce) > AS9929 ≈ CMIN2 >> Standard peering
Both BandwagonHost E-Commerce and SLA series use CN2 GIA routing. The difference is that SLA version has a 99.99% uptime guarantee, explicitly documents AS numbers, and is limited to the USCA_5 datacenter. E-Commerce offers more location choices (including Osaka, Japan) but without SLA commitment.
BandwagonHost Plans
BandwagonHost has three product lines. It's critical to distinguish between them — the route quality, bandwidth, and pricing differences are massive.
Basic VPS — Entry Level
The cheapest series. Some locations offer China peering, but it is not CN2 GIA dedicated routing.
| Specs | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C/1GB/20GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 1 TB | $49.99/year |
| 3C/2GB/40GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 2 TB | $52.99/semi-annual |
| 4C/4GB/80GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 3 TB | $19.99/month |
| 5C/8GB/160GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 4 TB | $39.99/month |
| 6C/16GB/320GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 5 TB | $79.99/month |
| 7C/24GB/480GB SSD | 1 Gbps | 6 TB | $119.99/month |
- Locations: Vancouver, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, and more (6 total)
- Route: Local peering, not CN2 GIA dedicated (some DCs have China peering but no SLA guarantee)
- Highlights: Cheapest option, 1 Gbps bandwidth, free DC migration
The Basic series lists "ChinaNet, China Unicom, China Mobile peering" for some DCs, but this is ordinary peering — not the same as CN2 GIA dedicated routing. Peak-hour experience is significantly worse than CN2 GIA.
E-Commerce VPS — CN2 GIA (Core Product)
BandwagonHost's flagship. Three-ISP CN2 GIA optimized routing with high bandwidth:
| Specs | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C/1GB/20GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 1 TB | $49.99/quarter |
| 3C/2GB/40GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 2 TB | $89.99/quarter |
| 4C/4GB/80GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 3 TB | $56.99/month |
| 6C/8GB/160GB SSD | 5 Gbps | 5 TB | $86.99/month |
| 8C/16GB/320GB SSD | 5 Gbps | 8 TB | $159.99/month |
| 10C/32GB/640GB SSD | 10 Gbps | 10 TB | $289.99/month |
- Locations: Los Angeles DC6/DC9, Vancouver, Osaka, Amsterdam, and more (9 total)
- Route: Three-ISP CN2 GIA (ChinaNet AS4809, China Unicom, China Mobile peering)
- Highlights: 2.5–10 Gbps bandwidth, KiwiVM panel with one-click DC migration
E-Commerce SLA VPS — CN2 GIA + 99.99% SLA
Built on E-Commerce with an explicit 99.99% SLA guarantee and documented AS numbers:
| Specs | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C/1GB/20GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 1 TB | $65.89/quarter |
| 3C/2GB/40GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 2 TB | $116.99/quarter |
| 4C/4GB/80GB SSD | 2.5 Gbps | 3 TB | $69.99/month |
| 6C/8GB/160GB SSD | 5 Gbps | 5 TB | $109.99/month |
| 8C/16GB/320GB SSD | 5 Gbps | 8 TB | $199.99/month |
| 10C/32GB/640GB SSD | 10 Gbps | 10 TB | $369.99/month |
- Location: Los Angeles USCA_5 only (Coresite LA2)
- Route: China Telecom CN2 GIA/CTGNet (AS4809/AS23764) + China Unicom Premium (AS10099) + China Mobile CMIN2 (AS58807)
- Highlights: 99.99% SLA, dual redundant power/network, free IP change every 2 weeks
- Certifications: SOC 1/2 Type 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS
Key differences between the three lines: Basic = ordinary peering + 1 Gbps (cheap but no dedicated route guarantee); E-Commerce = CN2 GIA + 2.5 Gbps+ (flagship); SLA = E-Commerce + 99.99% SLA + enterprise infrastructure, ~30% more expensive.
HostDare Plans
HostDare offers three CN2 GIA product lines — all share the same route optimization (China Telecom CN2 GIA + China Unicom AS9929 + China Mobile CMIN2) but differ in CPU and storage:
Storage Types Explained
| Storage Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| NVMe SSD | Fastest consumer storage, 1000+ MB/s read/write | Proxy nodes, lightweight apps (fast but smaller capacity) |
| HDD | Traditional spinning disks, ~100-200 MB/s, but larger capacity | Scenarios needing bulk storage (downloads, backups) |
For proxy use, storage type barely matters — proxies consume CPU and network, not disk I/O. Choose NVMe or HDD based on whether you need extra storage space.
CSSD — CN2 GIA NVMe VPS (Intel CPU)
The most popular series. NVMe high-speed storage with Intel processors:
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSSD0 | 1 core | 768 MB | 10 GB NVMe | 30 Mbps | 250 GB | $40.99/yr |
| CSSD1 | 1 core | 1 GB | 25 GB NVMe | 50 Mbps | 500 GB | $28.99/qtr |
| CSSD2 | 2 cores | 2 GB | 50 GB NVMe | 60 Mbps | 1 TB | $40.99/qtr |
| CSSD3 | 3 cores | 4 GB | 100 GB NVMe | 80 Mbps | 1.5 TB | $90.99/qtr |
| CSSD4 | 4 cores | 8 GB | 200 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 2.5 TB | $62.99/mo |
| CSSD5 | 5 cores | 16 GB | 400 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 3.5 TB | $105.99/mo |
| CSSD6 | 6 cores | 32 GB | 800 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 5.5 TB | $190.99/mo |
CAMD — CN2 GIA NVMe AMD VPS (AMD EPYC CPU)
Nearly identical specs to CSSD but with AMD EPYC processors (newer architecture, slightly better single-thread performance):
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAMD0 | 1 core AMD | 768 MB | 10 GB NVMe | 30 Mbps | 250 GB | $25.99/qtr |
| CAMD1 | 1 core AMD | 1 GB | 25 GB NVMe | 50 Mbps | 500 GB | $32.99/qtr |
| CAMD2 | 2 cores AMD | 2 GB | 50 GB NVMe | 60 Mbps | 1 TB | $45.99/qtr |
| CAMD3 | 3 cores AMD | 4 GB | 100 GB NVMe | 80 Mbps | 1.5 TB | $100.99/qtr |
| CAMD4 | 4 cores AMD | 8 GB | 200 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 2.5 TB | $65.99/mo |
| CAMD5 | 5 cores AMD | 16 GB | 400 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 3.5 TB | $110.99/mo |
| CAMD6 | 6 cores AMD | 32 GB | 800 GB NVMe | 100 Mbps | 5.5 TB | $195.99/mo |
CAMD and CSSD share similar specs. CAMD's entry plan ($25.99/quarter ≈ $104/year) is slightly more expensive annually than CSSD0 ($40.99/year), but AMD EPYC offers better single-core performance. Choose based on your needs.
CKVM — CN2 GIA HDD VPS (Large-Capacity RAID10 Drives)
Trades speed for storage capacity. Suitable when you need more disk space:
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Monthly Traffic | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CKVM1 | 1 core | 756 MB | 35 GB RAID10 | 50 Mbps | 500 GB | $32.99/semi-annual |
| CKVM6 | 1 core | 756 MB | 150 GB RAID10 | 50 Mbps | 500 GB | $40.99/semi-annual |
| CKVM2 | 2 cores | 1.5 GB | 75 GB RAID10 | 60 Mbps | 1 TB | $60.99/semi-annual |
| CKVM7 | 2 cores | 1.5 GB | 300 GB RAID10 | 60 Mbps | 1 TB | $45.99/qtr |
| CKVM3 | 3 cores | 4 GB | 150 GB RAID10 | 80 Mbps | 1.5 TB | $80.99/qtr |
| CKVM8 | 3 cores | 4 GB | 450 GB RAID10 | 80 Mbps | 1.5 TB | $40.99/mo |
| CKVM4 | 4 cores | 8 GB | 300 GB RAID10 | 100 Mbps | 2.5 TB | $55.99/mo |
| CKVM5 | 5 cores | 16 GB | 600 GB RAID10 | 100 Mbps | 3.5 TB | $92.99/mo |
Which Series to Choose
| Use Case | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pure proxy node | CSSD or CAMD | NVMe is fast; small capacity is fine for proxies |
| Proxy + web hosting | CAMD | Slightly better CPU; NVMe helps site performance |
| Proxy + large file storage | CKVM | HDD capacity (35-150GB) suits downloads/backups |
| Minimum budget | CSSD0 | Starting at $40.99/year; perfectly adequate for proxy use |
Shared characteristics across all three series:
- Datacenter: Los Angeles
- Route: China Telecom CN2 GIA + China Unicom AS9929 (CUVIP) + China Mobile CMIN2
- IPv6 supported
- Discounts: HostDare regularly offers coupon codes — typically no less than 30% off list price. Black Friday and Chinese New Year may have deeper sales. Check the official site for current offers.
HostDare's core value: real CN2 GIA triple-ISP optimized routing starting at $40.99/year (even less with coupons), versus $49.99/quarter (~$200/year) for BandwagonHost's equivalent route tier. The tradeoff is significantly less bandwidth — 30–100 Mbps versus 2.5 Gbps.
Key Comparison for Proxy Use
Peak-Hour Stability
The 8–11 PM window (China time) is when domestic internet traffic peaks and route quality differences become most apparent. CN2 GIA routes have dedicated bandwidth allocation that holds up during this window, while standard 163 routes experience severe congestion.
In terms of route tier: BandwagonHost SLA/E-Commerce (CN2 GIA) > HostDare CSSD (CN2 GIA) > BandwagonHost Basic (standard peering). BandwagonHost's SLA version has a 99.99% uptime guarantee for extreme reliability; E-Commerce and HostDare deliver similar daily performance, but BandwagonHost offers far more bandwidth.
IP Blocking and Replacement
| Factor | BandwagonHost | HostDare |
|---|---|---|
| Free IP change | SLA series: free every 2 weeks; other series: discontinued | Not available |
| Paid IP change | $7.39 per change (non-SLA series) | $3 per change (via support ticket) |
| IP blocking likelihood | Lower (larger IP pool) | Moderate |
| Detection tools | Built into KiwiVM panel | Self-test required |
If you're running easily fingerprinted protocols (such as vanilla Shadowsocks), your IP is far more likely to get blocked. Use modern protocols like VLESS + Reality or Trojan + WebSocket to significantly reduce detection and blocking risk.
Protocol Compatibility
Both providers use KVM virtualization, so there's no difference in protocol support. All major proxy stacks work on either:
- ✅ Xray (VLESS / VMess / Trojan)
- ✅ Hysteria / Hysteria2
- ✅ Sing-box
- ✅ Shadowsocks 2022
- ✅ WireGuard
- ✅ Clash Meta (full protocol support)
The difference lies in management panels. BandwagonHost's KiwiVM lets you reinstall the OS and switch datacenters with one click (E-Commerce plans can migrate to Osaka, Japan, Netherlands, etc.). HostDare uses the standard SolusVM panel — more basic, but functional.
Streaming Unlock
| Platform | BandwagonHost | HostDare |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Most IPs unlock US library | Some IPs unlock |
| Disney+ | Unlockable | Unlockable |
| YouTube Premium | ✅ | ✅ |
| ChatGPT | Most IPs work | Some IPs flagged |
| Spotify | ✅ | ✅ |
BandwagonHost has a larger IP pool, giving it better overall unlock rates. If streaming is a hard requirement, BandwagonHost is more reliable.
Price Comparison
Putting equivalent route tiers side by side:
GIA vs GIA — Apples to Apples
| Factor | BandwagonHost E-Commerce Entry | HostDare CSSD1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99/quarter (~$200/year) | $28.99/quarter (~$116/year) |
| Route tier | CN2 GIA three-ISP optimized | CN2 GIA + AS9929 + CMIN2 |
| CPU | 2 cores | 1 core |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Storage | 20 GB SSD | 25 GB NVMe |
| Monthly traffic | 1 TB | 500 GB |
| Bandwidth | 2.5 Gbps | 50 Mbps |
| DC migration | ✅ 9 locations | ❌ Los Angeles only |
What does BandwagonHost's ~70% higher price buy? 50x the bandwidth, multi-datacenter migration, a larger IP pool, and more monthly traffic.
Budget Comparison — Lowest Tier from Each
| Factor | BandwagonHost Basic | HostDare CSSD0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99/year | $40.99/year |
| Route tier | Standard peering (China peering but no dedicated route) | CN2 GIA (full CN2 dedicated path) |
| Bandwidth | 1 Gbps | 30 Mbps |
| Monthly traffic | 1 TB | 250 GB |
| Peak-hour stability | Average | Good |
At nearly the same price, HostDare's $40.99/year plan has far superior routing compared to BandwagonHost's $49.99/year plan. HostDare runs on CN2 GIA dedicated lines while BandwagonHost Basic only offers standard peering. However, BandwagonHost provides far more bandwidth (1 Gbps vs 30 Mbps) and traffic (1 TB vs 250 GB). Both vendors offer periodic discounts — typically no less than 30% off list price.
Summary
| Factor | BandwagonHost E-Commerce/SLA | BandwagonHost Basic | HostDare CSSD/CAMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route tier | CN2 GIA three-ISP optimized | Standard peering | CN2 GIA + AS9929 + CMIN2 |
| Peak-hour stability | Best | Average | Good |
| Bandwidth | 2.5–10 Gbps | 1 Gbps | 30–100 Mbps |
| Starting price | $49.99/quarter (E-Commerce) | $49.99/year | $40.99/year (CSSD0) |
| IP management | SLA: free change every 2 weeks | $7.39 per swap | $3 per swap |
| DC migration | ✅ Up to 9 locations | ✅ 6 locations | ❌ Los Angeles only |
| Streaming unlock | Good | Average | Average |
| Control panel | KiwiVM (feature-rich) | KiwiVM | SolusVM (basic) |
These three offerings occupy different positions. BandwagonHost E-Commerce/SLA is the premium option — high bandwidth + CN2 GIA + multi-DC. HostDare CSSD delivers real GIA routing at a fraction of the cost by sacrificing bandwidth. BandwagonHost Basic offers raw bandwidth without dedicated route guarantees — average performance for proxy use during peak hours.