ClearedHot is a US host built around one idea: a single $69.99 plan with uncapped slots and every mod included, run through Discord. Fox3 Servers is the longest-running managed DCS host, with sized tiers, a web panel, four regions and a staffed support desk. The honest comparison is simplicity against control. Facts below are as of October 2026.
| Capability | Fox3 Servers | ClearedHot |
|---|---|---|
| Track record | Five years hosting DCS squadrons; about 200 servers online today | Newer US host; Discord of about 500 members; runs public Foothold servers |
| Regions | US East, US West, Europe, Australia | Texas and Los Angeles (Virginia listed as sold out) |
| Pricing model | Six tiers from $19.99 to $100.99 a month; Wing tier $74.99 with mods included; quarterly and yearly discounts | One plan at $69.99 a month, PayPal only |
| Slots and hardware | Sized tiers (5 to 80+ slots) with published RAM and dedicated AMD EPYC cores from Squadron up | Uncapped slots on shared 128 GB hosts |
| Mods | Olympus, SkyEye GCI and DKS included on new Squadron-and-up orders from Oct 29, 2026; SRS, Tacview, LotATC per tier | All mods included |
| Management | Web panel, cloud drive that mirrors Saved Games, MissionRX mission checks; Discord bot available as an add-on | FTP and DCSServerBot in Discord; no web panel |
| Support | Humans on Discord tickets 10am to 10pm ET, Monday to Saturday; public status page | Discord only; provisioning 7am to 10pm ET; no SLA published |
| Risk reversal | 7-day money-back guarantee on your first server | Month to month |
Pick Fox3 if you want to know what you are getting: each tier publishes its RAM, cores and slot count, and Squadron and up run on dedicated cores rather than a shared host, so a neighbor’s 60-player Foothold night does not become your stutter. Fox3’s Wing tier, at $74.99 with Olympus, SkyEye and DKS included, is the like-for-like plan, and smaller groups can start at $19.99.
Pick Fox3 if you want a panel and a cloud drive instead of FTP, pilots in Europe or Australia, a public status page, or a support desk with published hours. The 7-day money-back guarantee covers the first week either way.
Pick ClearedHot if you want one price with no decisions, your pilots are all in the US, you are comfortable living in Discord and FTP rather than a panel, and uncapped slots on a shared host suits how your group flies.
ClearedHot sells one simple plan. Fox3 sells the right-sized plan, with published hardware, a panel, four regions, five years of DCS-only operations and humans on support. At the Wing tier the prices are within a few dollars; the difference is what you know about the machine you are paying for and who picks up when it matters.
Fox3 plans start at $19.99/month with about 3% off quarterly and 5% off yearly. Most customers fly within 60 minutes of payment.
Comparison reflects publicly published facts about each provider as of 2026 and Fox3’s own positioning. Competitor offerings change - verify current details on their site before deciding. Submit corrections via the contact form.