# Connecting a Server Provider

> Link your cloud hosting account to FlyWP so you can provision servers.

Source: https://flywp.com/docs/account/server-providers/connecting-a-server-provider/

FlyWP manages your WordPress servers by talking directly to your cloud hosting account. Connecting a provider takes about two minutes, and once it’s done, you can spin up new servers from the FlyWP dashboard without ever logging into your cloud console. If you’re setting up FlyWP for the first time, this is the step that unlocks everything else.

## Supported Providers

FlyWP works with these cloud providers:

| Provider | Best for | Regions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **DigitalOcean** | Simplicity, global coverage | Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia |
| **Vultr** | Budget-friendly, wide selection | 25+ locations worldwide |
| **AWS (EC2)** | Enterprise, compliance needs | All AWS regions |
| **Hetzner** | Value for money in Europe | Germany, Finland, USA |
| **Akamai (Linode)** | Balanced performance | Americas, Europe, Asia |
| **Custom Server** | Any provider or bare metal | Anywhere |

:::tip
If you’re unsure which provider to choose, **Hetzner** offers the best price-to-performance ratio for WordPress hosting, especially if your audience is in Europe. **DigitalOcean** is a solid all-around choice with data centers worldwide.
:::

## How to Connect a Provider

To connect a provider, you’ll generate an API token (a secret key that lets FlyWP act on your behalf) inside your cloud account, then paste it into FlyWP. Here’s the full flow:

1. Click your **team name** in the top-right corner of FlyWP
2. Select **Settings** from the dropdown
3. Click **Server Providers** in the left sidebar
4. Click **+ Add Provider**
5. Select your cloud provider from the list
6. Enter the required credentials:
   - **DigitalOcean**: Personal Access Token
   - **Vultr**: API Key
   - **AWS**: Access Key ID + Secret Access Key (from AWS IAM — the identity and access management service)
   - **Hetzner**: API Token
   - **Akamai**: Personal Access Token
7. Give the connection a recognizable **name** (e.g., “Production Servers” or “Client Projects”)
8. Click **Save**

![Server Providers page](https://flywp.com/images/docs/screenshots/server-providers.png)

## Where to Find Your API Key

Each provider stores API tokens (the authentication credentials FlyWP uses to create and control servers) in a slightly different place:

- **DigitalOcean**: API → Generate New Token at cloud.digitalocean.com/account/api/tokens
- **Vultr**: Account → API at my.vultr.com/settings/#settingsapi
- **AWS**: IAM → Users → Security credentials → Create access key
- **Hetzner**: Cloud Console → Security → API Tokens → Generate API Token
- **Akamai/Linode**: Profile → API Tokens → Create a Personal Access Token

Make sure your API token has **read and write** permissions. FlyWP needs write access to create and manage servers on your behalf.

## Using a Custom Server

If your server lives somewhere not in the list above — or you have a bare metal server (a physical machine you own or rent, rather than a cloud VM) — you can use the **Custom** option when creating a server. Instead of API credentials, you’ll provide:

- The server’s **IP address**
- The **SSH port** (SSH is the secure remote connection protocol FlyWP uses to set up your server; the default port is 22)
- A **hostname**

FlyWP will connect to the server over SSH and install everything needed. Your server must be running a fresh Ubuntu installation with no pre-installed software.

See [Custom Server Setup](https://flywp.com/docs/server/custom-server/) for detailed instructions.

## Managing Connected Providers

On the **Server Providers** page, you can see all your connected accounts at a glance:

- The provider **name** and logo
- Whether it’s currently **In Use** by any servers
- When it was **created**
- A **Delete** button to remove the connection

:::note
You cannot delete a provider connection while it’s in use by active servers. Remove or delete those servers first.
:::

## Related Pages

- [Adding a Server](https://flywp.com/docs/server/how-to-create-servers/)
- [Custom Server Setup](https://flywp.com/docs/server/custom-server/)
- [Team Settings](https://flywp.com/docs/account/granular-team-management/)