DigitalOcean is a leading cloud computing provider offering services ranging from basic virtual servers to advanced cloud GPUs. DO offers droplets (virtual machines) with an SLA, built-in security, and predictable monthly pricing.
It’s like a mini server, but you can use it independently or in a bigger setup. I like the DO control panel because it is stylish and easy to connect to other control panels.
You should buy virtual machines from a provider that does not offer shared hosting. It’s because shared hosting often overfill their servers, leading to frequent outages and poor performance. There are good shared hosting providers that offer decent service, but most are mediocre and don’t prioritize performance or availability.
I like DigitalOcean’s pricing and its interface. It’s also fast and reliable compared to other affordable cloud hosting options. Even though there are occasional downtimes and slow hardware upgrades, I still think they’re a solid choice.
But they’ve got a bad reputation for average customer service and for shutting down clients the wrong way. If DigitalOcean doesn’t fit your needs, try these competitors.
1. UpCloud
UpCloud is a Finnish cloud computing company with global operations, offering high performance at reasonable prices and an industry-leading service level agreement.
There’s a decent support team, and they’re friendly. Although they have a nice UI, it doesn’t compare favorably to DigitalOcean, and the web console is a mess.
Their servers range from simple to private cloud. For most websites, developer and general-purpose plans are sufficient. You can use an entry-level VPS for low-traffic websites, as caching plugins and CDNs can significantly increase performance.
Developer plans are well-suited for personal projects and offer competitive pricing. 1st plan includes 1 GB RAM, 1 core, and 10 GB storage for less than 4 USD per month.
General-purpose plans offer balanced resources for most uses. Basically the same as DigitalOcean’s AMD droplets and Vultr high-frequency servers. For under $8/m, you get 1 GB of RAM, 1 core, and 25 GB of storage. There is a price difference between global and Finland; global prices are lower, which could be due to tax differences.
The core difference between developer and general-purpose plans is that developer plans use SSDs and older CPUs, while general-purpose plans use AMD processors and MaxIOPS. UpCloud offers comparable performance and pricing to DigitalOcean.
However, UC operates fewer data centers, whereas DigitalOcean has a broader global presence. UpCloud’s support is superior to DO’s, but its control panel isn’t user-friendly.
Key facts about UpCloud:
- Reasonably priced: The developer plans are affordable, but the rates for UpCloud’s other plans are roughly the same as DigitalOcean’s.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: In addition to free credit, they also offer a refund policy that lets you get a refund of the first amount you paid.
- Friendly support: If you have questions or need help troubleshooting, you can reach out via chat or submit a ticket.
- Insufficient data centers: Most of their data centers are in Europe and the US. Only one in Asia, none in Latin America or Africa.
- Poorly designed UI: UpCloud’s client interface is less user-friendly than those of other platforms, and its built-in SSH interface is poor.
2. Vultr
I’ve already written an article about Vultr. It is DO’s largest competitor, and its prices and performance are pretty comparable. The high-frequency servers are generally affordable and can handle significant traffic with minimal CPU impact. I noticed that DigitalOcean’s AMD droplets offer similar performance for a slightly lower price.
Vultr is a leading cloud provider and one of my favorites. DigitalOcean only has 13 data centers, while Vultr has 32 in every continent. Both platforms have similar features, but Vultr’s web console is unresponsive.
You can get everything from VPSs to bare-metal GPUs with Vultr, and they offer three VPS types: regular, high-performance, and high-frequency.
Regular performance servers are run on old Intel CPUs and SSDs. Usually cheap, you can get 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 1.00 TB bandwidth, and 25 GB SSD for $5.00/month.
Vultr’s high-performance or high-frequency servers are the best choice for hosting a website. Particularly high-frequency servers with Xeon processors clocked at over 3 GHz. Start with 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, 1 TB, and 32 GB NVMe for $6.00/month.
Key facts about Vultr:
- Feature-packed control panel: A third-party panel is unnecessary because the system includes key web server management features.
- Modern stacks: If you want to use different configurations, you can install OSs such as Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, Windows, or Fedora. You may also set up WordPress with OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu, or use Drupal and Joomla.
- Payment flexibility: You can pay with cards, PayPal, bank transfers, or crypto.
- Unusable web console: Unlike Lightsail, Linode, or DigitalOcean, Vultr’s built-in SSH terminal is a mess. That’s my biggest issue with Vultr.
- Paid DDoS Protection: DDoS protection is typically included as standard, but Vultr charges an additional fee. (It costs an extra $10 per month).
3. Kamatera
Kamatera is another established cloud hosting company that offers budget-friendly servers at half the cost of DigitalOcean. It’s solid, with no major downtime reported. As a regular customer, I have no complaints about the value for money of their VPS.
For $10 per month, you get 2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 20 GB storage, and 5 TB of traffic. They’re ideal for general-purpose apps that don’t need guaranteed CPU power.
But type A CPU VPS plans may show high CPU usage, especially with 1 or 2 cores. You can launch a new server hourly or monthly and customize your VPS to select the resources you need. Each general-purpose and burstable thread has certain reserved resources. All Kamatera data centers charge the same prices, with no hidden fees.
If you require a dedicated CPU for demanding websites, Type D VPSs are ideal. While they are more expensive, they can effectively support dynamic or high-traffic sites.
Kamatera’s control panel is fine, but not as modern as its competitors, and the web console is awful. Despite having over 20 DCs, none are in South America or Africa. Yes, it is a solid alternative to DigitalOcean and Vultr, as it remains affordable.
Key facts about Kamatera:
- Cost-effective: This is Kamatera’s most significant advantage. You can save half on server costs compared to UpCloud, Vultr, DigitalOcean, etc.
- Decent performance: Despite its affordable price, I wasn’t disappointed with the server’s performance. It is comparable to that of major brands.
- Resource customization: You can select the amount of RAM, CPU, storage, and bandwidth based on your requirements.
- Outdated control panel: Kamatera’s user interface appears outdated compared to modern alternatives. While it offers sufficient server management features, navigation is challenging, and the built-in terminal is difficult to use.
- No data centers in some regions: They have over 20 data centers; however, none are located in South America or Africa. Only three are located in Asia.
4. Krystal Cloud
Previously known as Katapult, the service has now merged with Krystal Hosting and operates as Krystal Cloud. I have no complaints about performance, especially their dedicated vCPU hosting, which is notably fast and easily handles heavy traffic.
If you sign up first, you’ll get £100 free credit. Although the signup process isn’t user-friendly, it may require verification. Krystal Cloud looks expensive, and yes, it’s a lot pricier than Kamatera and Spaceship VPS. Krystal Cloud uses modern hardware with AMD EPYC processors, making it well-suited for high-performance workloads.
The control panel features a well-designed client area that makes navigation easy. The graphical and metric displays provide clear monitoring of VPS hardware usage. But the issue with that control panel is that the web console is really disappointing.
There are currently four Krystal data centers (London, Amsterdam, and two in the US), so it’s not ideal for all global users. Regular or dedicated CPU servers are usually suitable for all types of websites. Their servers are equipped with the latest tech.
Regular cloud servers are less expensive, with average prices starting at around $10 per month for 1 GB of RAM, 1 vCPU, 10 GB of NVMe storage, and 1 TB of bandwidth. Dedicated CPU servers are more expensive but provide guaranteed resources.
Key facts about Krystal Cloud:
- Rich control panel: A cool interface for managing cloud servers. You’ll find more modern features, stunning graphs, and metrics.
- Solid performance: Although prices are high, I have no concerns about the performance. Dedicated CPU hosting offers robust performance.
- Expensive: Decent performance, but it’s really pricey compared to Kamatera, UpCloud, and Hetzner. The low-tier plans are even more costly than Vultr’s.
- Verification: Some users could notice a verification process before accessing services. You may need to request account activation via email.
- A few data centers: Krystal Cloud currently operates four in the US and Europe.
5. Hetzner
Hettner is another popular German cloud hosting provider known for its low prices. However, it operates data centers in Germany, Finland, the USA, and Singapore.
Although there are mixed reviews about the services, some consider them a good deal for the price, offering low-cost dedicated servers. But some say they experience poor service, billing issues, and technical problems. Their UI is also quite outdated.
Despite being affordable, I’m not impressed with the performance. I agree with one thing: they’re affordable. I have only seen such pricing in Contabo.
For less than $5, you can get a shared VPS with 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB NVMe storage, and a notable amount of bandwidth.
It costs less than $15 USD to purchase dedicated hosting with 2 cores and 8 GB RAM. That sounds good. It can handle a lot of traffic. But prices vary by location; servers in Singapore are usually pricier. Moreover, shared cost-optimized servers aren’t available in Singapore or the US. There’s at least 20 TB of traffic included for EU cloud servers.
If you’re eyeing heavy cloud hosting, especially in Europe, Hetzer is a decent option. Hetzer is a serious competitor, but not quite as sophisticated as DigitalOcean.
Key facts about Hetzer:
- Very affordable: Hetzner’s popularity is largely due to its dedicated hosting, which offers 2 cores and 4 GB of RAM for approximately $15 USD.
- A sufficient level of security: Hetzner offers safeguards that are typically not available on unmanaged cloud hosts.
- Fewer locations: Hetzner operates only 4 data centers, located in Germany, Finland, the USA, and Singapore.
- Prices vary by location: Servers in Singapore are usually pricier.
- Poor support and UI: Since they are cheap, you cannot expect high-quality support or a user-friendly UI. Additionally, the Hetzner UI is outdated.
6. Amazon Lightsail
Amazon Lightsail is a popular virtual server service for average users. Although AWS is one of the world’s largest cloud computing providers, Lightsail is not as effective as some of its competitors. Still, Lightsail simplifies launching and managing VPSs.
You can set up a server within minutes, without complex configuration. It is a suitable option for beginners eager to explore AWS and ideal for developers, freelancers, and fans running simple apps or testing different server configurations.
Despite its low price, the design and technologies are outdated. Lightsail’s interface doesn’t stand out compared to DigitalOcean’s. You can view server metrics, including CPU, RAM, and network usage, to estimate your web server’s stability.
Obviously, it can be helpful if you need to pair your AWS account with other services. The control panel isn’t very stylish, but it comes with critical features. It gives you the ability to launch WordPress with Apache in one click, as well as attach a domain to it.
Lightsail offers a fixed monthly price. The cost is clearly displayed when you select one. For instance, 2 GB RAM, 2 vCPUs, and 60 GB of storage may be available for under $12 per month. I think the price is competitive with DO, UpCloud, and Vultr.
Lightsail is ideal if you’re new to AWS or just want to get started fast. When you need more power and are comfortable managing AWS infrastructure, you can use EC2.
I prefer cloud computing services from small and medium-sized firms because they are efficient, well-organized, and cost-effective.
Key facts about Lightsail:
- Free Tier: A three-month free trial is available for specific plans.
- Simple SSH terminal: My favorite feature is the one-click SSH terminal. Therefore, you do not need to use a third-party SSH terminal such as PuTTY.
- Global data centers: It’s a big company, and you can pick locations all over the world. (3: North America, 6: Europe, 6: Asia Pacific.)
- Unattractive UI: If you prefer modern designs, the UI may not be impressive; however, if you’re not concerned about the UI, it is not a significant issue.
- Outdated: You will not find any modern features in Lightsail’s UI or hardware. I couldn’t find any hardware details, and the performance is average.
7. Contabo
Contabo is a cloud host with unbeatable prices. Hetzer is the closest provider to this price, but Contabo is more affordable. You can get these features for less than $5, including 3 cores, 8 GB RAM, 75 GB NVMe, and 32 TB of bandwidth. Crazy, right?
Long-term deals are even cheaper. It is worth noting that there are restrictions and pricing based on the server’s location. In this case, choosing a German DC is normal, but selecting an Asian or US one will increase prices by up to 50%.
For example, the same server in Europe may cost $10 but $15 in India.
I have used their VPS in the German DC with no problems; however, there are notable negative reviews about downtime and customer service. I’m sure people are using them without problems. They’re super cheap and have 9 data centers.
Service is ideal for development conditions. For professional sites, it is up to you to choose Contabo, which offers VPS and bare-metal servers.
Contabo offers highly competitive pricing compared to DigitalOcean, though some users have concerns about service quality.
Key facts about Contabo:
- Lowest price ever: Contabo offers cloud hosting at prices that are hard to beat. For under $5, you get 3 CPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, 75 GB of storage, and 32 TB of bandwidth. The dedicated servers are also affordable.
- Hosting for Blockchain: Hosting companies rarely offer blockchain hosting.
- Developer-oriented features: Get real root access to customize your deployment process with custom images, cloud-init, and SSH keys.
- Numerous complaints: Concerns regarding their support and downtime make Contabo unreliable for demanding workloads.
- Server location affects prices: Their prices are competitive for European data centers, but can be significantly higher for locations outside Germany.
8. ScalaHosting
Unlike DigitalOcean, Vultr, and similar services, ScalaHosting offers a unique set of features. Offer both regular managed hosting and unmanaged virtual servers. They’re well-known for their high-performance VPS, both managed and unmanaged.
In my opinion, the biggest benefit of ScalaHosting is free access to Spanel. This panel has many features like cPanel, but its interface is clean and easy to use.
But Scala does not offer smaller VPS options. The minimum configuration includes 2 cores, 4 GB RAM, and 50 GB NVMe storage, and you can’t purchase servers with only 1 GB RAM and 1 core. Their target market is not smaller users like us, HAHA! Even though Scala lets you build your own VPS profile, you still can’t set up small VPSs.
ScalaHosting is designed for serious and long-term customers. You can get 2 CPUs, 4 GB of RAM, and 50 GB of NVMe storage for less than $25 a month.
Still, Scala remains less costly than managed hosts, such as WP Engine, RocketNet, and Kinsta. Long-term deals are even more affordable. You get a refined control panel for free. Trustpilot reviews show that Scala’s support outperforms competitors.
Scala has multiple combined global data centers and is a competitive alternative to DigitalOcean, UpCloud, and Katapult, among others. But it doesn’t offer a small VPS.
Key facts about Scala:
- Free SPanel: One big plus is that all Scala VPSs come with SPanel and work well as an alternative to cPanel and other enterprise options.
- Build your own VPS: You can add extra resources to your VPS setup as needed.
- Latest technology: ScalaHosting offers high-performance features, including processors up to 4 GHz and NVMe. And Spanel supports LiteSpeed, Nginx, Apache, and other modern applications.
- No small VPS: ScalaHosting does not provide VPS plans with 1 GB RAM and a single core. Their entry-level VPS includes two CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM.
- Few data centers: Scala only has 4 data centers in the US and Bulgaria.
Why Consider Alternatives to DigitalOcean?
There are affordable and reliable alternatives to DigitalOcean, so its popularity does not necessarily make it the best choice for every website.
DEVs often seek alternative options for several reasons. DigitalOcean works well for many uses; however, some projects require a different platform to meet their needs.
Sometimes, raw cloud hosting can be difficult for users without technical expertise. DO hosting is an unmanaged service; you are responsible for handling your updates, backups, and security.
Some other providers include features as part of their service that DigitalOcean offers only through third-party tools. Some platforms are ideal for users who want to host projects without managing hosting infrastructure.
Yes, there are many reasons to choose something different. Sometimes, it’s just because you don’t like the color or design.
The Bottom Line
Since there are many choices for each hosting provider, I will not recommend one over another. DigitalOcean has many competitors, including Vultr, UpCloud, Kamatera, Hetzner, AWS, Akamai, and others.
It’s up to you whether you want to try some of these DigitalOcean Alternatives. I didn’t mention big names like Oracle, Leaseweb, Google Cloud, or IBM as alternatives, since DO is a growing service designed for all types of users, not just enterprises.
Cloud hosting providers are highly dedicated to providing reliable servers. There’s usually no server caching or other pre-built software with unmanaged hosting.
Cloud hosting control panels, such as Ploi, xCloud, RunCloud, and ServerPilot, are typically more effective with droplets.
Read More: Copy text from protected website
