Cloud hosting can be a little daunting for many people in the first place, but Digital Ocean has made that doubly so with the liberal use of self-developed technical jargon. For layman unfamiliar with the company, start by exploring “Droplets” – their unique term for “cloud hosting solution”. That said, Digital Ocean is a highly modular and scalable environment with many advanced, developer-friendly features. Everything here is priced independently, so you’re really paying for only what you need.
Suitable for: eCommerce, Enterprise, Developers-friendly, or Adult Website Hosting
Website: https://www.digitalocean.com/
DigitalOcean: A Quick Introduction
Founded in 2011 by Ben Uretsky, Moisey Uretsky, Mitch Wainer, Jeff Carr, and Alec Hartman, DigitalOcean emerged from their previous venture, ServerStack. The aim was to simplify cloud computing for developers. Their mission centers on empowering developers to easily build, deploy, and scale cloud applications. Over the years, DigitalOcean has grown significantly, offering high-performance, cost-effective cloud solutions designed with developers and small startups in mind.
Our Take on DigitalOcean Hosting
For many, cloud hosting can be complex, and DigitalOcean adds to the challenge with its unique technical terms. For those new to the platform, start by getting acquainted with “Droplets” – their term for cloud servers. DigitalOcean offers a highly customizable and scalable environment, packed with advanced features for developers. The pricing is very flexible, ensuring you only pay for the resources you use.
Advantages of DigitalOcean
- Exceptional uptime and speed: DigitalOcean boasts reliable and fast servers.
- Flexible pricing: Customize your plan to match your specific needs.
- Wide choice of data centers: With 15 data centers globally, you can choose the best location for your needs.
- Highly customizable virtual machines: Tailor your server setup exactly as needed.
- Resource alert system: Stay informed about resource usage and potential issues.
Disadvantages of DigitalOcean
- Additional cost for automated backups: Automated backups come at an extra charge.
- Backups are not encrypted by default: This could be a potential security risk.
- Not beginner-friendly: The platform is tailored for developers and might be difficult for beginners.
- Complex team management: Managing teams can be more cumbersome compared to other platforms.
Digital Ocean – Our Overall Experience & Findings
| Performance | What server speed features does Digital Ocean offer?Digital Ocean is more of an infrastructure provider. There isn’t much built-in speed features for the users; however price is relatively cheaper and users has total freedom to configure their own server.The company publishes their server and network service status publicly, click here to visit. |
| Security | Are websites hosted at Digital Ocean safe?Digital Ocean offers powerful security with advanced network protection, data encryption, and continuous monitoring – making it a secure choice for cloud infrastructure needs. |
| Supports | Is Digital Ocean customer support good?As infrastructure provider, Digital Ocean offers a different level of support compared to managed hosting services. Their support is more focused on infrastructure-related issues and is less about spoonfeeding detailed guidance on website or application development. While essential support for technical issues with their platforms is there, users generally need a higher level of technical expertise to manage and troubleshoot their applications. In case you need help, you can reach out to Digital Ocean’s support via email. |
| Value for Money | Does Digital Ocean offer good value for its pricing?Known for its straightforward pricing, Digital Ocean primarily targets developers with its range of scalable ‘Droplets’ (cloud servers). It offers predictable, flat-rate pricing with various tiers based on CPU, memory, and storage resources. This makes it appealing for businesses and individuals looking for clear, no-surprise billing. |
| Overall Users Satisfaction | What other users think of Digital Ocean?Based on our market research, Digital Ocean customers are singing praises for its affordable hosting plans, flexible server setup, and outstanding speed performance. Overall, they are one of the top cloud hosting choices for many users.For additional insights, please refer to the user reviews section below. |
| Beginners Friendliness | Is Digital Ocean suitable for beginners?No, we do not think Digital Ocean is suitable for beginners with modest web hosting needs. Its complex setup and configuration, combined with the technical skills required, can be challenging for those without substantial web development experience. While Digital Ocean offers a highly scalable and powerful environment, it’s less suited for those seeking a more straightforward and cost-effective hosting solution. |
| Small Business Friendliness | Is Digital Ocean suitable for small businesses?Similarly, Digital Ocean may not be an ideal choice for small businesses – especially if you don’t require high levels of website scalability or have complex hosting needs. The platform’s focus on modular cloud pricing and a technically demanding environment can pose challenges for small business owners lacking extensive technical expertise. While it offers powerful, scalable solutions, these features are more aligned with the needs of high-volume online shops or web developers with advanced skills. Small businesses seeking simpler, more straightforward hosting solutions might find Digital Ocean’s offerings to be an overkill. |
| Web Developers Friendliness | Is Digital Ocean suitable for developers?Digital Ocean is an excellent choice for experienced web developers, offering an environment that’s ideal for high-performance sites and a range of deployable features. Its scalable, high-powered infrastructure and advanced tools align well with the technical skills and demands of seasoned developers. |
| Host Own Email | Can you host your own email accounts ([email protected]) with Digital Ocean?No, you cannot host your own email accounts with Digital Ocean. To do this, you will need to utilize a third-party email provider like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 at additional cost. |
| Onboarding | Is it easy to get started with Digital Ocean as a new customer?The onboarding process with Digital Ocean is surprisingly quick and easy. All you need is to fill out a few details and provide your billing information, then you will be let loose into their control area. This works out well since you won’t be charged yet and you can explore to your heart’s content. |
Digital Ocean Plans & Pricing
Digital Ocean offers more customizable cloud services, allowing users to tailor their server’s resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage to their specific needs.
When evaluating your options, it’s crucial to remember that many hosting companies offer substantial discounts during the initial signup period, but the pricing often increases significantly upon renewal. You should thoroughly research and compare the renewal prices, not just the introductory rates, to understand the true cost of hosting over an extended period.
To help you make a more informed decision, we have prepared two tables below which compare the initial signup and subsequent renewal costs of Digital Ocean services with several other providers that we actively monitor.
Compare Digital Ocean Signup Price with Others
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Ocean | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 96.00/mo | $14.00 – 3569.98/mo | $ – /mo |
| Ultahost | $3.08 – 12.99/mo | $4.67 – 40.50/mo | $116.91 – 370.50/mo | $ – /mo | $2.90 – 27.50/mo | $15.90 – 240.90/mo |
| Fastcomet | $1.79 – 4.99/mo | $46.16 – 107.76/mo | $107.06 – 268.76/mo | $ – /mo | $1.79 – 4.99/mo | $ – /mo |
| GreenGeeks | $2.95 – 8.95/mo | $39.95 – 109.95/mo | $169.00 – 439.00/mo | $ – /mo | $2.95 – 8.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| Kamatera | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
| Web.com | $2.95 – 6.95/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $2.95 – 6.95/mo | $ – /mo |
Review Digital Ocean Renewal Price with Others
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Ocean | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 96.00/mo | $14.00 – 3569.98/mo | $ – /mo |
| Ultahost | $4.39 – 17.32/mo | $7.33 – 48.93/mo | $129.83 – 389.00/mo | $ – /mo | $3.87 – 36.67/mo | $16.74 – 253.58/mo |
| Fastcomet | $8.95 – 24.95/mo | $65.95 – 153.95/mo | $152.95 – 383.95/mo | $ – /mo | $8.95 – 24.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| GreenGeeks | $11.95 – 26.95/mo | $39.95 – 109.95/mo | $169.00 – 439.00/mo | $ – /mo | $11.95 – 26.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| Kamatera | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
| Web.com | $9.99 – 16.99/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $9.99 – 16.99/mo | $ – /mo |
Bottomline: Is Digital Ocean Right for You?
Diving into Digital Ocean, you’re greeted with a cloud hosting realm that caters specifically to the tech-savvy and developers. It’s a world of highly flexible virtual machines, backed by a competitive pricing strategy that’s hard to beat. Yet, this ocean has its depths—its complexity and the extra charges for automated backups might make newcomers or those in search of simplicity think twice.
A treasure for the experienced, but the uninitiated may need to navigate its waters carefully.