DigitalOcean and Vultr are the two most popular developer-friendly VPS cloud providers. Both offer simple interfaces, predictable pricing, and global data centers. DigitalOcean has a stronger marketplace and app ecosystem; Vultr has more global locations and bare metal options.
Provider A
DigitalOcean
4 wins
Provider B
Vultr
2 wins
Across 10 head-to-head categories, DigitalOcean comes out ahead, winning 4 versus 2 (with 4 tied). DigitalOcean leads on entry price, port 25 open, marketplace apps. Vultr leads on bare metal, global locations. The best choice depends on your workload — read the full breakdown below.
Head to Head
$20 (Free Trial)
Winner$30 ($200 credit)
Yes (dedicated accounts)
WinnerNot offered separately
Yes (add-on)
Yes (included in credits)
Winner14 regions
32 locations
WinnerExcellent 1-Click apps
WinnerLimited marketplace
Yes (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis)
WinnerYes (limited)
Spaces (S3-compatible)
TieObject Storage
Tie30min–12 Hours
Tie30min–12 Hours
Tie7 Days
Tie7 Days
Tie$299 (25 open-port droplets)
Tie$300 credit
TieStrengths & Trade-offs
Where it wins
Where it falls behind
Where it wins
Where it falls behind
In Depth
DigitalOcean takes this category with $20 (Free Trial), compared to $30 ($200 credit) on Vultr. If entry price is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with Yes (dedicated accounts), compared to Not offered separately on Vultr. If port 25 open is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
Vultr takes this category with Yes (included in credits), compared to Yes (add-on) on DigitalOcean. If bare metal is a priority for your workload, Vultr is the stronger pick.
Vultr takes this category with 32 locations, compared to 14 regions on DigitalOcean. If global locations is a priority for your workload, Vultr is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with Excellent 1-Click apps, compared to Limited marketplace on Vultr. If marketplace apps is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with Yes (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis), compared to Yes (limited) on Vultr. If managed databases is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
Background
DigitalOcean is a leading cloud platform. Our verified DigitalOcean accounts come pre-activated with credits applied and limits raised, so you can deploy production workloads within hours instead of waiting on signup approvals and quota requests.
Vultr is a leading cloud platform. Our verified Vultr accounts come pre-activated with credits applied and limits raised, so you can deploy production workloads within hours instead of waiting on signup approvals and quota requests.
Decision Guide
Final Verdict
DigitalOcean wins on port 25 open accounts, marketplace apps, managed databases, and overall ecosystem maturity. Vultr wins on global location count and bare metal access through credits. For email server deployments, choose DigitalOcean. For global compute coverage and bare metal, Vultr is the better pick.
Choose DigitalOcean if you need port 25 open for email marketing, want 1-Click app installs, or need managed database services. Choose Vultr if you need more global locations, bare metal servers within your credit balance, or game server hosting.
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