Hetzner and DigitalOcean are both popular with developers and small businesses. Hetzner offers dramatically better price-per-compute in European regions. DigitalOcean has a more polished experience, better marketplace, and open port 25 accounts for email use cases.
Provider A
Hetzner Cloud
3 wins
Provider B
DigitalOcean
4 wins
Across 10 head-to-head categories, DigitalOcean comes out ahead, winning 4 versus 3 (with 3 tied). Hetzner leads on compute value, server limit accounts, aged accounts. DigitalOcean leads on entry price, port 25 open, global regions. The best choice depends on your workload — read the full breakdown below.
Head to Head
$45 (5 servers)
$20 (Free Trial)
Winner2–3x better than DO
WinnerStandard market pricing
Not offered
Yes (from $99)
WinnerEU + US + Singapore
14 global regions
WinnerYes (5/10/25/100)
WinnerDroplet limit accounts
Limited
Excellent 1-Click
WinnerYes ($180)
WinnerNo
30min–12 Hours
Tie30min–12 Hours
Tie7 Days
Tie7 Days
Tie100 servers ($999)
Tie$299 (25 open-port droplets)
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 $45 (5 servers) on Hetzner. If entry price is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
Hetzner takes this category with 2–3x better than DO, compared to Standard market pricing on DigitalOcean. If compute value is a priority for your workload, Hetzner is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with Yes (from $99), compared to Not offered on Hetzner. If port 25 open is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with 14 global regions, compared to EU + US + Singapore on Hetzner. If global regions is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
Hetzner takes this category with Yes (5/10/25/100), compared to Droplet limit accounts on DigitalOcean. If server limit accounts is a priority for your workload, Hetzner is the stronger pick.
DigitalOcean takes this category with Excellent 1-Click, compared to Limited on Hetzner. If marketplace apps is a priority for your workload, DigitalOcean is the stronger pick.
Hetzner takes this category with Yes ($180), compared to No on DigitalOcean. If aged accounts is a priority for your workload, Hetzner is the stronger pick.
Background
Hetzner Cloud is a leading cloud platform. Our verified Hetzner 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.
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.
Decision Guide
Final Verdict
Hetzner wins on compute value, server limit flexibility, and pricing for European deployments. DigitalOcean wins on port 25 open accounts, global region spread, and marketplace apps. Your choice depends on whether compute cost or email capability is the priority.
Choose Hetzner if you are deploying in Europe and want maximum compute for your budget without port 25 requirements. Choose DigitalOcean if you need open port 25 for email marketing or want broader global coverage with a polished dashboard.
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