6 DigitalOcean Alternatives In 2024 [Cheaper and Better Competitors]

DigitalOcean is one of the most used and popular Cloud hosting services out there, it is also used by developers for web development projects. There is hardly anything to complain about its service and performance. 

But still, everything has its drawbacks depending on the type of user you are. If you are here looking for some DigitalOcean alternatives then there has to be some reason why. 

But let me first explain the DigitalOcean cloud hosting to folks who don’t have an idea what it is. It is a cloud hosting service that is legendary with quite affordable plans and pricing with servers starting at just $4.00/month.

People dislike a lack of or bad customer support. In DigitalOcean they don’t have live chat or calling options, and even though it is a developer-friendly hosting provider, it doesn’t provide cPanel service, which may upset some of its users. 

If you are also someone who is looking for DigitalOcean alternatives then you have landed on the right page. 

In this article, we will be discussing some of the best substitutes for this hosting service.

Quick Summary: Top 6 Best DigitalOcean Alternatives

What are some Best DigitalOcean Alternatives [Top Competitors of DigitalOcean]
    best digitalocean competitors and alternatives

    Note: We have not discussed all plans and the pricing of any particular hosting listed below. Only those hosting plans of a company are discussed in detail that can be used as a perfect DigitalOcean alternative.

    1. ScalaHosting Cloud VPS – Managed And Unmanaged Cloud Hosting

    digitalocean alternative by scalahosting

    Click to Enlarge

    Scalahosting cloud solution is a great alternative for DigitalOcean because of its 24/7 customer support and fast loading time. Read below to understand its cloud hosting services and plans better. They have self-developed and DigitalOcean’s managed VPS service.

    Plans 

    All the plans in the Scala cloud hosting include the services of free domain, migration, and snapshots.

    It includes mainly 5 kinds of hosting plans which are managed cloud VPS, self-managed cloud VPS, web hosting, WordPress hosting and reseller hosting.

    Its plans also provide dedicated IP addresses, guaranteed resources, and higher rankings in Google. 

    The one-click installer and daily disaster recovery backups make the task easier. 

    Pricing

    The basic Cloud plan “Build 1” starts at $29.95/month. In this plan, the hosting provides 50GB NVMe SSD storage and unmetered bandwidth VPS options. It also includes SPanel control and free migration, some host services charge extra for this. It consists of 2 CPU cores.

    “Build 2” of ScalaHosting costs $63.95. It includes 100 GB SSD storage and unmetered width. It consists of 4 CPU cores.

    “Build 3” of the ScalaHosting will cost you $121.95 and has SSD storage of 160 GB. This pricing plan has an unmetered width and 8 CPU covers.

    The last pricing is the “Build 4” in which you get 12 CPU covers and costs you $179.95. It has 200GB of SSD storage and 24GB RAM. All the pricing listed till now in this section was of managed cloud VPS hosting.

    Self-managed Cloud VPS starts from $20 per month.

    Web hosting plans start at $2.95 per month and WordPress hosting has the same plans and pricing as web hosting.

    Pros Of ScalaHosting

    1. 24/7 customer support

    To get more insight into their Cloud hosting service I initiated a chat with customer support which provided me with a lot of useful information about it. The replies were instant and informative. They promise a 30-day money-back guarantee and a user-friendly server.

    2. High speed

    The most highlighting feature of ScalaHosting Cloud Hosting is its high-speed performance. Currently, it is known to every developer that your website’s loading speed will affect the bounce rate.

    If you will compare it with DigitalOcean, you will find it at the same level.

    3. Ease of access

    Scala’s Cloud is managed also, which means, it is beginner-friendly. Also, here, you get more features with Spanel. Managing the cloud VPS yourself and by the experts of ScalaHosting, makes it an awesome experience. In short, you are not alone here.

    4. SPanel version

    If we talk about the SPanel version there you are offered extra security and more management options with cloud hosting. SPanel is one of the best alternatives to cPanel that helps you manage LiteSpeed, Apache, and Nginx servers.

    It is also equipped with SWordPress Manager which is a powerful tool to manage your WordPress website.

    5. Hassle-Free Migration

    With Scala Hosting cloud hosting you receive additional perks which are usually provided in the cloud hosting plans. Transferring your current data to Scala hosting makes it an even easier task. 

    You also get Free Domain, Daily backups, snapshots, SShield protection, and Dedicated IP.

    Cons Of ScalaHosting

    1. Limited Datacenters

    If you are looking for servers in the USA and Europe, you don’t need to worry about it. However, if you are looking for more server locations like Asia, Australia, etc, you won’t get it with ScalaHosting. You can choose DO’s managed cloud version with ScalaHosting and that works like a charm.

    2. Price Hike on Renewal

    Like most companies, you have to pay regular costs while renewing. The good part is that you can lock in the deal of $9.95 for 3 years and this duration, you get the price lock guarantee.

    DataCenters

    ScalaHosting has its data centres in: 

    • USA 
    • Europe

    What Makes ScalaHosting A Perfect Alternative To DigitalOcean?

    ScalaHosting’s Cloud is a great alternative to DigitalOcean’s cloud hosting service, especially when you are looking for easy to you managed service for WordPress.

    Malware scanning, SSheild, SWordPress manager, Spanel, Dedicated IP, 24×7 support and various other features that are built to ease your day to tasks without compromise on performance.

    In case you don’t want fully managed Cloud VPS, choose its unmanaged service.

    ScalaHosting’s Cloud web hosting is recommended for anyone who wants guaranteed RAM and CPU along with dedicated IP that comes with “Managed” features.

    SWordPress manager that you get with each plan helps you manage your cloud hosting like a simple shared hosting plan, for everything else, you have customer service right behind you.

    2. CloudWays – Multiple Cloud Platforms Fully Managed

    cloudways digitalocean alternatives

    Click to Enlarge

    Cloudways is a Cloud hosting service with multiple data centers that belong to leading cloud platforms like AWS, Linode, Vultr, Google Cloud, and so on.

    If you are looking for the best DigitalOcean alternatives that provide managed cloud platform with multiple service providers, choose Cloudways.

    Yes, this hosting offers its services through data centers of renowned cloud hosting companies like AWS, Linode, Vultr, and a few more.

    It provides remarkably good services and products that are simple [including pay-as-you-go] which makes it perfect for people who are new to hosting.

    Plans

    In this hosting, you are provided with more than 50 plans which gives great choice to its users. All the plans of Cloudways include free website migration and SSL certificates

    If you are looking for DigitalOcean's droplets' alternative, choose Cloudways.

    Pricing

    It’s a plan with DO1GB and has a 25GB disk which starts at $12 and provides unlimited apps and a 1TB transfer. 

    If you prefer Google’s Cloud, they have GCE Small which costs $33.18 and provides 20GB of storage. This plan doesn’t have unlimited bandwidth and it is capped at 2GB. 

    The Amazon cloud plan starts at $36.51 per month which is quite high compared to other hosting plans. This plan has 2GB RAM and 20 GB storage. 

    It’s a plan with the web host Vultr, starts at $13, and provides 1CPU, 1 TB bandwidth, and 1GB of RAM. This plan is quite a deal because of the low pricing and great features. 

    Linode 1GB RAM plan for Cloudways starts at $12 and gives 1 CPU core. It includes 1 TB data transfer and 25GB of storage. 

    Pros Of Cloudways

    Infrastructure  

    Cloudways works with the infrastructure of some of the leading hosting companies which enhance its service. It also has infrastructure offered by DigitalOcean itself. 

    Features

    Cloudways has many features that come along with its plans. These features make your experience delightful with this cloud hosting company. 

    You get access to many data centers which doesn’t limit your location coverage. Also, the 24/7 customer support proves to be helpful in times of need. 

    The interface of Cloudways has robust management features and SSH. 

    Cons Of Cloudways

    Extra pricing

    The drawback of its multiple infrastructures is that it costs you extra to use it because you are not directly using that company’s web hosting service.

    No eMail feature

    Cloudways hosting doesn’t provide eMail. You are required to pay exceptionally for this service which is available in most cloud hosting plans.

    Problems with migration

    Its plans provide free website migration but it includes a lot of bugs. This point makes this service a bit unreliable. 

    DataCenters

    Due to being connected and working through so many web hosting services, there are many data centers for Cloudways. Some of them are:

    • USA
    • France
    • Germany
    • Singapore
    • Ireland
    • England
    • India
    • Brazil
    • Canada
    • Netherlands
    • Japan
    • Korea
    • Australia
    • China
    • Belgium
    • Sweden 

    The availability of these data centers will depend upon your cloud host server selection. 

    What Makes Cloudways A Perfect DigitalOcean Alternative?

    Cloudways will be proven as a great DigitalOcean alternative, in fact, a company better than DigitalOcean because it provides cloud plans of all leading services like Google, AWS, Vultr and Linode.

    You get excellent website performance and multiple data centers which cut back the problem of location coverage

    If you are unhappy with one cloud hosting, you can migrate to another easily, within Cloudways.

    Anyone whose interest is more in developing, blogging, or e-commerce businesses can easily use this hosting. 

    3. DreamHost – Cloud Computing With OpenStack

    digitalocean alternative by dreamhost

    Click to Enlarge

    Dreamhost is an experienced hosting company that has been in the business for a long time now. This experience and the unlimited cloud resources make it a perfect DigitalOcean alternative.

    Plans

    Dreamhost’s plan includes free transfer for WordPress sites and unmetered bandwidth. After leaving out its basic plan all the other plans of Dreamhost include unlimited email accounts.

    Particularly it provides 5 types of hosting which are shared hosting (similar to basic WordPress hosting), VPS hosting, managed WordPress (similar to DreamPress and WordPress WooCommerce hosting), dedicated server and cloud hosting. But since not all of these plans are the alternatives to DigitalOcean, so we are discussing the pricing of Cloud hosting only which is a perfect alternative.

    Pricing

    The Dreamcompute plan of Dreamhost cloud hosting is an open stack hosting that provides automatic server change and backs the standard APIs. The plans of this company include everything a user might need and take care of all the services which leave the developer with focus and time on their work. 

    • 512MB RAM server – This plan costs $4.5 and provides an 80GB SSD Disk, 1 CPU support, and 100 GB storage. This plan is right for new users. 
    • 2 GB RAM server – The 2GB plan starts at $12 and provides storage of 100GB, 80 GB SSD Disk and 1 CPU support. The owner of websites will benefit from this plan.
    • 8GB server – The cost of this plan is $48 which provides 80 GB SSD Disk and 100GB block storage. This plan is a fit for Databases. 

    Another Dreamhost plan is DreamObjects which is a budget option for backups, and development. It is a trustworthy source that has great customer and email support. With its plan, you can get automatic WordPress backup, file storage, and web app development. 

    Its basic plan starts at $0.95 and provides 40GB of storage. As you go to the more premium plan your per GB price will decrease and you will be able to benefit from the larger storage. 

    Another plan is for WordPress development. This will make your website hassle-free and increase performance. The cost of the basic plan is $16.95 per month and provides 1 website. It also gives 30GB storage and unlimited email accounts. The DreamPress Plus plan starts at $24.95 and provides 1 website with 60GB of storage. In this plan, you get unlimited CDN and eMail accounts. The last one is the most premium plan of Dreamhost which charges you $71.95 and provides one website. You will receive 120 GB of storage along with unlimited CDN, email accounts, and priority support. 

    Pros Of DreamHost 

    Nothing hidden

    Unlike many company services, Dreamhost doesn’t hide any of its costs. It provides information on all the charges to maintain transparency. You may require to pay for extra services which are not included for free. 

    Money-back guarantee

    Though there are very few things in DreamHost’s services that might upset anyone even if you still face any issues or you want to stop its services then you can have your money back. It has a policy of 97 days of the money-back guarantee.

    WordPress migration with absolutely no cost

    Unlike earlier, Dreamhost now offers free website migration in all their plans. This service is provided without causing any downtime because they value it more than anything. 

    Features

    Dreamhost along with so many services provides unlimited disk space and bandwidth. They provide services like email and SQL but that is not included in the unlimited category. They also have a custom-made control panel that helps in databases, WordPress editing, and mailing. 

    Cons Of DreamHost

    Live chat support

    Dreamhost guarantees 24/7 live chat support but sometimes takes more than 15 minutes to respond. Unfortunately, this becomes a big drawback because some of the web hosting companies like WPX and FastComet provide instant support during all the hours which is helpful for its users.

    DataCenters

    The data centers of DreamHost are located in:

    • Ashburn Virginia
    • Hillsboro Oregon

    What Makes DreamHost A perfect Alternative To DigitalOcean?

    The 100% uptime guarantee and low-cost plans make it a worthy DigitalOcean alternative. Dreamhost’s plans have unlimited disk space, free website migration, and bandwidth. 

    For anyone who wants to enjoy free services and unlimited resource options but can suffer from the limitations of customer support service can opt for this web hosting company.

    They also provide cloud storage vps.

    4. FlyWheel – Google Cloud Based WordPress Hosting

    flywheel google cloud platform competes with digitaloceal

    Click to Enlarge

    FlyWheel is hosted on Google's cloud that offers blazing fast speed to your WordPress site and includes FREE CDN.

    FlyWheel Cloud Hosting is a perfectly designed cloud hosting server that is known for its amazing features and performance. Let us discuss it in depth below.

    Plans

    Flywheel has many effective plans for all its users. But if you can’t find something that suits you, you can also ask them to create a custom plan for you.

    Under Google Cloud-based managed WordPress hosting it provides 4 plans that are Tiny, Starter, Freelance and Agency.

    Pricing

    Tiny – This plan is perfect for someone who has a small-scale business. It costs you $13/m and provides 5GB storage, 20GB bandwidth, and 5,000 monthly visits. You receive access to 1 WordPress site 

    Starter – The starter plan is ideal for a single-site plan. You will be charged $25/m and it provides you with 10 GB storage, 25,000 monthly visits, and 50GB bandwidth. Along with this you also get to manage 1 WordPress site. 

    Freelance – Just as the name suggests the plan is a right fit for someone whose business has just started growing. It will cost you $96/m and you will receive 100,000 monthly visits with 20GB storage and 200 GB bandwidth. This plan provides you access to 10 WordPress sites. 

    Agency – For your high-level business this plan is the most ideal deal for you for which you will pay $242/m and get 50GB storage, 500GB bandwidth, and 400,000 monthly visits. In this plan, you can manage 30 WordPress sites.

    For other WooCommerce or custom plans, click here.

    The pricing of these plans reduces if you opt for an annual pack where you will get 2 months of hosting for free.

    Pros Of FlyWheel

    Almost no downtime

    One of the greatest benefits of using cloud hosting is that you don’t have to experience downtime. Due to the availability of multiple servers, during the downtime of one server, the other will be active and your site will face no harm. 

    Infrastructure

    With the tie-up with Google, there has been progress in many other features of Flywheel too. One is caching technology and it’s the infrastructure that helps in better management of sites and databases. 

    Instant customer service

    They stand by their promise of helping you 24/7. We had a little chat with the customer support and they replied in no time and were also very helpful throughout the conversation. They guided me through their pricing and explained what would be the right fit for my business and helped me find which plan will be right for my business. We have an in-depth FlyWheel Review for more information.

    Website features

    Since FlyWheel is using the Google cloud platform which provides most resources for your website. This feature gives you multiple benefits like virtual servers.

    Loading time

    With the upgrade to the Cloud platform, the loading time has decreased and this boosts traffic to your site. The growth in visitors results in a better profit margin. 

    Cons Of FlyWheel

    The plans of FlyWheel are not too expensive but cost higher when compared to DigitalOcean’s pricing. 

    There are not many things to complain about the FlyWheel cloud host but it still lacks behind in some areas like its loading time is good but falls back a little. But this difference is minor and can always be ignored.

    DataCenters

    Does FlyWheel offer more server locations as compared to DigitalOcean? Yes.

    The data centers of FlyWheel are located in:

    • USA
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Australia
    • Canada

    What Makes FlyWheel One of the Best alternative to DigitalOcean?

    All the amazing benefits of using these cloud hosting services make it the perfect substitute for DigitalOcean. It has 100% uptime and full 24/7 customer support. Especially its Google cloud platform upgrade which had some wonders for this web host server. 

    The FlyWheel would be suitable for most kinds of users because of its various planning and pricing offers. From someone who is using it for fun to a business owner, every user will benefit from this. It is a premium plan which means you get to experience great performance and user time. The only issue some people might face would be cost, which is not unfair anyway because of its features. 

    5. Hostinger Cloud Hosting- Cheapest Cloud Hosting

    Hostinger Cloud Hosting - DigitalOcean Alternative

    Hostinger cloud hosting is a cheap Linux VPS option compared to DigitalOcean. It is Managed with multiple RAM and CPU options to choose from. Its Data Centers are located in the perfect locations to get better functioning.

    Plans

    Hostinger has 3 types of plans ideal for different kinds of users but the common feature among all these plans is that they provide daily backups, unlimited database, and bandwidth. Managed WordPress and its acceleration make the site hassle-free. Features like free CDN, Email, SSL, and website migration are essential and cost nothing to any of its users.

    Pricing

    The start-up plan of Hostinger starts at $8.99 per month and provides 300 websites, 3 GB RAM, and 200 GB SSD storage. It includes 2 CPU cores and a dedicated IP. 

    The next plan is said to be perfect for the professional which costs you around $14.99 per month and provides 250 GB SSD storage. In this plan, they also offer dedicated resources, an IP address, 3 CPU cores, and 6GB RAM.  

    The last plan that starts at $29.99 per month is a Cloud Enterprise plan and gives you 300 websites, 300GB storage, and 8 CPU cores. Along with this you also receive 16 GB RAM and free CDN. 

    Save an extra 15% using our Hostinger Coupon.

    Pros Of Hostinger Cloud

    Hostinger Cloud is like a beginner-friendly managed VPS.

    Control panel

    In the Cloud hosting of the Hostinger, you can experience the custom-made control panel which is not similar to company standards and gives better results. 

    Speed

    Any website needs to have a quick loading which directly affects its performance. They have almost 365ms page loading time. This might have decreased in the passing time but it still gives faster results than most servers. 

    Money back

    The facility of money back is a great offer because this gives you the leverage of using the product and cancelling it if you did not like the experience of using it. But make sure that you apply for a refund within 30 days of registration. Along with a refund, you also get the availability of different payment methods that makes the transaction easier for everyone. 

    Customer support

    Customer support is one of the most essential features of web hosting companies. We have read all the good reviews about the chat feature of this web host. It also offers the chat in multiple languages which makes it accessible for many users who speak different languages. 

    We thought of trying the live chat but found out that this is only accessible for the customers who log in to their accounts. The rest of the people are not allowed access to it. This should have been accessible to everyone so that they could get insight into the plans. But this is not at all a downside considering their service reviews. 

    You should not miss our best Hostinger Review with some real test analysis. A study was done by us when we used their servers.

    Cons Of Hostinger Cloud

    Cost of Renewal

    One drawback that hurts someone who is focused more on cost rather than service is the renewal price hike.

    Uptime

    Though the Hostinger has a great uptime when compared to most of its competitors. It gives them all a great fight. But the uptime has been going down for a while now which seems like bad news but they are still managing with it. This issue does not affect your business much. 

    DataCenters

    Hostinger cloud hosting has its DataCenters deployed in the following countries

    • UK
    • USA
    • Brazil
    • Netherlands
    • Singapore
    • Indonesia

    What Makes Hostinger A Perfect DigitalOcean Alternative?

    Hostinger Cloud hosting gives a strong competition to DigitalOcean in all terms. It has great performance, speed, 

    Anyone who wants the premium features of Cloud hosting at competitive prices should go for this web hosting. They have great service and 24/7 service support which is also informative.

    Related article: which is the cheapest dedicated server provider?

    6. HostGator Cloud Hosting – Scalable Managed Cloud Hosting

    Hostgator Cloud Hosting

    HostGator has been in service for more than a decade now which makes them an experienced competitor.

    Plans

    All the plans of the HostGator Cloud hosting include unlimited email accounts, databases, Disk space, and transfer. They also provide a free SSL certificate, cPanel, and 1 click installation which makes the tasks easier. 

    Pricing

    The HostGator Cloud hosting is quite affordable and can be afforded by most users.

    Here are the details of their pricing:

    Hatchling – Their first plan for cloud hosting is $3.75. This provides you with 2 CPU cores and 2GB RAM. There is no dedicated IP address included in this plan. 

    Baby – The baby plan of Hostinger cloud hosting is $4.50 and gives 4 CPU cores and 4 GB storage. In this plan, you receive unlimited domain access. 

    Business – This is the last plan for Hostinger cloud hosting and starts at $6.25 which provides access to unlimited domains and disk space. 

    Pros Of HostGator

    Customer support

    For any web hosting their priority is customer support. In situations like downtime of your website, you would need someone to listen to your problem and start working on it instantly. They have the callback option as well which is helpful.

    Loading time

    The HostGator cloud hosting guarantees a 99.95% uptime which is high and the best part is that they are capable of meeting for most of the time. You can see fluctuations in some of the ones in their loading time or uptime but there is hardly any situation that will frustrate you. So overall it is a fast server. 

    Unlimited features

    With the HostGator plans you get access to many free and unlimited features which makes it a great deal when you are also getting cloud hosting. Some of these include integrated caching, managed cloud resources, free SSL, and unlimited bandwidth. 

    Inexpensive 

    Unlike most cloud hosting plans for which you have to pay a fortune, you can afford them easily. This gives it an upper hand over many other web hosting companies.

    Cons Of HostGator

    Every server has its part of cons which they need to work on. It is also quite obvious to have disadvantages when you provide so many services but here we barely found anything to complain about. Except for

    The loading time is fast but not the fastest of them all.

    The feature of unlimited bandwidth and storage only applies if you are only using 25% of HostGator resources exceeding the time of 1.5 minutes.

    DataCenters

    HostGator Web hosting has its data centers deployed in: 

    • Texas
    • Houston
    • Utah
    • Provo

    What Makes HostGator One Of The Perfect DigitalOcean Alternatives?

    HostGator Cloud hosting has an industry standard and popularity. Mostly its competitive prices in cloud hosting and various pricing plans are a reason to switch to this hosting from DigitalOcean. Read our HostGator Review.

    I will recommend the HostGator cloud hosting to anyone who wants to shift from their shared or VPS server to the cloud and are not ready to empty their pockets just to buy the plan. 

    What You Should Look For While Choosing DigitalOcean Alternatives?

    To help you through the selection, I would suggest you first consider your most essential requirements like VPS, cloud hosting or dedicated droplet. 

    The main concerns should be the features. Many web hosts provide unlimited and free features which makes their plans the best. The uptime and page loading time is the most important features that can affect your ranking and bounce rate. It is also advised to look for hosts that have unconditional customer support so you don’t have to face any downtime for long.

    Our epic posts that can save your money:

    1. DigitalOcean Black Friday Deals 2023
    2. Vultr Black Friday
    3. Linode Black Friday
    4. Hosting Black Friday 2023 Deals

    FAQs: DigitalOcean Alternatives & Competitors 2024

    What is DigitalOcean?

    DigitalOcean is a company that provides cloud hosting to developers and website owners. It is known for its superior quality of cloud computing services.

    Why go for DigitalOcean Alternatives?

    DigitalOcean lacks a few important features like quality customer support including live chat, the absence of cPanel and others makes people go for its alternatives that have these important functionalities.

    What are the best alternatives to DigitalOcean?

    Below are the 6 best DigitalOcean alternatives that have already been discussed in this article.
    1. ScalaHosting.
    2. CloudWays.
    3. DreamHost.
    4. FlyWheel.
    5. Hostinger
    6. Hostgator.

    Which are the cheapest alternatives to DigitalOcean?

    Hostgator and DreamHost are the cheapest DigitalOcean alternatives.

    Conclusion: DigitalOcean Alternatives In 2024

    The above-mentioned article consists of so many DigitalOcean alternatives that it might be difficult for some of you to choose one amongst them. Most options provide the same standard features at a more competitive price or some at a higher cost. It would depend on your requirement which company’s plan is ideal for your business, startup, or even the blogging career and you can select any of these Cloud hostings.

    If you are not sure which service is right for you, opt for Free VPS trial

    Also, read our Best cloud hosting for business.

    About Author: Vishesh Gupta

    blogger and creator of website cheapandbesthosting.com, Web Hosting Reviewer, SEO and Digital marketing expert
    Blogger and Creator of cheapandbesthosting.com

    Seasoned Professional with 15 years of experience in Sales and Marketing. Entrepreneur, Consultant and Blogger helping people earn through jobs and blogging. Experienced Hosting Reviewer who likes to collect detailed info about existing players and share it with my audience. Previously worked with leading Banks and Telecom Companies.

    I completed my Masters in Management with specialization in Finance and Marketing.

    Visit our Hosting Review and Blogging Guide for more interesting articles.

    Leave a Comment

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.