Hetzner vs DigitalOcean: Price vs Polish
Hetzner offers the lowest prices in cloud; DigitalOcean offers the best developer experience. This comparison comes down to whether you optimise for cost or convenience.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | HZ | DO |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $45/account | ✓$20/account |
| Price per Server | ✓From €3.79/mo (lowest) | From $4/mo |
| Server Limits | 5–100 elevated | Unlimited Droplets |
| Port 25 Available | On request | ✓Yes (open port accounts) |
| Global Locations | EU + US (Ashburn) | ✓15 data centers |
| Bare Metal | ✓Yes (cheapest) | No |
| Developer UX | Functional | ✓Best in class |
| Price-Performance | ✓Unbeatable | Good |
Our Verdict
Hetzner is best for: lowest possible cost, large server fleets (up to 100), bare metal, and EU data residency. Unbeatable price-performance.
View HZ Accounts →DigitalOcean is best for: developer experience, open port 25 email servers, managed Kubernetes, more global locations, and teams that value simplicity.
View DO Accounts →Hetzner Cloud vs DigitalOcean: A Closer Look
Cost versus convenience
This comparison is a classic trade-off. Hetzner offers the best price-to-performance in the industry — its cloud servers start under €4/month with far more CPU and RAM than comparable Droplets, and it uniquely offers cheap bare metal. DigitalOcean costs a little more but delivers the smoothest developer experience in the VPS market: a clean dashboard, one-click apps, managed databases, and excellent docs.
Pick Hetzner when you are optimising for cost, running large server fleets, or need bare metal and EU data residency. Pick DigitalOcean when developer time matters more than a few dollars a month, or when you need open port 25 for email — a feature Hetzner gates behind a support request.
Top HZ Accounts
Hetzner 5 Servers
- Cloud/Dedicated
- 7 Days Replacement
- 30min–12hr Delivery
Hetzner 10 Servers
- All EU Regions
- Worldwide Working
- 24/7 Support
Hetzner 25 Servers
- Cloud/Storage/LB
- 7 Days Replacement
- 30min–12hr Delivery
Top DO Accounts
DigitalOcean Free Trial
- Unlimited Droplets
- Verified & Instant
- 30min–12hr Delivery
DigitalOcean Close Port 3
- Verified Account
- Worldwide Working
- 24/7 Support
DigitalOcean Close Port 10
- Verified Account
- 7 Days Replacement
- 30min–12hr Delivery
FAQs
Is Hetzner really cheaper than DigitalOcean?
Yes, significantly. Hetzner cloud servers start at €3.79/month vs DigitalOcean's $4 — but Hetzner gives far more RAM and CPU at each price point. For pure cost, Hetzner wins decisively.
Why choose DigitalOcean if Hetzner is cheaper?
DigitalOcean offers a superior dashboard, one-click apps, managed databases, better documentation, and open port 25 accounts. Many teams pay slightly more for the smoother experience.
Which is better for email servers?
DigitalOcean — its open port 25 accounts are pre-approved for SMTP. Hetzner requires a support request to unblock port 25.