Quick answer
DigitalOcean is a US cloud provider founded in 2011 that is popular with developers and startups. Its Droplet virtual servers are billed by the hour with a monthly cap, starting at $4 a month, and it also offers managed databases, Kubernetes, storage, App Platform and AI infrastructure.
What is DigitalOcean?
DigitalOcean is a developer-focused cloud platform known for simple pricing and an easy control panel. Its core product, Droplets, are Linux virtual servers you can launch in seconds.
You can run websites, apps and databases on Droplets, or use managed services like databases, Kubernetes and App Platform. DigitalOcean also owns Cloudways.
DigitalOcean key features
01
Droplets
Linux virtual servers launched in seconds.
02
Hourly billing
Pay by the hour with a monthly cap.
03
Basic and Premium CPUs
Regular, Premium Intel and Premium AMD options.
04
CPU-Optimized
Dedicated CPU Droplets for heavy workloads.
05
Generous transfer
500 GB to 6 TB of transfer included.
06
Managed databases
Managed PostgreSQL, MySQL and more.
07
Kubernetes
Managed Kubernetes clusters.
08
App Platform
Deploy apps without managing servers.
09
Global data centers
Regions around the world.
DigitalOcean pricing plans (2026)
DigitalOcean Droplets are billed hourly up to the monthly price shown. Prices below are for Basic Droplets with Regular CPUs and for CPU-Optimized Droplets.
Basic Droplets (Regular CPU)
512 MiB
$0.00595 per hour
- 1 vCPU
- 512 MiB memory
- 10 GiB SSD
- 500 GiB transfer
Popular
1 GiB
$0.00893 per hour
- 1 vCPU
- 1 GiB memory
- 25 GiB SSD
- 1,000 GiB transfer
2 GiB
$0.01786 per hour
- 1 vCPU
- 2 GiB memory
- 50 GiB SSD
- 2,000 GiB transfer
4 GiB
$0.03571 per hour
- 2 vCPUs
- 4 GiB memory
- 80 GiB SSD
- 4,000 GiB transfer
Basic Droplets compared
| Memory | vCPU | SSD | Transfer | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 512 MiB | 1 | 10 GiB | 500 GiB | $4/mo |
| 1 GiB | 1 | 25 GiB | 1,000 GiB | $6/mo |
| 2 GiB | 1 | 50 GiB | 2,000 GiB | $12/mo |
| 2 GiB | 2 | 60 GiB | 3,000 GiB | $18/mo |
| 4 GiB | 2 | 80 GiB | 4,000 GiB | $24/mo |
| 8 GiB | 4 | 160 GiB | 5,000 GiB | $48/mo |
| 16 GiB | 8 | 320 GiB | 6,000 GiB | $96/mo |
CPU-Optimized Droplets
Dedicated CPU Droplets for compute-heavy apps.
4 GiB / 2 vCPUs
$0.0625 per hour
- 25 GiB SSD
- 4,000 GiB transfer
8 GiB / 4 vCPUs
$0.125 per hour
- 50 GiB SSD
- 5,000 GiB transfer
16 GiB / 8 vCPUs
$0.25 per hour
- 100 GiB SSD
- 6,000 GiB transfer
What every plan includes
- Hourly billing with monthly cap
- SSD storage
- Included data transfer
- Global data centers
- API and CLI access
Prices are in USD, exclude taxes and were checked on 30 October 2026. Check the latest prices on the official DigitalOcean Droplet pricing page.
How to use DigitalOcean
- 1
Go to digitalocean.com and create an account.
- 2
Create a Droplet and choose a region, image and size.
- 3
Add an SSH key and launch it.
- 4
Install your stack, or use a 1-Click App like WordPress.
- 5
Scale up, add storage or databases as you grow.
Who should use DigitalOcean?
Developers
Launch Linux servers in seconds.
Startups
Grow from $4 servers to managed Kubernetes.
Self-hosters
Run WordPress or apps on your own server.
SaaS teams
Use managed databases and App Platform.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Simple, predictable pricing from $4/mo
- Hourly billing
- Great developer experience and docs
- Wide range of managed services
Watch out for
- Unmanaged servers need technical skills
- No cPanel or email hosting included
- Backups cost extra
- Not ideal for total beginners
Best DigitalOcean alternatives
Our verdict
DigitalOcean is one of the easiest clouds for developers, with simple Droplet pricing from $4 a month and strong managed services. Beginners who want a control panel may prefer Cloudways on top of it.
DigitalOcean FAQs
Is DigitalOcean free?
No. DigitalOcean is pay-as-you-go, with Droplets from $4 a month.
How much does DigitalOcean cost?
Basic Droplets cost $4, $6, $12, $18, $24, $48 and $96 a month, billed hourly. CPU-Optimized Droplets start at $42 a month.
Is DigitalOcean managed hosting?
No. Droplets are unmanaged servers, though DigitalOcean offers managed databases, Kubernetes and App Platform.
Can I host WordPress on DigitalOcean?
Yes. You can use a WordPress 1-Click App, or use Cloudways for managed WordPress on DigitalOcean.
How is DigitalOcean billed?
Droplets are billed hourly up to the monthly price.
Does DigitalOcean own Cloudways?
Yes. Cloudways is part of DigitalOcean.
