Linode and DigitalOcean are two of the primary cloud web hosting services currently offered that combines a reliable server experience with an ability to have root access. With many people’s currently web hosting servers requiring an upgrade for more streamlined features with faster service, they may consider the myriad of cloud servers in the market to improve their web development experience. For those looking for a cheap alternative to Amazon’s web services, Linode or DigitalOcean are possible choices, as they both offer focused simplicity in delivering their cloud web solutions. Currently, they both offer the Linux operating system.
Here is a detailed visual comparison chart, which includes their performance and other characteristics of their server as of May 2015:
Linode
DigitalOcean
Unit
linode (linux node)
droplet
Operating System
linux
linux
Lowest Cost Monthly Price
$10
$5
Lowest Cost CPU
1 core
1 core
Lowest Cost Memory Provided
1 GB
512 MB
Lowest Cost Transfer Limit
2 TB
1 TB
Lowest Cost Disk Space
24 GB solid state drives (SSD)
20 GB solid state drives (SSD)
Methods of Payment
credit card
credit card, PayPal
Root access
yes
yes
Performance
IPv6 supported, Intel E5 processors
IPv6 (Singapore), Intel Hexcore processors
Data Centers
United States (West, Central, South, East); London; Singapore, Tokyo; planned: Frankfurt
New York, San Francisco; London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt; Singapore
Headquarters
Galloway, New Jersey
New York City, New York
Uptime Guarantee
99.9%
99.99%
Virtualization
Xen, KVM
KVM
Two Factor Authentication
yes
yes
Backup Availability
yes
yes
Backup Cost
variable depending on plan
20% monthly server cost
Inception
2003
2011
Noteworthy Mentions
part of Inc 500 list (2011, 2012)
2nd largest web hosting company in the world in terms of web-facing computers after Amazon
Popularity
> 350 000 customers
> 450 000 developers, > 5.1 million droplets
More Information
DigitalOcean currently also offers a $10 coupon for people who sign up: click here.
Please note the information on this page may be subject to change.
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