DigitalOcean vs OVHcloud: A Comparison of Cloud Infrastructure Providers

Pricing and product information are correct as of June 26, 2024, and subject to change.

Choosing the right cloud hosting provider is crucial for deploying and managing virtual machines, virtual private servers (VPS), and other cloud services, like databases and cloud storage solutions. Cloud scalability, reliability, and performance are essential for businesses, making the selection process challenging. Developers, SMBs, and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) must choose wisely to harness the full potential of cloud computing and see a positive cloud ROI.

DigitalOcean and OVHcloud are two cloud hosting providers that offer robust cloud services to meet the diverse needs of different businesses. Unlike the major hyperscalers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), DigitalOcean and OVHcloud focus specifically on developers and SMBs. This article provides a detailed comparison of DigitalOcean and OVHcloud to help you determine which cloud provider best fits your requirements.

Overview of DigitalOcean vs. OVHcloud

DigitalOcean and OVHcloud both offer a range of services to meet diverse computing needs. However, their differences become evident when compared.

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean is known for providing a range of cloud service products that are simple, cost-effective, and well-supported, making it a strong contender for small and medium-sized businesses and developers. The platform offers virtual machines, including managed databases and Platform as a Service (PaaS) options, surpassing those from OVHcloud.

A notable advantage of DigitalOcean over OVHcloud is its robust customer support system, which features multiple levels of customer service and a dedicated 24/7 support team. These features make DigitalOcean an attractive option for businesses seeking an all-encompassing, user-friendly cloud service platform.

OVHcloud

OVHcloud, based in France, provides a broad spectrum of internet infrastructure services such as dedicated servers, shared hosting, and cloud computing. It emphasizes data sovereignty and privacy, catering to businesses focused on regulatory compliance and data protection. While OVHcloud offers diverse cloud services, it primarily targets enterprise businesses and serves SMBs and individual developers with its flexible offerings.

This focus makes OVHcloud a distinctive choice for larger organizations seeking cost-effective, dedicated hosting solutions in Europe. However, some users might find OVHcloud’s offerings less comprehensive in managed services and advanced cloud functionalities than leading hyperscaler providers.

Comparing DigitalOcean vs. OVHcloud infrastructure solutions

In this section, we compare DigitalOcean and OVHcloud in terms of product offerings, performance, customer support, and pricing to help you make the best choice for your business.

1. Cost structure

DigitalOcean embraces a “pay-as-you-go” cloud computing model with straightforward pricing structures. You choose a pre-configured droplet (virtual server) with specific CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth allotments; the monthly cost is clearly defined. Basic Droplet plans start at $4 monthly, with specialized options for general-purpose and CPU-optimized needs.

Managed Databases begin at $15 per month, and Spaces Object Storage is priced at $5 per month for 250 GB storage. These features make DigitalOcean suitable for developers, SMBs, and ISVs seeking seamless, scalable cloud services. This upfront transparency simplifies budgeting and eliminates surprises on your bill. There is no need to decipher complex formulas or worry about fluctuating resource usage driving up costs unexpectedly.

OVHcloud offers competitive pricing for resource-intensive workloads but can have more intricate pricing. Costs are based on your usage of resources like CPU, RAM, and storage per hour. While this flexibility can benefit highly variable workloads, monitoring usage and estimating your monthly bill requires more effort. Miscalculations can lead to unexpected charges, making budgeting a challenge.

2. Product offerings comparison

Here’s the comparison focusing on DigitalOcean and OVHcloud’s technical products and features:

3. Data centers

DigitalOcean maintains a geographically diverse global network of data centers. This helps ensure your applications are hosted closer to your target audience, reducing latency (the time it takes for data to travel). Lower latency translates to faster loading times and a more responsive user experience for your customers, regardless of location.

OVHcloud has an extensive network of data centers across four continents. While OVHcloud has a strong presence in Europe, this can disadvantage users in regions far from these locations. Some users have reported performance issues such as latency and inconsistent speeds. Increased latency can negatively impact application performance and user satisfaction, especially for real-time applications or those reliant on fast data transfer.

4. Scalability

DigitalOcean Droplets (virtual private servers) offer flexible scalability, allowing businesses to adjust resources according to their needs. This feature benefits startups and small businesses that can start with minimal resources and expand as they grow. DigitalOcean also supports Kubernetes clusters for efficient management of containerized applications. Their App Platform provides two types of scaling: horizontal scaling, which adds more load-balanced containers, and vertical scaling, which increases CPU and memory for each container instance. These scaling options can be controlled via the app specification and control panel. Additionally, DigitalOcean offers autoscaling, dynamically adjusting computing resources based on workload demands.

OVHcloud delivers many cloud services, including public, private, and bare-metal servers, providing flexible scaling options. This variety caters well to enterprises needing customized infrastructure solutions. However, managing these diverse services can be complex for less experienced users. While OVHcloud’s scalability is robust, it may require more management effort than DigitalOcean’s streamlined approach.

5. Security

DigitalOcean prioritizes a secure infrastructure with industry-standard security practices. They leverage firewalls, access controls, and intrusion detection systems to protect against unauthorized access and malicious activity. Additionally, DigitalOcean offers features like a dedicated server, DDoS protection, private networking, and cloud firewalls to isolate your resources further and enhance security. Their focus on transparency allows you to monitor security incidents through detailed audit logs.

DigitalOcean offers comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions, including Snapshots for Droplets and Spaces and automated backups for Managed Databases. The company upholds stringent security standards, as evidenced by its certifications and SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 Type II certifications.

Additionally, DigitalOcean runs a Bug Bounty program via Intigriti, incentivizing ethical hackers to identify system vulnerabilities. The program awards tiered rewards based on the severity of the discovered vulnerabilities, prioritizing detailed reports with clear impact and proof-of-concept. This initiative enhances website and server security by encouraging thorough and effective vulnerability reporting.

OVHcloud also offers robust security features, including physical security measures in its data centers and network security tools like firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Additionally, OVHcloud has implemented anti-DDoS protection to enable data integrity. Their adherence to GDPR and certifications like ISO 27001 and HDS reflect their data security and privacy commitment.

However, the level of transparency and support regarding its specific security practices is less extensive and complicated than that of DigitalOcean.

6. Customer support

DigitalOcean prioritizes customer success with a multi-layered support approach, comprehensive knowledge base, and vibrant community Q&A platform. The knowledge base offers many self-service resources, including tutorials, troubleshooting guides, and API documentation. The community forum allows you to connect with other users, share experiences, and find solutions to common challenges. Additionally, DigitalOcean offers multiple support channels, including ticketing and potentially live chat, helping to ensure you can reach support representatives quickly when needed.

OVHcloud provides customer support primarily through a ticketing system. Response times may vary depending on the severity of your issue and current support volume, leading to delays in resolving problems and potentially impacting your project timelines. While OVHcloud might offer some knowledge base or documentation, it might be less extensive or less user-friendly than DigitalOcean’s offerings.

7. User interface

DigitalOcean provides an ideal user experience with a streamlined and intuitive control panel. Deploying virtual servers, managing resources, and monitoring performance is straightforward, even for beginners with limited technical expertise. Key features and functionalities are clearly labeled and easily accessible, allowing users to navigate the platform efficiently.

OVHcloud delivers a functional control panel but might require a steeper learning curve. The interface is cluttered with more technical options, and navigating functionalities might be less intuitive. This can be a barrier for new users or those less comfortable with complex interfaces.

8. Integration capabilities

DigitalOcean excels in integration capabilities with a wide range of tools and a well-documented API, allowing for seamless integration with various development tools, DevOps workflows, and third-party services. Additionally, the DigitalOcean marketplace offers pre-configured integrations with popular tools like monitoring solutions and CI/CD pipelines, further streamlining your development process.

OVHcloud offers an API for the programmatic management of your cloud resources. However, the documentation and community support for integrations might be less extensive than those of DigitalOcean. This could lead to challenges when integrating specific tools or workflows within your development environment.

How to choose between DigitalOcean and OVHcloud for your business needs

When deciding between DigitalOcean and OVHcloud for your business, evaluate how each provider aligns with your specific requirements, particularly regarding ease of use, deployment speed, developer resources, customization, scalability, and support.

1. Ease of use and rapid deployment

• DigitalOcean is renowned for its user-friendly interface and straightforward setup process, making it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes. Its platform simplifies application deployment, allowing developers to quickly spin up new environments with minimal hassle. This ease of use significantly reduces the time and effort required to manage infrastructure, enabling businesses to focus more on development and innovation. Additionally, DigitalOcean holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, underscoring the high satisfaction among its users.

• OVHcloud offers a range of services with a slightly steeper learning curve. While it provides various tools, the platform might require more technical expertise to navigate and utilize effectively. This could slow down deployment times and increase the complexity of managing infrastructure for less experienced teams. Furthermore, their Trustpilot page reveals a rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, with numerous customers frustrated about excessively long wait times for server delivery and unresponsive support for opened tickets.

2. Developer resources

• DigitalOcean provides extensive resources tailored to developers, including comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and an active community forum. These resources make it easier for developers to troubleshoot issues, learn new skills, and optimize their platform use. For businesses that prioritize developer efficiency and productivity, DigitalOcean offers a robust environment that supports rapid development cycles.

• OVHcloud also offers documentation and support resources but focuses more on providing versatile solutions than developer-centric tools. While it has a support system, it may not be as immediately accessible or developer-focused as DigitalOcean’s offerings.

3. Customization and scalability

• DigitalOcean provides flexible options that cater to growing businesses. Its simplicity does not come at the expense of scalability. DigitalOcean’s platform supports a range of configurations for virtual machines and scalable storage solutions, allowing businesses to expand their infrastructure as their needs evolve.

• OVHcloud excels in providing highly customizable and scalable infrastructure solutions. It offers various configurations for virtual private servers and dedicated servers, allowing businesses to tailor their infrastructure to meet specific performance and workload requirements. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for larger enterprises or businesses with complex, evolving needs that require scalable solutions to handle varying workloads and growth.

Empower cloud hosting and boost performance with DigitalOcean

Explore DigitalOcean as a robust alternative to OVHcloud for reliable cloud hosting services. DigitalOcean offers comprehensive hosting solutions, including scalable cloud servers optimized for memory or storage, cloud VPS hosting, and an extensive product lineup featuring Function as a Service (FaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) tools.

Here’s what Section, a developer-centric, container-based edge computing platform, had to say about using DigitalOcean:

“Other cloud providers provide the same reliability as DigitalOcean, but they often cost more and support costs extra. With DigitalOcean, we get a low-cost option with great support and reliability.” - Molly Wojcik, Director of Education & Awareness

Here’s what DigitalOcean offers:

• Reliable platform: DigitalOcean provides a 99.99% SLA for Droplet virtual machines, demonstrating its commitment to providing consistent and reliable performance for virtualized computing resources.

• Flexible storage: With Volumes block storage, users can dynamically adjust their storage needs, ensuring scalable and efficient resource utilization as requirements change.

• Customer support: DigitalOcean prioritizes customer satisfaction with enhanced support options. Paid plans start at $24/month, offering faster response times and comprehensive coverage for critical incidents. Additionally, customers can access free 24/7 support channels, extensive documentation, and tutorials for seamless cloud server management.

• User-friendly control panel: The intuitive control panel simplifies cloud resource management for users of all expertise levels, making it easy to navigate and manage.

• Managed Databases: DigitalOcean supports databases like MongoDB, Redis, MySQL, NoSQL, and Kafka, enhancing ease of use and facilitating seamless integration of database functionalities.

• Managed Kubernetes: DigitalOcean simplifies the deployment and management of containerized applications with Managed Kubernetes, allowing users to focus on developing and deploying applications without worrying about infrastructure management.

• One-click deployments: Users can quickly deploy WordPress and manage hosting via Cloudways by DigitalOcean, streamlining the setup process.

• Accelerated computing: Through Paperspace by DigitalOcean, the platform offers GPU servers and AI/ML Notebooks, providing a powerful environment for machine learning and artificial intelligence development.

Sign up with DigitalOcean to get started today.