Hetzner vs DigitalOcean (2025): Which Hosting Provider Should You Choose?

	Overall grade:8.2	Overall grade:8.5
Performance	9.0	9.2
Uptime	9.5	9.0
Ease of use	9.2	7.5
Features	9.1	8.8
Customer support	8.8	7.8
Security	8.8	8.5
Pricing	7.8	9.5
Integrations	9.0	7.9

How to read this table: On pure feature counts, DigitalOcean slightly edges ahead, but because we factored in real-world value, especially pricing and raw compute, Hetzner pulls slightly ahead overall. If budget and performance-per-dollar matter most, Hetzner often delivers stronger value.

Performance and speed

9.2

9.0

Speed affects everything: SEO, user experience, bounce rates, and even your revenue if you’re running a store. So we rolled up our sleeves, tested both Hetzner and DigitalOcean, and dug into the details to see how they really stack up.

Server hardware: What’s powering your site

Let’s start with what kind of hardware you’re getting.

Hetzner gives you a lot of muscle for your money. Even on their cheaper plans, you’re getting proper AMD EPYC 2nd Gen or Intel Xeon Gold processors. In simple terms, these are serious chips you’d normally expect in much more expensive setups. Storage-wise, it’s NVMe SSD in RAID10, which basically means super fast read/write speeds and better reliability.

DigitalOcean also runs on good hardware, but it depends a bit more on which plan you choose. On their higher-end droplets (like Premium or Dedicated CPU), you’re getting similar top-tier NVMe and modern processors, but if you’re on one of the entry-level plans, you might still be on older SSDs and shared CPU cores that don’t always keep up as well under heavier traffic.

Network and bandwidth: How much can you move, and how fast?

Hetzner offers a pretty generous package here. Most of their servers run on 10 Gbps connections by default (yes, even the cheap ones), and you get 20TB of traffic included if you’re in Europe. That’s a huge amount for most websites. If you somehow blow past that, extra bandwidth is priced fairly low.

DigitalOcean also offers 1 to 10 Gbps, depending on your plan, but only the more expensive ones get you closer to that 10 Gbps mark. Their included bandwidth starts much lower ( 500GB on smaller droplets), and extra traffic costs can add up quickly if you’re moving a lot of data.

Global reach: Who covers more ground?

This is where DigitalOcean pulls ahead.

• DigitalOcean has data centers all over: US, Europe, Asia, Australia, India, Canada. 14+ regions.
• Hetzner is still mainly Europe-focused, with a few recent expansions to the US and Asia.

If your traffic is mostly European, Hetzner is great, but if you’ve got a global audience, DigitalOcean’s broader network gives you more flexibility to keep things fast worldwide.

CDN and edge features: Built-in vs DIY

Both can handle CDN setups, but DigitalOcean makes it a little easier with their built-in Spaces CDN. Hetzner expects you to bring your own (Cloudflare, Bunny, etc.), which isn’t hard, but does add one more thing to configure if you’re not super technical.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you want the best raw speed for your dollar, Hetzner is hard to beat, especially if your audience is in Europe.
• If you need strong performance but also global coverage and more built-in tools, DigitalOcean starts to make more sense.

Uptime and reliability

9.0

9.5

Both Hetzner and DigitalOcean do a solid job here. If you’re worried about uptime, honestly, neither one is likely to disappoint you in 2025.

Day-to-day stability

In daily use, both platforms are highly stable. Sites stay up consistently across weeks and months, and scheduled maintenance windows were minimal and well-communicated. For most projects, you can trust both providers to stay online.

Hetzner’s historical baggage (mostly gone)

You might still find some old forum threads talking about Hetzner having more downtime or network issues. That was more of a thing years ago, especially when they were still growing their international network. 

Today, with multiple data centers in Germany, Finland, and the US, their infrastructure has matured. In our experience (and based on the most recent user reports), those old concerns are pretty much outdated. Both platforms are extremely stable now. In day-to-day use, you’re unlikely to see downtime on either provider.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you just want rock-solid uptime, both are safe bets.
• If you’re running edge cases or sensitive workloads, DigitalOcean is slightly more forgiving if things get noisy.

Ease of use and control panel

7.5

9.2

This is where the experience starts to feel different depending on who you are.

Getting started: DigitalOcean feels friendlier

DigitalOcean does a great job of making things smooth for first-time users. The onboarding is polished, the UI is clean, and their documentation is genuinely some of the best out there. If you’re new to hosting or just want something that “just works” without needing to Google every setting, DigitalOcean makes it easy to get up and running fast.

Their control panel feels modern, with clear menus, easy-to-follow wizards, and helpful tooltips. You can launch a droplet, attach storage, configure networking, and set up backups with just a few clicks.

Hetzner: Lean, powerful, but less hand-holding

Hetzner takes a more no-frills, sysadmin-friendly approach. Their Cloud Console is fast, lightweight, and efficient, but definitely assumes you know what you’re doing. You won’t find many wizards or hand-holding guides here. For experienced users, that’s actually a plus: fewer steps, more direct control, and less fluff.

If you’re comfortable managing SSH keys, configuring firewalls manually, and working with their Robot API or CLI tools, Hetzner gives you plenty of power without getting in your way.

For context: SSH keys are used to securely log into your server without a password, firewalls control what traffic can reach your server, the Robot API lets you automate server management tasks, and the CLI tool gives you command-line control over your hosting, perfect if you like working directly from your terminal.

Learning curve 

• DigitalOcean: Great for beginners, startups, small businesses, and even non-technical founders.
• Hetzner: Feels more like home for developers, sysadmins, or anyone with previous VPS or bare metal experience.

Neither approach is better universally; it just depends on how comfortable you are getting under the hood. Choose Hetzner vs DigitalOcean based on it. 

Pros & cons

The quick take

• If you’re a beginner or want a more guided experience, DigitalOcean is the better pick.
• If you’re comfortable managing servers directly, Hetzner gives you more control without the fluff.

Features and add-ons

8.8

9.1

This marks the point where their strategies start to follow very different trajectories.

DigitalOcean: A full platform, not just servers

DigitalOcean has built a whole cloud platform around its droplets. Once you’re in, you get access to a growing list of managed services that make it easier to build complex apps without having to manage every little piece yourself. Some of the add-ons are:

• Kubernetes (managed K8s): Spin up container clusters without needing to be a Kubernetes expert.
• App platform: Their PaaS solution that handles deployment, scaling, and updates automatically.
• Managed databases: Fully managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, backups, scaling, and security handled for you.
• Serverless functions: Run event-driven code without maintaining servers.
• AI/ML compute: GPU-powered instances for AI workloads.

You don’t have to stitch together a dozen separate services to build something serious. It’s all there, in one place, ready to go. This is especially handy for developers, startups, and SaaS teams who want to build fast without getting bogged down in server management.

Hetzner: More raw power, less platform

Hetzner takes a very different approach. They focus heavily on giving you access to raw compute power at extremely competitive prices and let you build things your way. Some of Hetzner’s key offerings:

• Dedicated servers: Full bare-metal servers with predictable performance.
• Server auctions: Discounted dedicated servers you can bid on.
• Object storage: S3-compatible storage at very affordable pricing.
• GDPR-first approach: European data protection baked into the core.

However, and this is key, Hetzner doesn’t bundle in managed Kubernetes, databases, or serverless tools. If you need those kinds of platform features, you’re usually setting them up and managing them yourself (or paying for external services). That gives you full control — but it also means more responsibility.

Plesk, panels, and licensing: The “managed” cost gap

One small thing that catches people off-guard: if you want control panels like Plesk on Hetzner, it’s usually an extra license cost. With DigitalOcean, many features that feel “managed” are already built into the platform or come as part of the service. That’s part of why DigitalOcean is a little more expensive, but you’re paying for that built-in convenience.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you want fully managed services and lots of developer tools baked in, DigitalOcean makes life much easier.
• If you want maximum control, bare-metal servers, and unbeatable prices for raw compute, Hetzner gives you the keys to the kingdom.

Customer support

7.8

8.8

Support can make all the difference, especially if you’re not the kind of person who enjoys troubleshooting at 2 AM. So, let’s see who comes out on top in the Hetzner vs DigitalOcean matchup on this front.

DigitalOcean: Always there, with options

DigitalOcean does a good job here. No matter when something breaks, you can open a support ticket. They’re available 24/7. On top of that, they’ve built a huge library of guides and tutorials, and the community forums are pretty active if you like figuring things out yourself.

If your project starts to grow and you want a bit more hand-holding, they also offer premium support plans where you can pay to get faster replies and extra attention. For small teams or founders who don’t have a full-time sysadmin, that safety net can definitely make life less stressful.

Hetzner: Quick, but very by-the-book

Hetzner’s support works a little differently. You mostly deal with them through tickets or by phone, but only during business hours (European time). On the other hand, when you contact them, they’re usually very fast at responding.

They’re very strict about what they’ll help with. If it’s a hardware issue or something on their side, they’ll jump right in. If it’s a problem inside your server (your app, your configs, your code), you’re on your own. As one Reddit user put it pretty perfectly: “Hetzner support is fast to say no.”

If you’re comfortable managing your own servers, this isn’t really a problem. If you think you might need a bit more guidance, it’s something to keep in mind.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you want full support anytime, or may need extra hand-holding: DigitalOcean is the safer choice.
• If you’re self-sufficient and just want fast responses when something’s actually broken: Hetzner works great.

Security and abuse policies

8.5

8.8

Security-wise, both providers take things seriously, but they have pretty different philosophies on how they handle risk, abuse, and compliance.

Hetzner: Strict rules, quick to act

Hetzner keeps a very close eye on abuse. They actively monitor traffic for anything suspicious, and if something triggers their filters, like potential DDoS attacks, port scanning, or spam, they won’t hesitate to null route your server (basically, block network access) to protect their overall network.

A few things that regularly catch new users off guard:

• Email ports (like SMTP) are locked by default on new accounts. You need to submit a request and explain your use case before they’ll open them.
• They’re extremely GDPR-compliant by default (which is great for anyone focused on EU privacy rules).
• Some users report frustrations around IP blacklisting if your IP gets flagged for any reason, even if you’re not personally doing anything shady.

In short, Hetzner is strict. That’s great for protecting their network, but if you’re not used to their rules, you may run into some early friction.

DigitalOcean: A bit more lenient, global standards

DigitalOcean takes a slightly more flexible approach. They still have strong security, but they tend to be more forgiving with things like email ports or outbound traffic, especially for well-behaved customers.

They also carry a wider set of compliance certifications that make them a safer bet for companies dealing with regulated industries or global customers:

• SOC 2 Type II
• PCI DSS (for handling payments)
• ISO certifications, data center standards, etc.

For SaaS companies, fintech apps, or businesses that need broader compliance coverage, this flexibility can make a big difference.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you need strong EU privacy compliance or care deeply about GDPR: Hetzner has the edge.
• If you’re building a global SaaS app and want fewer headaches around security policies: DigitalOcean is a bit easier to live with.

Pricing and value

9.5

7.8

This is probably the biggest difference between Hetzner vs DigitalOcean, and honestly, it’s not even close.

Hetzner: Incredible price-performance

If you’re looking at pure specs for your money, Hetzner is hard to beat. Even their entry-level cloud instances give you a lot of resources for very little cash. €4.90/month (~$5 USD) gets you:

• 4 GB RAM
• 2 vCPU
• 40 GB NVMe storage
• 20 TB bandwidth (yes, twenty)

It’s not just entry-level either, as you move up into bigger plans, Hetzner starts offering full dedicated servers (bare metal) at prices that would barely get you a mid-range VPS on other platforms.

DigitalOcean: Polished, but pricier

DigitalOcean’s pricing reflects its more managed, developer-friendly approach, but you’re definitely paying more per resource. $6/month gets you:

• 1 GB RAM
• 1 vCPU
• 25 GB storage
• 1 TB bandwidth

Their higher-tier plans (General Purpose, CPU-Optimized, Memory-Optimized) get expensive fast if you’re scaling up. You are paying partly for convenience, support, and built-in platform features, but if you only care about raw compute, Hetzner gives you far more per dollar.

Higher tiers: Bare Metal vs VPS

At higher tiers, the gap gets even wider. Hetzner offers dedicated physical servers for prices where DigitalOcean is still offering virtual machines. If you need lots of compute power for big workloads, hosting multiple client projects, or running heavier applications, Hetzner’s bare metal options deliver massive performance at a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere.

Pros and cons

The quick take

• If you’re watching your budget and want the best bang for your buck, Hetzner is the clear winner.
• If you’re happy to pay a bit more for convenience and built-in services, DigitalOcean can still make sense.

Integrations and ecosystem

7.9

9.0

At this point, it really comes down to how much of your stack you want your provider to handle for you.

DigitalOcean: Everything plays nice together

What really sets DigitalOcean apart is how smoothly everything works inside their platform. You’re not just getting servers, you’re getting a full ecosystem where:

• Services connect easily (databases, storage, serverless, Kubernetes, and more).
• The Marketplace gives you tons of one-click installs for apps, dev tools, monitoring, and CI/CD.
• Third-party integrations are everywhere: many SaaS providers (monitoring, logging, backups, CI, billing) have direct support for DigitalOcean built in.
• Their developer ecosystem is mature, so you spend less time wiring things up manually.

Basically, if you want to build fast, stay inside one provider, and not worry much about gluing services together, DigitalOcean makes that simple.

Hetzner: Great tools, but you’re the integrator

Hetzner takes more of a “here’s the raw infrastructure, you handle the rest” approach.

• No big marketplace.
• No SaaS integrations built-in.
• But their API, CLI, and Terraform support are excellent, which gives experienced developers a lot of flexibility to automate, script, and customize.

So Hetzner doesn’t lack integration possibilities, it just doesn’t pre-package them for you. You’re in control, but you’re also responsible for putting the puzzle pieces together.

Pros and cons

Quick take

• DigitalOcean is great if you want everything integrated and connected right out of the box.
• Hetzner is great if you’re happy to build your own stack exactly how you want it.

Final verdict: Hetzner vs DigitalOcean

Alright, time to sum it up. Both Hetzner and DigitalOcean are excellent providers, but they’re clearly built for slightly different types of users.

Go with DigitalOcean if:

• You want fully managed platform features (databases, serverless, Kubernetes, App Platform, etc.)
• You need 24/7 support, great documentation, and an easy onboarding experience.
• Your app needs broader global compliance standards (SOC 2, PCI DSS, etc.).
• You don’t mind paying a bit more for convenience and peace of mind.
• You want a rich developer ecosystem where everything works together out of the box.

Go with Hetzner if:

• Price-performance is your top priority, especially if you’re in Europe.
• You’re comfortable managing your own stack (or have a sysadmin handy).
• You want access to powerful bare metal servers for the price of most VPS plans.
• GDPR compliance is important to your business.
• You prefer raw infrastructure with strong automation tools (API, CLI, Terraform), and less built-in hand-holding.

Both are excellent; it really depends on how much you want to manage yourself.

Hetzner vs DigitalOcean FAQs