Digital Ocean vs Aplus.net: guide for 2024

Digital Ocean vs Aplus.net: Final verdict

Looking over DigitalOcean vs. Aplus.net, each offers distinct advantages catering to different needs.

• 
  DigitalOcean (Overall grade: 8.3)
  
  excels in performance, security, and scalability, making it a prime choice for developers and high-traffic websites. Its 99.99% uptime guarantee, global monitoring, automated backups, and diverse range of hosting types including managed WordPress, ensures reliability and flexibility. The platform’s use of SSD storage, CDN, and advanced caching mechanisms guarantee fast load times. Additionally, the extensive security features like SSL, DDoS protection, and compliance with multiple certifications provide a secure environment. However, the lack of shared and email hosting may limit its appeal for basic users or small businesses needing integrated solutions.
• 
  Aplus.net (Overall grade: 6.1)
  
  provides a solid selection of hosting services, particularly strong for ecommerce and businesses needing comprehensive email solutions. It offers regular shared hosting, VPS hosting with robust cPanel, and ecommerce-specific plans with easy scalability. Aplus.net’s standout features include Cloudflare CDN integration, unlimited storage options, and 24/7 customer support via phone and chat. While it offers decent performance and reliability, it cannot match the advanced technical features and speed optimizations of DigitalOcean. The single data center location and occasional downtime, combined with outdated interface issues, highlight its drawbacks. Nonetheless, for businesses requiring simple and reliable hosting, Aplus.net remains a viable contender.

Hosting types offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: Superior uptime and availability features make DigitalOcean the top choice.

DigitalOcean stands out with its real-time uptime and latency alerts, global monitoring, and customizable alerts for latency, downtime, and SSL expiry. Its 99.99% uptime SLA, multiple data centers, load balancers, and high-quality infrastructure ensure that websites and applications run smoothly without interruptions. Automated backups and snapshots add an extra layer of data security, making DigitalOcean a reliable choice for high availability.

Aplus.net, on the other hand, offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee measured over three months, which pales in comparison to DigitalOcean’s promises. Reviews often highlight frequent downtime and slow support responses. With a single data center in Phoenix, Arizona, Aplus.net’s infrastructure and availability options are limited compared to DigitalOcean’s comprehensive solutions.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: Advanced cloud hosting with a range of performance features.

When comparing the general performance of DigitalOcean and Aplus.net, DigitalOcean stands out due to its superior speed and flexibility. DigitalOcean uses SSD storage, which ensures faster load times and improved PageSpeed scores. They also implement multiple caching mechanisms and provide a CDN to enhance website performance. Aplus.net offers competitive cloud hosting with decent redundancy and security features but lacks the advanced performance enhancements found in DigitalOcean. Both provide globally distributed data centers, but DigitalOcean leads with 14 locations, enhancing its reach and reducing latency.

Website Speed

DigitalOcean excels in delivering fast website speeds, thanks to its high-performance SSD storage and integrated CDN, which decrease load times. Their caching mechanisms further improve response times by reducing server load. Aplus.net offers solid performance but doesn’t match the speed optimizations of DigitalOcean. The quick setup and integration with Cloudflare CDN help, but DigitalOcean’s engineering for speed gives it a considerable edge.

Scalability

DigitalOcean offers flexible and scalable solutions through its Droplets, allowing for easy horizontal scaling without much hassle. You can automatically scale resources based on demand, which is invaluable for businesses expecting variable traffic. In contrast, Aplus.net requires more traditional plan upgrades to increase resources, which might not be as seamless. The cost to scale with DigitalOcean is predictable, starting at just $4 per month, whereas detailed cost structures for Aplus.net’s scaling options remain unspecified.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: Offers an extensive array of security features including various compliance certifications and comprehensive infrastructure protection.

Both DigitalOcean and Aplus.net, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

DigitalOcean excels in technical security with features like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and data encryption both at rest and in transit. It also provides SSH access and web application firewalls. On the other hand, Aplus.net offers SSL certificates and SiteLock for malware protection and daily scanning. While Aplus.net focuses on fundamental protections, DigitalOcean provides a broader set of advanced security measures, which contribute to its robust infrastructure.

Operational security measures:

DigitalOcean supports flexible PHP versions and includes automatic backups and two-factor authentication (2FA). Its platform further ensures security via cloud firewalls and virtual private cloud (VPC) offerings. Aplus.net features password update requirements and domain privacy services at a nominal cost, along with access to backups for VPS. Despite Aplus.net’s robust VPS offerings, DigitalOcean’s additional security mechanisms, like DDoS and 2FA, make it more comprehensive in operational security.

Compliance and certifications:

DigitalOcean supports GDPR compliance and holds numerous certifications such as PCI-DSS, SOC 2 and 3 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, CSA STAR Level 1, and APEC CBPR PRP Certification. Aplus.net mentions its adherence to GDPR and PCI standards implicitly through its security features. However, DigitalOcean’s specified compliance and certifications indicate a higher level of adherence to regulatory requirements.

🏆 Winner
DigitalOcean: A versatile hosting provider with robust features and support for various user needs.

Both DigitalOcean and Aplus.net provide compelling hosting solutions, but the specifics set them apart for different user requirements. DigitalOcean offers an extensive array of hosting types including dedicated, shared, VPS, and managed WordPress hosting, making it highly adaptable for varying projects from startups to more complex enterprise applications. Aplus.net focuses more on VPS hosting with complete control through cPanel’s WHM, emphasizing user autonomy and flexibility. While DigitalOcean provides a plethora of security features like DDoS protection and automatic backups, Aplus.net stands out with Cloudflare CDN integration for better performance and security. DigitalOcean’s 14 globally distributed data centers offer superior performance and reliability, whereas Aplus.net’s strength lies in its easy scalability and pure SSD drives which ensure optimal performance.

When considering usability and additional services, both hosting providers cater to different customer preferences. DigitalOcean’s managed Kubernetes and databases, along with a well-structured Support system, provide a seamless experience for developers and technical users. Aplus.net’s use of cPanel for website, database, and email management simplifies processes for users looking for a more GUI-oriented approach. Notably, Aplus.net offers unlimited FTP accounts, making it easier for users to manage multiple sites or clients, and free restores which can be a significant advantage for those who prioritize data recovery. Each provider has its unique points: DigitalOcean’s strong community support and documentation, and Aplus.net’s comprehensive control with pure SSD drives and easy data migration without downtime.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both DigitalOcean and Aplus.net offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

Email services at DigitalOcean do not focus on email hosting as part of its services, making it less ideal for businesses needing integrated email solutions. Aplus.net, on the other hand, gives users full control over email accounts via cPanel, allowing them to set up and manage their own email campaigns efficiently. Aplus.net’s inclusion of dedicated IP addresses for email also enhances deliverability and reduces the risk of being blacklisted, making it a better choice for users needing comprehensive email services.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: Offering a wide range of hosting solutions tailored to different user needs.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

DigitalOcean and Aplusnet offer diverse hosting plans that cater to different requirements. DigitalOcean provides simple and transparent pricing with plans starting as low as $4/month for basic website hosting and scaling up to $131/month for advanced VPS hosting. Aplusnet offers a range of plans with more extensive features in certain areas but generally at higher price points, starting at $5.99/month for their Professional Cloud Hosting plan and up to $53.99/month for their most advanced VPS hosting. Each provider includes unique offerings, such as Cloudways managed services with DigitalOcean and unlimited storage options with specific Aplusnet plans.

Enterprise plans

DigitalOcean’s enterprise solutions include high-performance VPS hosting with dedicated CPU options starting at $42/month, scaling all the way to powerful memory-optimized droplets at $131/month. These plans offer flexibility, scalability, advanced security features, and managed services through Cloudways. In contrast, Aplusnet’s enterprise-oriented offerings, such as the Business and Professional Plans, feature extensive storage and bandwidth, unlimited websites, and a suite of cutting-edge management tools like cPanel and WHM, with pricing capped at $53.99/month for the highest tier.

🏆 Winner
DigitalOcean: Offers a range of user-friendly and customizable solutions tailored to varying technical skills and needs.

DigitalOcean provides an intuitive experience through its custom control panel, enabling users to manage their applications with ease. With options like 1-Click Apps and Droplets, both technical and non-technical users can get started quickly. The control panel is designed for efficiency, allowing users to configure, manage, and scale their virtual machines or applications without needing deep technical knowledge. This makes it an accessible choice for a wide range of users, from developers who need custom setups to beginners looking for straightforward solutions.

Aplus.net, on the other hand, emphasizes immediate account setup and activation. Their dashboard is designed for quick and easy management, perfect for small businesses and individuals who prioritize speed in getting started. However, the lack of detailed customization options and advanced features makes it less appealing for those who need more robust configurations. Additionally, without in-depth documentation or tutorials, users may find it challenging if they run into issues that require technical intervention.

DigitalOcean provides automated migration tools, especially for popular platforms like WordPress through Cloudways, making the migration process smooth and easy. These services are typically included in the hosting plans, minimizing extra costs and effort. Aplus.net, conversely, doesn’t clearly mention any specific migration tools or services for their users, potentially necessitating manual effort or the hiring of external services for migration, which can be cumbersome and costly.

DigitalOcean stands out in terms of help center resources. They offer comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and community support, ensuring users have access to a wide range of self-help options. Their ticket-based customer support and 24/7 live chat available on Cloudways further bolster user confidence. Aplus.net does not provide information about a similar knowledge base, which may limit support for users who prefer self-help resources.

🏆 Winner: DigitalOcean: Offers comprehensive and flexible user management features.

DigitalOcean provides an extensive range of options for managing user roles and permissions. Team owners can invite, remove, and change the roles of team members without any limitations on the number of members or roles. Roles such as Owner, Biller, and Member allow for specific access to shared resources and billing information. Aplus.net lacks detailed information regarding its user management and user roles, making it difficult to assess its capabilities. Thus, DigitalOcean appears significantly more transparent and flexible in managing user roles and permissions.

The user interface for managing users on DigitalOcean is intuitive and straightforward. Team owners can invite new members with a few clicks by entering email addresses, and the platform sends out invitation emails automatically. All team members can view the membership table, which lists the roles and invitation status of each member. Team owners can also access additional information about each member’s sign-in method. In contrast, there is no specific information available about how Aplus.net handles user interfaces for managing users, making it less favorable in this aspect.

DigitalOcean excels in access control measures, effectively allowing team owners to assign specific roles and permissions. The ability to see each team member’s sign-in method and the status of their invitations enhances security and transparency. Furthermore, with no restrictions on the number of members or roles, DigitalOcean is well-suited to manage a growing number of users efficiently. The absence of detailed information on Aplus.net’s capabilities hinders its ability to demonstrate comparable efficiency in managing user access and scalability.

DigitalOcean user roles table:

🏆 Winner: Aplus.net: Aplus.net excels with its comprehensive 24/7 customer support available through multiple channels including phone, chat, and email.

DigitalOcean and Aplus.net both offer a range of customer support options, but they differ in availability and type. DigitalOcean provides 24/7 online ticketing, community support, and premium live chat, but does not offer phone support. Its extensive documentation and tutorials are beneficial for tackling many common issues independently.

On the other hand, Aplus.net stands out with 24/7/365 support via phone, chat, email, and ticketing, catering to those who prefer hands-on assistance. While it lacks an enterprise support feature, Aplus.net has received positive customer reviews for its reliable and efficient support team, making it a preferred choice for many users.

Digital Ocean vs Aplus.net: User feedback

User reviews for this hosting provider highlight its ease of use, affordability, and robust customer support. Users appreciate the simple and intuitive user interface, which simplifies the setup and management of virtual servers (droplets) and other cloud infrastructure. Many commend the company for its transparent pricing model and lack of hidden costs. However, some users mention limitations in higher-scale configurations and occasional slow customer support response times. Overall, it is highly recommended for small to medium-sized businesses and developers due to its reliable performance and reasonable pricing.

Aplus.net offers a comprehensive range of services that cater to various business needs, from web hosting and domain registration to marketing and security. Users appreciate its reliability, uptime guarantees, and the ease of accessing multiple services through a single platform. However, some users find the customer support slow and occasionally unhelpful, and there are concerns about outdated features and interface complexity. Pricing is deemed reasonable by many, but a few note that it can be higher compared to other providers.

Digital Ocean vs Aplus.net: FAQ