Digital Ocean vs Web.com: guide for 2024

Digital Ocean vs Web.com: Final verdict

Looking over DigitalOcean vs. Web.com, it’s clear why both hosts are so popular. They have both hosted millions of
websites that run on WordPress for decades, building up a loyal customer base.

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  Web.com (Overall grade: 7.3)
  
  
  provides a more straightforward approach tailored to individuals and small businesses looking for an all-in-one solution with minimal technical complexity. It stands out with user-friendly features like a drag-and-drop website builder, free domain, and business email hosting, making it accessible for users without advanced technical skills. Web.com also includes comprehensive customer support through various channels, adding to its appeal. However, it falls short in performance and scalability compared to DigitalOcean, with limited advanced features and higher renewal costs, which can be a concern for those seeking long-term, high-capacity hosting solutions.
  
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  DigitalOcean (Overall grade: 8.3)
  
  
  excels in scalable, high-performance hosting options with a broad range of features tailored for developers and businesses requiring more extensive control and advanced capabilities. Its offerings include numerous global data centers, SSD storage, built-in CDN, and comprehensive monitoring and alert systems, ensuring high reliability and fast performance. The platform is also noted for its strong security measures, intuitive user management, and flexible pricing, making it a favorite among technical users and those looking for high scalability. However, it does lack certain user-friendly tools like a drag-and-drop website builder and dedicated email hosting, which might be a drawback for non-technical users or small businesses.
  

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

SECTION-1: Winner DigitalOcean:Reliable uptime and high availability with advanced features for monitoring and alerts.

SECTION-2:DigitalOcean stands out with a 99.99% uptime guarantee backed by Service Level Agreements. It offers real-time monitoring and alerts, customizable to your needs, to keep you informed about latency, downtime, and SSL expiry. Global monitoring and advanced infrastructure ensure fast and reliable performance, enhanced by multiple data centers and load balancers.

SECTION-3:Web.com, while offering a reasonable uptime guarantee of 99.9%, has shown an actual uptime performance of 99.83% based on third-party tests. The provider includes unmetered bandwidth, nightly backups, and automated SSL security, alongside affordable initial pricing. However, users should be cautious about higher renewal rates and potentially variable server response times.

🏆 Winner
DigitalOcean: Offers high performance and scalability with extensive features.

DigitalOcean and Web.com differ significantly in hosting performance. DigitalOcean boasts 14 globally distributed data centers, SSD storage, and a built-in CDN for improved content delivery. It ensures 99.99% uptime and offers various caching mechanisms for enhanced website speed. In contrast, Web.com provides 99.9% uptime, unmetered bandwidth, and PHP 8.0 and MySQL 8 upgrades but lacks the extensive features DigitalOcean offers. Both services support SSL security, but DigitalOcean is more advanced with features like load balancing and customizable virtual machines.

Website Speed

DigitalOcean offers Droplets with SSD storage and a CDN, enhancing load times and providing flexibility for CPU and RAM configurations. DigitalOcean implements various caching techniques to optimize server performance, ensuring faster website interactions. Web.com’s server response times are advertised as 70% faster with PHP 8.0 and OPcode Cache, but it cannot match DigitalOcean’s comprehensive performance capabilities. Enhanced user experience in WP-Admin also gives Web.com a speed edge, but overall falls short of DigitalOcean’s performance metrics.

Scalability

DigitalOcean excels in scalability with both vertical and horizontal options. Users can easily upgrade their virtual machines (Droplets) or use load balancing to handle increased traffic. Pricing starts at $4 per month for a Basic Droplet. Web.com supports scalability by accommodating most bandwidth demands but doesn’t offer detailed information on automatic scaling or dedicated servers. The costs for scaling with Web.com aren’t specified, making DigitalOcean the more transparent and flexible option for growing websites.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: A provider known for its comprehensive security features and certifications.
Both DigitalOcean and Web.com, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

DigitalOcean and Web.com both offer robust technical security measures. DigitalOcean provides automated backups, DDoS protection, cloud firewalls, SSH access, and two-factor authentication, ensuring a high level of security for hosted applications. Web.com also includes important features such as automated WordPress updates, Malware scanning with SiteLock, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Additionally, Web.com offers a Content Delivery Network (CDN) within its SiteLock Prevent plans to improve site performance and security. However, DigitalOcean’s combination of firewalls, VPS-level security, and SSH access sets it apart.

Operational security measures:

Both providers focus heavily on operational security. DigitalOcean’s operational features include automatic backups and snapshots, data encryption at rest and in transit, along with a web application firewall (WAF). These features work together to ensure data integrity and protection. Web.com, on the other hand, provides comprehensive SiteLock solutions, including malware scanning and removal, as well as directory pointers and multisite control for additional management capabilities. DigitalOcean’s frequent security audits and more extensive set of certifications contribute to a more robust operational security posture.

Compliance and certifications:

DigitalOcean meets various stringent regulatory requirements, including GDPR and PCI compliance, along with a plethora of certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and CSA STAR Level 1. These certifications validate the provider’s commitment to maintaining data security and privacy standards. Web.com is also GDPR and PCI compliant, with scanning provided by SiteLock. While both companies meet essential compliance standards, DigitalOcean’s broader certification portfolio indicates a higher level of adherence to international security standards.

🏆 Winner
DigitalOcean: DigitalOcean impresses with extensive security features and a wide array of hosting options tailored to various needs.

DigitalOcean and Web.com each offer unique tools catering to different user requirements. DigitalOcean shines with its robust set of security features such as DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and firewalls. Additionally, users benefit from various hosting types including dedicated, shared, VPS, and managed services like Kubernetes. This makes DigitalOcean more suitable for developers and businesses with more complex needs. The availability of automated backups and a 99.99% uptime guarantee further bolsters its appeal. On the flip side, Web.com offers a more straightforward solution with an unmetered bandwidth promise and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Web.com is more user-friendly due to its drag-and-drop website builder, which is ideal for individuals or small businesses seeking simplicity without needing technical skills.

One standout feature for Web.com is the inclusion of a free domain and SSL certificate for the first year, adding significant value to their plans. Their plans also offer varied storage and FTP account options, with email hosting included, making it a convenient all-in-one solution. Conversely, DigitalOcean’s advanced capabilities like managed databases and support for developers through features like SSH access and community tutorials are valuable. Notably, the support for a virtual private cloud and load balancers ensures more control and scalability, which can be critical for growing enterprises. Overall, each platform’s unique strengths mean that DigitalOcean is better suited for more technically demanding projects, while Web.com serves well for those looking for ease of use and bundled services.

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 Web.com 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 offer dedicated email hosting, pushing users to third-party services. Web.com includes business email in their plans, facilitating better integration for users needing email marketing or transactional email capabilities. However, for more advanced requirements, such as reselling third-party services like Google Workspace or Zoho, users may need to seek external solutions as Web.com does not provide this natively.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: A diverse range of plans and competitive pricing make it the ideal choice for various hosting 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 offers a varied selection of hosting plans starting at $4/month, featuring advanced options like DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and automatic backups. Web.com provides affordable initial pricing with features such as a drag-and-drop website builder and unmetered bandwidth, though renewal prices are considerably higher. DigitalOcean’s transparent pricing and premium features like memory-optimized droplets for enterprises offer an excellent balance of cost and capability, while Web.com’s shared hosting and WordPress plans cater to users seeking straightforward, entry-level options with added benefits during the first year.

Enterprise plans

DigitalOcean’s enterprise offerings include memory-optimized droplets starting at $84/month and storage-optimized droplets for $131/month, both designed for high-performance needs. These options provide significant memory and SSD storage with robust transfer capabilities. By contrast, Web.com offers no equivalent plans for enterprise-level requirements, focusing primarily on shared and WordPress options.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: DigitalOcean stands out with its flexible setup options and comprehensive support resources.

DigitalOcean provides an intuitive control panel for managing Droplets, App Platform, and other services. The interface is designed to serve both technical and non-technical users, offering clear navigation and detailed instructions. Its 1-Click Apps streamline the process of setting up popular applications, making it user-friendly for beginners while still offering the depth needed for seasoned developers. Web.com, on the other hand, includes a drag-and-drop website builder within its hosting packages. This tool caters to those who may not have technical skills, enabling them to create and manage websites easily. Additionally, Web.com offers a standard control panel that simplifies the process of domain management and performance monitoring.

When it comes to migration tools, DigitalOcean offers automated backups and snapshots, making it easier to migrate data and applications. Cloudways, a service by DigitalOcean, provides managed services that include simplified migration processes, though these services might come with additional costs depending on the level of management required. Web.com also facilitates site migrations, often through its managed WordPress hosting which includes automatic updates and easy installation, although the specifics regarding costs and automation are less clear.

DigitalOcean’s help center is extensive, featuring detailed documentation and tutorials that guide users through various aspects of their services. The community support and customer service options enhance the overall user experience. Web.com, while offering 24/7 product support and a range of online resources, provides a simpler but less comprehensive knowledge base. Both platforms aim to address user inquiries and technical issues effectively.

🏆 Winner DigitalOcean: DigitalOcean provides more extensive user management features tailored for teams and large organizations.

When comparing the user management capabilities of DigitalOcean and Web.com, DigitalOcean offers greater flexibility and control. DigitalOcean allows for three distinct roles: Owner, Biller, and Member, each serving unique functions and access levels. Owners have comprehensive access, Billers are restricted to billing information, and Members can manage shared resources. Web.com’s user roles are more limited, with only Administrative and Technical roles. Admins can edit and manage almost everything, while Techs have limited permissions. DigitalOcean’s separation into three roles provides finer granularity, enabling organizations to allocate permissions more precisely according to their needs.

Both platforms provide an easy-to-use interface for managing users, but the tools they offer differ substantially. DigitalOcean’s team management is centralized within its dashboard, allowing team owners to invite members via email addresses and manage roles seamlessly. Email invitations and user sign-in methods (including 2FA) add an extra layer of security and convenience. Web.com, on the other hand, uses an account manager interface where administrators can add users and assign roles through a series of steps that may appear cumbersome in comparison. Web.com’s interface is more process-intensive, involving multiple steps to manage users which can be less intuitive for some users.

DigitalOcean’s access control mechanisms and team management capabilities support efficient scaling for larger teams, with no cap on the number of members or roles. The detailed viewing of membership status and sign-in methods allows team owners to track user access comprehensively. Conversely, Web.com focuses on a simpler structure, which may not scale as effectively with the growing number of users or require detailed access control. The ability to manage multiple domains and specifically update nameservers is useful but doesn’t compete with DigitalOcean’s extensive team management features.

DigitalOcean User Roles Table:

Web.com User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner Web.com: Web.com offers comprehensive customer support with multiple accessible channels for assistance.

DigitalOcean provides various customer support options, including email support, 24/7 online ticketing, and community forums. For urgent assistance, DigitalOcean customers can utilize their premium live chat support, which is available to those on higher-tier plans. Comprehensive documentation and tutorials are accessible to guide users through a wide range of issues and configurations.

Web.com, on the other hand, stands out with its more accessible customer support channels. They offer phone support during business hours and 24/7 live chat and email support. Web.com’s help center is available at all times, providing immediate access to knowledge base articles and technical support. Customers also have the option for dedicated enterprise support. Web.com’s 24/7 availability across multiple channels makes it a more user-friendly choice for those needing consistent, immediate help.

Digital Ocean vs Web.com: User feedback

DigitalOcean consistently garners praise for its simplicity, user-friendly interface, and transparent pricing, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced developers. Users appreciate the straightforward setup, reliable performance, and excellent customer support, highlighting features like one-click deployment and robust documentation. However, there are some minor criticisms, including a limited variety of server configurations compared to larger providers and occasional slow customer support response times. Despite these drawbacks, DigitalOcean is highly regarded for its cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and overall reliability, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses and startups.

The hosting provider offers a comprehensive solution for purchasing domain names, hosting, and website building, making it highly convenient for users managing multiple domains and websites. Users appreciate the convenience of having all services bundled together, but some express concerns about the limitations on hosting unlimited domains and the cost associated with individual website software. Overall, the service is satisfactory and well-rated, though there is room for improvement in accommodating users with extensive hosting needs.

Digital Ocean vs Web.com: FAQ