Hetzner vs DigitalOcean: Which VPS is Right for You in 2026?

Choosing between Hetzner and DigitalOcean? Both are developer favorites, but they serve different markets. Hetzner dominates on price and European infrastructure, while DigitalOcean offers a polished US-centric experience with superior documentation. Let's break it down.

Quick Verdict

Choose Hetzner if: You want maximum value for money, need EU data centers for GDPR compliance, or run resource-heavy workloads.

Choose DigitalOcean if: You prioritize developer experience, need US/global presence, or want managed Kubernetes and a rich app marketplace.

Pricing Comparison

Plan	Hetzner	DigitalOcean
Entry VPS	€3.29/mo (2 vCPU, 2GB RAM)	$6/mo (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM)
Mid-tier	€5.77/mo (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM)	$24/mo (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM)
High-end	€14.77/mo (4 vCPU, 16GB RAM)	$48/mo (4 vCPU, 8GB RAM)

Hetzner is dramatically cheaper—often 50-70% less for equivalent specs. The price difference is staggering at higher tiers.

Performance Benchmarks

Both providers deliver excellent performance with modern hardware:

• CPU Performance: Comparable AMD EPYC processors on both platforms
• I/O Speed: Hetzner local NVMe edges ahead (~800 MB/s vs ~600 MB/s)
• Network: DigitalOcean has more locations; Hetzner has superior EU connectivity
• Bandwidth: Hetzner includes 20TB+ traffic; DigitalOcean charges for overages

Features Matrix

Feature	Hetzner	DigitalOcean
Control Panel	Cloud Console	Custom Dashboard
API Access	Full REST API	Full REST API
Kubernetes	❌	✅ Managed K8s
Backups	€0.60/mo	$1/mo per droplet
DDoS Protection	✅ Basic included	✅ Included
One-Click Apps	20+	200+
Locations	EU (+ US/Singapore)	Global (14 regions)

Best Use Cases

Hetzner excels for:

• European businesses needing GDPR compliance
• High-traffic applications requiring bandwidth
• Budget-conscious teams with technical expertise
• Game servers and resource-intensive workloads

DigitalOcean excels for:

• US-based startups and developers
• Teams wanting managed services (K8s, databases)
• Projects requiring extensive documentation
• Quick prototyping with one-click apps

FAQ

Is Hetzner really that much cheaper?

Yes. For equivalent specs, Hetzner is typically 50-70% cheaper. A 16GB RAM server on Hetzner costs about what 4GB costs on DigitalOcean.

Which has better support?

DigitalOcean has more extensive documentation and community tutorials. Hetzner's support is competent but more traditional. Both offer ticket-based support.

Can I use Hetzner from the US?

Yes, Hetzner has US data centers (Ashburn, Hillsboro). Latency is comparable to DigitalOcean for US users.

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Our recommendation: Hetzner for EU-based projects and value seekers. DigitalOcean if you need managed Kubernetes or prefer their polished developer experience.