Hetzner vs DigitalOcean
Hetzner
Optimal Baseline TierCLOUD_132+CLOUD_21 plan (Optimal for baseline workload)
DigitalOcean
Optimal Baseline Tierdb-2gib-1vcpu plan (Optimal for baseline workload)
Choosing between the infrastructure of Hetzner and DigitalOcean requires analyzing their pricing thresholds. You can launch on Hetzner for $7.09. Alternatively, DigitalOcean's equivalent plan starts at $30.51. Looking strictly at the entry barrier, Hetzner provides a more cost-effective starting point, undercutting DigitalOcean's base plan by $23.42 per month.
As your platform scales, resource limits will impact your budget. Expanding your limits on Hetzner means additional storage is billed at $0.06 per GB, while excess egress traffic is billed at $1.19 per GB. When evaluating the same limits on DigitalOcean, you will find that additional storage is billed at $0.21 per GB, while excess egress traffic is requires a plan upgrade.
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Open our master calculatorFrequently asked questions
Is Hetzner more cost-effective than DigitalOcean?
The starting price for Hetzner is $7.09 per month, whereas DigitalOcean starts at $30.51. The true cost-effectiveness depends heavily on your specific resource requirements beyond these base tiers.
How do resource limits and scaling fees compare between Hetzner and DigitalOcean?
When scaling, overages dictate the final bill. For Hetzner, extra storage is billed at $0.06 and network egress is billed at $1.19. In contrast, for DigitalOcean, storage is billed at $0.21 and expanding egress requires a plan upgrade.
Should I choose Hetzner or DigitalOcean for my infrastructure?
Choose Hetzner if your workload strictly aligns with their base limits and penalty structure. Choose DigitalOcean if their starting footprint offers a more predictable financial trajectory for your specific application requirements.
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Pricing metrics are updated automatically from official provider data. Last synced:
August 30, 2026