DigitalOcean Pricing
DigitalOcean costs from $4/mo up to $63/mo — about $48/year at the entry tier. There are 2 plans, and no free tier. That is below the $5/mo average for cloud platforms we track.
DigitalOcean plans & prices
Every DigitalOcean plan, what it includes, and who each one suits.
What DigitalOcean costs over time
List price per plan, projected across a year. Annual prepayment is often discounted, so treat these as the ceiling rather than the final bill.
| Plan | Per month | 3 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic DropletPopular | $4 | $12 | $48 |
| General Purpose | $63 | $189 | $756 |
What each plan includes
Each tier builds on the one before it, so higher plans also include everything below them.
| Feature | Basic Droplet $4 | General Purpose $63 |
|---|---|---|
| 512MB–1GB VM | ||
| Flat pricing | ||
| Dedicated CPU | ||
| Scalable |
Which DigitalOcean plan should you choose?
On a budget → Basic Droplet ($4/mo)
The cheapest paid way in — $48 a year.
Scaling up → General Purpose ($63/mo)
The full feature set — worth it once you need everything below the top row.
Is DigitalOcean good value?
Across the 1 other cloud platforms we track, entry pricing averages $5/mo (from $5 to $5). DigitalOcean starts at $4/mo — below average.
Hidden costs to budget for
- • Per-seat plans multiply with team size — check whether the price above is per user.
- • Headline prices usually assume annual billing; paying monthly costs more.
- • Premium support, extra storage, and higher API limits are common paid add-ons.
- • Watch for renewal pricing: introductory rates often rise at the second term.
Ready to try DigitalOcean?
Check current pricing and any live offers on their site.
Frequently asked questions
How much does DigitalOcean cost?+
DigitalOcean starts at $4 per month, running up to $63 per month on its top tier. There are 2 plans in total.
Does DigitalOcean have a free plan?+
No — DigitalOcean does not offer a permanently free plan. The cheapest way in is the Basic Droplet plan at $4/mo. Free trials may still be available.
How much is DigitalOcean per year?+
At the Basic Droplet price of $4/mo, DigitalOcean costs about $48 per year. Many vendors discount annual billing, so the real figure is often lower if you prepay.
Is DigitalOcean expensive compared with other cloud platforms?+
The 1 other cloud platforms we track average $5/mo to start. DigitalOcean's cheapest paid plan is $4/mo, which is below that average.
Are there hidden costs with DigitalOcean?+
Headline prices often assume annual prepayment, and per-seat plans multiply with team size. Premium support, extra storage, and higher API limits are commonly paid add-ons — check these before you commit.