Workload Snapshot: Mar 2, 2026

Vultr vs DigitalOcean for Linux VPS

Top Linux VPS providers supporting Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and other distributions. This comparison only looks at the parts of the dataset that matter for Linux VPS workloads.

Quick Verdict

Pick Hetzner if you want the stronger overall fit.

Hetzner wins this matchup on the balance of qualifying pricing, CPU, storage, and network data in the current snapshot.

Pick Vultr if one of its tradeoffs matches your priorities.

Vultr may still be the better choice if you care more about its regions, support model, or a specific feature set than the raw benchmark balance.

Cheapest qualifying plan

$4.51

Minimum CPU

1 vCPU

Minimum storage

20 GB

Operating system

Linux

Linux VPS Requirements

Start with at least 1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, and 20 GB storage. For this workload, Most Linux users care about control, automation, and value before managed extras.

Operating system fit

Linux

Feature
Vultr logo
Vultr
DigitalOcean logo
DigitalOcean
Hetzner logo
Hetzner
Starting Price
$5.00/month
$6.00/month
$4.51/month
Best Price
Entry Plan Specs
1 vCPU
1GB RAM
25GB SSD
Fits Linux VPS
1 vCPU
1GB RAM
25GB SSD
Fits Linux VPS
2 vCPU
4GB RAM
40GB NVME
Fits Linux VPS
CPU Score (Single)
1,180
1,120
1,245
Fastest
Disk Read Speed
620MB/s
580MB/s
1,850MB/s
Fastest
Network Throughput
5,200Mbps
4,800Mbps
9,800Mbps
Fastest
Boot Time
28.6seconds
32.4seconds
18.5seconds
Quickest
Datacenter Regions12 locations8 locations4 locations
Hourly Billing
Support
ticket
email
ticket
email
community
ticket
email
phone
Get StartedVisit VultrVisit DigitalOceanVisit Hetzner

Vultr for Linux VPS

Most datacenter locations of any provider Cloud Compute 1GB is the lowest plan that clears the baseline at $5.00.

Most datacenter locations of any provider
Competitive pricing on standard instances
Bare metal and GPU instances available

DigitalOcean for Linux VPS

Excellent documentation and tutorials Basic 1GB is the lowest plan that clears the baseline at $6.00.

Excellent documentation and tutorials
Simple, intuitive control panel
Strong developer community

Hetzner for Linux VPS

Best price-to-performance ratio in the market CX22 is the lowest plan that clears the baseline at $4.51.

Best price-to-performance ratio in the market
High-quality European datacenter infrastructure
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

Keep going from here

Jump to the generic provider comparison or load this workload into the VPS selector for a broader recommendation.

FAQ

Which is cheaper for Linux VPS: Vultr or DigitalOcean?

Vultr starts at $5.00 for a qualifying plan, while DigitalOcean starts at $6.00.

Which provider has better performance for Linux VPS?

Vultr scores 1180 on the latest CPU run and DigitalOcean scores 1120. Disk and network numbers matter just as much for this workload, so use the full table rather than a single benchmark number.

Do both providers meet the minimum requirements for Linux VPS?

Yes. Both providers have at least one plan that clears the baseline of 1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, and 20 GB storage.

Should I use the generic Vultr vs DigitalOcean comparison instead?

Use this page when Linux VPS is the workload you care about. Use the base comparison page when you want a broader provider-level decision without a workload filter.