UpCloud vs DigitalOcean
A detailed comparison to help you choose between UpCloud and DigitalOcean.
Quick Verdict
4.5/5
UpCloud
367 reviews
4.1/5
DigitalOcean
413 reviews
UpCloud is rated higher (4.5 vs 4.1). Finnish cloud provider with proprietary MaxIOPS storage that consistently tops disk I/O benchmarks. Strong European coverage with 13 datacenters. 100% uptime SLA — they compensate if breached. Cloud VPS and managed services platform offering droplets, databases, and app hosting. Built for developers who want straightforward pricing and documentation without enterprise complexity.
UpCloud MaxIOPS storage tops disk benchmarks consistently | DigitalOcean Simple, predictable cloud infrastructure for developers | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.5 (367 reviews)✓ | 4.1 (413 reviews) |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | From €7/mo | From €6/mo✓ |
| Best for | Database-heavy applications in Europe where disk I/O performance is the primary bottleneck | Startups and solo developers building web applications, APIs, and small-scale infrastructure who prioritize simplicity and documentation over enterprise features. |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | — | 1 vCPU |
| RAM | — | 1 GB |
| Storage | — | 25 GB |
| Bandwidth | — | 1 TB/mo |
| SLA uptime | — | 99.99% |
| Data-center count | — | 15 |
| €/vCPU/mo | — | €6.00 |
| €/GB RAM/mo | — | €6.00 |
| Performance | ||
| CPU score (sysbench) | 4,600✓ | 2,200 |
| Disk read (fio) | 2,800 MB/s✓ | 560 MB/s |
| Disk IOPS (4K random) | 62,000✓ | 8,400 |
| Network out | 1 Gbps✓ | 0.5 Gbps |
| Latency (TTFB) | 22 ms✓ | 32 ms |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ✓ | |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ✓ | |
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ✓ | |
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | — | United StatesNetherlandsSingaporeUnited KingdomGermanyCanada+2 |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | hourly billingnvme storageipv6ddos protectionbackups includedsnapshotseu datacenterus datacenterapac datacentergdpr compliantapi accessprivate networking | free tierhourly billingnvme storageipv6ddos protectionbackups includedsnapshotsmanaged options3 compatibleeu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterterraform providerkubernetes supportprivate networkingapi access |
| Visit UpCloud → | Visit DigitalOcean → | |
UpCloud
Pros
- + MaxIOPS storage ranks #1 in disk benchmarks
- + 100% uptime SLA — they compensate
- + Strong European datacenter coverage including Helsinki and Warsaw
Cons
- - More expensive than Hetzner for equivalent specs
- - Fewer locations than Vultr
DigitalOcean
Pros
- + Deploy Droplets in under one minute with streamlined console
- + Access extensive community documentation and tutorials
- + Get transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
- + Manage infrastructure via API, CLI, or web dashboard
Cons
- - Limited geographic presence compared to AWS or Google Cloud
- - Smaller ecosystem of third-party integrations and tools
- - Scaling to enterprise requirements may require migration elsewhere
Stay in the loop
Get weekly updates on the best new AI tools, deals, and comparisons.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.