Object Storage
Despite both provide identical prices for their object storage of 250GB at a flat fee of $5 per month, $0.02/GB for additional storage and $0.01/GB additional transfer, there are some differences.
Similarities
- Pricing
- Both support the s3 protocol, and can use most object storage capabilities with the AWS sdk.
Differences
- CDN
DigitalOcean provides CDN capabilities on top of object storage, where your files can be accessed from multiple edge location where Linode used to provide the same service at additional cost through external service ( not accessible at the time of writing ) - Hosting Static Site
You can host static site using object storage with Linode, but not DigitalOcean. However, you are able to host static site with DigitalOcean for free in their new App Platform.
Domain Name Service
Similarities
- Both are free
- Both provide control panel to manage your domains.
Differences
- Linode provides a more elaborated domain name services compared to DigitalOcean. You are able to import DNS zone from your current domain name service host, and also able to use Linode as Secondary/Slave name server.
Backup Service
- Digital Ocean
20% of the droplet pricing for weekly backup.
e.g. Weekly backup for a $5 droplet will cost you additional $1/month. - Linode
Pricing differs depending on plan. The basic $5 droplet backup will cost additional $2/month, but a $10 plan backup will cost additional $2.50.
However, Linode provides a daily backup, a 2–7 day old backup, and an 8–14 day old backup, which is very attractive.
DigitalOcean provides the additional services here while Linode does not.
App Platform
Digitalocean automates your deployment with their App Platform, building and deploying your codes to scalable containers, all through the control panel. You do not need any docker or Kubernete knowledge to launch a fully scalable application.
Managed Database
Floating IP
Digitalocean provides Floating IP addresses for free to assign to your droplets. This allows you to maintain a consistent IP to the public network even if you were to change your virtual machine.
Linode provides the additional services here while DigitalOcean does not.
DDoS Protection
Linode automatically detects and mitigates DDoS attacks on the infrastructure from large-volume traffic intended to make your service unavailable to legitmate users.
Although DigitalOcean and Linode both provides Cloud Firewall, there’s nothing mentioned on DigitalOcean’s website about DDoS Protection service.
Summary
Both DigitalOcean and Linode offers very competitive pricing compared to the bigger players like AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. Together with the competitive pricing, they are also less complicated to deploy.
I like DigitalOcean because of their Floating IP and App Platform, and Linode for their backup service, plus their ability to host secondary DNS.
DigitalOcean’s App Platform looks very promising for developers in the long run as it’s simple and affordable. It is however, limited to only some regions, and currently still in Beta.