Netlify vs DigitalOcean Droplets
Pricing data as of 2026-10-12 · refreshed weekly
Netlify (serverless) and DigitalOcean Droplets (vps) overlap on 9 stacks. The table below shows the cheapest fitting plan on each for a typical startup workload (~50,000 visits/month) — list prices, no promos.
Netlifyserverless
| Free | $0/mo |
| Personal | $9/mo |
| Pro | $20/mo |
DigitalOcean Dropletsvps
| Basic 512MB | $4/mo |
| Basic 1GB | $6/mo |
| Basic 2GB | $12/mo |
| Basic 4GB | $24/mo |
Cheapest fitting plan per stack (startup traffic)
| Stack | Netlify | DigitalOcean Droplets | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next.js | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Nuxt | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Astro | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| SvelteKit | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Remix / React Router | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Node.js API | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Ghost | $20 (Pro) | $6 (Basic 1GB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Strapi | $20 (Pro) | $6 (Basic 1GB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
| Static site | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) | DigitalOcean Droplets |
Next.js by traffic level
| Traffic | Netlify | DigitalOcean Droplets |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby / side project (~5,000/mo) | $0 (Free) | $4 (Basic 512MB) |
| Startup / small business (~50,000/mo) | $20 (Pro) | $4 (Basic 512MB) |
| E-commerce (~200,000/mo) | $20+ (Pro) | $6 (Basic 1GB) |
| High traffic (~1,000,000/mo) | $20+ (Pro) | $12 (Basic 2GB) |
"+" = even the largest plan may not cover that traffic. Full breakdowns: Next.js on Netlify · Next.js on DigitalOcean Droplets
FAQ
Is Netlify or DigitalOcean Droplets cheaper?
DigitalOcean Droplets is cheaper for all 9 stacks both can run, at startup traffic (~50,000 visits/month). Price alone ignores ops work: Netlify is a serverless platform, DigitalOcean Droplets is a VPS.
What does a Next.js app cost on Netlify vs DigitalOcean Droplets?
Cheapest fitting plan by traffic level — hobby / side project: Netlify free (Free) vs DigitalOcean Droplets $4/month (Basic 512MB); startup / small business: Netlify $20/month (Pro) vs DigitalOcean Droplets $4/month (Basic 512MB); e-commerce: Netlify $20/month (Pro), and even the largest plan may not be enough vs DigitalOcean Droplets $6/month (Basic 1GB); high traffic: Netlify $20/month (Pro), and even the largest plan may not be enough vs DigitalOcean Droplets $12/month (Basic 2GB).
What is included with Netlify and DigitalOcean Droplets?
Netlify bundles CDN, Image opt, Edge, SSL, Previews, Auto-deploy. DigitalOcean Droplets is a VPS with nothing bundled — CDN, TLS automation, previews and deploys are yours to set up.
How current are these prices?
They are official list prices as of 2026-10-12, re-checked against each provider's pricing page on a weekly cycle. Intro promos and coupons are not used in totals; taxes are not included unless a plan note says so.