Overall
ScalaHosting offers a broad range of hosting services, including shared, cloud, and reseller hosting, along with specialized services like managed WordPress hosting. Digital Ocean offers cloud infrastructure solutions with a strong emphasis on developer-friendly features but lacks the broad managed hosting plans provided by ScalaHosting.
Service Offering
| Feature | Digital Ocean | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting Services | Cloud Hosting | Shared, VPS, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting |
| Specialized Services | Adult Websites, and Game Server Hosting | Managed WordPress, Email, n8n, and Game Server Hosting |
| Server Locations | USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, and India | USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia |
| Control Panel | In-House | In-House |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Money Back (Days) | 30 | Anytime |
| Free Migration | No | Yes |
| Support Channels | Live chat and email |
Digital Ocean specializes in cloud hosting with a developer-centric approach, providing highly configurable virtual machines and a wide choice of data centers. It’s designed for users who need scalability and control over their hosting environment.
ScalaHosting offers a wider range of hosting services, making it more accessible to a broader audience. Its managed WordPress hosting and custom control panel are particularly appealing for users looking for an easy-to-manage hosting solution.
Plans & Pricing
| Hosting Type | Digital Ocean | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $ - /mo | $2.95 - 14.95/mo |
| VPS Hosting | $ - /mo | $29.95 - 169.95/mo |
| Dedicated Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $4.00 - 96.00/mo | $29.95 - 169.95/mo |
| Managed WP Hosting | $14.00 - 3569.98/mo | $2.95 - 14.95/mo |
| Windows Hosting | $ - /mo | $39.95 - 485.00/mo |
| Coupon | - | - |
| Coupon Details | - | - |
Digital Ocean offers cloud hosting plans starting at $4.00 per month, appealing to users looking for affordable, scalable cloud solutions. However, charges apply for additional features like automated backups and advanced security options.
ScalaHosting provides competitive pricing across its hosting plans, including shared and cloud hosting. Its cloud hosting plans start at $39.95 per month, offering a balance of performance and price with innovative features included.
Development Features & Others
| Feature | Digital Ocean | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Language Support | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Django, Perl, and Ruby on Rails | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Django, Perl, Ruby on Rails, and ASP.NET |
| Dev Features | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access |
| Staging Tool | No | Built-in |
| Free SSL | No | Yes |
| Built-in Cache | No | Yes |
| Global CDN | No | Yes |
| Free Malware Scan | Need purchase | Higher plans |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | Higher plans |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Need purchase | Higher plans |
Both providers offer a range of development features, but Digital Ocean caters more to advanced users with its extensive support for programming languages, GIT access, and other developer tools. However, it lacks built-in features like free SSL and a global CDN, which are available with ScalaHosting.
About Digital Ocean
Established in 2011, DigitalOcean was founded by Ben Uretsky, Moisey Uretsky, Mitch Wainer, Jeff Carr, and Alec Hartman. Originating from their prior venture, ServerStack, DigitalOcean was crafted to simplify cloud computing for software developers. With a mission to empower developers in building, deploying, and scaling cloud applications effortlessly, DigitalOcean has grown substantially, offering accessible, high-performance, and cost-effective cloud solutions tailored to the needs of software developers and small-scale startups.
Digital Ocean Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Competitive and flexible pricing model
- Choice of 15 distributed data centers
- Highly configurable virtual machines
- Built-in alert system for resource thresholds or critical issues
Digital Ocean Cons
- Charges apply for automated backups
- Unencrypted backups
- Only suitable for advanced users
- Less user-friendly for team operations
About ScalaHosting
Founded in 2007 by Hristo Rusev and Vladislav Georgiev, ScalaHosting is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company offers a full range of services including shared hosting, managed VPS hosting, cloud hosting, and email hosting. ScalaHosting is known for building its own infrastructure tools, most notably SPanel, an in-house control panel developed as an alternative to cPanel, and SShield, a security system designed to detect and block server threats automatically. Over the years the company has expanded these technologies with tools such as SWordPress Manager and the SKAI AI assistant, reinforcing its reputation as one of the few hosting providers actively developing its own hosting platform ecosystem.
ScalaHosting Pros
- Excellent uptime and fast server performance confirmed through HostScore’s long-term monitoring, load tests, and recent benchmark experiments
- Affordable managed VPS hosting, often up to 40% cheaper than comparable managed VPS providers
- Anytime unconditional money-back guarantee
- Automated daily backups with seven restore points
- NVMe storage across all shared hosting plans for faster database and file operations
- Innovative in-house technologies including SPanel, SShield security, SKAI AI assistant, and SWordPress Manager
ScalaHosting Cons
- Renewal prices for shared and VPS plans are significantly higher than initial promotional rates
- No dedicated server / bare metal plans available for enterprise-scale workloads
Our Recommendation
Key Considerations Before Signing Up
Before signing up on ScalaHosting or Digital Ocean, you should be aware of:
- Support Channels Digital Ocean primarily offers support through email, which might not be sufficient for users looking for immediate assistance. ScalaHosting provides more direct support options, including live chat.
- Technical Expertise ScalaHosting’s diverse service offering makes it accessible to a broader audience, including those looking for managed services and user-friendly hosting solutions. Digital Ocean’s developer-centric approach provides valuable resources for those needing custom cloud configurations.
- Additional Costs for Essential Features Users should consider the potential additional costs for features like automated backups and advanced security with Digital Ocean. ScalaHosting includes more features in its base plans, offering better value for money.
- Global Server Presence: Digital Ocean’s wide choice of data centers is advantageous for users targeting specific geographic locations for optimal performance. ScalaHosting’s server locations also support a global audience but with a focus on managed hosting services.
Final Verdict
ScalaHosting is recommended for users seeking reliable, comprehensive hosting solutions with innovative features like SPanel, SShield, and SWordPress. Its anytime money-back guarantee, automated backups, and generous server resources make it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced users looking for shared, cloud, or reseller hosting.
On the other hand, use Digital Ocean if you’re a developer or have technical expertise looking for scalable cloud hosting solutions with detailed control over your environment. With its competitive and flexible pricing model and choice of 15 distributed data centers, it’s ideal for projects that need scalable and high-performing cloud environments.
