Netlify vs DigitalOcean for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

Netlify Overview

Netlify takes static site hosting and makes it trivially easy. Push to Git, your site builds and deploys to a global CDN. Preview URLs for every pull request. Free SSL. Form handling without a backend. For frontends and static content, the workflow is fast and the free tier is generous enough that most solo projects never pay a dime.

I've had sites on Netlify's free tier running for months. No surprises on the bill, no maintenance, no server to manage. The deploy pipeline just works. When something breaks, the logs tell you exactly what happened. Rollbacks are one click. For the specific job of putting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on the internet, Netlify is excellent.

The limitations are clear though. No databases. No persistent backend services. Serverless functions handle basic API endpoints but can't replace a real server. If you need more than static hosting, you need another platform.

DigitalOcean Overview

DigitalOcean is a cloud infrastructure provider. At its core, it gives you virtual machines (Droplets) where you can run anything. Install Ubuntu, set up Nginx, deploy your app however you want. Full root access, persistent storage, and predictable pricing starting at $4/month.

Beyond Droplets, DigitalOcean has an App Platform that works more like Netlify or Railway. Connect a repo, it detects your framework, and deploys automatically. It also offers managed databases, Kubernetes, object storage, and a load balancer. The platform has grown significantly from its "simple VPS" origins.

I've used DigitalOcean Droplets for projects where I wanted full control without the complexity of AWS. The $6/month Droplet with 1GB RAM runs a Django app with Nginx and Postgres just fine for low to moderate traffic. The tradeoff is that you're responsible for everything. Updates, security patches, SSL certificates, backups. It's your server, your problem.

Key Differences

Managed vs unmanaged. Netlify is fully managed. You never think about servers, operating systems, or infrastructure. DigitalOcean Droplets are unmanaged VPS. You handle everything from OS updates to firewall rules. DigitalOcean's App Platform sits in between, offering managed deployments similar to Netlify but for backend apps too.

Scope of what you can run. Netlify runs static sites and serverless functions. A DigitalOcean Droplet runs literally anything. Docker containers, databases, game servers, ML models. If it runs on Linux, it runs on a Droplet. The flexibility gap is massive.

Cost structure. Netlify is free for most static sites. DigitalOcean starts at $4/month for a basic Droplet. For static sites, Netlify is the clear cost winner. For full-stack applications, DigitalOcean can be cheaper than managed platforms. A $6 Droplet running your frontend, backend, and database is hard to beat on price, if you're willing to manage it.

Time investment. Deploying on Netlify takes minutes. Setting up a DigitalOcean Droplet properly, with security hardening, SSL, automated deploys, and monitoring, takes hours the first time. For solo developers who value their time, this matters. Netlify lets you ship immediately. DigitalOcean requires upfront setup.

Scaling path. Netlify scales horizontally through its CDN automatically. DigitalOcean requires manual scaling. You resize Droplets, add load balancers, or migrate to Kubernetes. For projects that might grow unpredictably, Netlify's automatic scaling is less work. For projects with predictable traffic, DigitalOcean's fixed pricing is more cost-effective.

App Platform vs Netlify. DigitalOcean's App Platform is the closest comparison to Netlify. It deploys from Git with managed infrastructure. The static site tier is free. The basic web service tier starts at $5/month. It's a reasonable middle ground between Netlify's simplicity and Droplets' flexibility.

When to Choose Netlify

• Your project is a static site, blog, or JAMstack frontend
• You want zero infrastructure management
• Free hosting for low-traffic projects matters to you
• Preview deploys and instant rollbacks are valuable
• Your time is better spent on code than server administration

When to Choose DigitalOcean

• You need full server control for a backend application
• Your budget is tight and you can invest time in setup instead of money
• You're running services that need persistent processes, databases, or background jobs
• You want one affordable VPS for multiple small projects
• You're comfortable with Linux administration and want to learn infrastructure

The Verdict

These platforms serve very different needs. Netlify is a specialized tool that does one thing exceptionally well. DigitalOcean is a general-purpose cloud that can do nearly anything but requires more work.

For solo developers deploying frontends and static sites, Netlify wins on developer experience, deploy speed, and cost (free). Don't spin up a Droplet to serve an Astro blog. That's using a sledgehammer on a thumbtack.

For full-stack projects where you want control and cost efficiency, DigitalOcean makes sense. A single $6/month Droplet can host your entire application stack. You'll spend a few hours on initial setup, but the monthly cost stays low and predictable.

If you want DigitalOcean's ecosystem with Netlify's simplicity, check out the App Platform. It's a solid middle ground, though it's not as polished as Netlify for static sites or as flexible as raw Droplets for complex stacks.