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Head-to-head · VPS Hosting in USA

DigitalOcean Droplets vs Bluehost VPS

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
DigitalOcean Droplets #1 in VPS Hosting in USA 4.0/10 From $4/mo ✓ 0 of 2 features Visit DigitalOcean
Higher score Bluehost VPS #7 in VPS Hosting in USA 4.8/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Bluehost

DigitalOcean Droplets leads on 0 checks, Bluehost VPS on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBluehost VPS · 4.8/10
  • Most featuresBluehost VPS · 1 of 2

Bluehost VPS scores higher on our rubric for vps hosting in usa: 4.8 against 4.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #1.

Bluehost VPS offers root access; DigitalOcean Droplets doesn't publish it.

DigitalOcean Droplets is the better fit for developers wanting a flexible cloud VPS platform. Bluehost VPS is the better fit for small businesses seeking managed Linux VPS hosting.

  • DigitalOcean Droplets fits best

    Developers wanting a flexible cloud VPS platform

  • Bluehost VPS fits best

    Small businesses seeking managed Linux VPS hosting

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature DigitalOcean Droplets 4.0/10 Visit ↗ Bluehost VPS 4.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 4.0 4.8
Ranking #1 in VPS Hosting in USA #7 in VPS Hosting in USA
Best for Developers wanting a flexible cloud VPS platform Small businesses seeking managed Linux VPS hosting
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price $4/mo Not published
Free plan — —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web, Linux Web, Linux
Support Email, Live chat, Tickets · 24/7 Live chat, Phone, Docs · 24/7
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features DigitalOcean Droplets 0/2 · Bluehost VPS 1/2
Root access Not published ✓ (best)
Backups Not published Not published
Specs
vCPUs Not published Not published
RAM Not published 4 GB
NVMe storage Not published Not published
Bandwidth Not published 2 TB/mo
Managed options Not published Not published
Our review
Pros
  • $4 Basic Droplet includes 1 vCPU, 10 GiB SSD, and 500 GiB transfer
  • CLI, API, control panel, and Terraform management support automation
  • Autoscale pools and multiple Droplet configurations cover changing workloads
  • Dedicated virtual CPU and RAM allocations across all listed plans
  • Root access plus a web hosting control panel
  • 24/7 support through chat, phone and documentation
Cons
  • No ongoing free Droplet plan is listed
  • Backups and snapshots are available only as add-ons
  • Linux-based workloads may not fit teams needing a different operating system
  • No free plan is offered
  • The plans require choosing among different CPU, RAM, storage and bandwidth allocations
  • Root-level access may not suit buyers who want a fully restricted server environment
Our verdict

DigitalOcean Droplets are Linux-based virtual machines for websites, applications, databases, development environments, and other cloud workloads. They suit developers and teams that want control over compute resources through a web…

Read the review →

Bluehost VPS provides managed virtual private servers for websites and applications that need dedicated CPU, memory and storage beyond shared hosting. It is aimed at small businesses, growing sites and developers who want isolated Linux…

Read the review →
  1. DigitalOcean DropletsVPS Hosting in USA 4.0From $4/mo
  2. Bluehost VPSVPS Hosting in USA 4.8Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • DigitalOcean Droplets — where it wins

    • $4 Basic Droplet includes 1 vCPU, 10 GiB SSD, and 500 GiB transfer
    • CLI, API, control panel, and Terraform management support automation
    • Autoscale pools and multiple Droplet configurations cover changing workloads

    Where it doesn't

    • No ongoing free Droplet plan is listed
    • Backups and snapshots are available only as add-ons
    • Linux-based workloads may not fit teams needing a different operating system
  • Bluehost VPS — where it wins

    • Dedicated virtual CPU and RAM allocations across all listed plans
    • Root access plus a web hosting control panel
    • 24/7 support through chat, phone and documentation

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan is offered
    • The plans require choosing among different CPU, RAM, storage and bandwidth allocations
    • Root-level access may not suit buyers who want a fully restricted server environment
  • DigitalOcean Droplets4.0/10 · From $4/mo

    A flexible Linux VPS platform with $4 entry pricing, automation, and scalable configurations.

    Visit DigitalOceanFull verdict →
  • Bluehost VPS4.8/10 · Paid

    A managed VPS option for small businesses that want dedicated resources and server control.

    Visit BluehostFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026