Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Softlayer VS DigitalOcean

Compare Softlayer VS DigitalOcean and see what are their differences

Softlayer logo Softlayer

Softlayer is the cloud computing platform that offers the services of computing, networking, storage security, and application development.

DigitalOcean logo DigitalOcean

Simplifying cloud hosting. Deploy an SSD cloud server in 55 seconds.
  • Softlayer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • DigitalOcean Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

Softlayer features and specs

  • Comprehensive Infrastructure
    SoftLayer offers a wide range of computing resources including dedicated servers, virtual servers, storage solutions, and networking options, allowing businesses to tailor their infrastructure according to their needs.
  • Global Reach
    With data centers and network points of presence (PoPs) across the world, SoftLayer provides global connectivity and redundancy, which is beneficial for enterprises with international operations.
  • Security Features
    SoftLayer provides robust security options, including private network connections, firewalls, and security compliance certifications, ensuring data protection and regulatory compliance.
  • Customizability
    It allows a high level of customization of the hardware and network configurations, which can be tailored to meet specific business needs, providing flexibility in deploying solutions.
  • Hybrid Cloud Capabilities
    SoftLayer's infrastructure can easily integrate with on-premises systems and public clouds, allowing organizations to create a flexible hybrid cloud environment.

Possible disadvantages of Softlayer

  • Complex Pricing Structure
    The pricing structure can be complex and difficult to forecast accurately, especially when services are used extensively, which could lead to cost overruns.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may experience a steep learning curve due to the platform's extensive features and its complex dashboard, which may require significant time and effort to master.
  • Support Challenges
    Some users have reported challenges with customer support, including delays in response times and varying quality of service depending on the issue complexity.
  • Limited PaaS and SaaS Options
    Compared to other cloud providers, SoftLayer has fewer platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) offerings, which might limit choices for businesses looking for turnkey solutions.
  • Migration Complexity
    Migrating existing systems and applications to SoftLayer can be complex and time-consuming, which may pose challenges for businesses with limited IT resources.

DigitalOcean features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    DigitalOcean offers a simple and intuitive interface, which is particularly helpful for developers who want to quickly deploy and manage cloud infrastructure.
  • Cost-Effective
    DigitalOcean provides affordable pricing, making it an attractive option for startups and small businesses that need cloud services but are on a tight budget.
  • Scalability
    The platform allows you to easily scale your infrastructure vertically by upgrading your droplet's resources or horizontally by adding more droplets.
  • Performance
    DigitalOcean provides high-performance SSD-based virtual machines (droplets), which offer fast and reliable performance for a variety of applications.
  • Community and Documentation
    DigitalOcean has an extensive library of tutorials and a large community of users, which can be incredibly helpful for troubleshooting and learning.
  • Managed Services
    DigitalOcean offers managed services like Managed Databases and Managed Kubernetes, which simplify the management of complex infrastructure setups.

Possible disadvantages of DigitalOcean

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While DigitalOcean is great for simple setups and small to medium-sized applications, it lacks some of the advanced features and services offered by larger cloud providers like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
  • Regional Availability
    DigitalOcean has a more limited number of data centers compared to major competitors, which might be a drawback if you need a presence in a specific region not covered by their facilities.
  • Customer Support
    DigitalOcean's customer support is primarily based on a ticketing system which could be slower and less efficient compared to the instant chat or phone support options that other cloud providers offer.
  • No Built-in Advanced Networking Features
    Advanced networking features like global load balancing are either limited or not available, which could be a concern for more complex infrastructure needs.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    Switching from DigitalOcean to another provider might be challenging due to the unique configurations and setups; this could result in higher costs and effort.

Softlayer videos

SoftLayer and Micron RealSSD™ P300

More videos:

  • Review - SoftLayer, an IBM Company Employee Reviews - Q3 2018

DigitalOcean videos

DigitalOcean Review 2018 ( Why it Might not be Good for Blogging )

More videos:

  • Review - DigitalOcean vs AWS
  • Review - SITEGROUND VS DIGITALOCEAN 🤑 HONEST 💯 PROMO CODES

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Softlayer and DigitalOcean)
Cloud Computing
3 3%
97% 97
Cloud Infrastructure
100 100%
0% 0
VPS
3 3%
97% 97
Web Hosting
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Softlayer and DigitalOcean

Softlayer Reviews

Best AWS Alternatives and Competitors for Unbeatable Cloud Prices and Quality
SoftLayer is the last but not least host in this list, it provides managed and dedicated servers alongside cloud computing solutions. IBM acquired it in 2013 and now known as IBM Cloud.
Top Five Alternatives to Amazon AWS Cloud
The contest is well worn on the summit circle yet SoftLayer has proven to be anything but. With the somewhat recent purchase of SoftLayer by IBM in June of 2013, many in the industry speculated if the company would come out alive, if company offerings would change and if the price model for SoftLayer Cloud services would rise to meet corporate margin lines. Well, after...

DigitalOcean Reviews

Top 5 Best Ubuntu VPS Providers for 2024
Overview and Unique Selling Points DigitalOcean simplifies cloud computing for developers, offering scalable infrastructure designed to grow with your project. Known for its developer-friendly platform, DigitalOcean provides an extensive range of services from Droplets to Kubernetes, all supporting Ubuntu. Their SSD-only cloud servers, flexible API, and transparent pricing...
Best Linux VPS [Top 10 Linux VPS Provider 2024]
DigitalOcean makes it easier to handle your server using one click. They have a predictable and transparent pricing model. So, you can know all about the pricing. But aside from all of its advantages, the pricing for the DigitalOcean is relatively high compared to other VPS hosting solutions available in the market. For example, their basic 2GB RAM VPS is $12. In addition,...
Source: cloudzy.com
8 Best Free VPS Trials In 2024 [No Credit Card Required]
*These all are DigitalOcean cloud provider-based plans. Plans vary according to your choice of Cloud Provider.
10 Best Web Hosting Companies in India(December 2023)
Straightforward and intuitive, DigitalOcean's interface allows you to deploy your cloud infrastructure quickly and without hassle.
Source: www.vikatan.com
Top 50 Cheapest Cloud Services Providers | Affordable Cloud Hosting
Our goal is to make cloud computing as simple as possible so that developers and businesses can spend more time creating software that makes a difference in the world. You’ll love the cloud computing services you need, with predictable pricing, developer-friendly features, and scalability. DigitalOcean consistently outperforms other cloud providers in terms of price while...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, DigitalOcean seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 66 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Softlayer mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Softlayer yet. Tracking of Softlayer recommendations started around Apr 2022.

DigitalOcean mentions (66)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Softlayer and DigitalOcean, you can also consider the following products

Google Compute Engine - Google Compute Engine is not just fast. It’s Google fast.

Linode - We make it simple to develop, deploy, and scale cloud infrastructure at the best price-to-performance ratio in the market.

SAP on IBM Cloud - The journey to cloud and SAP S/4HANA

Amazon AWS - Amazon Web Services offers reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services. Free to join, pay only for what you use.

Vultr - VULTR Global Cloud Hosting - Brilliantly Fast SSD VPS Cloud Servers. 100% KVM Virtualization

OVH Dedicated Servers - OVH Dedicated Servers are the professional dedicated servers that allow businesses to build websites and can manage their online presence.