App platforms

DigitalOcean App Platform vs Render

Choose DigitalOcean App Platform when you want a container that stays up from $5/mo, with a 512 MiB limit on that plan. Choose Render when a free web service is enough to start, knowing that free services sleep.

DigitalOcean App Platform

Git deploys with a free static tier and paid containers

Free static tier, containers from $5/mo

Strengths

  • Static sites can stay on the free tier
  • A shared container has a flat monthly price

Limits

  • The $5 container is one shared instance with 512 MiB
  • A development database costs extra and is destroyed with the app

Vendor pricing Alternatives

Render

Git-based deploys for web services and static sites

Free tier, then instance plans

Strengths

  • Deploys from Git with little config
  • Static sites and web services in one place

Limits

  • Free web services sleep
  • Instance plans cost more than a small VPS

Vendor pricing Alternatives