DigitalOcean has always been the quiet kid in the corner of the cloud playground. While Amazon Web Services (AWS) throws endless features, acronyms and certifications at everyone, DigitalOcean sits there with its clean little droplet button, a faint smile, and an interface that still feels like it was designed in 2016. And you know what? That’s part of the charm.
Most people who’ve used both AWS and DigitalOcean know exactly what I mean. AWS is like renting a spaceship to water your plants. You need a course, a badge and a support plan just to start a server. DigitalOcean, on the other hand, is simple and focused. You click “Create Droplet,” and it actually creates one, no maze of permissions or dependencies to fight through.
Still, the question remains: why hasn’t DigitalOcean evolved its interface more? They could have modernized everything, made it drag and drop or turned it into a visual builder. Yet, they haven’t. For years, the dashboard has stayed the same, with its minimal style and tiny blue buttons.
It isn’t laziness. It’s strategy.
DigitalOcean has always attracted a certain kind of user, developers who value clarity and control over hand-holding. If they made everything too easy, they might risk attracting users who don’t actually need that level of infrastructure. Their platform could start feeling like a playground for casual experiments rather than a workspace for serious builders.
There’s also strategy in slow and steady growth. DigitalOcean responds in a measured way. For example, in Q1 2025 they reported revenue of 211 million dollars, up 14 percent year over year. Their annual run rate revenue (ARR) ended at 843 million dollars. They serve over 600,000 customers globally. For comparison, AWS deals in tens of billions annually, hundreds of services, and massive enterprise complexity.
These numbers hint at something important. DigitalOcean isn’t trying to beat AWS at its own game. They’re building a different one. They serve small teams, startups and developers who want predictable pricing, straightforward tools and a platform they can master without getting lost in the labyrinth.
So maybe the slightly old school interface isn’t a flaw. Maybe it’s a filter, a signal that this is a place for people who build things with intent. You don’t end up on DigitalOcean by accident; you choose it because it’s calm, consistent and honest about what it offers.
AWS builds empires. DigitalOcean builds homes. And sometimes, that’s exactly what the digital world needs.
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