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File Storage & Backup · head to head

CrashPlan vs DigitalOcean

CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

File Storage & Backup

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DigitalOcean logo

DigitalOcean

Cloud & Infrastructure

The developer cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DigitalOcean has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups; DigitalOcean data transfer overage charged at $0.01 per GiB beyond included allowances
  • They diverge on capability: CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, DigitalOcean covers Droplets (VPS).

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrashPlan and DigitalOcean actually diverge.

Attributes where CrashPlan and DigitalOcean differ
AttributeCrashPlanDigitalOcean
Starting price$8/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend)
CategoryFile Storage & BackupCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20012011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CrashPlan

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Legal hold
  • Centralized administration
  • Unlimited storage
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Active Directory
  • LDAP

Only in DigitalOcean

  • Droplets (VPS)
  • Managed Kubernetes
  • App Platform
  • Managed Databases
  • Spaces (Object Storage)
  • Floating IPs
  • Load Balancers
  • Firewalls

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CrashPlan

  • Data protectionnot DigitalOcean
  • Disaster recoverynot DigitalOcean
  • Business continuitynot DigitalOcean
  • Ransomware protectionnot DigitalOcean
  • Compliancenot DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean

  • Developers seeking affordable VPS starting at $4/month for small applicationsnot CrashPlan
  • Teams deploying containerised workloads with Kubernetes starting at $12/month cluster costnot CrashPlan
  • Data scientists and ML engineers requiring NVIDIA GPU access at $1.91/GPU/hour (committed)not CrashPlan

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CrashPlan

  • Initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • Occasional slow restore speeds for very large files impact recovery time objectives
  • Full system recovery requires requesting hard drive delivery instead of bare-metal restore capability
  • Difficulties reported with backing up or restoring data from external hard drives
  • Pricing is higher than some competitors like Backblaze when compared per user/month
  • Limited SIEM integration and governance reporting for enterprise environments

DigitalOcean

  • Data transfer overage charged at $0.01 per GiB beyond included allowances
  • Free tier includes only 3 static sites; additional static sites require paid upgrade
  • Container registry free tier capped at 500 MiB storage; exceeding requires paid tier
  • Functions free tier allows 90,000 GiB-seconds monthly; overages billed on usage basis
  • GPU Droplets require minimum monthly commitment for lower hourly rates; on-demand significantly more expensive

Pricing, plan by plan

CrashPlan

$8/month
  • Professional (Monthly)$8/month
    • Unlimited backup capacity
    • Unlimited file versions
    • 90-day deleted file retention
  • Professional (Annual)$88/year
    • All Monthly features
    • $0.88 savings per month vs monthly billing
  • Professional (2-Year)$158/2 years
    • All features
    • Lower per-month cost vs annual

DigitalOcean

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DigitalOcean review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CrashPlan if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
  • You also want continuous protection.
CrashPlan review

Choose DigitalOcean if

  • You need droplets (vps).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend).
  • You also want managed kubernetes.
DigitalOcean review

Questions people ask

Is CrashPlan or DigitalOcean better?
Neither clearly leads. CrashPlan starts at $8/month and DigitalOcean at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrashPlan or DigitalOcean?
DigitalOcean has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8/month for CrashPlan and Free for DigitalOcean.
Does CrashPlan or DigitalOcean run on more platforms?
CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace). DigitalOcean runs on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure backend).
Can I use DigitalOcean for free?
Yes. DigitalOcean has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CrashPlan starts at $8/month.
What is CrashPlan best used for?
CrashPlan is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what DigitalOcean is typically brought in for.
What can CrashPlan do that DigitalOcean cannot?
CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Legal hold, Centralized administration. DigitalOcean covers Droplets (VPS), Managed Kubernetes, App Platform, Managed Databases. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's pricing for business backup?

CrashPlan Professional Edition costs $8 per user/month (billed monthly), $7.33 per user/month when billed annually ($88/year), or $158 per user for a 2-year commitment. This includes unlimited backup capacity, unlimited file versions, and 90-day deleted file retention.

Source
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan offer a free trial?

Yes, CrashPlan offers a 14-day free trial. Credit card information is required for signup, but there will be no charge if you cancel during the trial period. Your credit card will be automatically charged when the trial ends unless you cancel.

Source
CrashPlan: What platforms and services does CrashPlan protect?

CrashPlan protects Windows and Mac endpoints, Microsoft 365 services (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), and Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive). The platform provides backup for endpoints, servers, and cloud applications.

Source
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan have a free version for consumers?

No, CrashPlan discontinued its consumer personal backup tier and now focuses exclusively on commercial businesses. The platform is strictly for business and organizational use.

Source
CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's partnership status with Microsoft?

CrashPlan is a trusted Microsoft Partner and is co-sell eligible. The platform is available in the Microsoft Marketplace and counts toward customers' Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). CrashPlan is built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure.

Source
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Related pages

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