Software · head to head
Hetzner Cloud vs Oracle Cloud
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; Oracle Cloud the free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
- They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and Oracle Cloud actually diverge.
| Attribute | Hetzner Cloud | Oracle Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Api, Cli | Linux, Windows, Api, Cli |
| Founded | 1997 | 2019 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Hetzner Cloud
- Cloud servers
- Block storage
- Object storage
- Load balancers
- Networks
- Firewalls
- Floating IPs
- Backups
Only in Oracle Cloud
- Autonomous Database
- Compute Instances
- MySQL Database Service
- Object Storage
- Block Volume
- Load Balancers
- Virtual Cloud Network
- API Gateway
Both cover
- Terraform
- Ansible
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Hetzner Cloud
- Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Oracle Cloud
- European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Oracle Cloud
- Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Oracle Cloud
- Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Oracle Cloud
Oracle Cloud
- Running virtual machines, databases and storage on Oracle's cloud infrastructurenot Hetzner Cloud
- Hosting Oracle Database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendornot Hetzner Cloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Hetzner Cloud
- Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
- The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
- Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
- The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
- Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel
Oracle Cloud
- The free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
- The US$300 cloud credit is available only in select countries
- Only one Oracle Cloud Free Trial or Always Free account is permitted per person
- Accounts left idle for 30 days or more are eligible for suspension or termination as abandoned
- Always Free NoSQL Database is restricted to the Phoenix region
- Free Tier availability is subject to capacity limits, and the published per-service capacity figures are estimates that assume the entire credit is spent on that one service
Pricing, plan by plan
Hetzner Cloud
Free- CX11$3.29/month
- 1 vCPU
- 1GB RAM
- 25GB SSD
- CX21$6.59/month
- 2 vCPU
- 4GB RAM
- 40GB SSD
Oracle Cloud
Free- Always FreeFree
- Oracle Autonomous Database
- 2 compute instances
- 100 GB storage
- Pay-as-You-GoFree
- Flexible pricing
- No long-term commitment
- Enterprise support
Which should you pick?
Choose Hetzner Cloud if
- You need cloud servers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api, Cli.
- You also want block storage.
Choose Oracle Cloud if
- You need autonomous database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
- You also want compute instances.
Questions people ask
- Is Hetzner Cloud or Oracle Cloud better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Oracle Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or Oracle Cloud?
- Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Oracle Cloud at Free.
- Does Hetzner Cloud or Oracle Cloud run on more platforms?
- Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. Oracle Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
- Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
- Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what Oracle Cloud is typically brought in for.
- What can Hetzner Cloud do that Oracle Cloud cannot?
- Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database, Compute Instances, MySQL Database Service, Object Storage. Both handle Terraform, Ansible, Docker, Kubernetes.