Provision first, migrate second
Bring up the Incognito VPS server while your DigitalOcean instance is still serving. Nothing is disrupted and you can take as long as the initial sync needs.
Mainstream hosting · USA · 2011
An alternative to DigitalOcean
The developer cloud that made VPS hosting approachable, with excellent documentation and a clean API.
Answer
Incognito VPS is a viable alternative to DigitalOcean if you want hosting without identity verification. We operate in 16 locations, accept twelve cryptocurrencies, and start at $4.00 per month. However, DigitalOcean still excels in documentation—their tutorials are unmatched and have taught us a great deal. We do not offer managed databases or Kubernetes.
What they do better
DigitalOcean’s documentation is the best in the industry — a huge amount of the world’s Linux knowledge is in their tutorials, including things we have learned from. Their managed databases and Kubernetes are also products we do not offer.
We list what every competitor does better than us. A comparison with no concession is an advertisement.
§01 Where we differ
Four things Incognito VPS does that DigitalOcean does not
- 01
No identity or payment-card verification
- 02
Crypto-only settlement with no fiat rail
- 03
Bare-metal and jurisdictions outside US legal reach
- 04
CLOUD Act does not apply to any of our eight locations
§02 Side by side
Incognito VPS and DigitalOcean, feature by feature
| Incognito VPS | DigitalOcean | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Distributed · 8 jurisdictions | USA |
| Identity required | None | Full KYC |
| Cryptocurrency | Native · 12 coins | Not accepted |
| Monero | Yes | No |
| Locations | 16 | 15 |
| Bare metal | Yes | No |
| GPU compute | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $4.00/mo | $4.00/mo |
| Five Eyes country | No | Yes |
Figures for DigitalOcean are taken from their published pricing and documentation and were last checked on 2026-08-13. If something here is out of date, tell us at [email protected] and we will correct it — an inaccurate comparison helps nobody.
§03 Switching over
Moving from DigitalOcean
Lower the TTL 48 hours ahead
Drop DNS records to a 300-second TTL two days before the cutover. This is the step everyone skips and everyone regrets.
Cut over and verify
Final rsync, promote the database replica, update DNS. Wait 72 hours and watch the old logs before destroying anything.
Where Incognito VPS operates
16 locations against DigitalOcean’s 15, 8 of ours chosen for their legal properties rather than their latency. Each location page publishes the statutes behind its claims and an explicit account of what it does not protect against.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
01 What is the best alternative to DigitalOcean?
Why you are leaving matters. Incognito VPS requires no identity and runs in 16 locations from $4.00 per month. But if you need DigitalOcean's managed databases, Kubernetes, or top-tier documentation, we are not the right fit.
02 Is Incognito VPS cheaper than DigitalOcean?
Incognito VPS's entry tier is $4.00 per month; DigitalOcean starts around the same. Check the specifications of each tier, as they differ significantly at the low end.
03 How do I migrate from DigitalOcean?
Provision the new server, sync data via rsync or database replica, lower DNS TTL 48 hours prior, then switch. Downtime should be minutes, not hours. Our migration guide details every step.
04 When should I stay with DigitalOcean?
DigitalOcean’s documentation is the best in the industry—most Linux knowledge resides in their tutorials, including lessons we’ve used. Their managed databases and Kubernetes are also absent from Incognito VPS.
Other mainstream hosting
55-second deploy
Pick a jurisdiction. Pay in crypto. Be running in a minute.
No account to create, no email to confirm, no card to enter.