CloudPriceCheck

Azure Virtual Machines vs DO Droplets: Pricing Comparison (2026)

Updated Apr 4, 2026AzureDO
Overall Winner
Azure
Azure Wins
11
DO Wins
1
Ties
0

Pricing Analysis

Azure wins 11 of 12 price comparisons, averaging 62.1% lower prices in categories where it leads.

Prices range from $0.005200/hr to $0.3750/hr across comparable tiers.

  • Azure leads in Burstable (6/7 tiers, avg 51% difference)
  • Azure leads in General Purpose (3/3 tiers, avg 77% difference)
  • Azure leads in Memory Optimized (2/2 tiers, avg 80% difference)
Choose Azure
Best for Burstable workloads
Choose Azure
Best for General Purpose workloads
Choose Azure
Best for Memory Optimized workloads

Side-by-Side Pricing

Comparing Azure Virtual Machines and DO Droplets across 12 equivalent tiers. On-demand hourly rates are shown in USD for the default region.

Sort by:
Family:
CategoryAzure Azure Virtual MachinesDO DropletsDiffCheapest
Burstable - 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM
$0.0052/hr
Standard_B1ls ($3.80/mo)
$0.0179/hr
s-1vcpu-2gb ($13.04/mo)
+70.9%Azure
Burstable - 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM
$0.0187/hr
Standard_B2als_v2 ($13.65/mo)
$0.0357/hr
s-2vcpu-4gb ($26.07/mo)
+47.6%Azure
Burstable - 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM
$0.0338/hr
Standard_B2as_v2 ($24.67/mo)
$0.0625/hr
c-2vcpu-4gb ($45.63/mo)
+45.9%Azure
Burstable - 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM
$0.0606/hr
Standard_B4als_v2 ($44.24/mo)
$0.0714/hr
s-4vcpu-8gb ($52.14/mo)
+15.2%Azure
Burstable - 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM
$0.0301/hr
Standard_B4as_v2 ($21.97/mo)
$0.1250/hr
c-4vcpu-8gb ($91.25/mo)
+75.9%Azure
Burstable - 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
$0.3030/hr
Standard_B8als_v2 ($221.19/mo)
$0.1429/hr
s-8vcpu-16gb ($104.29/mo)
+52.9%DO
Burstable - 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
$0.1350/hr
Standard_B8as_v2 ($98.55/mo)
$0.2500/hr
c-8vcpu-16gb ($182.50/mo)
+46.0%Azure
General Purpose - 2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM
$0.0158/hr
Basic_A2 ($11.53/mo)
$0.0938/hr
g-2vcpu-8gb ($68.44/mo)
+83.1%Azure
General Purpose - 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
$0.0704/hr
Basic_A4 ($51.39/mo)
$0.1875/hr
g-4vcpu-16gb ($136.88/mo)
+62.5%Azure
General Purpose - 8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM
$0.0550/hr
NC8dsxlRTX6Kv6 ($40.15/mo)
$0.3750/hr
g-8vcpu-32gb ($273.75/mo)
+85.3%Azure
Memory Optimized - 2 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
$0.0252/hr
Standard_E2_v3 ($18.40/mo)
$0.1250/hr
m-2vcpu-16gb ($91.25/mo)
+79.8%Azure
Memory Optimized - 4 vCPU, 32 GB RAM
$0.0504/hr
Standard_E4_v3 ($36.79/mo)
$0.2500/hr
m-4vcpu-32gb ($182.50/mo)
+79.8%Azure

When to Choose Azure Azure Virtual Machines

  • Burstable - 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM - saves $9.27/mo (70.9% cheaper)
  • Burstable - 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM - saves $12.41/mo (47.6% cheaper)
  • Burstable - 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM - saves $20.95/mo (45.9% cheaper)
  • Burstable - 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM - saves $7.88/mo (15.2% cheaper)
  • Burstable - 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM - saves $69.28/mo (75.9% cheaper)
  • Burstable - 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM - saves $83.95/mo (46% cheaper)
  • General Purpose - 2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM - saves $56.87/mo (83.1% cheaper)
  • General Purpose - 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM - saves $85.48/mo (62.5% cheaper)
  • General Purpose - 8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM - saves $233.60/mo (85.3% cheaper)
  • Memory Optimized - 2 vCPU, 16 GB RAM - saves $72.85/mo (79.8% cheaper)
  • Memory Optimized - 4 vCPU, 32 GB RAM - saves $145.71/mo (79.8% cheaper)

When to Choose DO Droplets

  • Burstable - 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM - saves $116.87/mo (52.9% cheaper)

Monthly Cost Examples

Burstable - 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM
Azure Standard_B1ls$3.80/mo
DO s-1vcpu-2gb$13.04/mo
Burstable - 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
Azure Standard_B8as_v2$98.55/mo
DO c-8vcpu-16gb$182.50/mo
Memory Optimized - 4 vCPU, 32 GB RAM
Azure Standard_E4_v3$36.79/mo
DO m-4vcpu-32gb$182.50/mo

Individual Pricing Details

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