AWS RDS vs DigitalOcean Managed Databases

Note: Pricing and product information are correct as of February 4, 2025, and subject to change.

Most developers would rather build core product features than handle time-consuming database tasks like configuring replication, managing backups, and monitoring performance metrics. Yet behind every great application lies a solid database foundation. Managed database services eliminate the complexity and overhead of manual database administration, helping developers focus on building their applications. Amazon RDS and DigitalOcean Managed Databases each offer their own approach to automating these critical infrastructure tasks.

Amazon RDS (part of the AWS ecosystem) offers a comprehensive set of database options with extensive customization capabilities that primarily target enterprise-level organizations. Meanwhile, DigitalOcean Managed Databases delivers a streamlined approach that focuses on simplicity and predictable pricing that make it a great fit for startups and growing businesses. Below, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to compare AWS RDS vs. DigitalOcean Managed Databases and find the best solution for your business.

Choosing a managed database provider

Not every managed database provider is going to be the right fit for your business. You’ll need to consider a handful of factors (without getting blinded by analysis paralysis) to cut through the noise and figure out what really matters.

1. Database engine support

Consider your application’s requirements and your team’s expertise. Look for providers that support the engines your developers know best and that match your application’s needs. A provider’s engine selection also indicates their commitment to maintaining and updating these databases as new versions are released.

2. Automated maintenance and backups

Database maintenance isn’t just about keeping systems running (though, that’s important, too)—it’s about protecting your data and maintaining performance. Smart automated maintenance features save your team from routine tasks and help prevent costly mistakes. When evaluating providers, look at their backup frequency options, restoration capabilities, and how they handle version updates.

3. High availability options

For many applications, database downtime isn’t just inconvenient—it’s expensive. Good managed services should offer clear high availability solutions that match your uptime requirements and budget. Consider how the provider handles failover scenarios and what their uptime SLA guarantees.

4. Scaling capabilities

Your application will inevitably grow, and your database needs will evolve with it. The right provider makes scaling painless, whether you need to handle more data, support more users, or improve performance. Look for options that allow both vertical scaling (increasing resources) and horizontal scaling (adding read replicas) without service interruption.

5. Geographic distribution

Your users’ location impacts their experience with your application. A provider’s geographic presence affects data latency, compliance with regional regulations, and disaster recovery options. Consider not just where a provider has data centers today, but their track record of expanding to new regions.

6. Migration tools and support

Eventually, you’ll need to move data—whether you’re migrating from another cloud provider or scaling to meet new requirements. Reliable migration tools and clear documentation can turn a potentially stressful process into a manageable task. Evaluate the provider’s migration capabilities and support resources before you need them.

Overview of AWS RDS vs. DigitalOcean Managed Databases

Before we get into the head-to-head comparisons, let’s look at what each managed database service offers.

AWS RDS

Amazon’s Relational Database Service (RDS) is built for organizations that need comprehensive customization and have the technical resources to manage it. It’s like stepping into a professional kitchen with every imaginable tool and appliance—powerful, but potentially overwhelming if you just need to cook dinner.

RDS supports multiple database engines including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and SQL Server (plus Amazon’s proprietary Amazon Aurora engine). It provides fine-grained control over nearly every aspect of database configuration, from database instance types to storage options. This flexibility isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. It’s complicated—teams may need dedicated database administrators to navigate the extensive settings and optimization choices.

The service integrates deeply with other AWS products to provide features like AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) authentication and AWS CloudWatch monitoring. This tight integration can make it challenging to use RDS alongside services from other cloud providers or to avoid vendor lock-in.

DigitalOcean Managed Databases

DigitalOcean focuses on simplifying database management without sacrificing essential features. The service supports the most popular open-source databases—PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, and MongoDB—to cover the needs of most modern applications.

DigitalOcean Managed Databases is all about the developer experience. The service handles the complex parts of database administration (backups, updates, scaling, and high availability) while providing clear controls for the settings that matter most. This approach works well for startups and development teams who want to focus on building their applications rather than managing nitty-gritty cloud infrastructure.

The service integrates easily with other DigitalOcean products while remaining flexible enough to work with external tools and services. This openness (combined with predictable pricing and straightforward scaling options) helps make it easier for teams to start small and grow their database infrastructure with their business.

Comparing AWS RDS vs. DigitalOcean Managed Databases

AWS RDS and DigitalOcean Managed Databases provide industry-leading database management solutions while they serve different needs. DigitalOcean Managed Databases emphasizes simplicity and predictable pricing, while AWS RDS goes for enterprise-level customization and features. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you understand which service better aligns with your needs:

Plans and pricing

DigitalOcean Managed Databases offers transparent, predictable pricing that starts at $15 per month for basic nodes. You pay for the database resources you use, with no separate charges for backups, monitoring, or high availability features. That means more reliable forecasting and fewer surprise bills. You can also set up billing alerts and we’ll email you if the monthly spending exceeds an amount you specify.

Amazon RDS uses a more complex pricing structure with separate charges for compute instances, storage, I/O operations, backup retention beyond 30 days, and data transfer between regions or services. This granular approach allows for precise resource allocation, but it often requires dedicated expertise to understand and optimize costs. Users must also factor in additional charges for features like Performance Insights and enhanced monitoring.

Support

DigitalOcean Managed Databases customers get access to free starter support with general guidance, troubleshooting, and 24-hour response times. For teams and businesses needing faster responses, paid support plans range from $24/month with 8-hour responses up to $999/month for premium support with 30-minute responses.The platform often makes this unnecessary by providing comprehensive documentation, detailed tutorials, and an active community forum where developers share solutions and best practices. This multi-layered support system helps teams resolve issues quickly without requiring expensive support plans.

Amazon RDS structures support through tiered plans with the basic level limited to billing issues and documentation access. Technical support requires a paid plan starting at $29 monthly plus a percentage of AWS spend, and this scales up to premium plans for enterprise customers. Higher tiers offer faster response times and dedicated technical account managers, but may be out of reach for smaller organizations.

Performance

DigitalOcean Managed Databases delivers optimized performance out of the box with minimal configuration. The service automatically handles resource allocation, query optimization, and performance tuning. It also provides built-in monitoring tools that make it easy to track database health and performance metrics. The platform’s standardized setup helps eliminate common performance pitfalls and helps teams to maintain fast, reliable databases without deep expertise in database administration.

Amazon RDS provides performance configuration options and monitoring capabilities through tools like Performance Insights and Enhanced Monitoring. This flexibility enables fine-tuned optimization for specific workloads which requires expertise to configure and maintain optimal performance. Users gain access to advanced features like read replicas and multi-AZ deployments which can often demand dedicated database administration resources.

Security

DigitalOcean Managed Databases include essential security features by default. All databases come with encrypted connections, automated security updates, and network isolation through private networking. The platform delivers strong protection without overwhelming users with complex configuration options.

Amazon RDS provides comprehensive security options through integration with AWS’s broader security ecosystem. Users can implement detailed security controls through VPC configuration, security groups, IAM roles, and KMS encryption. Thorough understanding of AWS’s security model and careful configuration across multiple cloud services is required to maintain proper security posture.

Integration capabilities

DigitalOcean Managed Databases integrates with other DigitalOcean services while maintaining flexibility for external tools and platforms. The service supports standard connection methods and protocols that make it easy to connect with popular development frameworks, monitoring tools, and application platforms. This open approach allows teams to build their stack without being locked into a single ecosystem.

Amazon RDS includes deep integration with AWS’s extensive service ecosystem. While this tight coupling enables powerful capabilities when used with other AWS services, it can create challenges when working with external tools or implementing multi-cloud strategies. Teams often need to build additional abstraction layers or use AWS-specific tools to maintain compatibility with their existing workflows.

Scale your database operations with DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean Managed Databases helps you focus on building your applications rather than managing database infrastructure. Our service handles the complexities of database administration while providing the tools and features you need to grow with confidence.

Here’s how we deliver:

• Simplify operations: Focus on your applications while DigitalOcean helps handle database maintenance, updates, and backups.

• Scale confidently: Increase resources with automatic failover and zero downtime scaling options.

• Optimize costs: Pay only for the resources you need with a transparent pricing model and no hidden fees.

• Maintain security: Help keep your data protected with automatic security updates, encryption at rest and in transit, and private networking.

• Monitor effectively: Track database performance through intuitive dashboards and built-in monitoring tools.

• Deploy globally: Choose from multiple regions worldwide to keep your data close to your users.

Ready for database management that grows with your business? DigitalOcean Managed Databases starts at just $15 per month (with no surprise costs or hidden fees).

Sign up for DigitalOcean Managed Databases today.