Full comparison
Hostinger vs Railway vs DigitalOcean for Paperclip
We deployed Paperclip on all three platforms and documented everything — setup time, real pricing, friction points, and where each one breaks. This is the full version of that comparison.
| Feature | HostingerRecommended | RailwayOne-click | DigitalOceanAdvanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$3–4/mo | ~$5/mo + usage | ~$6/mo |
| One-click deploy | No (guided setup) | Yes | No (guided setup) |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Very easy | Moderate |
| Server management | Manual | Fully managed | Manual |
| Custom domain | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free SSL | Yes (Certbot) | Yes (auto) | Yes (Certbot) |
| Root SSH access | Yes | No | Yes |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Metered (by usage) | 1–3 TB/mo |
| Setup time | ~35 min | ~8 min | ~45 min |
| Best for | Cost + control | Speed + simplicity | Control + ecosystem |
| Annual cost (est.) | $50–100/yr | $84–120/yr | $72–144/yr |
Choose Hostinger if…
- You want the lowest monthly cost
- You're comfortable with a terminal
- You want full control over your server
- You're running Paperclip long-term
Choose Railway if…
- You want to be live in under 10 minutes
- You don't want to manage a server
- You're testing or prototyping
- You have a developer background
Choose DigitalOcean if…
- Your team already uses DigitalOcean
- You need specific datacenter regions
- You want clean, well-documented VPS
- You're building on top of Paperclip
Affiliate disclosure: Links to Hostinger, Railway, and DigitalOcean on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This site is not officially affiliated with the Paperclip project.