SELF-MANAGED DROPLET

Deploy Dify on a DigitalOcean Droplet

Separate Dify's installation floor from a production plan, understand shared versus dedicated CPU, and use one current Docker Compose path.

FIRST PUBLISHED FLOOR

Basic 2 vCPU and 4 GiB

The current 24 USD monthly Basic Regular configuration is the first listed option that meets Dify's published minimum.

MORE HEADROOM

Basic 4 vCPU and 8 GiB

The current 48 USD configuration doubles CPU and memory. Actual capacity still depends on workload and colocated services.

CPU BOUNDARY

Basic means shared CPU

Choose CPU-Optimized when dedicated vCPUs matter. The label alone does not establish faster Dify performance.

Affiliate disclosure: If you buy through a DigitalOcean link on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Plan facts and operational limits are based on the cited DigitalOcean and Dify documentation.

Check the current DigitalOcean offer Confirm plan, region, billing, eligibility, and any signup terms at the destination.

Check current DigitalOcean offer

PLAN SNAPSHOT

Current bundled Droplet options around the Dify floor

Provider-advertised values checked October 21, 2026. These bundled plans bill per second after a 60-second or 0.01 USD minimum and cap monthly compute at 672 hours. DigitalOcean also has newer per-resource configurations with different billing, so verify the selected plan before purchase.

Droplet class	Hourly	Monthly cap	CPU	RAM	Storage	Transfer	Dify fit
Basic Regular	$0.01786	$12	1 vCPU	2 GiB	50 GiB SSD	2,000 GiB	Below Dify minimum
Basic RegularFIRST MINIMUM	$0.03571	$24	2 vCPU	4 GiB	80 GiB SSD	4,000 GiB	Published minimum
Basic Regular	$0.07143	$48	4 vCPU	8 GiB	160 GiB SSD	5,000 GiB	More stack headroom
CPU-Optimized	$0.06250	$42	2 dedicated vCPU	4 GiB	25 GiB SSD	4,000 GiB	Dedicated CPU option

These are plan specifications, not measured Dify results. Region capacity, optional services, taxes, and provider pricing can change.

COST BOUNDARIES

A monthly Droplet price is not the whole stack cost

672-hour capApplies to the bundled CPU Droplet prices compared above.

Powered off still billsDestroy the Droplet to end its compute charge after preserving required data.

Bandwidth overageDigitalOcean currently lists 0.01 USD per GiB beyond the account's pooled transfer allowance.

Optional servicesBackups, volumes, managed databases, and other add-ons can increase total cost.

The pricing documentation distinguishes bundled Droplets from newer per-resource configurations. Do not apply the 672-hour cap or this table to a plan with a different billing model.

DATABASE DECISION

Keep the included stack or add managed PostgreSQL deliberately

LOWER SERVICE COUNT

Dify dependencies on the Droplet

The official Compose stack keeps application and dependency services together. This reduces separate provider charges but leaves updates, backups, recovery, monitoring, and capacity planning with you.

SEPARATE DATABASE

DigitalOcean Managed PostgreSQL

The current 15 USD entry is a single node for preliminary development and testing, not high availability. A highly available topology needs a primary and at least one matching standby. Follow current Dify environment and TLS guidance rather than copying guessed connection variables.

OPERATING BOUNDARY

Expose only the required public edge

1BrowserUser or API client

2Domain and TLSReverse proxy entry

3Cloud FirewallRequired inbound rules

4DropletLimited user and Docker host

5Dify and dataServices, volumes, backup

DigitalOcean Cloud Firewalls are stateful and have no additional charge. Start from the recommended Droplet setup with SSH keys and a non-root user. Apply narrow inbound rules and check that provider and host firewalls do not conflict. Verify both IPv4 and IPv6 exposure from outside the Droplet.

ONE REPRODUCIBLE PATH

Deploy the current Dify release

Dify currently requires at least 2 CPU cores, 4 GiB RAM, Docker 19.03 or later, and Docker Compose 2.24 or later. Start from a supported Ubuntu image and complete the provider's recommended SSH and firewall setup first.

1
Install prerequisites and verify Docker
```
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y git curl jq

docker --version
docker compose version
```
If Docker is missing, use Docker's official Ubuntu repository. Do not continue with an outdated standalone docker-compose binary.

Clone the latest published Dify release

git clone --branch "$(curl -fsSL https://api.github.com/repos/langgenius/dify/releases/latest | jq -r .tag_name)" https://github.com/langgenius/dify.git
cd dify/docker
cp .env.example .env

Review the environment file, set unique secrets, and confirm public URLs before startup.

3
Start the stack and inspect every service
```
docker compose up -d
docker compose ps
```
Check for unexpected exited containers before placing the system behind your domain and TLS endpoint.

Continue with the Dify Docker setup guide. For provider selection, use the Dify hosting comparison and the wider self-hosting guide.

FAQ

DigitalOcean and Dify questions

Which DigitalOcean Droplet meets Dify minimum requirements?

Dify documents a minimum of 2 CPU cores and 4 GiB of RAM. In the current Basic Regular table, the 24 USD monthly configuration is the first option that meets that floor. This is an installation minimum, not a performance guarantee. Concurrent users, indexing, plugins, workers, and colocated data services can require more capacity.

Does a Basic Droplet provide dedicated CPU?

No. DigitalOcean describes Basic Droplets as shared CPU. The CPU-Optimized class provides dedicated vCPUs. Do not treat a Basic or Premium label as proof of dedicated compute.

Does this page guarantee a DigitalOcean signup credit?

No. The public referral page did not state a fixed new-user credit amount or duration at the October 21, 2026 check. Eligibility and any offer shown at the destination can vary. Verify the terms before creating an account or spending money.

Is the 15 USD DigitalOcean PostgreSQL plan highly available?

No. DigitalOcean documents its entry plan as a single database node for preliminary development and testing. A highly available topology starts with a primary node and at least one matching standby, so its database cost begins above the single-node entry price.

Does powering off a Droplet stop billing?

No. DigitalOcean states that a powered-off Droplet continues to bill because its resources remain reserved. Destroy the Droplet to stop compute charges, after preserving any data and recovery material you need.

PRIMARY SOURCES

Documentation checked for this guide

DigitalOcean fits when platform controls and optional managed services matter Recheck the exact Droplet class, region, and offer immediately before deployment.