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For a continuous YouTube loop, compare outgoing data and the full monthly bill before choosing a VPS. Hetzner may suit a pre-encoded stream with heavy egress in Europe because its published allowance for EU CX, CPX, and CAX servers is 20 TB. DigitalOcean offers a clear, team-pooled transfer allowance and a published overage rate. Neither provider’s entry-level price alone tells you whether a particular server can run your stream: bitrate, region, encoding workload, IP costs, and taxes all matter.
Start with the stream’s data use
A 24/7 stream sends data continuously, so estimate its outbound traffic before comparing server prices. Use the actual bitrate YouTube receives—not the source file’s size—and the hours you plan to stream. A simple estimate is:
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Monthly data in bytes ≈ bitrate in bits per second × streamed seconds ÷ 8.
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This estimates the stream sent from your server to YouTube. It does not predict viewer delivery traffic: YouTube distributes the live stream to viewers. Allow some margin for protocol overhead, reconnects, and any other outbound traffic on the same server or account.
DigitalOcean and Hetzner Cloud at a glance
| Comparison | DigitalOcean | Hetzner Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Published entry example | Basic Droplets start at $4/month for 512 MiB, with 500 GiB included transfer; the 1 GiB Basic example is $6/month with 1,000 GiB. DigitalOcean pricing page, 2026. | EU CX23 is listed at €5.49/month or $6.49/month, excluding IPv4 and VAT, under Hetzner’s June 2026 adjustment. This is not a performance-equivalent comparison to a DigitalOcean plan. |
| Included outbound traffic | Plan-specific allowance, pooled across Droplets in a team. The published starting allowance is 500 GiB/month. | Hetzner’s traffic table lists 20 TB for EU CX, CPX, and CAX families; US and Singapore allowances vary by plan and are lower in some cases. |
| Outbound overage | $0.01 per GiB beyond the applicable pooled allowance; inbound transfer is free. | Hetzner says overage is rounded up in 100 MB blocks. Confirm the current applicable rate for the chosen location and plan before estimating a bill. |
| Public IP | Public networking is included in the listed Droplet model; verify current plan and invoice details. | A Primary IP is a separate resource for public access. Listed IPv4 is $0.60/month excluding VAT; IPv6 is free. |
| Billing while powered off | Existing Droplets continue to incur charges while powered off. Bundled plans have a monthly price cap; newer v5 resource-based plans do not use the 672-hour monthly cap. | Existing instances continue to bill while powered off. Hetzner applies hourly billing with a monthly price cap. |
Figures above are provider-published prices and allowances, not a performance test. Pricing and traffic terms can change. Check the current console for your exact location, plan, IP configuration, taxes, and billing model before committing.
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How to choose between them
Consider Hetzner when European egress is the key constraint
Hetzner’s published 20 TB allowance for EU CX, CPX, and CAX cloud servers could be useful for a high-traffic, pre-encoded feed hosted in Europe. The traffic table was last changed in May 2024, however, so verify the allowance in the current console rather than treating it as a guaranteed current figure. Hetzner’s June 2026 EU CX23 price excludes IPv4 and VAT, and its traffic terms vary across Europe, the US, and Singapore.
Consider DigitalOcean when its pooled allowance and billing fit
DigitalOcean pools transfer across Droplets in a team, which can make the allowance useful if you operate multiple servers under the same team account. The allowance does not roll over, outbound excess is billed at $0.01/GiB, and inbound transfer is free. Add expected usage from other Droplets to the loop stream’s estimate before deciding whether a plan’s allowance is sufficient.
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Do not treat the entry price as a server recommendation
The published entry plans are not equivalent performance configurations. The right compute size depends on the workload: forwarding a pre-encoded file is different from decoding, resizing, or encoding video in real time. The provider pricing material does not establish a recommended server size, encoder, or YouTube stream configuration. Do not assume a low-cost plan is adequate for an encoding job without testing that exact workload.
Calculate the complete cost
- Choose the server location and plan. Match the region to your workflow and audience needs, then confirm the current plan price and included traffic in the provider console.
- Estimate outgoing transfer. Multiply the bitrate actually sent to YouTube by the planned streaming seconds, divide by eight, and convert to the provider’s billing unit. Include margin for overhead and any other traffic sharing the allowance.
- Apply the provider’s allowance and overage rules. For DigitalOcean, include the team’s pooled Droplet usage and calculate any outbound excess at $0.01/GiB. For Hetzner, check the allowance and applicable overage rate for the precise region and server family; the published FAQ describes rounding overage up in 100 MB blocks.
- Add separate resources and taxes. For Hetzner, include a Primary IP if needed and account for VAT; the cited CX23 price excludes IPv4 and VAT. Confirm any plan-specific networking charges on DigitalOcean’s current invoice details.
- Account for continuous billing. If the server is no longer needed, delete the billable resources rather than merely powering them off. Both providers continue charging for existing servers while powered off.
Set up a VPS loop carefully
A VPS can run a loop that sends a pre-encoded video to YouTube, but the provider comparison does not determine the right encoder command or stream settings. Before deploying, establish whether your workflow will pass through an already encoded file or encode video on the server; then size and test the server for that workload. Follow YouTube’s current live-streaming requirements and use the settings appropriate to the source and ingest workflow.
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- Use content you have the rights to stream, including music, visuals, and any third-party material in a playlist. A video playing continuously does not exempt it from copyright rules.
- Review YouTube’s policies on reused and repetitive content if you plan to monetize the channel. A loop’s eligibility depends on the content and channel, not just the fact it is live.
- Keep the YouTube stream key private. Store it securely on the server, do not paste it into public scripts or logs, and reset it if it is exposed.
- Test the loop, network usage, and recovery behavior before relying on it continuously. Provider plan pages do not establish YouTube approval, stream stability, or a particular server’s ability to encode your video.
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