GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

USDigitalOceanvsSoftLayer (IBM)US

Head-to-head hosting performance comparison based on real test data

Test Date: 2/23/2026

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean

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WPTR ScoreWinner582 ms
Rank#121
TTFB36ms
Time to 1MB223ms
Score582
LCP436ms
FCP236ms
SoftLayer (IBM)

SoftLayer (IBM)

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WPTR Score756 ms
Rank#322
TTFB584ms
Time to 1MB210ms
Score756
LCP984ms
FCP784ms

Our Verdict

DigitalOcean wins with 36ms TTFB (vs SoftLayer (IBM)'s 584ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseDigitalOceanSoftLayer (IBM)Winner
DNS Lookup5ms1msSoftLayer (IBM)
TCP Connection6ms29msDigitalOcean
TLS Handshake12ms31msDigitalOcean
Server Processing24ms191msDigitalOcean
Total TTFB47ms252msDigitalOcean

Technology & Security Features

DigitalOcean

Server/CDNcloudflare
HSTS Disabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size236.7 KB

SoftLayer (IBM)

Server/CDNUnknown
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size379.0 KB
0/3
DigitalOcean Security Features
1/3
SoftLayer (IBM) Security Features

TTFB Comparison Over Time

Understanding the Metrics

WPTR Score: Wptr Lab Real-Load Score: (Time to 1MB x 2.4) + TTFB. Raw server & network performance (Lower is better).
TTFB: Time to First Byte - How fast the server responds
Time to 1MB: Time to 1MB - Time taken to download 1MB of data (lower is better)
LCP: Largest Contentful Paint - When main content loads
FCP: First Contentful Paint - When first content appears
Score: Overall performance score (0-100)

A Note on Hosting Selection

While TTFB and performance metrics are important indicators, choosing the right hosting provider involves many other factors: security measures, customer support quality, uptime guarantees, scalability options, and pricing structure. Academic research emphasizes that a balanced approach considering all these aspects leads to better long-term outcomes.

Chizhov, A., & Fesenko, A. (2025). Web hosting companies' client solutions: A study of a strategic standpoint. Corporate & Business Strategy Review. doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv6i1art14

Data in this comparison is obtained through independent tests using our TTFB Checker tool.