They are pretty similar. My startup tracks data on both of them and they are a couple % different in what people think of them. http://reviewsignal.com/webhosting/company/101/digitalocean/ http://reviewsignal.com/webhosting/company/24/linode/

To me it looks like Linode has better support, DO has better prices (although they are about equal now, DO has lower barrier to entry @ $5).

They both have had their issues. Digital Ocean is definitely going through some growing pains. Linode had some major security issues not that long ago. Nobody is perfect.