This study examines the impact of the digital economy on rural revitalization in Guangdong, China, using data from 2011 to 2021. The authors employ the entropy weight method to evaluate the levels of rural revitalization and the digital economy in 20 prefecture-level cities. A spatial panel model is used to analyze the spatial spillover effect of the digital economy on rural revitalization, and a threshold model is used to explore the marginal effects. The results show that both the level of rural revitalization and the digital economy have increased in all regions during the study period, with the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region leading in both areas. There is a significant spatial spillover effect of the digital economy on rural revitalization, with a coefficient of about 0.3537. However, in regions with low digital economic development, the digital economy has a negative impact on rural revitalization, while in regions with medium or high digital economic development, it has a significant positive effect. The impact is more pronounced in the PRD, East Wing, and West Wing regions compared to the mountainous region. The study concludes that there is significant spatial differentiation in the digital economy and rural revitalization, and that the digital economy has heterogeneous and non-linear characteristics in its impact on rural revitalization. To promote rural revitalization, it is essential to leverage digital technology and improve digital skills and literacy among rural populations.This study examines the impact of the digital economy on rural revitalization in Guangdong, China, using data from 2011 to 2021. The authors employ the entropy weight method to evaluate the levels of rural revitalization and the digital economy in 20 prefecture-level cities. A spatial panel model is used to analyze the spatial spillover effect of the digital economy on rural revitalization, and a threshold model is used to explore the marginal effects. The results show that both the level of rural revitalization and the digital economy have increased in all regions during the study period, with the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region leading in both areas. There is a significant spatial spillover effect of the digital economy on rural revitalization, with a coefficient of about 0.3537. However, in regions with low digital economic development, the digital economy has a negative impact on rural revitalization, while in regions with medium or high digital economic development, it has a significant positive effect. The impact is more pronounced in the PRD, East Wing, and West Wing regions compared to the mountainous region. The study concludes that there is significant spatial differentiation in the digital economy and rural revitalization, and that the digital economy has heterogeneous and non-linear characteristics in its impact on rural revitalization. To promote rural revitalization, it is essential to leverage digital technology and improve digital skills and literacy among rural populations.