Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting platform with multiple cloud providers and developer tools.
Best for
- Developers
- Agencies
- Growing businesses
- WooCommerce stores
Not ideal for
- No email hosting
- Learning curve
- No domain registration
- Extra cost for add-ons
Get Started with Cloudways
From $11/mo · 4 plans available
Visit Cloudways →Cloudways Overview
Cloudways vs Top Alternatives
| Software | Rating | Starting Price | Free Tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCloudways | 4.6 ★ | $11/mo | No | |
| HHostinger | 4.9 ★ | $2.99/mo | No | Compare → |
| VVercel | 4.8 ★ | Free | Yes | Compare → |
| DDigitalOcean | 4.8 ★ | $4/mo | Yes | Compare → |
| SSiteGround | 4.7 ★ | $2.99/mo | No | Compare → |
| NNetlify | 4.7 ★ | Free | Yes | Compare → |
Cloudways Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Multiple cloud providers
- Excellent performance
- Pay-as-you-go
- Free migrations
- Staging environment
Cons
- No email hosting
- Learning curve
- No domain registration
- Extra cost for add-ons
Pricing Plans
DigitalOcean 1GB
- 1GB RAM
- 25GB SSD
- 1TB bandwidth
DigitalOcean 2GB
- 2GB RAM
- 50GB SSD
- 2TB bandwidth
AWS Small
- 2GB RAM
- 20GB SSD
- AWS infrastructure
Google Cloud
- 1.7GB RAM
- 20GB SSD
- GCP infrastructure
Cloudways Integrations
Cloudways connects with 6 services to extend your workflow.
Who Should Use Cloudways?
Web Development Agencies and Freelancers
Digital agencies managing multiple client projects, freelance developers with diverse projects, and design agencies offering hosting services benefit from Cloudways' client site management, staging environments, and team collaboration tools. The platform allows easy client transfers and offers white-label options for agencies.
RecommendedE-commerce and SMBs
Cloudways is ideal for e-commerce stores experiencing rapid growth, startups scaling operations, and small-to-medium businesses with increasing traffic. The platform supports unlimited deployment of applications like Magento and WordPress on a single server, making it particularly suited for online retailers and growing web-based businesses.
RecommendedSaaS and Software Companies
Web applications, software services, API providers, and cloud-based tools use Cloudways for its reliable infrastructure, development tools, security features, and performance monitoring capabilities.
RecommendedContent Creators and Portfolio Professionals
Artists, photographers, portfolio website owners, and creative agencies leverage Cloudways for media optimization, visual performance, backup systems, and professional presentation features.
RecommendedWhen to Consider Alternatives
When you need low costs and direct cloud provider pricing
Cloudways charges approximately 220% more than direct DigitalOcean or Vultr pricing for the same resources, without granular scaling options—meaning you pay for unused capacity.
Consider DigitalOcean instead →When you need high performance and fast page speeds
The platform suffers from middleman bloat, outdated technology (Apache/Varnish instead of LiteSpeed), shared vCPUs on lower-tier plans, and resource-inefficient background processes. One reviewer found 'no meaningful improvement in page speed or server response compared to my previous host'.
Consider Kinsta instead →When you need full server control and root access
Users cannot perform simple server tasks themselves and must request support for tasks they could easily handle—creating bottlenecks and dependency on support response times.
Consider DigitalOcean instead →When you need simple, quick setup without complexity
Cloudways positions itself as simplifying cloud hosting, but the opposite is true. The platform uses a proprietary backend that isn't Google-able or DIY-troubleshootable, making it harder to resolve issues than traditional hosting.
Consider Bluehost instead →Top Cloudways Alternatives
Hostinger
Affordable web hosting with website builder, WordPress hosting, and VPS solutions.
Vercel
Frontend cloud platform for deploying web applications with automatic scaling.
DigitalOcean
Developer-focused cloud infrastructure platform with simple pricing and powerful features.
SiteGround
Premium web hosting with exceptional support, speed, and security features.
Netlify
Modern web development platform for deploying and hosting static sites and serverless functions.
Flywheel
Flywheel is a managed WordPress hosting platform powered by Google Cloud, designed for designers, agencies, and developers, offering fast performance, robust security, and workflow tools like staging and collaboration.
Kinsta
Managed WordPress hosting platform built on cloud infrastructure with isolated containers, offering enterprise-grade performance and security. Delivers up to 200% speed improvements with 24/7 expert support across 27 global data centers.
DigitalOcean App Platform
Fully managed PaaS for deploying apps, APIs, and static sites. Auto-scaling, managed databases, and GitHub integration with zero infrastructure management.
A2 Hosting
hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting) is a global web hosting provider built on 24+ years of expertise, delivering high-speed infrastructure with Turbo Servers, NVMe storage, and AI tools to power 3 million+ sites reliably. It prioritizes trust, speed, and support for users from beginners to enterprises.
Contabo
German cloud hosting provider offering affordable, high-performance VPS, dedicated servers, and object storage with unlimited traffic and global data centers. Specializes in unmanaged hosting solutions with generous hardware specs at budget-friendly prices.