Cloudways has redefined managed cloud hosting by blending raw performance with ease of use. Unlike traditional hosts, Cloudways acts as a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that sits on top of top-tier cloud providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, Vultr, Google Cloud, and Linode—letting users enjoy enterprise-level infrastructure without the complexity of managing servers.
Whether you’re running an eCommerce store, a WordPress blog, or a high-traffic business website, Cloudways makes it possible to deploy, scale, and manage cloud hosting with just a few clicks. And with a strong focus on speed, security, and simplicity, it’s a go-to solution for agencies, developers, and SMBs alike.
Cloudways Hosting Plans Overview
Cloudways doesn’t follow the typical “Shared / VPS / Dedicated” model. Instead, it offers fully managed cloud instances from world-class providers. You pick your cloud provider, customize server size, and Cloudways handles the rest—from server stack setup to performance optimization.
Supported cloud providers:
- DigitalOcean
- Vultr
- Linode
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
All plans include:
- Free SSL certificates
- 24/7 expert support
- Unlimited application installations
- Staging environments
- Built-in advanced cache (Varnish, Memcached, Redis)
- One-click backups and restores
- Optimized stack with NGINX, Apache, PHP-FPM
1. DigitalOcean Hosting Plans
The most popular choice on Cloudways due to its affordable pricing and great performance.
Plan Breakdown (Standard Droplets):
| Plan | Price (Monthly) | RAM | SSD Storage | Bandwidth | vCPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DO1 | $14 | 1 GB | 25 GB | 1 TB | 1 |
| DO2 | $28 | 2 GB | 50 GB | 2 TB | 1 |
| DO3 | $54 | 4 GB | 80 GB | 4 TB | 2 |
| DO4 | $99 | 8 GB | 160 GB | 5 TB | 4 |
✅ Great for WordPress users and developers who want managed hosting with DigitalOcean’s infrastructure.
2. Vultr Hosting Plans
Vultr plans offer similar performance to DigitalOcean with the addition of High Frequency (HF) compute options—ideal for speed-focused applications.
Plan Breakdown (High Frequency):
| Plan | Price (Monthly) | RAM | SSD Storage | Bandwidth | vCPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HF1 | $13 | 1 GB | 32 GB | 1 TB | 1 |
| HF2 | $26 | 2 GB | 64 GB | 2 TB | 1 |
| HF3 | $50 | 4 GB | 128 GB | 3 TB | 2 |
| HF4 | $100 | 8 GB | 256 GB | 4 TB | 3 |
✅ Recommended for WooCommerce and Laravel projects where every millisecond counts.
3. Linode Hosting Plans
Linode offers reliable performance at competitive pricing, with similar specs to DO and Vultr.
| Plan | Price (Monthly) | RAM | SSD Storage | Bandwidth | vCPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | $14 | 1 GB | 25 GB | 1 TB | 1 |
| L2 | $28 | 2 GB | 50 GB | 2 TB | 1 |
| L3 | $54 | 4 GB | 80 GB | 4 TB | 2 |
| L4 | $105 | 8 GB | 160 GB | 5 TB | 4 |
✅ Best for developers who prefer Linode’s simple infrastructure with Cloudways’ user-friendly interface.
4. AWS Hosting Plans
If you’re building high-scale enterprise apps or need region-specific deployment, AWS is a go-to. But be aware—pricing is usage-based and more complex.
| Plan | Starting Price | RAM | SSD Storage | Bandwidth | vCPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS1 | ~$38.56 | 2 GB | 20 GB | 2 GB | 2 |
| AWS2 | ~$91.84 | 4 GB | 20 GB | 2 GB | 2 |
✅ Ideal for global businesses, compliance-heavy industries, and clients needing AWS infrastructure.
5. Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Much like AWS, GCP is best for advanced scalability, security, and integrations—but also comes at a higher cost.
| Plan | Starting Price | RAM | SSD Storage | Bandwidth | vCPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCP1 | ~$37.45 | 1.7 GB | 20 GB | 2 GB | 1 |
| GCP2 | ~$84.12 | 3.75 GB | 20 GB | 2 GB | 1 |
✅ Recommended for SaaS apps, APIs, and tech startups aiming for rapid, global deployment.
✅ Pros of Cloudways
- No Lock-in – Pay-as-you-go billing with monthly or hourly options. Cancel anytime.
- Top Cloud Providers – Choose from AWS, GCP, DO, Vultr, or Linode.
- Free Migrations – Cloudways migrates your site for free, regardless of the app or size.
- Built-in Caching – Breeze plugin, Varnish, Redis, and Memcached make sites super fast.
- 24/7 Support – Live chat, ticketing, and premium support add-on available.
- No Technical Headaches – One-click installs, firewall, security patching—all managed.
- Staging Environments – Test changes without touching your live site.
❌ Cons of Cloudways
- No Email Hosting – You’ll need to use an external email provider like Google Workspace or Zoho.
- No cPanel or WHM – The custom dashboard is powerful, but traditional cPanel users may need time to adjust.
- Pricing Can Add Up – Using AWS or GCP? The cost may rise fast depending on bandwidth and compute usage.
- No Free Domain Name – Unlike other hosts, domains must be purchased separately elsewhere.
Best Plan for Beginners
For most users starting with WordPress or WooCommerce, the DigitalOcean 2GB Plan ($28/month) is the sweet spot. It includes:
- 2 GB RAM
- 50 GB SSD
- 2 TB Bandwidth
- Fully managed stack
- Automated backups and security
This plan balances performance, simplicity, and price—great for bloggers, store owners, or small businesses wanting fast growth without worrying about server management.
Cloudways vs Competitors
Let’s see how Cloudways compares to other top managed hosting providers:
| Feature | Cloudways | Kinsta | SiteGround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $14/month | $35/month | $2.99/month |
| Cloud Providers | 5 Options | Google Cloud | Shared Servers |
| Free Email Hosting | No | No | Yes |
| Staging Sites | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SSD Storage | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Free Migration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Billing | Yes | No (Annual) | Yes |
✅ Conclusion: Cloudways is more flexible and scalable than SiteGround and more affordable than Kinsta—offering the best of both worlds if you’re ready to manage a cloud-based setup.
Final Verdict
Cloudways is perfect for users who want high performance without managing servers. You get to choose your own cloud provider, enjoy automatic backups, blazing speeds, and worry-free hosting—all wrapped in a beginner-friendly interface.
It’s a serious upgrade from traditional shared hosting and offers more freedom than closed-platform managed WordPress hosts.
- ✅ Startups and agencies love the flexible scaling.
- ✅ eCommerce and developers appreciate the speed and reliability.
- ✅ Beginners get a simple dashboard with advanced features under the hood.
Best Choice: For those wanting real performance with no sysadmin headaches, DigitalOcean 2GB or Vultr HF 2GB plans hit the sweet spot. You get powerful hardware, auto-healing servers, and 24/7 support—all at under $30/month.