Why choose it: Developers and growing software teams that want simpler cloud infrastructure and managed services.
Cloudways: Pricing, Plans & Features
Managed cloud hosting for WordPress and PHP applications with performance and staging controls.
Overall Score44/100
3.2Editor Rating
Market Signal 35#4 of 5 in Managed Hosting by Overall Score
What Is Cloudways?
Cloudways provides managed hosting on cloud infrastructure while abstracting server setup and maintenance behind a control panel. Users can launch WordPress and PHP applications, choose supported infrastructure, clone or stage sites, configure backups, caching, SSL, and scaling, and connect services for CDN, email, security, monitoring, and development workflows without managing raw cloud servers directly.
Best for: Agencies, developers, and growing sites that want managed cloud infrastructure with staging, backups, caching, and server controls.
Cloudways provisions managed applications on cloud infrastructure and exposes server-level and application-level controls separately. An agency can host multiple websites on a server, while staging copies isolate changes before production deployment. Customers remain responsible for choosing the underlying server size, which can affect the resources shared between their applications.
3.2
out of 5
Editor Rating
Calculated from facts we verified on Cloudways's own website, using published thresholds. Nobody can pay to change it. Together with Market Signal it makes the Overall Score of 44 that orders our lists.
- Pricing transparency4.8
- Entry cost2.0
- Free access3.5
- Platforms & API2.5
- Support3.0
- IntegrationsNot scored
- Security & compliance3.0
Dimensions without verified data count as a neutral 2.5. Facts checked October 12, 2026. How the rating works
35
Modest
Market Signal
Real dataComputed from Ahrefs + Semrush data about Cloudways's own website. Not an assessment of the product itself. How this works →
Market Strength
25
Where it stands today
Momentum
69 Cooling ↓
Where it’s heading
Data Confidence
Medium
How much to trust it
- Traffic Strength20
- Search Visibility29
- Authority30
- Brand & Market Presence24
Tick mark = category average.
Compared with 12 tracked Web Hosting tools (a small set, so read it as directional). Data through September 2026, pulled October 12, 2026.
Who Is It Best For?
- Agencies managing several PHP or WordPress installations
- Ecommerce teams needing managed cloud server resources
- Developers deploying sites without maintaining server packages
Who Should Avoid It?
- Buyers seeking basic email hosting in the same subscription
- Teams deploying primarily serverless Git applications
Use Cases
- Launch managed WordPress installations
- Resize cloud server resources
- Clone staging websites before deployment
- Monitor individual application performance
Cloudways Features
- Managed cloud servers
- One-click staging
- Automated backups
- Built-in caching stack
- Vertical scaling
- Application cloning
Cloudways Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | $35 | Not listed |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Pricing shown reflects list prices as of our last check and may have changed. Confirm current pricing on Cloudways' website before purchasing.
Cloudways Integrations
Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, New Relic, GitHub
Customer Support
Live chat, Help center
Cloudways at a Glance
- Founded
- 2011
- Built for
- Small Business, Enterprise
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Languages
- English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, and 4 more
Cloudways Alternatives
Why choose it: Agencies, publishers, and businesses that want managed WordPress hosting with staging, edge caching, migrations, and developer access.
SiteGround
Overall Score50/100
3.2Editor Rating
Market Signal 46From $17.99/mo (regular price; intro promos lower)
Why choose it: Small businesses, WordPress users, and agencies that want managed hosting with backups, caching, staging, and account collaboration tools.
Why choose it: Agencies and businesses running important WordPress sites that need managed environments, staging, backups, security, and development workflows.
More tools like Cloudways
HostGatorWeb hosting provider offering shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, domains, and cPanel tools.
DreamHostHosting provider for shared websites, managed WordPress and VPS.
WordPress.comHosted WordPress platform with block editing, plugin installs on paid plans, and SFTP on Business.
HostingerHosting provider with its own hPanel, managed WordPress, an AI site builder and KVM VPS.
IONOSHosting and cloud provider offering websites, WordPress, domains, VPS, dedicated servers, email, and business infrastructure.
GoDaddyDomain registrar and web services provider with DNS tools, auctions, hosting and Airo AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cloudways have a free trial or free plan?⌄
Cloudways doesn't have a permanently free plan, but offers a free trial of its paid plans.
How much does Cloudways cost?⌄
Cloudways starts at $35/mo on its Small plan. Pricing was last checked September 28, 2026. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site before purchasing.
What are the best alternatives to Cloudways?⌄
Commonly considered alternatives include DigitalOcean, Kinsta, SiteGround and WP Engine. The Alternatives section on this page shows what each one is best at and its starting price.
Last updated: October 12, 2026Details checked: October 7, 2026Pricing checked: September 28, 2026