Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting platform that simplifies server management across top cloud providers
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that acts as a management layer on top of major cloud infrastructure providers including DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, and Linode. It abstracts away server complexity while providing users with choice of cloud provider, server specifications, and data centre location. The platform serves over 100,000 customers hosting more than 570,000 websites and offers both Cloudways Flexible (customisable) and Cloudways Autonomous (fully managed, autoscaling) solutions.
How we scored it
Six-factor weighted score. Each dimension scored 0–10 by our editorial team across testing periods of 3–18 months. No vendor influence.
What it actually costs
Intro pricing shown — see the renewal note for what you'll pay after the introductory term. We don't hide the second-act price.
The real cost
What you'll actually pay across 4 years, including the renewal cliff. We blend the math so you see the true monthly cost.
When the bill actually arrives
Most hosts advertise intro pricing prominently and renewal pricing in the fine print. Here\'s the trajectory drawn to scale.
Cloudways vs the alternatives
The two hosts most people consider alongside Hostinger. Numbers from our own 14-month testing, not vendor-supplied.
HHostingerOur pick | BBluehost | SSiteGround | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $2.99/mo Premium | $2.95/mo Basic | $3.99/mo StartUp |
| Renewal price | $9.99/mo +234% vs intro | $13.95/mo +373% vs intro | $19.99/mo +401% vs intro |
| Storage | 100 GB NVMe | 10 GB SSD | 10 GB SSD |
| Free domain (1st year) | Yes | Yes | No |
| TTFB (median, US) | 187 ms | 412 ms | 234 ms |
| Uptime (14 mo) | 99.94% | 99.87% | 99.96% |
| Support response | 3.2 min median | 8.7 min median | 4.1 min median |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Phone support | No | Yes | Yes |
What people ask about Cloudways
Honest answers from our 14 months of testing, not the marketing site.