Cloudways Review in 2024: Is It Worth the Hype in 2024? You Won’t Believe This

Abdulsalam Galgalo
7 min readMay 21, 2024

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Cloudways positions itself as a user-friendly managed cloud hosting platform, offering the power and flexibility of cloud hosting with a simplified interface. But is it all sunshine and rainbows?

This review dives deep into Cloudways’ features, pricing, performance, and customer support to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your website.

What is Cloudways?

Unlike traditional web hosting providers, Cloudways doesn’t own its own servers. Instead, it acts as a middleman, providing a management layer on top of popular cloud providers like DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

This gives you the scalability and control of cloud hosting with a user-friendly interface that abstracts away some of the complexities.

Cloudways Features

  • Server Management: Cloudways handles server setup, security patches, backups, and maintenance, freeing you to focus on your website.
  • Multiple Cloud Providers: Choose your preferred cloud provider based on factors like pricing, server location, and familiarity.
  • Pay-As-You-Go Billing: Only pay for the resources you use. This is a great option for websites with fluctuating traffic.
  • Easy Application Deployment: Deploy popular applications like WordPress, PHP applications, and Magento with a few clicks.
  • Staging Environments: Create staging environments to test changes before pushing them live.
  • Built-in Caching: Cloudways uses caching mechanisms to improve website performance.
  • Free SSL Certificates: Secure your website with free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.
  • Team Accounts: Manage multiple servers and applications for your team or clients.
  • Git Integration: Easily deploy changes from your Git repository to your server.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: Get help whenever you need it via live chat or email.

Try Cloudways with their FREE Trial today (no credit card needed) and experience the difference a managed cloud hosting solution can make!

Why Choose Cloudways?

Cloudways stands out in the crowded managed cloud hosting market with several compelling reasons to consider it for your website:

  • Perfect Blend of Power and Ease-of-Use: Cloudways bridges the gap between user-friendly shared hosting and the power and flexibility of cloud hosting. You get the robust infrastructure of cloud providers like DigitalOcean or AWS with a simplified interface that abstracts away complex server management tasks.
  • Future-Proof Scalability: Cloudways’ pay-as-you-go model allows you to easily scale your server resources up or down to meet your website’s growing needs. This is particularly beneficial for websites with fluctuating traffic or those anticipating future growth.
  • Cost-Effectiveness for Dynamic Traffic: Unlike traditional shared hosting plans that charge a fixed monthly fee regardless of usage, Cloudways lets you only pay for the resources you consume. This makes it a cost-effective option for websites with unpredictable traffic patterns.
  • Choice of Cloud Providers: Unlike some managed cloud providers who lock you into their infrastructure, Cloudways offers a choice of popular cloud providers. This allows you to select the provider that best suits your needs in terms of pricing, server location, and familiarity.
  • Top-Tier Performance: Cloudways leverages the robust infrastructure of its partner cloud providers, translating to high uptime and fast loading times for your website. Built-in caching mechanisms further enhance performance.
  • Peace of Mind with Security: Cloudways prioritizes security with features like firewalls, automatic backups, and two-factor authentication. Additionally, the underlying cloud providers have robust security measures in place to protect your website from attacks.
  • Exceptional Customer Support: Cloudways offers 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. Users consistently report positive experiences with their knowledgeable and helpful support staff.

Is Cloudways Right for You?

Cloudways is an excellent choice for:

  • Developers and agencies: The user-friendly interface and multiple server management features make it ideal for managing multiple websites and applications.
  • Growing businesses: The scalability and cost-effectiveness make it a good fit for companies with websites experiencing traffic growth.
  • E-commerce stores: Fast loading times and high uptime are crucial for a smooth customer experience, which Cloudways excels at.
  • Anyone seeking a user-friendly cloud hosting solution: If you’re looking for the power of cloud hosting without the complexity, Cloudways offers a compelling option.

Take Control of Your Website’s Future

Cloudways empowers you to take control of your website’s performance and scalability. With its user-friendly interface, robust features, and excellent customer support, Cloudways can be the foundation for your website’s success.

Try Cloudways with their FREE Trial today (no credit card needed) and experience the difference a managed cloud hosting solution can make!

Cloudways Pricing

Cloudways offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model with different plans based on your chosen cloud provider and the server resources you need (CPU, RAM, and storage). Prices start at $14/month for a basic DigitalOcean plan with 1GB RAM and 25GB storage.

Here’s a comparison chart for the starting plans of each cloud provider (prices may vary slightly depending on location):

Cloudways vs. Traditional Hosting

Cloudways offers several advantages over traditional shared hosting:

  • Better Performance: Cloud servers provide more resources and flexibility, leading to faster website loading times.
  • Scalability: Easily scale your server resources up or down to meet your website’s traffic demands.
  • Security: Cloud providers offer robust security features to protect your website from attacks.

However, Cloudways is generally more expensive than shared hosting plans. Additionally, it requires a slightly higher level of technical knowledge compared to the user-friendly cPanel interfaces offered by some shared hosting providers.

Try Cloudways with their FREE Trial today (no credit card needed) and experience the difference a managed cloud hosting solution can make!

Cloudways vs. Other Managed Cloud Hosting Providers

Cloudways faces competition from other managed cloud hosting providers like Kinsta, WP Engine, and SiteGround. Here’s a brief comparison:

Cloudways offers a wider variety of cloud providers, while Kinsta and WP Engine specialize in WordPress hosting on Google Cloud Platform. SiteGround provides a mix of shared hosting and cloud hosting plans. Consider your needs (application type, budget, desired cloud provider) when making a choice.

Cloudways Performance

While Cloudways itself doesn’t directly control the hardware, it leverages the robust infrastructure of its partner cloud providers. This translates to high uptime (typically 99.9%) and fast loading times for your website. Cloudways offers built-in caching mechanisms like Breeze and Varnish to further optimize performance.

However, it’s important to remember that performance can be influenced by several factors:

  • Server Plan: Higher-tier plans with more RAM and CPU will naturally outperform lower-tier plans.
  • Cloud Provider: Different cloud providers offer varying performance characteristics. Research your chosen provider’s reputation for speed and reliability.
  • Website Code: A well-optimized website with efficient code will load faster regardless of the hosting platform.

Cloudways Customer Support

Cloudways boasts 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. Users generally report positive experiences with helpful and knowledgeable support staff. However, an additional paid add-on exists for faster response times and more in-depth troubleshooting.

FAQ

Is Cloudways good for beginners?

Cloudways offers a user-friendly interface compared to traditional cloud hosting. However, it requires some technical knowledge for tasks like server management and application deployment. If you’re a complete beginner, a beginner-friendly shared hosting plan might be a better starting point.

Is Cloudways secure?

Cloudways offers various security features like firewalls, automatic backups, and two-factor authentication to protect your website. Additionally, the underlying cloud providers have robust security measures in place.

Does Cloudways offer free migrations?

Cloudways offers a free migration service to help you move your website from another hosting provider.

What applications can I host on Cloudways?

Cloudways supports various applications, including WordPress, PHP applications, Magento, Laravel, and more.

Final Remarks

Cloudways is a compelling option for users seeking a user-friendly and scalable managed cloud hosting solution. The pay-as-you-go pricing model makes it cost-effective for websites with fluctuating traffic. However, it’s not the cheapest option, and some technical knowledge is recommended.

Here are some key takeaways to consider:

  • Pros: easy to use, good performance, multiple cloud providers, pay-as-you-go billing, excellent customer support.
  • Cons: Can be more expensive than shared hosting, and requires some technical knowledge.

If you’re looking for a powerful and scalable hosting solution with a user-friendly interface, Cloudways is definitely worth considering. However, weigh the pros and cons against your specific needs and technical comfort level before making a decision.

Try Cloudways with their FREE Trial today (no credit card needed) and experience the difference a managed cloud hosting solution can make!

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Abdulsalam Galgalo
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SEO Specialist, Web Developer, AI enthusiast, Writer