Cloudways is a managed-hosting overlay. It sits between you and cloud providers (DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Google Cloud), handling server provisioning, WordPress stack configuration, SSL, backups, and application deployment. You get the price economics of raw cloud VPS with the simplicity of managed hosting — a middle path that fits many WordPress operators better than either pure extreme.
How it works
You pick a cloud backend (DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, GCP), choose a server size, and Cloudways provisions the VM, installs the full WordPress stack, configures caching, and hands you a managed dashboard. You pay Cloudways; Cloudways pays the underlying cloud provider.
Why this model works: you get 3-5x the compute per dollar of managed WordPress hosts like Kinsta or WP Engine, while keeping 80%+ of the operational simplicity.
Backend options and pricing
| Backend | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean | $14/mo (2 GB) | Default choice, predictable pricing |
| Vultr | $13/mo (2 GB) | Broader DC regions, high-frequency CPU |
| Linode (Akamai) | $14/mo (2 GB) | Reliability focus |
| AWS | $40/mo+ (2 GB) | Compliance-driven, specific integrations |
| Google Cloud | $37/mo+ (2 GB) | GCP ecosystem tie-in |
For nearly all WordPress users, DigitalOcean or Vultr backends are the right choice. AWS and GCP backends carry a real premium and are only worth it for specific compliance or integration reasons.
What's included in every plan
- Optimized stack. NGINX + Apache + Varnish + Memcached + Redis, pre-tuned for WordPress and common PHP apps.
- Free SSL via Let's Encrypt, one-click install.
- Daily automatic backups, configurable retention.
- Staging environments with push-to-production flow.
- Git integration for deployment workflows.
- Cloudways CDN add-on ($1/GB, competitive).
- Breeze — Cloudways' free WordPress caching plugin.
- Scale operations. Resize server in minutes, change cloud backends without leaving Cloudways.
Where Cloudways wins
- Price-performance. A $14/month Cloudways-on-DigitalOcean setup matches the performance of $30-50/month managed WordPress, with tradeoffs in support depth and ecosystem polish.
- Backend flexibility. Migrate between DO, Vultr, Linode without leaving Cloudways' dashboard.
- Stack management. The pre-tuned stack works out of the box for most WordPress and PHP app workloads.
- Transparent cost structure. No visit caps that force upgrades; you scale by choosing server size.
- Acquired by DigitalOcean in 2022, which strengthened the DO backend integration without changing the multi-backend support.
Where Cloudways is limited
- No full root access. You get SSH with a sandboxed user, not uncontrolled sudo. For most users this is fine; for power users wanting deep customization, raw VPS + your own panel is better.
- Email hosting not included. Use Google Workspace, Fastmail, or a transactional service (Postmark, SendGrid) separately.
- Support is chat-first. Response times are reasonable but resolution for complex issues can take longer than at managed WordPress specialists.
- Pricing includes backups separately. Off-site backup storage is $0.033/GB/month — modest but worth noting.
Cloudways vs Kinsta vs raw DigitalOcean
| Cloudways (DO 2GB) | Kinsta Starter | Raw DigitalOcean | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $14 | $30 | $12 (2 GB) |
| Managed | Yes | Yes | No |
| Visit cap | None | 25k/mo | None |
| Cloudflare Enterprise | Add-on | Included | Not applicable |
| Backend flexibility | DO/Vultr/Linode/AWS/GCP | GCP only | — |
| Support quality | Good | Elite | Docs-first |
Who should pick Cloudways
- WordPress operators who've outgrown shared hosting but don't want to sysadmin a raw VPS.
- Freelance developers and agencies managing client sites at scale.
- Businesses that want cloud-performance economics with managed UX.
- Sites with predictable traffic that don't benefit from visitor-tier pricing.
Who should look elsewhere
- Business-critical WordPress with revenue at stake → Kinsta or WP Engine for deeper support.
- Developers wanting full root access and custom configurations → raw DigitalOcean + RunCloud or GridPane.
- Non-WordPress workloads → raw cloud VPS, or App Platform-style PaaS.
- Hobbyists with tiny traffic and tight budget → Hostinger or SiteGround StartUp.
FAQ
How is Cloudways different from raw DigitalOcean?
Cloudways handles the server setup, WordPress optimization, SSL, backups, and provides a dashboard. Raw DO gives you an empty Linux VM. For WordPress specifically, Cloudways saves 5-10 hours of sysadmin setup per site and ongoing maintenance time.
Can I move my site off Cloudways later?
Yes. Because Cloudways uses standard stacks (NGINX, Apache, MySQL, PHP), migration to another host is a standard WordPress migration. No proprietary lock-in.
Does Cloudways work for WooCommerce?
Yes, and well. The cache stack (Varnish + Redis + Breeze) handles WooCommerce traffic patterns competently. Pick a 2 GB+ server for serious commerce.
What about email?
Cloudways doesn't provide standard email hosting. For transactional email (WordPress notifications, WooCommerce orders), use a service like Mailgun, SendGrid, or Postmark. For business email, Google Workspace or Fastmail separately.
Can Cloudways handle traffic spikes?
Up to the server size you've provisioned. To handle spikes, either (a) size up proactively, or (b) pair with Cloudflare for edge caching that absorbs traffic bursts before they hit the origin.
Last verified April 2026.