Cloudways Managed Cloud Hosting Review
Cloudways offers a unique approach to managed WordPress hosting by providing a platform layer on top of major cloud infrastructure providers, giving you enterprise infrastructure with simplified management.
Infrastructure Choice
Unlike traditional hosts, Cloudways lets you choose your infrastructure:
- DigitalOcean: Best value for most sites
- Vultr: High-frequency compute options
- Linode: Excellent global coverage
- AWS: Enterprise-grade infrastructure
- Google Cloud Platform: Premium network performance
Platform Features
Cloudways adds significant value on top of raw infrastructure:
- ThunderStack: Optimized WordPress stack with Nginx, Varnish, Apache, Memcached
- Breeze: Built-in caching plugin
- CloudwaysCDN: Global content delivery
- Automated backups and restores
- One-click staging environments
- Git deployment options
Performance Optimization
Every server includes:
- PHP 8.x support with multiple versions
- Redis and Memcached
- MySQL/MariaDB optimization
- HTTP/2 enabled
- Auto-healing servers
- Vertical scaling on demand
Developer-Friendly Tools
Cloudways caters to developers with:
- SSH and SFTP access
- WP-CLI pre-installed
- Git integration
- Staging push and pull
- Team collaboration features
- API for automation
Flexible Pricing Model
What sets Cloudways apart:
- Pay-as-you-go billing
- No long-term contracts
- Scale resources anytime
- Multiple apps per server
- Transparent pricing
- Free trial to test performance
Pros
- Choice of 5 cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode)
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
- Vertical scaling without downtime
- Free migrations and SSL certificates
- Built-in CDN and caching
- Team collaboration features
Cons
- No domain registration services
- Email hosting costs extra
- Learning curve for beginners
Pricing Plans
DigitalOcean Starter
$11 /month- 1 GB RAM
- 1 Core Processor
- 25 GB Storage
- 1 TB Bandwidth
- Unlimited Applications
- Free SSL & Migration
DigitalOcean Premium
$26 /month
RECOMMENDED
Popular Choice
- 2 GB RAM
- 1 Core Processor
- 50 GB Storage
- 2 TB Bandwidth
- CloudwaysCDN
- Staging Environment
AWS Business
$38.56 /month- 2 GB RAM
- 2 vCPUs
- 20 GB Storage
- 2 GB Bandwidth
- Dedicated Environment
- Advanced Caching
Frequently Asked Questions
Cloudways is a WordPress solution that helps you build and optimize your website with powerful features and excellent performance.
Yes, Cloudways offers excellent value with its comprehensive feature set, regular updates, and reliable support. It's a solid investment for serious WordPress users.
Cloudways offers various pricing plans to suit different needs. Check their official website for current pricing and special offers.
While Cloudways is excellent, alternatives exist depending on your specific needs. Consider your requirements for features, budget, and ease of use when comparing options.
Getting started with Cloudways is straightforward. Visit their official website, choose a plan that fits your needs, and follow their setup documentation or tutorials.