Cloudways is not a traditional VPS provider. Instead, it's a managed platform that sits on top of cloud providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, and Linode. You get the power of those providers without the server management headaches.
I've used Cloudways for two client sites over the past year. Here's my honest review.
What Cloudways Does Well
Easy to start. Choose your cloud provider (DigitalOcean is the cheapest), pick a server size, select your application (WordPress, Laravel, Magento, etc.), and deploy. The whole process takes about 5 minutes.
Managed security and updates. Cloudways handles security patches, OS updates, and firewall configuration. You don't need to SSH into your server to keep it secure. For non‑technical users, this is huge.
Built‑in caching. Cloudways has its own caching system called Breeze. It's optimized for WordPress and works well. With Vultr or DigitalOcean, you'd need to set up Redis or install a caching plugin yourself.
Staging environment. One click to clone your live site to a staging environment. Test changes, then push back to production. This is a premium feature on many hosting platforms.
24/7 live chat support. Real people, usually under 2 minutes wait. I've contacted them 4-5 times. They solved most issues quickly. This alone is worth the premium over unmanaged VPS.
Where Cloudways Falls Short
You pay more than unmanaged VPS. A $6 DigitalOcean Droplet costs about $10 on Cloudways after fees. You're paying for the management layer. If you have server administration skills, you might prefer to save money.
No root access. You can't install custom software that requires system‑level changes. Cloudways manages the server, not you. For most users, this is fine. For developers needing specific packages, it's limiting.
Email hosting not included. Cloudways doesn't offer email hosting. You'll need a separate service like Google Workspace or Zoho Mail. This is inconvenient if you want everything in one place.
Database management is basic. You can access phpMyAdmin, but advanced database tuning isn't possible. If you need to optimize MySQL for high‑traffic sites, Cloudways may not be enough.
Cloudways vs. Unmanaged VPS
This is the main decision you'll face.
Choose Cloudways if you want to focus on your website, not server management. You don't want to learn SSH, configure firewalls, or troubleshoot PHP errors. The extra cost is worth your time.
Choose an unmanaged VPS (like Hetzner or DigitalOcean) if you have server administration skills or want to learn. You'll save 30-50% on hosting costs. But you'll spend time on maintenance.
For client sites, I prefer Cloudways. The support and staging environment save me time. For my personal projects, I use Hetzner directly.
Who Should Use Cloudways?
Freelancers and agencies managing multiple client sites. Cloudways makes it easy to spin up separate servers for each client. The staging environment and backups give you peace of mind. The live chat support helps when you're stuck.
Non‑technical website owners. If you run a WordPress site but don't want to learn server administration, Cloudways is a great middle ground. More affordable than managed WordPress hosts like WP Engine, but easier than unmanaged VPS.
Developers who value time over money. If your hourly rate is $50+, the hours you save by not managing servers are worth the extra cost.
Teams needing collaboration tools. Cloudways offers team management features. You can give team members different access levels without sharing root passwords.
Who Should Skip Cloudways?
Budget‑conscious users. A $6 DigitalOcean Droplet costs $6. A $6 DigitalOcean Droplet on Cloudways costs about $10. If you have server skills, the savings add up.
Developers needing root access. If you need to install custom PHP extensions, modify system files, or run specific software, Cloudways won't work for you.
High‑traffic sites. For sites with millions of monthly visitors, you'll likely need dedicated resources or a custom setup. Cloudways is designed for small to medium sites.
Pricing (2026)
Cloudways charges based on the underlying cloud provider plus a management fee. Here are the most popular plans.
| Cloud Provider | Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean | Basic | 1 | 1 GB | 25 GB | 1 TB | $10 |
| Vultr | Basic | 1 | 1 GB | 25 GB | 1 TB | $10 |
| AWS | Basic | 1 | 0.5 GB | 20 GB | 1 TB | $11 |
All plans include free SSL, staging environment, automated backups (external backups cost extra), and 24/7 support.
Real‑World Performance
I tested a DigitalOcean‑based Cloudways server (1 GB RAM) in the NYC region running WordPress.
Load times averaged 400 ms for uncached pages. Cached pages loaded in under 200 ms. The built‑in Breeze cache works well. For a typical WordPress site with 5,000‑10,000 monthly visitors, this is more than enough.
Uptime over 6 months was 99.98%. No major outages.
One thing to note: Cloudways uses the same underlying hardware as DigitalOcean. Performance differences come from the management layer, not the server itself.
Final Verdict
Cloudways isn't the cheapest option. But it's not trying to be. Cloudways is for people who want the power of cloud hosting without the complexity of server management.
If you're a freelancer, agency, or non‑technical website owner, Cloudways saves you time. The staging environment, built‑in cache, and live chat support are features you'll use regularly.
If you have server skills and want to save money, use Hetzner or DigitalOcean directly. You'll pay less but manage more.
Score: 8/10
- Ease of use: 9/10
- Price/performance: 6/10
- Support: 9/10
- Features: 8/10