Cloudways Review: Honest and In-Depth

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform known for its simplicity, flexibility, and the ability to host on multiple cloud infrastructures like DigitalOcean, Linode, AWS, Google Cloud, and Vultr.

Unlike traditional web hosting providers that own the infrastructure, Cloudways acts as an intermediary that allows users to manage servers from third-party cloud platforms via an intuitive and user-friendly interface. This gives users a wide range of choices while maintaining ease of use, especially for non-technical users.

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Multiple Cloud Providers

Cloudways gives users the option to choose from five major cloud infrastructures:

  • DigitalOcean: Popular for its affordability and simplicity.
  • Linode: Another cost-effective option, known for reliable performance.
  • Vultr: Offers more flexibility with features like server location choices and scalable infrastructure.
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS): Known for its enterprise-level services, highly scalable but more expensive.
  • Google Cloud: Similar to AWS, offering high performance and scalability but at a higher cost.

Managed Hosting

Cloudways provides managed hosting services, meaning they take care of much of the server management for you. This includes:

  • Server monitoring: Real-time monitoring with a detailed dashboard.
  • Backups: Automated backups that can be configured at your preferred intervals.
  • Security: SSL installation, regular OS updates, firewall protection, and security patching.
  • Performance optimization: Built-in tools for caching (Redis, Varnish), PHP optimization, and more.

Ease of Use

Cloudways is ideal for users who want cloud hosting but don’t have the technical expertise to manage servers themselves. The interface simplifies complex processes like server deployment, scaling, backups, and app management. The platform integrates smoothly with popular CMSs like WordPress, Magento, and Joomla.

Pay-as-You-Go Pricing

Cloudways’ pricing structure is unique because it follows a pay-as-you-go model. You only pay for the resources you consume without long-term contracts. This flexibility is great for businesses that expect fluctuating traffic or need to scale quickly.

Pros and Cons

Pros 👍

  • Choice of Cloud Providers: Offering various cloud options ensures that users can find a provider that fits their budget and needs.
  • Managed Hosting: The platform reduces the complexity of cloud hosting, making it accessible to non-technical users.
  • Pay-as-You-Go Model: Flexibility in pricing makes Cloudways suitable for small businesses and startups.
  • Scalability: Easy to scale resources based on traffic demands.
  • Free Trial: Cloudways offers a free trial without needing a credit card, making it easy to test out their platform.

Cons 👎

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  • No Domain Registration: Cloudways does not offer domain registration or email hosting, requiring users to manage these services separately.
  • More Expensive than DIY Cloud Hosting: If you’re technically proficient, managing your own cloud servers on DigitalOcean or AWS can be cheaper than going through Cloudways.
  • Lack of cPanel or Plesk: If you’re accustomed to using traditional control panels like cPanel or Plesk, Cloudways may feel unfamiliar.

Cloudways vs Other Providers

Cloudways vs Kinsta

  • Flexibility: Kinsta, like Cloudways, is a managed host, but it only offers Google Cloud as its infrastructure. Cloudways provides a choice of five cloud providers, giving more flexibility.
  • Ease of Use: Kinsta is more user-friendly and tailored specifically for WordPress hosting. If WordPress is your main use case, Kinsta’s custom-built dashboard and optimization features give it an edge over Cloudways in terms of usability.
  • Price: Kinsta is generally more expensive than Cloudways, especially when considering that Cloudways allows for cheaper infrastructure like DigitalOcean.

Cloudways vs Liquid Web

  • Cloud Infrastructure: Cloudways focuses on cloud hosting, whereas Liquid Web offers a range of hosting types, including VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting. Liquid Web’s infrastructure is proprietary, while Cloudways relies on third-party cloud platforms.
  • Pricing: Liquid Web can be much more expensive, especially for dedicated servers or fully managed hosting, while Cloudways offers more affordable, scalable options.
  • Support: Both Cloudways and Liquid Web are known for excellent customer support, although Liquid Web’s support is more enterprise-oriented.

Cloudways vs Web Hosting UK

  • Performance: Cloudways offers superior performance due to its cloud infrastructure options, while Web Hosting UK focuses more on shared and VPS hosting, which are typically slower.
  • User Base: Cloudways is more suited to developers, agencies, and businesses with cloud infrastructure needs. Web Hosting UK is better for smaller websites and those who don’t need the scalability that cloud hosting provides.
  • Pricing: Web Hosting UK is generally cheaper for shared hosting services, but Cloudways offers better performance for scaling businesses.

Conclusion

Cloudways excels in offering a flexible, managed cloud hosting platform with a range of cloud provider options and an easy-to-use interface. Its pricing model makes it a great choice for businesses that require scalable hosting, though it might not be the best option for users looking for traditional features like domain registration or email hosting.

For businesses looking for cloud hosting without the technical hassle of managing the infrastructure themselves, Cloudways provides a solid, reliable, and flexible solution that competes well with other premium managed hosting platforms like Kinsta and Liquid Web.

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