01 · The short answer
Strong value, if you’re willing to pick a server.
Cloudways rents servers from DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud, then manages the stack, security patches, backups, and monitoring on top. You pay per server, not per site.
What we like
- Managed servers from $11 a month, billed by the hour
- Unlimited sites per server
- No renewal price jump, no long contract
- Free 5-day trial with no credit card
- Choice of five cloud providers
What to watch
- No email or domain included
- Backups and CDN are billed separately
- Public reviews describe uneven support
- No root access
- You choose and size the server yourself
This is an analysis of published plans, documentation, and independent reviews, not a hands-on speed test. No host paid for placement.
02 · The right fit
Who should choose Cloudways?
You’ve outgrown shared hosting
- A business site or WooCommerce store that needs dedicated resources
- A freelancer or small agency hosting several client sites
- A developer who wants SSH, Git, and staging without running a raw server
You want one simple bundle
- A first site that needs domain, email, and cPanel in one package
- A team that wants the host to fix every WordPress issue
- Anyone who needs full root access
03 · How we score
Six criteria, equal weight.
Each criterion is scored 1–5 from the official documents and independent sources listed below, then averaged. It is our editorial judgment, not a user rating or lab result.
Value for money
5.0$11–$14 entry servers, unlimited sites, no renewal jump.
Flexibility
5.0Five clouds, many server sizes, SSH and Git.
Performance tools
4.0Lightning Stack; Object Cache Pro on 4GB+. CDN extra on Flexible.
Ease of use
3.5Clear panel, but you size servers and arrange email.
Billing clarity
3.5Hourly with a monthly cap; backups and add-ons are separate.
Support
3.024/7 chat on all plans; public feedback is mixed.
Average: 4.0 / 5 — editorial score
04 · The Cloudways review
The appeal is control at a fair price.
Pick your cloud
DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud.
Hourly billing
Monthly price is a cap; invoice on the 1st.
Unlimited apps
WordPress, WooCommerce, Laravel, PHP apps.
Security basics
Free SSL, server firewall, automated backups.
Speed stack
NGINX-based Lightning Stack; Object Cache Pro on 4GB+.
24/7 support
Live chat and tickets on every plan.
Performance and support
Cloudways publishes no speed guarantee, and this guide has no lab results of its own. TechRadar’s October 2026 review describes a six-minute deployment and a fast first load on the entry server; heavier themes and stores need more resources.
Support is the most debated point. Some reviewers praise fast live chat; others, on Capterra and in developer forums, describe slow escalations and pressure to upgrade. Standard support covers the platform, not your plugins or code.
Before you sign up, know this
- Email and domains aren’t included. Use a separate provider or a paid add-on.
- Extras add up. Off-site backup storage is mandatory and billed per GB.
- Stopping isn’t cancelling. A stopped server is still billed; delete it to stop charges.
05 · Prices & extras
What you’ll actually pay.
Checked November 9, 2026 · USD per month · Cloudways Flexible on DigitalOcean · tax may apply
1GB RAM · 1 vCPU
$11/mo
Premium NVMe: $14
Testing, one small site
2GB RAM · 1 vCPU
$24/mo
Premium NVMe: $28
A production business site
4GB RAM · 2 vCPU
$46/mo
Premium NVMe: $54
Stores, several sites
Regular Standard (SSD) prices from Cloudways’ pricing page. Promotions change often; your checkout is authoritative.
The costs beyond the server
- Off-site backups $0.033/GB
- Extra bandwidth (DigitalOcean) $0.02/GB
- Cloudflare Enterprise from $4.99/domain
- AWS & Google Cloud priced by region
The free trial
5 days, no credit card, on DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode. The trial server is deleted unless you add a payment method. Some reviews still say three days; the official FAQ said five on November 9, 2026.
Cloudways Autonomous
A separate, autoscaling WordPress product on Google Cloud: plans from $99/month, one site per plan, a 3-day trial, and unlimited managed migrations. Best for spiky traffic.
06 · Compare hosts
Cloudways vs. Kinsta, WP Engine & Rocket.net
Cloudways sells a managed server; the others sell managed WordPress plans. Compare the whole bill, not the badge.
| Feature | Our focusCloudwaysFlexible 1GB | KinstaSingle 20GB | WP EngineEssential | Rocket.netStarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $11–$14/mo | $35/mo | $28/mo, billed yearly | $30/mo |
| Billing | Hourly, no contract | Monthly or yearly | Yearly ($336 today) | Monthly or yearly |
| Sites on entry plan | Unlimited* | 1 | Plan-dependent | 1 |
| Choose your cloud | Yes, 5 | No | No | No |
| CDN included | Paid add-on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free migration | First site | Unlimited | Check plan | Yes |
| Try first | 5-day trial, no card | First month free (select plans) | Check terms | $1 first month |
*Limited by server resources. Sources: Cloudways · Kinsta · WP Engine · Rocket.net. Different billing models; not equal-capacity quotes.
Cloudways vs. Kinsta
Pick Cloudways for several sites, a cloud of your choice, and a lower bill. Pick Kinsta for one or two high-value sites with CDN and expert migrations bundled in.
Cloudways vs. WP Engine
WP Engine is polished, with yearly billing and first-year pricing for new customers. Ask for the renewal price. Cloudways has no renewal jump but asks more of you.
Rocket.net & SiteGround
Rocket.net bundles an enterprise CDN that Cloudways charges for. SiteGround is a familiar lower-cost option, but compare its renewal price, not the first-year offer.
07 · How to move
How to migrate WordPress to Cloudways
Two routes: Cloudways’ engineers move your first site for free, or you use the free Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin.
Start the trial
Launch a server near your visitors. For a live site, plan on 2GB or more.
Create an empty app
Add a WordPress application; note its temporary URL and SFTP details.
Copy the site
Run the migrator plugin on your old site, or request the free migration.
Test everything
Logins, forms, checkout, redirects, and mobile layout on the temporary URL.
Switch DNS & SSL
Point your domain, then add the free SSL certificate.
Keep the old host
Cancel only after a few clean days on Cloudways.
Quick questions
Before you open another tab.
Is Cloudways good for beginners?
It’s manageable, but it assumes you can pick a server size and set up email elsewhere. A first personal blog may be simpler on all-in-one shared hosting.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Flexible relies on the free trial and hourly billing rather than a prepaid term. You pay for the hours used, and deleting the server stops charges.
Can I host many sites on one server?
Yes. There’s no app limit; CPU and RAM are the limit. Cloudways suggests upgrading if usage stays above about 80%.
Do you offer a coupon?
No. Prices cited are public displays on official provider pages, not exclusive deals from The Steady Stack.
08 · Methodology
Evidence first. Limits included.
This guide uses official pricing and help pages checked on November 9, 2026, plus independent reviews and public customer feedback. It does not include purchased test accounts, load tests, or measured support times, and no benchmark has been invented to fill that gap.
Editorial independence & affiliate disclosure
The Steady Stack is independent of Cloudways, DigitalOcean, and the other hosts discussed. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That doesn’t make Cloudways right for every reader, which is why alternatives and reasons not to buy are included. No company paid for placement, and we don’t offer coupons or rewards for signing up.
Sources
Go straight to the source.
- Cloudways — pricing & billing FAQsPrices, trial, billing, extras, Autonomous
- Cloudways — WordPress Migrator guideSelf-service migration steps
- TechRadar — Cloudways reviewIndependent hands-on review, Oct 2026
- Capterra — Cloudways user reviewsPublic customer feedback
- Kinsta — pricingSingle 20GB plan, offers, guarantee
- WP Engine — plansEssential plan, annual billing
- Rocket.net — pricingStarter plan and allowances