01 · The quick answer
Cheap now, or steady later?
SiteGround is shared hosting with a deep first-year discount. Cloudways is a managed cloud server with the same price every month. For a first small site, SiteGround’s year one is hard to beat. From year two, or once you run several sites, Cloudways usually comes out ahead.
You are planning past year one
- You want one steady price with no renewal jump
- You run, or plan to run, several sites
- You want dedicated server resources and a choice of cloud
- You are comfortable picking a server size
You want the lowest start
- You are launching your first small site
- You want email accounts included
- You prefer a classic hosting panel with phone support
- You will re-evaluate before the first renewal
02 · Side by side
The entry plans, line by line.
| CloudwaysDigitalOcean 1GB | SiteGroundStartUp | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Managed cloud server | Shared hosting |
| Price now | $11/mo, hourly | $1.99/mo, prepaid 12 months |
| Price later | $11/mo (no intro discount) | $17.99/mo at renewal |
| Sites | Unlimited per server | 1 (GrowBig and up: unlimited) |
| Storage | 25GB | 10GB |
| Traffic | 1TB transfer | Unmetered transfer, ~10k visits suggested |
| Paid add-on | Email accounts listed | |
| CDN | Paid add-on | Free CDN listed |
| Try first | 5-day trial, no card | 30-day money-back |
| Cloud choice | 5 providers | No |
Sources: Cloudways pricing, SiteGround plan comparison. SiteGround prices exclude VAT and were shown in US dollars; they may vary by region.
03 · The renewal math
Two years, side by side.
| Plan | Year 1 | Year 2 | Two-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiteGround StartUp | $23.88 ($1.99 × 12) | $215.88 ($17.99 × 12) | $239.76 |
| SiteGround GrowBig | $47.88 ($3.99 × 12) | $359.88 ($29.99 × 12) | $407.76 |
| Cloudways 1GB Standard | $132 ($11 × 12) | $132 | $264 |
| Cloudways 2GB Standard | $288 ($24 × 12) | $288 | $576 |
Simple arithmetic from list prices checked November 9, 2026; Cloudways add-ons such as backup storage and CDN are not included.
Year 1
SiteGround
StartUp costs about $108 less than a Cloudways 1GB server in the first year.
Year 2
Cloudways
At renewal, StartUp costs $83.88 more per year than Cloudways 1GB.
Two years
Close
$239.76 vs $264 for one tiny site; Cloudways pulls ahead from year three.
With several sites, the picture shifts sooner
StartUp hosts one website. For two or more sites on SiteGround you need GrowBig: $47.88 in year one, then $359.88 a year at renewal. A Cloudways 2GB server at $288 a year can host the same handful of small sites, so from year two it is $71.88 cheaper, with dedicated resources. For heavier traffic, GoGeek renews at $539.88 a year against $552 for a Cloudways 4GB server, which also includes Object Cache Pro.
04 · What actually differs
Shared hosting versus a cloud server.
SiteGround: shared, with plan limits
Your site shares a server environment with other accounts. Plans are sized by suggested monthly visits (about 10,000, 100,000, and 400,000) and web space (10GB, 50GB, 100GB). The comparison page lists a free CDN, daily backups, email accounts, one-click staging, and a free automated WordPress transfer.
Cloudways: your own server
You get a cloud server with set CPU and memory, on DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud. There are no visit limits; capacity is what the server can carry. You add only what you need: CDN, email, and premium support are paid extras.
SiteGround also sells cloud hosting
If you outgrow shared plans, SiteGround Cloud starts at $100/mo for 4 CPU cores, 8GB memory, 40GB SSD, and 5TB transfer (shown excluding tax). A comparable Cloudways DigitalOcean server with 8GB and 4 vCPU lists at $88/mo Standard or $99/mo Premium.
05 · Features
Features, side by side.
| Area | Cloudways (Flexible) | SiteGround (shared plans) |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | Varnish, Object Cache Pro on 4GB+, Lightning or Hybrid stack | SuperCacher and the SG Optimizer plugin |
| Staging | Included | One-click staging listed |
| Backups | Automated; off-site storage $0.033/GB | Automated daily backup listed |
| Security | Server firewall, free SSL | Anti-hack systems, account isolation, free SSL |
| Developer tools | SSH and Git | WP-CLI pre-installed, SG-Git |
| Other apps | Laravel, Magento, PHP | Node.js apps listed on plans |
| Migration | Free plugin + 1 managed migration | Free automated WordPress transfer listed |
Sources: Cloudways pricing, SiteGround plan comparison. SiteGround’s comparison page lists features across its plans; some may apply only to higher tiers, so check the page for your plan.
On paper both hosts cover the WordPress basics. The real difference is the model underneath: SiteGround sizes plans by suggested monthly visits on a shared platform, while Cloudways gives you a server whose limit is simply its CPU and memory. That makes Cloudways more predictable as you add sites, and SiteGround simpler when you only ever need one.
07 · Who should pick which
Four common situations.
First blog or portfolio
SiteGround StartUp is the cheapest way to start. Set a reminder before renewal.
Small business site
Either works. Cloudways 2GB gives more headroom at a steady price.
Freelancer with client sites
Cloudways: one server, many sites, one bill.
Growing store
Cloudways 4GB+ includes Object Cache Pro, helpful for logged-in shoppers.
08 · Switching
Moving from SiteGround to Cloudways.
Time it before renewal
Start a few weeks before your SiteGround renewal so you are not charged the higher renewal rate for another prepaid year.
Plan your email
If you use SiteGround’s email accounts, decide where mail will live first. Cloudways does not include mailboxes.
Migrate and test
Use the free Cloudways migrator plugin or the free managed migration, test on the temporary URL, then switch DNS.
The full process, including DNS and SSL, is in our WordPress migration guide.
09 · Questions
Cloudways vs SiteGround: quick answers.
Is SiteGround really $1.99 a month?
Only for the first 12-month prepaid invoice on StartUp. It renews at $17.99/mo, according to SiteGround’s plan comparison page checked November 9, 2026. Prices exclude VAT.
Is Cloudways harder to use than SiteGround?
Slightly, at first: you choose a cloud provider and server size. After that, launching WordPress, adding domains, and turning on SSL are point-and-click.
Can I move from SiteGround to Cloudways?
Yes. Install the free Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin on your SiteGround site, or use the one free managed migration included with every Cloudways account. Keep your email records unchanged when switching DNS.
What about GrowBig or GoGeek?
GrowBig ($3.99/mo intro, $29.99/mo renewal) and GoGeek ($5.99/mo intro, $44.99/mo renewal) allow unlimited websites. At renewal they cost more than a Cloudways 2GB server ($24/mo) or 4GB server ($46/mo) respectively, though the comparison depends on how much traffic each site has.
Does Cloudways have a money-back guarantee like SiteGround?
Not in the same form. Cloudways Flexible offers a 5-day free trial with no credit card and hourly billing, so you pay only for hours used. SiteGround offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on its shared plans.
Which has better support?
SiteGround lists phone, chat, and ticket support. Cloudways offers 24/7 chat and tickets, with paid upgrades. We haven’t measured response times; read recent reviews for both.
Sources
Where these facts come from.
All pages checked November 9, 2026. Vendor statements are not independent performance findings.
- Cloudways — pricingServer prices, billing, extras, trial
- SiteGround — WordPress hosting plan comparisonIntro and renewal prices, limits, features
- SiteGround — cloud hostingCloud plan prices and resources
- Cloudways — WordPress Migrator guideFree migrations
Editorial independence & affiliate disclosure
The Steady Stack is independent of Cloudways, DigitalOcean, and every other host mentioned. Some Cloudways links on this site are affiliate links: if you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links to Kinsta, WP Engine, Rocket.net, SiteGround, and other providers are ordinary links with no affiliation. No company paid for placement, and we do not offer coupons or rewards for signing up. This is a document-based guide: we did not run lab benchmarks, and we do not present vendor claims as test results.