Cloudways Cloud Hosting Review 2026
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that lets you deploy on DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, or Linode infrastructure through a single, simplified dashboard. You get root SSH access, staging environments, Redis/Varnish caching, automated backups, and a team-focused workflow — with the cloud provider's reliability and Cloudways' management layer on top. Ideal for Laravel, WooCommerce, and Drupal deployments where developers want managed convenience without the lock-in of traditional managed hosts. Starts at $11/month.
Cloudways ☁️ Cloud Hosting Pricing Plans
Promotional prices shown — see renewal cost below each plan.
Cloud Managed (DO 2GB)
- RAM 2 GB
- vCPU 1 cores
- Storage 50 GB SSD
- Bandwidth 2 TB
- Websites Unlimited
- SSH Access ✓
- Free SSL ✓
- Daily backups ✓ Daily
- Money-back 3 days
* Promotional prices require multi-year commitment. Renewal rates differ significantly — always check the checkout page for current pricing.
Who should choose Cloudways Cloud Hosting?
Best for sites needing high availability and scalability
✓ Good fit if you…
- ✓ Sites with unpredictable or seasonal traffic spikes
- ✓ Applications that cannot afford any downtime
- ✓ Media sites, news sites, and viral content platforms
- ✓ Businesses with global audiences needing low latency
✗ Look elsewhere if you…
- ✗ Small sites with predictable, low traffic (overkill)
- ✗ Beginners — cloud infrastructure has a learning curve
- ✗ Strict budget constraints (cloud scales up in cost too)
Cloud hosting runs across multiple servers — if one fails, traffic moves to another automatically. It's more resilient than VPS but not always faster. Choose it for reliability, not raw speed.
Pros & Cons
✓ What we like
- ✓ Affordable pricing at $11/month with no renewal price hike.
- ✓ Generous 50 GB SSD storage for hosting multiple websites.
- ✓ Daily backups included for peace of mind and data security.
- ✓ Free SSL certificates enhance website security without extra cost.
✗ Watch out for
- ✗ Limited to one plan option, restricting scalability.
- ✗ No phone support, which might be a drawback for some users.
- ✗ Cloudflare Enterprise CDN is an add-on, not included in the base plan.
Tech Stack
🖥 Server-Level Hosting — More Control Than Shared
VPS, dedicated, and cloud plans give you far more flexibility than shared hosting. What's available depends on whether your plan is unmanaged (you configure everything) or managed (the provider handles the server).
Unmanaged VPS / Dedicated
- Full root SSH access — install any software
- Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go — any runtime
- Redis, PostgreSQL, FFmpeg — self-install via apt/yum
- WebSocket, Varnish, Memcached — full control
- Staging via manual clone or separate instance
Managed VPS / Cloud
- Provider configures and maintains the server
- Root access may be restricted or unavailable
- Software stack determined by the provider
- Often includes one-click apps, managed DB, CDN
- Check your provider's control panel for available features
Need one-click staging or managed Redis without server admin? See managed hosts with built-in staging.
Our Verdict
Bottom Line
Cloudways' "Cloud Managed (DO 2GB)" plan is a compelling choice for budget-conscious users, priced at $11.00 per month, which is 55% below the cloud hosting category average of $24.28/mo. This pricing has been officially verified directly with the provider. With an impressive overall score of 9.71, this plan is ideal for small to medium-sized websites that require reliable performance without breaking the bank.
What The Numbers Mean
Understanding the specifics of this plan helps potential users make informed decisions.
- 50 GB SSD storage is offered, which matters if you need to host multiple websites or have a content-rich site.
- Daily backups are included, providing peace of mind if you require regular data security and recovery options.
- Free SSL certificates are available, which is crucial if you want to enhance website security without additional costs.
- Cloudways does not publish the number of CPU cores or RAM specifics, so performance expectations should be based on real-world testing.
- Cloudflare Enterprise CDN is an add-on, which matters if you need advanced CDN features but should be considered as an extra cost.
Who It's For
This plan is well-suited for personal blogs, small business sites, and other modest web projects.
- A personal blog with moderate traffic can benefit from the 50 GB SSD storage, allowing for ample content and media hosting.
- A small business site requiring daily backups will find this plan advantageous for maintaining data integrity and security.
- Websites needing basic security will appreciate the included free SSL certificates, which are essential for protecting user data.
What You Can Build
Cloudways' infrastructure allows for a wide range of applications and frameworks, thanks to full root access and the ability to install any runtime. This flexibility supports platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Magento, making it practical for building content management systems or e-commerce sites. The built-in staging environment is a significant advantage, enabling developers to test changes safely before going live. However, Cloudways does not publish detailed tech stack information, which means users will need to verify compatibility with specific software requirements.
Where It Falls Short
The plan's limitation to a single option might restrict scalability for growing businesses or websites anticipating increased traffic. Additionally, the absence of phone support could be a drawback for users who prefer immediate, real-time assistance. While the Cloudflare Enterprise CDN is available, its status as an add-on rather than an included feature means additional costs for users seeking enhanced content delivery network services.