Cloudways Review

With more than 70% of small businesses going online nowadays, you can no longer afford not to have a website. The competition will quickly leave you behind. Fortunately, advanced cloud-based computing technologies make it super-easy to build, launch, and host websites in less than a day. You don’t even need any coding experience anymore.

There are dozens of web hosting service providers in the market, but one of the most widely known options today is Cloudways. The Cloudways platform stands out for its functionality and affordability. However, will it suit your web hosting needs? To see if Cloudways is right for you, familiarize yourself with its standout features, pricing, and, of course, pros and cons.

Getting To Know Cloudways 

Cloudways is a unique Platform-as-a-Service web hosting service provider. Unlike its competitors, it gives users access to five different data center providers, namely:

• Amazon Web Service (AWS)
• Google Cloud
• Linode
• Vultr
• DigitalOcean

Based on the abovementioned servers, you’ll notice that Cloudways doesn’t have its own data center. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. 

By partnering with multiple data centers, Cloudways is able to provide a broader web hosting service reach without spending billions on data centers worldwide. As such, users enjoy significantly faster-loading pages. You don’t have to force yourself into saturated servers, especially if your location has limited access to data centers.

Also, Cloudways utilizes a hybrid hosting environment. It configures your server with specific features of the NGINX and Apache servers then boosts it with multiple caching types. This hybrid technology creates a faster, more streamlined host.

However, don’t let the platform’s diverse servers confuse you. Yes, maximizing Cloudways requires some knowledge of web hosting and cloud-based technology, but using it is still easier than hosting a website yourself.

Cloudways: Pros And Cons 

Checking Cloudways reviews is great, but the best way to gauge functionality and practicality is by reading the platform’s pros and cons. Yes, Cloudways is an excellent web hosting service provider. However, if you don’t objectively assess its disadvantages and technical requirements, you might not wholly maximize its features.

Pros

We listed the reasons why Cloudways ranks among the most widely used and trusted web hosting service providers worldwide.

• Cost-Effective: The cheapest servers on Cloudways are Linode and DigitalOcean. You can get an entry-level web hosting service kit for just $12, plus you can also use coupons that Cloudways offers through its affiliate marketers.
• No Arbitrary Limits: Cloudways stands among the few web hosting service providers to offer unlimited domain hosting. It doesn’t set fixed arbitrary limits. You can host as many websites as you want as long as your chosen server has the necessary resources and capabilities.
• Easy-to-use WordPress Tools: Cloudways integrates seamlessly with WordPress websites. You’ll have access to optimization plugins, server backups, and staging sites, among other helpful tools.
• Server-level SMTP: Quickly manage all your hosted domains’ emails with a server-level SMTP. Unlike other platforms, Cloudways doesn’t require you to set up unique SMTP services for every hosted website.

Cons

Again, Cloudways features an excellent hosting platform, but it isn’t without flaws. Most negative Cloudways hosting reviews online have the following complaints:

• Complicated Platform: Although a hybrid hosting environment and multi-server list create an open platform, they also make Cloudways more complex. Total newbies probably can’t maximize these features yet. If you have zero experience with cloud technologies, consider another simpler, more straightforward option.
• Underlying Costs: Yes, you can try Cloudways free for the first three days, but you’ll have to start paying afterward. Keep in mind that the costs vary based on your preferred servers. If you’re not careful, you might end up paying over $100 in extra fees.
• No Email Hosting: Cloudways doesn’t offer email hosting. Although Cloudways Email Add-Ons has specific email solutions, you’ll need a third-party provider to create a private mailing inbox. You can choose whatever provider you want. However, Cloudways typically recommends the Rackspace Email Hosting add-on since it blends seamlessly with its platform.

Cloudways: Plans And Pricing

After the free three-day trial, the site will present you different Cloudways pricing options based on your preferred server, which include:

DigitalOcean

Cloudways offers five plans under DigitalOcean, namely: DO1GB, DO2GB, DO4GB, DO8GB, DO16GB. The rates range from $12 to $160 per month.

Suggested:

Its most popular plan is the DO4GB, which offers a 2 Core processor, 4GB RAM, 4TB bandwidth, and 80GB storage for $50 per month.

Linode

Linode offers 10 different plans, which are: Linode1GB, Linode2GB, Linode4GB, Linode8GB, Linode16GB, Linode32GB, Linode64GB, Linode96GB, Linode128GB, and Linode192GB. The monthly rates range from just $12 to $1,205.

Suggested:

Linode4GB is the most popular option on the Cloudways platform. You’ll get a 4TB bandwidth, 80GB storage, 2 Core processor, and 4GB RAM.

Vultr

You can choose from VULTR1GB, VULTR2GB, VULTR4GB, VULTR8GB, VULTR16GB, VULTR32GB, VULTR48GB. The rates range from $13 to $321 per month.

Suggested:

The VULTR4GB is most popular for its 3TB bandwidth, 128GB storage, 2 Core processor, and 4GB RAM. It costs $50 per month.

Amazon Web Services

For a super-diverse list of plans, try Amazon Web Services. It carries 17 different plans, with the lowest RAM at 2GB and the highest at 384GB. An entry-level plan costs about $36.51, but the fully loaded option will set you back by $3,569.98 per month.

Suggested:

Opt for the second to the cheapest plan: AWS Medium. It only costs $86.77 per month, but you’ll already get 4GB of RAM, a 2vCPU processor, 20GB storage, and 2GB of bandwidth.

Google Cloud Platform

The Google Cloud Platform is one of the most premium Cloudways pricing options and plans. It comes in 11 different plans, with the lowest RAM at 1.7GB and the highest at 120GB. Also, its monthly rates range from $33.18 to $1,290.30.

Suggested:

The GCE n1-std-1 is the most popular Google Cloud Platform plan. It costs $73.50 per month and offers a 2GB bandwidth, 20GB storage, 1vCPU processor, and 3.75GB RAM.

Cloudways: Ease Of Use 

Apart from the fact that Cloudways doesn’t host email domains, it has a relatively comprehensive and streamlined platform. The most you’ll do is navigate between their different servers. Their engineers can migrate your website, launch ongoing server maintenance, and, of course, host your domain.

Cloudways: Security Features

Cloudways offers a wide range of security systems like SiteLock protection, SSL, and IPs, which are all exclusive to cloud-based technologies. Traditional web hosting service providers can’t compare to them. Moreover, Cloudways hosting servers keep your sites secure through their “security hardening techniques,” which involve sophisticated firewalls designed to combat hackers.

Cloudways: Customer Support

Cloudways plans come with a helpful 24/7/365 customer service support team that can assist with server error troubleshooting and proactive monitoring through a private Slack channel or their hotline. However, if you want more, you’ll have to pay extra. Advanced support premiums range from $100 to $500 per month, which could be useful if you manage dozens of domains.

Other Hosting Alternatives

If you’re still on the fence about Cloudways, don’t worry. We can help you navigate the different web hosting servers in the market. 

Check out our quick review of the most widely known Cloudways alternatives and how they stack up against each other:

• WP Engine: WordPress users should also consider the WP engine. Although it charges higher fees, the platform might blend more seamlessly with the WordPress site builder.
• Pressable: Cloudways offers better uptime and page loading speed, but Pressable showcases a user-friendly platform that beginners can quickly navigate.
• Pagely: Pagely users enjoy top-notch backup and monitoring. Of course, the cloud technology on Cloudways doesn’t lag too far behind, but it ranks a bit higher.
• Hostwinds: Hostwinds offers an easy-to-admin platform suitable for various users, from small-time shop owners to corporate executives. However, its web hosting services also come with a steeper price tag.
• Bluehost: Bluehost delivers lightning-fast page loading speeds and reliable uptime rates on WordPress. The only downside is they charge higher rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

To give you a better grasp of Cloudways, we compiled some questions SMBs and developers typically ask when looking into it for the first time:

Is Cloudways good for beginners?

Utilizing Cloudways’ multiple servers requires some technical knowledge, but they’re relatively straightforward and easy to navigate. Also, using Cloudways is still easier than hosting your website yourself.

Is Cloudways good for WooCommerce?

Cloudways works seamlessly with WooCommerce. Apart from its open, customizable platform, Cloudways-hosted site tests performed well with 100% uptime and 0 errors. 

Is Cloudways fast?

Since Cloudways hosts websites through the most robust servers today, it’s capable of loading web pages at an average of 400 to 600 milliseconds with a 99.99% uptime rate.

The Final Verdict

Overall, Cloudways is a powerful web hosting service provider that offers multiple servers: Google Cloud, Amazon Web Service (AWS), Linode, Vultr, and DigitalOcean. No Cloudways alternative offers this much functionality for the same cost.

Just keep in mind that utilizing Cloudways hosting servers requires some technical know-how. Total beginners might find themselves lost. However, if you have the experience to maximize open platforms, this wallet-friendly, streamlined, and practical PAAS tool might suit your web development needs.

Do you plan on creating an eCommerce store? Page Kits can help you get started! Check out our comprehensive review of the best eCommerce website builders