Overview
Cloudways sits on top of major cloud providers — you pick the underlying provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, Google Cloud, Vultr, or Linode) and server size, and Cloudways manages the server admin side: security patches, backups, and caching, so you don't need to.
How it works
Performance depends partly on which underlying cloud provider and server size you choose, which gives more control (and more decisions to make upfront) than picking a single flat-tier shared host.
Key details
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go, scales with usage |
| Plans from | ~$11/mo on the smallest server size |
| Free trial | Yes, limited time |
| Caching | Strong built-in stack |
| Free domain / typical shared extras | Not included |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Real cloud-level flexibility without full server-admin responsibility
- Pay-as-you-go pricing scales with actual usage
- Strong built-in caching stack
Cons
- No free domain or typical shared-hosting extras
- Monthly cost less predictable than a flat plan
- Still requires more technical comfort than a beginner shared host
Our verdict
A strong middle ground between basic shared hosting and running your own cloud server from scratch — best once you've outgrown shared hosting but aren't ready for unmanaged VPS.