--- title: Cloudways — Deep Dive 2026 | RGM® url: https://realgrowthmatters.com/learn/cms/hosting/cloudways/ updated: 2026-06-10 source_html: https://realgrowthmatters.com/learn/cms/hosting/cloudways/ --- # Cloudways Cloudways is managed cloud hosting for WordPress (and other apps) on DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, Vultr, and Linode infrastructure. ## What Cloudways actually is Cloudways was founded in 2009 in Malta by Aaqib Gadit and Pere Hospital. The company was acquired by DigitalOcean in October 2022 for $350M. Cloudways operates as a managed-services layer on top of major cloud providers (DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, Linode) — giving customers the performance benefits of cloud infrastructure with the operational simplicity of managed hosting. Cloudways' value proposition: cloud-provider performance at managed-hosting prices, with no DevOps required. You pick a cloud provider, pick a server size, and Cloudways handles the WordPress installation, security, backups, and scaling. The model is similar to WP Engine and Kinsta but with multi-cloud choice and per-server (rather than per-site) pricing. ## How it fits in the broader stack The platform sits in the mid-to-premium tier of WordPress hosting — typically priced between SiteGround and Kinsta/WP Engine on a per-site basis but with more flexibility (one server can host many sites at no extra per-site cost). The DigitalOcean acquisition changed Cloudways' strategic direction toward closer integration with DigitalOcean infrastructure. The other cloud-provider options remain available but the DigitalOcean offering is now the primary push. ## Key features and capabilities Core features: managed WordPress on DigitalOcean/AWS/GCP/Vultr/Linode, dedicated server per customer (vs shared infrastructure on traditional managed WordPress), Cloudways Bot for performance monitoring, automatic backups, staging environments, free SSL, server-level caching (Varnish, Memcached, Redis), Cloudflare integration, free migrations, 24/7 support, custom server-level configuration via SSH access. Recent additions: tighter DigitalOcean integration, enhanced AI-powered support, automated scaling features, expanded data center options, improved control panel UX. ## Pricing and tier comparison Pricing: DigitalOcean Standard starts at $14/month for 1GB RAM / 25GB SSD / 1TB bandwidth. AWS and GCP start higher ($36+ and $33+ respectively). Premium DigitalOcean tiers run $42-$200+/month. Vultr and Linode options offer competitive pricing. All plans include unlimited sites on the server (subject to server resources). Trade-offs vs Kinsta/WP Engine: Cloudways requires more technical comfort — you're managing a server (with help) rather than getting a fully-managed site. Performance can match or exceed Kinsta if configured well; performance can be worse if not. Multi-site hosting on one server is a cost advantage for agencies managing many sites. #### RGM Experts Say RGM Experts Say: Cloudways is great for agencies. We've recommended it to many agency clients managing 10-50 sites — the cost per site drops dramatically vs Kinsta/WP Engine on shared servers. For single-brand sites at scale, we still default to Kinsta or WP Engine because the operational overhead of Cloudways' more-hands-on model isn't worth the cost savings for a single site. ## When we recommend it (and when we don't) We recommend Cloudways for: agencies hosting many client sites where one shared server is more economical than per-site pricing, technically comfortable teams who want performance flexibility, brands wanting AWS or GCP infrastructure without managing it directly. We recommend Kinsta or WP Engine for: teams that want the most-managed experience, brands where the engineering team's time is better spent elsewhere. RGM Experts Say: Cloudways is great for agencies. We've recommended it to many agency clients managing 10-50 sites — the cost per site drops dramatically vs Kinsta/WP Engine on shared servers. For single-brand sites at scale, we still default to Kinsta or WP Engine because the operational overhead of Cloudways' more-hands-on model isn't worth the cost savings for a single site. ## How we work with this technology We use the tools that fit the job. If our approach feels aligned with your business, [apply for an engagement](/apply/). ### Related guides - [Kinsta](/learn/cms/hosting/kinsta/) - [WP Engine](/learn/cms/hosting/wp-engine/) - [SiteGround](/learn/cms/hosting/siteground/) - [WordPress](/learn/cms/wordpress/) - [WP Rocket](/learn/cms/wordpress-plugins/wp-rocket/) - [Technical SEO](/learn/seo/technical-seo/) - [WooCommerce](/learn/cms/wordpress-plugins/woocommerce/) - [CMS Hub](/learn/cms/)