Platform · hosting
Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting on your choice of cloud provider
The verdict
Managed hosting layer that runs your site on DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud or Vultr without you managing the servers. Aimed at developers and agencies wanting cloud control with less ops work.
What it is
Cloudways sits on top of major cloud providers and handles server provisioning, scaling, caching and security so you deploy WordPress, WooCommerce, Laravel or custom PHP without raw server administration. You pick the underlying cloud and instance size, then manage everything through one dashboard with staging and one-click backups. The model gives flexibility shared hosts lack, but there is no traditional cPanel and no bundled email, so it expects some technical comfort.
Strengths
- Choose the underlying cloud (DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr) and resize instances on demand
- Built-in staging, one-click backups and server-level caching reduce ops work
- Pay-as-you-go billing scales cost with the instance you actually run
Trade-offs
- No traditional cPanel, so users expecting that interface face a learning curve
- No bundled email hosting, so mail must run through a separate service
- Premium support and add-ons raise the effective monthly cost above the headline instance price
Best for
Technical users wanting to pick their cloud provider and scale resources without managing the server stack
Not for
Total beginners expecting cPanel and bundled email, or anyone wanting the cheapest possible shared plan
The AI ecosystem
Public API and add-on integrations for CDN and email; not an app marketplace. The application layer (WordPress, Laravel) carries any AI tooling.
Pricing
Usage-based managed cloud pricing starting around the low double digits per month (varies by chosen cloud provider and server size). No flat shared plan.
DigitalOcean instance
Custom
- entry cloud
- resizable
AWS / Google Cloud instance
Custom
- premium cloud
- higher performance
Add-ons (CDN, email, support)
Custom
- metered extras
What people build with it
Frequently asked
- What is Cloudways exactly?
- It is a managed layer over clouds like DigitalOcean, AWS and Google Cloud that handles provisioning, scaling and caching so you run a site without administering the server directly.
- Does Cloudways use cPanel?
- No. It uses its own dashboard instead of cPanel, so users coming from traditional shared hosting need to learn a different interface.
- Can I scale resources on Cloudways?
- Yes. You can resize your server instance up or down on demand and pay based on the cloud and size you choose, which suits variable traffic.
- Does Cloudways include email hosting?
- Not by default. Email is an optional paid add-on, so many users pair Cloudways with a separate dedicated email provider.