Cloudways Review: Managed Cloud Hosting + Speed Tips [2024]

Greetings! If you’re a blogger in search of exceptional managed cloud hosting and useful speed optimization advice, you’ve arrived at the perfect destination. Our comprehensive Cloudways review for 2024 aims to delve into the platform and unveil its potential to enhance your website’s performance. So, grab a seat, unwind, and prepare to explore the multitude of exciting features that Cloudways has in store. Let’s commence our journey!

For optimal utilization of the finest web hosting provider and dependable hosting service for your online project, consider referring to WPThink.com’s Cloudways Review 2024. Cloudways proves to be an excellent option for a superior hosting experience, surpassing shared hosting services like SiteGround, Hostinger, A2, or WPX.

Setting up your server and linking your domain with Cloudways is effortless. Once you’re ready, familiarize yourself with their Dashboard, and I can offer you valuable suggestions to enhance your site’s speed and performance. Don’t stress about the technical aspect; everything is user-friendly. Cloudways’ Vultr HF plan provides an incredible offer: 1TB bandwidth and 32GB NVMe storage for just $16 per month! That’s why I switched from Rocket.net to Cloudways, and you should give it a try as well.

One of the main drawbacks of this platform is its steep learning curve, as there are many settings to navigate in the Dashboard. Additionally, support quality can be inconsistent, and costs can quickly add up as you scale your usage. The Breeze plugin also needs improvement, so it is recommended to use FlyingPress instead. To achieve the best possible setup, it is necessary to use a third-party email service, such as Google Workspace, in conjunction with Cloudways Vultr HF, Cloudflare Enterprise, and FlyingPress.

Cloudways offers a 3-day trial & free migration, along with a coupon code for 30% off 3 months (affiliate link). If you have any questions, please comment or contact their community manager.

Cloudways Managed Cloud vs. Shared Hosts

Although I strive for accuracy, hosting companies frequently make changes that may affect the information provided. Therefore, I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Please leave a comment if any updates are needed (Thanks!).

	SiteGround GrowBig	Hostinger Business WP	WPX Business Plan	NameHero Turbo Cloud	Cloudways Vultr HF (2GB)
Type	Shared	Shared	Shared	Shared	Cloud
Cores/RAM	Not listed	2 cores/1.5GB	1 core/1GB	3 cores/3GB	1 core/2GB
Server	Apache + Nginx	LiteSpeed	LiteSpeed	LiteSpeed	Apache + Nginx
Storage	20GB / SATA	200GB / SATA	15GB / SATA	500k inodes / NVMe	64GB / NVMe
CDN	Google Cloud	QUIC.cloud	QUIC.cloud	QUIC.cloud	Cloudflare Enterprise – APO
DNS	Internal (blocked for 4 days)	Internal	Internal	Internal	DNS Made Easy ($5/mo)
Cache plugin	SG Optimizer	LSC	LSC or W3TC	LSC	x
Object cache	Memcached	x	x	Redis	Redis Pro
PHP processor	FastCGI	LiteSpeed	LiteSpeed	LiteSpeed	FPM
Database	MySQL	MariaDB	MariaDB	MariaDB	MariaDB
Bandwidth or monthly visits	100k visits/mo (estimated)	At discretion	200GB	50k visits/mo (estimated)	2TB
CPU limits	Common	Low resources	3 PHP workers	Efficient w/ LiteSpeed	“Average”
Email Hosting	✓	1GB storage	Low limits	✓	x
Major incidents	TTFB/DNS/CPU issues, unethical	Fake reviews, scam reports, 2019 breach	Global outage blamed on dead CEO	2-day outage	None
Migrations	$30/site	Unlimited	5-35 sites	15 from cPanel	1 free + $25/site
TrustPilot rating	4.6/5	4.6/5 (fake)	4.9/5	4.6/5	4.5/5
Intro price	$3.99/mo	$3.99/mo	$20.83/mo when paying yearly	$9.98/mo	$30/mo
Renewal price	$24.99/mo	$14.99/mo	$20.83/mo	$19.95/mo	$30/mo

Cloud Hosting Providers: Cloudways vs. Other Cloud Hosts

Rocket.net boasts faster speeds due to their inclusion of APO, LiteSpeed’s PHP, and additional cores/RAM. However, they offer less storage and bandwidth than Cloudways and generally have a higher price tag. Additionally, Cloudways allows multiple site hosting on a single server, whereas Rocket.net restricts the number of websites.

	SiteGround Cloud Jump Start Plan	WP Engine StartUp Plan	Kinsta Starter Plan	Cloudways Vultr HF (2GB)	Rocket.net Starter Plan
Type	Cloud	Cloud	Cloud	Cloud	Private cloud
Cores/RAM	4 cores/8GB	Not listed	12 cores/8GB	1 core/2GB	32 cores/128GB
Server	Apache + Nginx	Apache + Nginx	Apache + Nginx	Apache + Nginx	Apache + Nginx
Storage	40GB / SATA	10GB / SATA	10GB / SATA	64GB / NVMe	10GB / NVMe
Cache plugin	SG Optimizer	x	x	Breeze	x
CDN	Google Cloud	Cloudflare free + Polish	Cloudflare free	Cloudflare Enterprise – APO	Cloudflare Enterprise
DNS	Internal (blocked by Google)	Internal	Amazon Route 53	DNS Made Easy ($5/mo)	Cloudflare
Object cache	Memcached	Memcached	Redis ($100/mo)	Redis Pro	Redis
PHP processor	FastCGI	HHVM	FastCGI	FPM	LiteSpeed
PHP workers	Not listed (but common issue)	Not listed (but common issue)	2 PHP workers	No limit	No limit
Memory limit	Adjustable	512MB	256MB	Adjustable	1GB
Database	MySQL	Not listed	Not listed	MariaDB	MariaDB
Nginx reverse proxy	✓	Manual configuration	$50/mo	✓	✓
Bandwidth or monthly visits	5TB	50GB + 25k visits/mo	25k visits/mo	2TB	50GB + 250k visits/mo
Email Hosting	✓	x	x	x	x
Malware removal	Scanner only	x	Removal pledge	x	Imunify360
Major incidents	TTFB/DNS/CPU issues, unethical	2015 breach	None	None	None
Migrations	$30/site	Paid (quoted)	Free (most hosts)	1 free + $25/site	Unlimited free
TrustPilot	4.6/5	4.5/5	4.2/5	4.5/5	4.9/5
Price	$100/mo	$25/mo when paying yearly	$29/mo when paying yearly	$30/mo	$25/mo when paying yearly

Cloudways Pricing: Monthly Pricing, Scaling Gets Pricey

Cloudways offers monthly pricing without high renewal fees.

However, as you scale your business, the cost can become expensive, a common complaint. Compared to the Vultr HF website price, you may be paying double for everything built around their hosting. Many higher-traffic websites opt for RunCloud or CyberPanel, which require a more hands-on approach (unlike Cloudways, which can launch a server with a few clicks).

With Cloudways, adding CPU/RAM is easy. Shared hosts often lock you into 1-3-year contracts with a fixed amount of server resources, which can be problematic if your traffic grows or you add plugins/features that require more resources. This is why many people avoid shared hosts altogether.

Cloudways Account Sign Up + Cloudways Offers

When you sign up through the page created for me, you can receive 30% off for 3 months (using an affiliate link). Please note that if you choose to sign up, I will receive an affiliate commission. However, I want to be transparent and let you know that it’s optional, and there are no worries if you choose not to use the link.

Launch A Server – Server Location

The next step is to launch a server. Select an application (WordPress or WooCommerce) and name your app/server. Select a cloud host (I recommend Vultr HF) and the server size. 1GB is acceptable for small sites, 2GB+ for more significant/WooCommerce sites. Select the data center closest to your visitors. Cloudways has 19 data centers for Vultr HF, while most shared hosts only use around 4-6, so assuming you can use a closer data center, this should already help improve TTFB.

Then click Launch Now.

Vultr HF is the most popular, with faster NVMe storage, higher CPU clock speeds, and 3GHz+ CPUs. You also have DigitalOcean (and DigitalOcean Premium), Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud.

I don’t recommend Google Cloud since Cloudways uses the lower-tier N1 machine family. SiteGround used N1 when they moved to Google Cloud but now uses N2. Both are for balanced workloads instead of optimized workloads. If you’re doing Google Cloud, you want C2.

Vultr HF uses 3GHz+ CPUs with high clock speeds

Connect Your Domain

After your server is done launching, you’ll connect your domain. Cloudways doesn’t offer domain names, so I recommend using Google Domains or NameCheap if you don’t have one.

Step 1: Add your domain name under Applications → Domain Management. Add the www version as an additional domain if you want to redirect all www links to the non-www version.

Step 2: Update DNS records. In NameCheap, go to Dashboard → Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS → Add New Record. The A Record value is the Public IP in Access Details in Cloudways. The CNAME is your domain name. Use the same formatting as below. Here are GoDaddy’s instructions (or Google instructions for the domain registrar you’re using).

Step 3: Add free Let’s Encrypt SSL (Applications → SSL Certificate) and enable auto-renewal.

Request A Free Migration

Request a free migration (9 squares → Add-ons → Application Migration). The first migration is free; then it’s $25/site which is cheaper than most hosts. I had them move my site with no issues.

Or DIY with the Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin.

Cloudways Hosting Platform: Cloudflare Enterprise

Cloudways has a Cloudflare Enterprise add-on for $5/mo, so here are my thoughts.

The 3 biggest complaints are no APO (yet), challenge pages, and limited settings with no option to use free Cloudflare features like page rules, firewall rules, crawler hints, or SXGs.

But have you tried it? I did, and my site was much faster than using Cloudflare Pro directly from Cloudflare (and that’s all I care about, along with improved security). I found that the Enterprise features you gain in the add-on outweigh the free ones you lose.

Cloudways doesn’t include all Enterprise features if you buy it directly from Cloudflare, but will you pay $200/month+ instead of $5/month on Cloudways? Probably not.

It does present users with more challenge pages that you can only customize when using Cloudflare Pro+ directly from Cloudflare. So while it made my site faster, I think it needs much work. It seems like they’re playing catch up with Rocket.net who offers it for free with full page caching, no challenge page on the front, no configuration, and an overall smoother integration (their CEO Ben Gabler also has a long history of working with the edge and went as far as building Rocket.net’s data centers in the exact locations as Cloudflare).

	Cloudflare Free	FlyingProxy Cloudflare Enterprise	Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise	Rocket.net Cloudflare Enterprise
APO	$5/mo	✓	x	✓
Argo Smart Routing	Paid feature	x	✓	✓
Priority routing	x	✓	✓	✓
Load balancing	Paid feature	✓	✓	✓
Mirage/Polish	Requires CF Pro	✓	✓	✓
Enterprise DDoS protection	x	✓	✓	✓
Bandwidth	Unlimited	100GB	100GB	Determined by the hosting plan
Challenge pages	Not often	Not often	Too often	Not often
Price	Free	$10/mo	$5/mo	Free w/ hosting

Critical differences between third-party Cloudflare Enterprise services (and Cloudflare free)

Features

• Enterprise CDN – prioritized routing with CDN cache and unique IPs up to 100GBs.
• Managed WAF –includes PCI compliance with advanced bot management & mitigation.
• DDoS Protection – prioritized for layers 3, 4, and 7 with prioritized IP ranges and 100% SLA.
• Image Optimization – Mirage + Polish compress images, resizes them for mobile, serves them in WebP, strips EXIF data, etc. I prefer this over image optimization plugins.
• Full Page Cache (Coming Soon) – I’m hoping they add this soon, just as much as you are.
• Argo + Tiered Cache – routes your traffic through the fastest Cloudflare network paths.
• Global load balancing – creates a failover so traffic is re-routed from unhealthy origin servers to healthier origins. This can reduce things like latency, TLS, and general errors.
• HTTP/3 access – You still get HTTP/3 when using the CF Enterprise add-on on Cloudways.

Redis Object Cache Pro

Redis Object Cache Pro is free on Cloudways and can be enabled under Servers → Settings & Packages → Packages → Install Redis. Cloudways will install Redis as a drop-in plugin under your WordPress plugins menu. Stack Overflow has a nice thread on Memcached vs. Redis.

Here’s the table Cloudways shows on their blog:

	W3 Total Cache	LiteSpeed Cache	WP Redis	Redis Object Cache	Object Cache Pro
Performance
Batch Prefetching	x	x	x	x	✓
Data compression	x	x	x	x	✓
Cache priming	x	x	x	x	✓
Asynchronous flushing	x	x	x	✓	✓
Features
Cache Analytics	x	x	x	✓	✓
Secure connections	x	x	x	✓	✓
Highly customizable	x	x	x	x	✓
Logging support	x	x	x	x	✓
Cluster support	x	x	x	✓	✓
Replication support	x	x	x	✓	✓
Reliability
Mitigates race conditions	x	x	x	x	✓
Extensively unit tested	x	x	x	x	✓
Integrations
WooCommerce optimized	x	x	x	x	✓
Query Monitor integration	x	x	x	Basic	Advanced
WP CLI integration	Basic	x	Basic	Basic	Advanced
Site Health checks	x	x	x	x	✓
Batcache compatible	x	x	x	✓	✓
Relay integration	x	x	x	x	✓

Use FlyingPress instead of Cloudways Breeze

I suggest FlyingPress as a better alternative to Cloudways’ Breeze.

FlyingPress effectively addresses core web vitals compared to WP Rocket. It also offers more features and better optimization for real-world browsing. For instance, Perfmatters has confirmed that loading used CSS in a separate file is more efficient for actual visitors, while inline works better for “scores.” Even seemingly small details can have a significant impact.

	Breeze	WP Rocket	FlyingPress
Remove unused CSS	x	Inline	Separate file
Critical CSS	x	✓	✓
Bloat removal	x	x	✓
Host fonts locally	x	x	✓
Preload images	x	x	✓
Lazy load background images	x	Inline HTML	lazy-bg class
Exclude images from lazy load	x	By number	By number
YouTube iframe preview image	x	✓	✓
Self-host YouTube placeholder	x	x	✓
Add missing image dimensions	x	✓	✓
Lazy render HTML elements	x	x	✓
Scheduled database cleanups	x	✓	✓
Frequent new features	x	x	✓
Documentation	Needs more detail	Detailed	Needs more detail
Price	Free	$59/year	$60/year
Renewal price	Free	$59/year	$42/year

More Cloudways Platform Optimizations

Here are a few other optimizations you can make on Cloudways. These can depend on whether your site is WooCommerce or low/high traffic. Cloudways also has quite a bit of documentation.

• Use PHP 8.0+.
• Use MariaDB 10.4.
• Use a 512MB memory limit or higher.
• Activate the Redis add-on (see the previous step).
• Use FlyingPress instead of Breeze (see the previous step).
• Configure Varnish rules to exclude URLs/cookies if needed.
• Activate Varnish add-on (specifically good for eCommerce sites).
• Increase PHP-FPM memory limit from 32M (mine is set to 1024M).
• Schedule backups during non-peak hours if you’re using Cloudways for backups.
• Use Cloudflare’s DNS (see dnsperf.com). Not related to Cloudways, but it’s important.
• Replace wp-cron with a real cron job (use the code below or see Cloudways instructions).
• Use error logs to find bad bots, URL requests, status code errors, and slow pages/queries.
• max_execution_time: 30-60s, max_input_time: 60s, max_input_vars: 1000 (what I used).

This is the code for adding a cron job (remember to disable wp-cron beforehand). This can help reduce CPU usage by preventing wp-cron from loading on every pageview.

*/5 * * * * wget -q -O - 'https://wordpress-413270-1299955.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron

Cloudways doesn’t offer Email Hosting.

Keeping web/email hosting separate is a good thing (besides price) since emails take up inodes/files. You also want resources only to be dedicated to hosting your website and not email. If you switch hosts, you don’t have to change emails, which can be a pain.

Cloudways only offers Rackspace for $1/email per month, but I use Google Workspace (Cloudflare also started offering free email addresses). I’ve never used Rackspace, so I can’t comment on whether it’s good vs. bad or setting it up. I’ve always preferred Google Workspace.

External Backup Solution – Stay Safe

I suggest using a third-party backup plugin service such as UpdraftPlus or ManageWP. Cloudways charges $0.033/GB for local backups, which can be downloaded via SSH/SFTP, but they only provide one copy of the latest backup. Although I have never encountered any issues, I have heard some horror stories of backups being accidentally deleted. Therefore, it is always a good practice to have off-site backups by a third-party service to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket, regardless of your hosting provider.

UpdraftPlus: WordPress Backup & Migration Plugin

File Manager Alternative – Tiny File Manage

Although Cloudways lacks a file manager, they do offer SFTP.

I want to thank Roger for providing a helpful solution in the comments section for those transitioning from cPanel to Cloudways. As Cloudways does not offer a file manager, you can utilize SFTP to download and upload Tiny File Manager. This will allow you to perform various functions such as zipping, unzipping, creating, deleting, modifying, viewing, quick previewing, downloading, copying, and moving files. You may find more features on the project’s GitHub page.

Support Used To Be Bad, It’s OK Now

While you must experience this, I’ve always been thrilled with Cloudways support. I have found a hosting provider that is not Kinsta but is better than SiteGround. So far, I have not encountered many problems that required me to seek support, which is a positive sign.

If you are new and have pre-sales questions, I recommend contacting their community manager, Muhammed Moeez. When I was in a similar situation, I contacted them on Facebook to put my mind at ease.

Navigating The Dashboard

To explore the Dashboard, you can register for a Cloudways demo. The Server tab allows you to modify Redis, Varnish, PHP version, MariaDB, memory limit, and backups, scale your server, configure SMTP, and monitor CPU/RAM/DISK usage.

The Application tab has your WordPress login details. You can easily set up staging sites, keep track of traffic and error logs, add domains, configure SSL, manage cron jobs, restore backups, or make one on-demand. Additionally, you can adjust application settings such as Varnish, WebP, XML-RPC, PHP-FPM, and Varnish for optimal performance.

Cloudways Acquired By DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean acquired Cloudways.

I am not pleased with the recent price increase of $2-3/month for other cloud providers, while DigitalOcean’s prices only went up by $1/month (and sometimes remained the same). This makes DigitalOcean more appealing, but it also makes Cloudways less desirable.

Cloudways Hosting Pros & Cons

Best Cloudways Alternatives

• Rocket.net Hosting Review

Cloudways Hosting Review FAQs

Cloudways is a top-notch managed cloud hosting provider that offers exceptional speed and performance for your website. With its user-friendly interface and a wide range of features, Cloudways stands out as a reliable choice for individuals and businesses. By leveraging their advanced caching techniques and optimized infrastructure, you can ensure that your website loads quickly and efficiently, providing an excellent user experience. If you’re looking for a reliable and high-performing hosting solution, I highly recommend considering Cloudways. Take your website’s performance to the next level and purchase their services today.