Cloudways Review 2025 — 30% OFF for 3 Months

Overview

Cloudways is a premium managed cloud hosting platform offering two powerful product lines: Flexible and Autonomous. Unlike shared hosting, Cloudways provides dedicated cloud resources on your choice of 5 top-tier cloud providers with 50+ global data centers.

5 Cloud Provider Options — Choose from DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud based on your needs and budget;

Kubernetes-Based Autoscaling — Autonomous plans automatically scale to handle thousands of concurrent users during traffic spikes;

Premium Features Included — Free Object Cache Pro (worth $95/mo), Redis Cache, Cloudflare Enterprise on Autonomous plans (worth $250/mo);

99.99% Uptime SLA — Enterprise-grade reliability with auto-healing servers and load balancing;

Developer-Friendly Platform — Multiple PHP versions (7.4-8.2), staging environments, Git integration, SSH access, WP-CLI;

3-day free trial — No credit card required, test the platform risk-free.

Reliability & Performance

99.99% Uptime Guarantee — Enterprise-grade infrastructure with auto-healing servers ensures your site stays online even during server issues.

NVMe SSD Storage — Premium plans feature cutting-edge NVMe storage with speeds up to 10 Gbps network throughput, dramatically faster than traditional SSDs.

Autoscaling Capability — Autonomous plans automatically scale resources during traffic spikes using Kubernetes-based infrastructure, perfect for flash sales and viral content.

Free Cloudflare Enterprise — Autonomous plans include Cloudflare Enterprise CDN (worth $250/mo) with edge caching, DDoS protection, and global content delivery.

Object Cache Pro — Free on 4GB+ servers (worth $95/mo), dramatically speeds up database-driven sites and WooCommerce checkout.

Redis Cache — Free advanced caching for faster page loads and reduced database queries, worth $100/month as a standalone service.

50+ Global Data Centers — Deploy servers in 50+ locations worldwide across all 5 cloud providers for optimal latency.

Load Balancing — Autonomous plans include automatic load balancing to distribute traffic efficiently across resources.

Advanced Security — Server-level firewall (Imunify360), DDoS protection (layers 3, 4, 7), bruteforce protection, malware scanning, and WAF.

Cloud Providers Available

Cloudways Flexible plans let you choose from 5 leading cloud infrastructure providers, each with unique advantages:

DigitalOcean (Most Popular)

9 Data Centers: New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Bangalore, Singapore, Sydney

Server Types: Basic, General Purpose, CPU Optimized

Storage: Standard SSD and Premium NVMe (up to 10 Gbps network)

Best For: Balanced performance and affordability, general-purpose workloads

Vultr

30 Data Centers: Largest global coverage

Server Types: Standard (SSD), High Frequency (NVMe)

Best For: Maximum geographic coverage and high-frequency computing

Linode

25 Data Centers: Global presence with consistent performance

Best For: Top-quality performance at budget-friendly prices

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

28 Data Centers: Enterprise-grade AWS EC2 instances

Server Types: Standard, Compute Optimized

Features: Dynamic vertical scaling (upgrade and downgrade), configurable resources

Best For: Enterprise applications, maximum reliability, AWS ecosystem integration

Google Cloud (GCE)

28 Data Centers: Google's powerful infrastructure

Server Types: Standard, Compute Optimized, High Compute

Features: Dynamic vertical scaling, extremely powerful performance

Best For: Maximum performance, Google ecosystem integration, complex applications

CMS Available for Quick Installation

Supported Applications: WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Laravel, and custom PHP applications. All with 1-click installation.

Cloudways Flexible Plans — Pay-As-You-Go Hourly Billing

Choose your preferred cloud provider and pay only for what you use. All plans include unlimited websites, unlimited visits, free SSL, Redis cache, and 24/7 support.

Micro

1 GB RAM
1 Core vCPU
25 GB NVMe Storage
1 TB Bandwidth
Unlimited Websites & Visits
Free SSL & Migration
Redis Cache Included
5 Free AI Copilot Credits
$14/mo
$0.0208/hour | 30% OFF for 3 months

Small

2 GB RAM
1 Core vCPU
50 GB NVMe Storage
2 TB Bandwidth
Unlimited Websites & Visits
Free SSL & Migration
Redis Cache Included
5 Free AI Copilot Credits
$28/mo
$0.0417/hour | 30% OFF for 3 months
⭐ MOST POPULAR

Medium

4 GB RAM
2 Cores vCPU
80 GB NVMe Storage
4 TB Bandwidth
Unlimited Websites & Visits
Free Object Cache Pro
Redis Cache Included
5 Free AI Copilot Credits
$54/mo
$0.0804/hour | 30% OFF for 3 months

Large

8 GB RAM
4 Cores vCPU
160 GB NVMe Storage
5 TB Bandwidth
Unlimited Websites & Visits
Free Object Cache Pro
Redis Cache Included
5 Free AI Copilot Credits
$99/mo
$0.1473/hour | 30% OFF for 3 months

8XL

128 GB RAM
24 Cores vCPU
2560 GB NVMe Storage
11 TB Bandwidth
Unlimited Websites & Visits
Free Object Cache Pro
Redis Cache Included
5 Free AI Copilot Credits
$342/mo
30% OFF for 3 months

Cloudways Autonomous Plans — Autoscaling for High Traffic

Kubernetes-based infrastructure that automatically scales for traffic spikes. Perfect for WooCommerce, LMS, and high-traffic sites. Includes Cloudflare Enterprise CDN (worth $250/mo).

Plan 1

1 Application
15 GB Disk Space
30,000 Unique Visits
100 GB Bandwidth
Autoscaling Enabled
Free Cloudflare Enterprise
Object Cache Pro Included
Unlimited PHP Workers
$35/mo
Best for static/brochure sites

Plan 2

5 Applications
25 GB Disk Space
70,000 Unique Visits
200 GB Bandwidth
Autoscaling Enabled
Free Cloudflare Enterprise
Object Cache Pro Included
Unlimited PHP Workers
$90/mo
Best for dynamic sites
⭐ MOST POPULAR

Plan 3

5 Applications
40 GB Disk Space
125,000 Unique Visits
300 GB Bandwidth
Autoscaling Enabled
Free Cloudflare Enterprise
Object Cache Pro Included
Unlimited PHP Workers
$145/mo
Best for WooCommerce stores

Plan 4

10 Applications
60 GB Disk Space
200,000 Unique Visits
400 GB Bandwidth
Autoscaling Enabled
Free Cloudflare Enterprise
Object Cache Pro Included
Unlimited PHP Workers
$240/mo
Best for high-traffic WooCommerce & LMS

Advantages

  • 5 Cloud Provider Options — Choose from DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud based on your needs
  • 50+ Global Data Centers — Deploy servers worldwide for optimal latency and performance
  • Flexible Pay-As-You-Go Billing — Hourly billing means you only pay for what you use, no long-term commitment
  • Kubernetes-Based Autoscaling — Autonomous plans automatically scale to handle thousands of concurrent users
  • Free Premium Features — Object Cache Pro (worth $95/mo on 4GB+ servers), Cloudflare Enterprise on Autonomous (worth $250/mo)
  • Free Redis Cache — Advanced caching worth $100/month included on all plans
  • 99.99% Uptime SLA — Enterprise-grade reliability with auto-healing servers
  • 3-Day Free Trial — Test the platform with no credit card required
  • Free Migration Service — First website migrated for free by expert engineers
  • 24/7/365 Support — Live chat and ticketing support included on all plans
  • NVMe Storage — Premium NVMe drives with up to 10 Gbps network throughput
  • Unlimited Websites & Visits — No restrictions on number of sites or traffic (on Flexible plans)
  • Advanced Security — Server-level firewall, DDoS protection, malware scanning, WAF, auto-healing
  • Developer-Friendly — Multiple PHP versions (7.4-8.2), staging, Git, SSH, WP-CLI, cron jobs
  • Dedicated Resources — True cloud hosting with dedicated RAM and CPU, not shared hosting
  • Dynamic Vertical Scaling — Easily upgrade or downgrade server resources as needed
  • Managed Backups — Automated backups with on-demand and scheduled options
  • Free SSL Certificates — 1-click Let's Encrypt SSL installation for unlimited domains
  • AI Copilot — AI-powered troubleshooting with 5 free credits (6 months promotional)
  • Transparent Pricing — See exact costs before launching, no hidden fees

Disadvantages

  • Higher Price Point — More expensive than shared hosting, starting at $14/month minimum
  • Not Ideal for Small Sites — Cloud hosting may be overkill for simple personal blogs or low-traffic sites
  • Requires Technical Knowledge — Some server management knowledge helpful, though platform is managed
  • Bandwidth Overage Charges — Exceeding limits costs extra: AWS/GCP $0.12/GB, DigitalOcean $0.02/GB
  • Autonomous Plan Limits — Visit and bandwidth caps with overage charges ($1/1,000 visits, $0.4/10GB)
  • Email Hosting Costs Extra — Rackspace email requires add-on at $1/mailbox/month
  • Premium Features Cost Extra — Advanced features like SafeUpdates ($3/app/mo), Malware Protection ($4/app/mo)
  • Regional Pricing Variations — AWS and Google Cloud pricing varies by region, can be confusing
  • Tax Charges — VAT/GST applies in certain regions (EU, Singapore, Australia, Canada, India, USA)
  • Object Cache Pro Not on Small Plans — Only free on 4GB+ servers, smaller plans don't get this $95/month feature
  • Learning Curve — Custom Cloudways dashboard differs from traditional cPanel/Plesk
  • No Phone Support — Support limited to live chat and ticketing, no direct phone line

Conclusion

Cloudways is the best managed cloud hosting platform in 2025. With over 15,000 agency partners, Cloudways offers true cloud hosting with dedicated resources, autoscaling capabilities, and choice of 5 premium cloud providers.

The combination of Kubernetes-based autoscaling, free Object Cache Pro, Cloudflare Enterprise integration, and 50+ global data centers makes Cloudways the premium choice for serious websites and agencies. The 3-day free trial provides risk-free testing without requiring a credit card.

Best for: Agencies managing client sites, WooCommerce stores, high-traffic WordPress sites, SaaS applications, developers needing cloud flexibility, LMS platforms, event/booking sites, growing businesses requiring scalability.

Recommended Flexible plan: Medium plan ($54/mo) offers 4GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, free Object Cache Pro, and excellent performance for most professional websites.

Recommended Autonomous plan: Plan 3 ($145/mo) for WooCommerce stores needing autoscaling, Cloudflare Enterprise, and ability to handle 125,000+ monthly visitors with automatic traffic spike management.

Not recommended for: Personal bloggers on tight budgets, simple brochure sites with minimal traffic, users wanting traditional shared hosting simplicity, those requiring phone support.

Pro tip: Start with Flexible plans for predictable traffic, upgrade to Autonomous when you need autoscaling for traffic spikes. Use the 3-day trial to test your specific application performance across different cloud providers.

Information

Cloudways Cloudways Screenshot

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Features

Trial Period:
3 days
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