Cloudways Review 2026: Hosting, Pricing, Pros, Cons
Should you use Cloudways?
Use Cloudways if your WordPress site is commercially important and cheap shared hosting is starting to feel slow, unstable, limited, or too basic.
Affiliate sites, agencies, publishers, WooCommerce, lead-gen sites
You want the cheapest beginner host with domain and email bundled
Growth hosting between shared hosting and raw VPS
Cloudways is best for WordPress sites that have outgrown shared hosting
AMFS editorial verdict
Cloudways is one of the strongest upgrade paths for growing WordPress, affiliate, agency, and small-business websites that want more performance headroom than cheap shared hosting without managing servers directly.
Cloudways is not the cheapest host. It is not the simplest first host. Its strength is giving serious website owners managed access to cloud infrastructure, server resources, caching workflows, backups, and scaling controls through a more usable hosting platform.
For affiliate marketers, that matters because monetized WordPress sites often become heavier over time. Review pages, comparison tables, product boxes, affiliate-link tracking, analytics, email forms, ad scripts, and SEO plugins all add technical weight.
Cloudways scorecard
These scores are editorial judgments based on Cloudways’ public product information, managed cloud architecture, WordPress fit, affiliate-site use cases, and comparison against common alternatives.
| Category | Score | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Performance potential | 9/10 | Strong performance ceiling because Cloudways runs on cloud infrastructure and supports server-level performance workflows. Actual speed depends on your theme, plugins, caching, scripts, traffic, and optimization quality. |
| Ease of use | 7.5/10 | Easier than direct VPS, but more involved than beginner shared hosting because you still need to understand resources, scaling, backups, applications, and caching. |
| WordPress fit | 8.5/10 | Strong fit for WordPress because it supports managed WordPress workflows, caching, backups, Redis/Object Cache Pro, server controls, and scaling options. |
| Affiliate-site fit | 9/10 | Excellent for monetized content sites that need stable review pages, comparison posts, product tables, affiliate CTAs, and conversion-focused layouts. |
| Agency fit | 8.5/10 | Useful for agencies managing multiple WordPress sites with different traffic, resource, and client requirements. |
| Beginner friendliness | 6/10 | Usable, but not ideal for total beginners who want the cheapest all-in-one hosting experience. |
| Pricing transparency | 8/10 | Cloudways’ official pricing page currently lists plans starting from $14/month, but pricing varies by provider and server size. |
| Scalability | 9/10 | Strong upgrade path through larger server resources and cloud provider choices. |
| Overall verdict | 8.5/10 | A strong managed cloud hosting option for serious WordPress and affiliate sites that have outgrown shared hosting. |
What Cloudways actually is
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting control layer. It is not traditional shared hosting, and it is not the same as renting a raw unmanaged VPS.
Not basic shared hosting
Cloudways is not positioned as the cheapest beginner host. It is better suited once your site has become important enough to need better infrastructure.
Not raw VPS hosting
You do not have to manage every server task yourself. Cloudways adds a managed dashboard and platform layer.
Managed cloud hosting
You choose cloud resources while Cloudways handles much of the hosting management workflow.
Cloudways’ official pricing page currently lists plans starting from $14/month and references hosting built on cloud providers including DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud. That makes Cloudways meaningfully different from low-cost shared hosting.
Who Cloudways is best for
| Best for | Why Cloudways makes sense |
|---|---|
| Affiliate sites with monetized pages | Better infrastructure can support heavier review pages, comparison tables, affiliate tracking, product boxes, and conversion-focused layouts. |
| WordPress businesses | Good fit when the website contributes to leads, sales, bookings, email capture, or customer acquisition. |
| Agencies | Useful for managing multiple client sites with different traffic, resource, and performance requirements. |
| Sites outgrowing shared hosting | A practical upgrade when budget hosting starts to feel slow, constrained, or unreliable. |
| Users who want control without sysadmin work | Cloudways gives more infrastructure control than shared hosting without forcing you to manage a raw VPS manually. |
Who should skip Cloudways
| Skip Cloudways if… | Better option |
|---|---|
| You want the cheapest host | Choose an entry-level shared host and upgrade when the site becomes commercially important. |
| You need domain and email bundled | Use a beginner all-in-one host or separate your domain, email, and hosting stack. |
| You are a total beginner | Bluehost or SiteGround may feel easier for your first WordPress site. |
| You want premium managed WordPress with less decision-making | Compare Kinsta or WPX. |
| You do not want to think about server resources | Choose a simpler managed WordPress host that abstracts infrastructure decisions more heavily. |
Cloudways pricing explained
Cloudways’ official pricing page currently says plans start from $14/month. Pricing depends on the selected cloud provider and server size, so always verify live pricing before buying.
| Pricing factor | What it means | Buyer advice |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Cloudways pricing currently starts from $14/month. | Check the live pricing page before purchase. |
| Provider choice | Pricing changes depending on whether you choose DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, or another available infrastructure option. | Most WordPress affiliate sites should compare cost-effective plans first. |
| Server size | Larger resources cost more but can support heavier sites and more traffic. | Start practical, monitor real usage, then scale intentionally. |
| Add-ons | Email, support upgrades, or optional services may add cost. | Plan your full stack before migrating a revenue site. |
Check current Cloudways pricing
Hosting prices and included features can change. Verify live Cloudways pricing before choosing a plan.
Cloudways vs Bluehost, SiteGround, Kinsta, WPX, direct VPS, and DigitalOcean direct
Cloudways is strongest when compared against the right alternatives. It is usually not the best choice for the cheapest beginner setup, but it can be a strong upgrade for serious WordPress sites.
| Alternative | Choose Cloudways if | Choose the alternative if | Best user type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudways vs Bluehost | Your site has outgrown beginner shared hosting and needs more control. | You are launching your first site and want the simplest low-cost path. | Bluehost: beginners. Cloudways: growing WordPress sites. |
| Cloudways vs SiteGround | You want more cloud-style resource control and scalability. | You want simpler WordPress hosting with easier beginner onboarding. | SiteGround: beginner/intermediate users. Cloudways: growth-focused users. |
| Cloudways vs Kinsta | You want cloud flexibility and resource control. | You want premium managed WordPress with fewer infrastructure decisions. | Kinsta: premium managed WordPress. Cloudways: flexible managed cloud. |
| Cloudways vs WPX | You want provider choice and scalable cloud resources. | You want a simpler premium WordPress hosting experience. | WPX: simplicity/support. Cloudways: control and flexibility. |
| Cloudways vs direct VPS | You want VPS/cloud performance without server administration. | You are technical and want the lowest infrastructure cost. | Direct VPS: developers. Cloudways: serious non-sysadmin site owners. |
| Cloudways vs DigitalOcean direct | You want DigitalOcean-style infrastructure with a managed platform layer. | You are comfortable configuring, securing, and maintaining servers yourself. | DigitalOcean direct: technical builders. Cloudways: managed cloud users. |
Decision shortcut
Choose Cloudways if your WordPress site has outgrown shared hosting but you do not want to manage raw VPS infrastructure.
Why hosting matters for affiliate sites
Hosting does not create topical authority by itself, but it supports the technical foundation your content, UX, and CRO depend on.
Faster money pages
Review pages and “best X” posts often include images, buttons, tables, scripts, and tracking. Better infrastructure can give those pages more headroom.
Better comparison-post UX
Visitors evaluating products need a fast, stable page experience. Slow comparison tables and delayed CTAs can weaken conversion flow.
Fewer plugin bottlenecks
Affiliate sites often use SEO plugins, link managers, table tools, ad scripts, analytics, and email forms. Hosting quality matters more as complexity grows.
More stable peak traffic
Traffic can spike after rankings improve, newsletters go out, or seasonal demand rises. A stronger hosting setup can reduce infrastructure stress.
How we evaluated Cloudways
We evaluated Cloudways using public pricing, documented product features, hosting architecture, WordPress suitability, affiliate-site use cases, performance-risk factors, and comparison against common alternatives.
What we verified
- Pricing currently starts from $14/month
- Cloudways references DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud infrastructure
- Object Cache Pro is Redis-powered performance tooling
- The affiliate program publicly advertises up to 30% commission
What we did not fake
- No fake speed tests
- No fake uptime study
- No fake conversion lift
- No fake ranking guarantee
- No fake aggregate rating
When to re-check
- Pricing changes
- Provider options change
- Support tiers change
- Performance features change
- AMFS publishes controlled benchmarks
Cloudways WordPress walkthrough video
This video placement gives visual learners a quick walkthrough. Replace it with your own AMFS Cloudways review video when you publish one.
Cloudways pros and cons
Pros
- Strong upgrade path from shared hosting
- Managed cloud hosting without raw VPS administration
- Good fit for WordPress and affiliate sites
- Useful for agencies and client sites
- Scalable provider/resource model
- Supports Redis/Object Cache Pro workflows
- Pricing currently starts from $14/month
Cons
- Not the cheapest host
- Not the easiest first host for total beginners
- Requires some server-resource awareness
- Email hosting is not bundled like traditional shared hosting
- Domain registration is not the core buying experience
- Direct VPS can be cheaper for technical users
Cloudways is growth hosting, not beginner hosting
Cloudways is a strong choice if your WordPress site has become important enough that cheap shared hosting is now a limitation.
It is especially compelling for affiliate marketers, WordPress publishers, agencies, small businesses, WooCommerce sites, and lead-generation websites that want managed cloud performance without maintaining servers directly.
Skip Cloudways if you want the cheapest possible hosting, a domain/email bundle, or a completely beginner-first hosting dashboard.
Cloudways FAQ
Is Cloudways good for WordPress?
Yes. Cloudways is a strong WordPress hosting option for growing sites that want managed cloud hosting, more performance headroom than shared hosting, and WordPress performance tooling such as Redis/Object Cache Pro.
Is Cloudways good for affiliate marketing?
Yes. Cloudways is a good fit for monetized affiliate sites with review pages, comparison tables, plugins, tracking scripts, and traffic growth. Hosting does not guarantee rankings or revenue, but it can support better UX and technical stability.
Is Cloudways better than Bluehost?
Cloudways is usually better for growing WordPress sites that need more performance control and scalability. Bluehost is usually better for beginners who want a cheaper and simpler first hosting setup.
Is Cloudways better than Kinsta?
Cloudways is better if you want provider choice, resource control, and managed cloud flexibility. Kinsta may be better if you want a premium managed WordPress platform with fewer infrastructure decisions.
Does Cloudways include email hosting?
Cloudways does not work like traditional shared hosting with standard inbox hosting bundled into every basic plan. Users should plan email separately through add-ons or external email services.
Does Cloudways include domain registration?
Cloudways is primarily a managed cloud hosting platform, not a domain registrar-first bundle. Most users register domains separately and connect DNS to Cloudways.
Is Cloudways good for beginners?
Cloudways can work for motivated beginners, but it is not the easiest first host. Total beginners may prefer Bluehost or SiteGround for simpler onboarding.
What is the best Cloudways alternative?
The best alternative depends on the buyer. Bluehost is better for beginners, SiteGround is better for simpler WordPress hosting, Kinsta is better for premium managed WordPress, WPX is better for simplified premium hosting, and direct VPS is better for technical users.
Is Cloudways worth it in 2026?
Cloudways is worth it in 2026 if your WordPress, affiliate, agency, or small-business site has outgrown cheap shared hosting and you want managed cloud performance without managing raw VPS infrastructure.
Who should not use Cloudways?
Do not use Cloudways if you want the cheapest hosting, a domain and email bundle, zero server-resource decisions, or the simplest possible beginner WordPress setup.
Alexios Papaioannou is the founder and lead editor of Affiliate Marketing for Success. He focuses on affiliate marketing systems, SEO, content strategy, monetization design, and the impact of AI-driven search on publishers. Editorial background, disclosure standards, and correction policy are documented on the site’s About Alexios and Editorial Policy pages.
