Cloudways Hosting Review 2023

Thinking of using cloud-based web hosting rather than your typical shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting? 

That’s great! 

A lot of site owners have already made the switch from their traditional servers to cloud servers. 

And where did a lot of them switch to? Cloudways.

Cloudways is a popular choice for cloud-based web hosting. 

But is it the best? We’ll help you figure that out in this Cloudways hosting review 2023.

To help us know if it’s really any good, we’ll be looking at:

• Reliability and performance
• Products and features
• Pricing
• Security
• Customer support

Plus, we’ll look at the pros and cons and reviews of this provider. 

This is a lot. So let’s get started. 

Cloudways Overview

Cloudways was founded by three guys from Malta way back in 2009. Their mission was to give cloud-based web hosting solutions that are reliable, user-friendly, and affordable. 

And with that, they made sure that Cloudways was a seamless hosting provider where even beginners can get started with secure, fast, and high-performing hosting. 

Here’s a quick chart to see Cloudways at a glance:

There’s one word that will tell you if a web host is reliable - uptime. 

While no web host can give you a 100% uptime rate, Cloudways is consistent with a 99% performance. 

Yep, they consistently reach this promise, which alone makes it an ideal partner. 

But a consistent uptime is also attributed to cloud hosting. 

Because cloud hosting has a lot of backup virtual servers, any server can automatically jump to another server’s aid when the latter experiences a downtime. 

And since Cloudways has multiple virtual servers backing a website, it’s a rare occasion that you’ll see your site down. 

But what about performance?

Performance is usually synonymous with site speed. 

Of course, you don’t want your site to load for a long time, whether or not you’re planning to do SEO. 

Lucky for you, Cloudways comes with a free CDN (content delivery network) that increases your site’s speed. 

And that’s not all. This cloud web host also has a stack of performance boosters, such as Apache, Redis, and Varnis that help lessen the loading time of your site. 

Products and Features

As a company focusing on cloud-based web hosting, Cloudways only has one type of web hosting they provide. 

So if you’re looking for shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting, then you’re better off looking someplace else. 

However, I urge you to take a look at Cloudways’ features before deciding that cloud-based web hosting isn’t for you. 

I’ve been talking a lot about cloud-based web hosting, but what does it mean?

Cloud-based web hosting uses virtual servers as storage for your website’s files and data. 

It’s a lot like Google Drive, but unlike the latter, Cloudways allows your website to be accessible all over the World Wide Web. 

So what separates this provider from others who offer cloud-based hosting?

Cloudways has a lot of features for their basic standard plan. Aside from the usual free SSL certificate, CDN, 24/7 support, this provider goes the extra mile by adding performance boosters and security features. 

For example, you get advanced caches that help increase your site’s speed. You also get 24/7 security monitoring, dedicated firewalls, and automated backups. 

All for the starting price of $10!*

Pricing

Cloudways has two kinds of plans - standard and premium. 

However, there aren’t any major differences between these 2 plans. The only significant difference is the add ons such as priority customer support, application upgrades, and email hosting. 

But despite having just one type of web hosting available, Cloudways has 5 different virtual data centers you can choose from.

Here is a quick price guide:

Security

Almost everyone is concerned with security and that’s a good thing. 

Cloudways itself is committed to giving you a secure virtual server with free SSL certificates. Whatever plan you get, you will automatically have a free SSL certificate. 

But it doesn’t stop there. 

This web hosting service also has around-the-clock security monitoring. And this isn’t done by a robot. 

So even before malware becomes a threat, someone from Cloudways will already detect it. 

It also helps that Cloudways has automatic backups and several copies of your website so that you don’t have to fear losing all your data. 

Customer Support

Cloudways doesn’t have 24/7 email and phone call support. 

But that’s okay. Why?

Because Cloudways doesn’t experience a lot of technical problems and downtimes. You’re rarely going to encounter an issue with your website. 

And even if you do, their live chat support is so strong that you won’t even notice that there’s no call or email option. 

What I also appreciate with Cloudways is that their customer support team isn’t like others as they don’t upsell you higher plans or add-ons. 

They just answer your questions directly and help solve issues quickly. In my opinion, this is the only customer support that matters.

Cloudways Pros and Cons

There’s a lot to love about Cloudways, but it’s not perfect. It still has its pros and cons. Here’s a summarized list:

Let’s first talk about the pros. 

Affordable Managed Cloud-Based Hosting

A lot of people aren’t keen on cloud-based hosting because it’s expensive. Sure, it’s not as affordable as shared hosting, but for its features, security, and storage, Cloudways convinces you that they’re worth considering. 

Intuitive and User-Friendly Interface

Worried that you need to be techy to understand Cloudways? There’s no need for that. 

Cloudways’ interface is so intuitive that you can quickly understand what needs to be done. Its own control panel and dashboard are so easy to navigate as well.

Pay-As-You-Go Billing

It’s such a relief to find a web host that offers a pay-as-you-go billing scheme. 

Yep, even if Cloudways has monthly prices, you won’t be billed the full fee if you decide to cut your plan in the middle of the month. You’re only going to pay for what you consumed. 

Cloudways Cons

What are the cons to Cloudways?

No Domain Registration

Unlike most web hosts, Cloudways doesn’t have any domain registration. So you have to pay and register from a third party (who can also be a competitor). 

Additional Fees for Email Addresses

Unfortunately, Cloudways doesn’t have any email addresses included in their plan (even on their premium packages). 

However, they did partner with Rackspace to provide you with email addresses. The downside is that you have to pay a dollar for every email address.

No Call or Email Support

The no-call or no-email support service isn’t a big deal for me because Cloudways’ live chat is already fast and responsive. However, it would be better if there are other ways to contact a customer representative. 

What Do Customers Have to Say?

Want to know what customers have to say about Cloudways? 

Here are some reviews from G2:

Of course, some customers still wish that Cloudways had free domain registration, but other than that, most of their users found the provider to be the best they’ve partnered with. 

FAQs

What is cloud-based web hosting?

Cloud-based web hosting is the type of hosting wherein your data and files are stored on a “cloud server”. Meaning, it’s stored virtually rather than on physical servers and data centers.

Is Cloudways fast and secure?

Yes, Cloudways is fast and secure. It uses SSD (solid-state drivers) for its data storage and all its plans have SSL certificates.

Is Cloudways worth it?

Cloudways offer affordable packages that you don’t have to pay in advance. Their most affordable plan starts as low as $10*, and with this, you get a bunch of freebies and software that are more than enough to get started.

Conclusion

So is Cloudways a great cloud-based web hosting provider? 

A resounding yes! 

It has all the features you’ll need and want while still maintaining an affordable monthly price. 

It’s also reliable and it has a very intuitive interface that beginners will appreciate. 

And if you ever need any proof of their service, don’t forget that they’re given a 5/5 rating by their customers.