SiteGround vs Cloudways
SiteGround vs Cloudways represents managed WordPress hosting against cloud infrastructure management. SiteGround handles everything; Cloudways gives you more control over cloud server selection. Different approaches for different technical comfort levels.
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Quick Answer
SiteGround beats Cloudways for most users. It scores 9/10 vs 8.6/10 and excellent customer support (phone, chat, tickets). Choose Cloudways if you need choose from 5 cloud providers.
SiteGround
WinnerPremium hosting with exceptional support and performance
Starting from
$2.99/mo
Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting with 5 provider options
Starting from
$14/mo
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.0/10 | 8.6/10 |
| Starting Price | $2.99/mo | $14/mo |
| User Reviews | ||
| Resources | ||
| Storage | 10GB SSD | 25GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | 1TB |
| Websites | 1 | Unlimited |
| Email Accounts | Unlimited | None |
| Features | ||
| Free Domain | ||
| WordPress Optimized | ||
| CDN Included | ||
| Security & Reliability | ||
| Free SSL | ||
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.99% |
| Backup | Daily | On-demand |
Pros & Cons Breakdown
SiteGround
- Excellent customer support (phone, chat, tickets)
- Free daily backups
- Free CDN and SSL
- Custom SuperCacher for speed
- Free site migration
- Staging environments included
- Higher renewal prices
- Limited storage on basic plans
- No monthly billing option
Cloudways
- Choose from 5 cloud providers
- Excellent performance and scalability
- Pay-as-you-go pricing
- Free SSL and CDN
- Staging environments
- Server cloning and scaling
- No email hosting included
- Steeper learning curve
- No domain registration
Key Difference
SiteGround is traditional managed hosting with shared/cloud servers. Cloudways lets you deploy on major cloud providers with their management layer. SiteGround is simpler; Cloudways is more flexible and potentially more powerful.
Which Should You Choose?
SiteGround
Choose SiteGround if you want fully managed hosting with excellent support, prefer simple cPanel-style management, run one or a few WordPress sites, or don't want to think about server configuration.
Cloudways
Choose Cloudways if you want to choose your cloud provider (DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud), need to scale specific resources independently, run an agency with many client sites, or enjoy infrastructure management.
Our Verdict
SiteGround wins for most WordPress users with simpler management and excellent support. Cloudways wins for developers and agencies who want to choose their cloud provider and don't mind more hands-on management. Technical skill level is the deciding factor.
Thinking of Switching?
Moving between these requires more planning than typical host switches. Cloudways offers migration assistance. Consider whether you want more control (Cloudways) or less complexity (SiteGround).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SiteGround better than Cloudways?
SiteGround scores higher in our testing (9/10 vs 8.6/10). SiteGround excels at excellent customer support (phone, chat, tickets), while Cloudways is better for choose from 5 cloud providers.
Which is cheaper, SiteGround or Cloudways?
SiteGround is more affordable at $2.99/mo vs $14.00/mo. SiteGround offers 79% savings.
SiteGround vs Cloudways: which should I choose?
Choose SiteGround if you prioritize excellent customer support (phone, chat, tickets). Choose Cloudways if you need choose from 5 cloud providers. Both are solid web hosting options.
What's the main difference between SiteGround and Cloudways?
The main difference is SiteGround offers premium hosting with exceptional support and performance, while Cloudways focuses on managed cloud hosting with 5 provider options.