My top 3 Cloudways alternatives
By Edouard Rosenblum, Co-founder @Secret
DigitalOcean
If I am looking for a way to have hosting of the type provided by Cloudways but without using their "managed layer," then I will choose Digital Ocean to create my own opinionated stack. One concrete example of how this could be set up is as follows: I would deploy a Laravel API application on App Platform; use App Platform’s feature of being able to attach an existing database (in my case a managed PostgreSQL database); and store media and backups in Spaces (an S3 compatible storage system.) Because App Platform has the ability to support small deployments initially and scaling larger later without having to provision all over again, it allows me to get started with very low overhead. In addition to deploying applications, when working with larger groups/teams, I like that Digital Ocean offers Droplets, Firewalls and Managed Databases, which means that I do not need to deal with multiple vendors.
Render
Render clicks for me when the workflow is “push to Git, get a running service.” I can run a web service plus a background worker (for queues) and keep static marketing pages on their free static hosting. I also like that one-off jobs and workflows have explicit instance types (Starter/Standard/Pro) with hourly rates and per-second prorating, which makes batch tasks feel predictable instead of “mystery cloud bill.”
WP Engine
WP Engine is where I land when the requirement is specifically “WordPress, but with guardrails.” I get 1-click staging/dev environments and a security/performance bundle that explicitly calls out a managed WAF, DDoS mitigation, Cloudflare CDN, and SSL. That’s a different trade-off than Cloudways: fewer server knobs, but a hosting product built around WordPress lifecycle work (updates, staging flows, incident response) instead of general-purpose app hosting.
List of Alternatives to Cloudways
Here are some of Cloudways's top competitors in the Cloud Storage category: DigitalOcean, Render, WP Engine or Scalingo.
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Free for static sites, starts at $5/month for dynamic appsManaged Databases
Starts at $15/monthJade Tran
Reliable Service, High Pricing
DigitalOcean provides a reliable and user-friendly cloud service. The infrastructure is stable, the management interface is easy to use, and deploying servers is straightforward. However, the pricing is relatively high compared to some other cloud providers offering similar resources. It would be great if DigitalOcean could provide more discount codes, promotional offers, or lower pricing for long-term users. Overall, I am satisfied with the service and would be more likely to use DigitalOcean for a longer period if there were more competitive pricing options.
September 29, 2026
Why is DigitalOcean a good alternative to Cloudways?
DigitalOcean is a good Cloudways alternative for developers or small ops teams who want to standardize on one cloud vendor and are willing to own the runbook. I like it when I’m building a product that might outgrow a managed hosting abstraction: I can start on App Platform for a Git-based deploy flow (smallest container listed at $5/month) and later move hot paths to Droplets or Kubernetes without changing providers. It’s also a clean fit if I need managed building blocks Cloudways often “wraps,” like managed databases and object storage, but I want direct access to native networking and security constructs. The flip side (and why it’s not for everyone) is that Cloudways’ convenience features, like one-click staging, offsite backups, and platform cache controls, become my responsibility to recreate with tooling and process.
What's the difference between DigitalOcean and Cloudways?
See the full comparison between Cloudways & DigitalOcean
Render is a unified cloud hosting platform. It allows you to create and run your websites and applications with a combination of performance and ease of use. Render’s strength is that it adapts to all your needs by providing the resources to bring all your projects to life.
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Run anything with Render
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Use your usual development environment
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Why is Render a good alternative to Cloudways?
Render is a good alternative for product teams that ship frequently and prefer “services” over “servers.” I like it most for a classic SaaS layout: web service + background worker + scheduled jobs + managed datastore, all wired to GitHub/GitLab. The killer detail for me is that workers and one-off jobs aren’t hacks, they’re explicit service types, and the docs enumerate instance type IDs and specs (e.g., Starter/Standard/Pro, and Pro Plus up to 8 GB RAM for cron jobs). For batch/automation, workflows also publish per-hour pricing by instance type (and per-second billing), which is handy when I’m trying to keep CI-like compute from quietly ballooning. If I’m hosting WordPress with Cloudways mainly because I don’t want to run servers, Render often matches that motivation better, assuming the app fits a PaaS model.
What are the differences between Render and Cloudways?
Render differs from Cloudways mainly in deployment model and the unit of infrastructure. Cloudways looks like “pick a cloud vendor + server size, then install WordPress/Laravel/etc. and manage via the console,” with platform features like staging and offsite backups. Render looks like “define a service (web/private/worker), connect a repo, and let the platform build and run it,” plus first-class background workers and one-off jobs. For pricing mechanics, Render’s docs explicitly price workflow compute by instance type (e.g., Standard at $0.20/hour) and prorate by the second, which is a different mental model than Cloudways’ monthly server pricing. If I need root-level tuning, multi-provider choice (AWS/GCP/DO), or the Cloudways-style server-centric view, Render is simply a different product category.
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WordPress Hosting
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Why is WP Engine a good alternative to Cloudways?
WP Engine is a strong alternative for WordPress agencies, content teams, and ecommerce operators who care more about “no surprises during updates” than about picking a specific cloud VM. I reach for it when stakeholders ask for concrete security posture and operational features rather than infrastructure flexibility. Their plans explicitly call out managed WAF + DDoS mitigation alongside Cloudflare CDN and SSL, and I like having those words in black and white when I’m doing vendor reviews. The dev/stage/prod workflow is also built into the offering (1-click staging and dev environments), which maps to how WordPress work actually happens: plugin testing, theme changes, and pre-release QA. Compared with Cloudways, the niche win is focus: fewer “host anything” paths, more WordPress-specific operational defaults.
What's the difference between WP Engine and Cloudways?
See the full comparison between Cloudways & WP Engine
Scalingo is a cloud hosting platform that allows developers to work serenely on their prototypes from development to production. They can host their apps easily without having to worry about server management.
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Quick and easy integration
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Secure your data
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Hassle-free scalable hosting
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Deploy your projects
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Advanced automation and optimization
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Private networking
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Simple API integration
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Excellent Dashboard but Inadequate Support Service
The dashboard is impressive and appears to have undergone significant refinement. However, the support service is significantly lacking. There seems to be a high turnover among the support agents handling tickets, leading to information loss and inefficiency. Specifically, I encountered an issue with the Join Secret credit not working for their Elastic Metal offering. Despite providing multiple messages demonstrating the problem and keeping the ticket open for three days, the issue remains unresolved. The primary issue is that each new agent brought into the case overlooks critical details. At one point, I was incorrectly informed that the problem was with my card, despite my clear explanation that the issue was with the credit being applied as intended.
July 26, 2024
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What's the difference between Hostinger and Cloudways?
See the full comparison between Cloudways & Hostinger
If you’re looking for ultra-fast hosting, Servebolt is what you need. It is a cloud service provider that guarantees security, scalability and speed to all its customers.
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