Cloudways Review 2025: The Best Managed Cloud Hosting for Agencies, Developers, and High-Growth Businesses?

Looking for a managed cloud hosting solution that delivers exceptional performance without the complexity of server management? In this comprehensive Cloudways review for 2025, I’ll examine whether this platform truly delivers on its promise to simplify cloud hosting while maintaining the power and flexibility technical users demand.

As websites and applications grow more complex, the need for reliable, scalable hosting becomes critical. Cloudways positions itself at the intersection of performance and usability—but does it deliver enough value to justify its cost compared to direct cloud provider relationships? Let’s find out.

What is Cloudways? Understanding Managed Cloud Hosting

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that acts as a middleman between you and major cloud infrastructure providers. Rather than dealing directly with complex server configuration and maintenance, Cloudways provides a streamlined management interface while leveraging the infrastructure of industry giants.

The platform connects to five leading cloud providers: DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This approach gives you the performance benefits of cloud hosting without requiring deep technical expertise in server administration.

Cloudways offers two distinct hosting types:

• Cloudways Flexible – Provides extensive control over your hosting environment (except root access) with your choice of cloud provider
• Cloudways Autonomous – A fully managed solution supporting on-demand scaling for handling high concurrent user loads

This review focuses primarily on Cloudways Flexible hosting, which is the more popular option for most businesses and developers. The platform has grown significantly, now hosting over 570,000 websites across more than 100,000 customers.

Cloudways Key Features: What Sets It Apart in 2025

Before diving into the detailed review, let’s examine the standout features that make Cloudways a compelling option for managed cloud hosting in 2025:

Cloudways Pros and Cons: The Complete Picture

Cloudways Performance: Speed Tests and Analysis

Performance is often the primary reason users choose Cloudways over traditional hosting. To provide an objective assessment, I conducted comprehensive speed tests across different server configurations and applications.

Time to First Byte (TTFB) Analysis

TTFB is a critical metric indicating server response time. In my tests across different Cloudways configurations:

• DigitalOcean: Average TTFB of 180-220ms
• Vultr Standard: Average TTFB of 160-200ms
• Vultr High Frequency: Average TTFB of 120-170ms (best performer)
• Linode: Average TTFB of 170-210ms
• AWS: Average TTFB of 150-190ms
• Google Cloud: Average TTFB of 140-180ms

These results consistently outperform traditional shared hosting, which typically delivers TTFB in the 300-500ms range. The Vultr High Frequency servers delivered the most impressive performance, with TTFB consistently under 170ms.

Full Page Load Performance

Beyond server response time, I tested complete page loading performance using GTMetrix and Google PageSpeed Insights:

Test results for a standard WordPress site with the Kadence theme on Vultr HF:

• Largest Contentful Paint: 0.8 seconds
• Total Blocking Time: 42ms
• Cumulative Layout Shift: 0.01
• Overall GTMetrix Score: 98%

Even with more complex setups like WooCommerce stores, Cloudways maintained impressive performance:

• WooCommerce + Gutenberg: LCP of 1.2s, TBT of 120ms
• WooCommerce + Elementor: LCP of 1.9s, TBT of 210ms

The built-in Varnish caching, combined with Redis and Memcached, provides multiple layers of performance optimization. When paired with Cloudflare Enterprise CDN (available as an add-on), page load times improved by up to 60-70% in my tests.

Cloudways Pricing: Understanding the Cost Structure

Cloudways uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model with no long-term contracts. You’re billed monthly based on your chosen cloud provider and server specifications. Let’s break down the pricing structure for 2025:

Starting Prices by Cloud Provider (2025)

Cloudways Autonomous Pricing

For businesses needing auto-scaling capabilities, Cloudways Autonomous starts at $35/month and automatically scales based on traffic demands. This Kubernetes-based solution is ideal for high-traffic websites and applications with variable load patterns.

Additional Costs and Add-ons

• Cloudflare Enterprise CDN: $4.99/month (includes 100GB bandwidth)
• Email Add-on (via Rackspace): $1/month per mailbox
• Application Migration Service: First site free, then $25 per site
• Premium Support: Starting at $100/month (Advanced) or $500/month (Premium)
• CloudwaysCDN: $1 for 25GB, then $0.04/GB

Understanding the Value Proposition

While Cloudways pricing is higher than using cloud providers directly, the value comes from:

• Simplified Management: No server administration expertise required
• Time Savings: Automated server setup, optimization, and maintenance
• Built-in Performance: Pre-configured caching and optimization
• Support: 24/7 technical assistance included
• Flexibility: No long-term contracts with hourly billing available

Cloudways Ease of Use: Platform Interface and Management

Cloudways replaces traditional cPanel with a custom-built control panel designed specifically for cloud hosting management. Let’s examine how user-friendly the platform is, especially for technical users like developers and agencies.

Server Deployment and Setup

Launching a new server on Cloudways is remarkably straightforward:

1. Choose an application (WordPress, WooCommerce, Laravel, etc.)
2. Select a cloud provider (DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, or Google Cloud)
3. Pick server specifications (RAM, storage, processing power)
4. Select a data center location closest to your target audience
5. Name your server and application
6. Click “Launch” and wait 5-10 minutes for deployment

The entire process is wizard-driven and requires no technical knowledge of cloud infrastructure. Cloudways handles all the complex server provisioning and security hardening behind the scenes.

Application Management

Once your server is deployed, Cloudways provides comprehensive application management tools:

• Access Details: WordPress admin credentials, database access, SFTP details
• Domain Management: Connect custom domains and set up SSL certificates
• Backup and Restore: One-click backups and point-in-time restoration
• Staging Areas: Create staging environments for testing changes
• Application Settings: Configure PHP versions, memory limits, and more
• Monitoring: Track application performance, traffic, and resource usage

Server Management

For more technical users, Cloudways offers advanced server management capabilities:

• Service Control: Manage Apache, Nginx, MySQL, Redis, and other services
• Package Updates: Update PHP, MySQL, and other components
• Security: IP whitelisting, firewall rules, and bot protection
• Vertical Scaling: Increase server resources with a few clicks
• SSH Access: Terminal access for advanced users (no root access)
• SFTP Access: File management through SFTP clients

Team Collaboration

For agencies and development teams, Cloudways offers robust collaboration features:

• Team Member Management: Add team members with specific roles
• Granular Permissions: Control access to servers, applications, and billing
• Project Organization: Group servers and applications by project
• Activity Logging: Track changes made by team members

Cloudways Support and Documentation

Quality support is crucial for managed hosting services. Let’s evaluate Cloudways’ support options and documentation quality in 2025.

Support Channels and Availability

Cloudways offers multiple support channels with their standard plan:

• 24/7 Live Chat: Available around the clock for technical assistance
• Support Tickets: For more complex issues requiring investigation
• Knowledge Base: Extensive documentation and tutorials
• Community Forum: User discussions and shared solutions
• Blog and Guides: Regular updates with technical articles

For users needing priority support, Cloudways offers premium support plans:

• Advanced Support ($100/month): Priority queue, phone support
• Premium Support ($500/month): Dedicated account manager, priority resolution

Support Quality Assessment

Based on my testing and user feedback, here’s how Cloudways support performs:

Live chat response times typically range from 2-5 minutes during testing. Support agents demonstrate good technical knowledge, particularly for common WordPress and server configuration issues. For more complex problems, ticket escalation may be necessary, which can extend resolution time.

Documentation Quality

Cloudways excels in documentation quality. Their knowledge base includes:

• Getting Started Guides: Comprehensive onboarding tutorials
• Technical Documentation: Detailed explanations of platform features
• Troubleshooting Guides: Solutions for common issues
• Video Tutorials: Visual walkthroughs of key processes
• API Documentation: For developers integrating with Cloudways

The documentation is well-organized, regularly updated, and includes helpful screenshots. This makes self-service resolution possible for many common questions.

Cloudways vs Competitors: How Does It Compare in 2025?

To provide context for this Cloudways review, let’s compare it with other popular hosting options for developers, agencies, and growing businesses.

Cloudways vs SiteGround

SiteGround offers better beginner-friendly features and includes email hosting, while Cloudways delivers superior performance and scalability for growing websites.

Cloudways vs Kinsta

Kinsta offers a more premium, WordPress-focused experience with better support, while Cloudways provides similar performance at a lower price point with more flexibility for different application types.

Cloudways vs Direct Cloud Providers

Direct cloud providers offer lower costs but require significant technical expertise and time investment for server management, security, and optimization. Cloudways provides a middle ground with managed services at a reasonable premium.

Who Should Use Cloudways? Ideal Use Cases

Based on this Cloudways review, let’s identify which types of users would benefit most from this managed cloud hosting platform.

Who Should Look Elsewhere?

Cloudways may not be the best fit for:

• Complete Beginners: The platform assumes some technical knowledge
• Non-PHP Applications: Limited support for Node.js, Python, Ruby, etc.
• Enterprise with Specific Compliance Needs: May require more specialized hosting
• Budget-Constrained Users: Shared hosting remains cheaper for basic sites

Cloudways FAQ: Common Questions Answered

Cloudways Review 2025: Final Verdict

After thoroughly evaluating Cloudways for this 2025 review, it’s clear that the platform delivers exceptional value for its target audience of agencies, developers, and growing businesses.

Key Strengths

• Outstanding Performance: Cloudways delivers exceptional speed across all cloud providers, with Vultr HF offering the best performance-to-cost ratio
• Cloud Provider Flexibility: The ability to choose from five major cloud providers gives users unprecedented flexibility
• Powerful Management Tools: The custom control panel strikes an excellent balance between simplicity and technical capability
• Scalability: Seamless vertical scaling and the option for auto-scaling with Cloudways Autonomous
• Developer-Friendly: Git integration, staging environments, and team collaboration features cater well to technical users
• Pay-as-you-go Pricing: No long-term contracts with transparent, usage-based billing

Areas for Improvement

• No Email Hosting: The lack of included email hosting necessitates additional services
• Learning Curve: The platform requires some technical knowledge to fully utilize
• Support Consistency: While generally good, support quality can vary depending on the complexity of issues
• Limited Application Types: Primarily focused on PHP-based applications

Cloudways has established itself as a leading managed cloud hosting platform by successfully bridging the gap between the performance of cloud infrastructure and the ease of managed hosting. For agencies managing multiple client sites, developers seeking performance without server management headaches, and growing businesses requiring scalability, Cloudways offers a compelling solution.

The platform’s multi-cloud approach provides flexibility rarely seen in the managed hosting space, while its performance optimizations deliver speeds that rival much more expensive hosting solutions. The custom control panel successfully abstracts away complex server management while still providing the tools technical users need.

While not the cheapest option available, Cloudways delivers excellent value when considering the time saved on server management, the performance benefits, and the flexibility of its pay-as-you-go model. For most users in its target market, the additional cost over direct cloud providers is easily justified by the platform’s capabilities and convenience.