Website hosting

Cloudways review: is it right once your site starts growing?

If your site is starting to get real traffic, or you're planning an online store that might grow quickly, Cloudways is built to handle that better than a basic starter host. Here's what it's actually like to use.

Best for
Growing sites & stores
Starting price
About $11/month
Try Cloudways → Compare with other options

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What is it, in plain terms?

Cloudways doesn't run its own servers — instead, it rents space from big cloud companies (like Google Cloud or AWS) and makes them much easier to use than setting that up yourself. The trade-off is that it assumes you're a little more comfortable clicking around a dashboard than an absolute beginner host would.

The good and the not-so-good

What we liked

  • Handles sudden bursts of visitors well, without your site slowing down or crashing
  • You only pay for the computing power you actually use
  • Choice of a few different cloud providers depending on your needs
  • Solid support team if you get stuck

Worth knowing before you sign up

  • No free domain name included, unlike some cheaper hosts
  • Dashboard has a few more settings and options than a beginner-focused host
  • Email hosting isn't included — you'll need a separate service for that
  • Slightly more to think about upfront than a simple one-click host

Is it right for you?

Probably yes, if...

Your site already gets decent traffic, you're expecting it to grow, or you want a store that can handle a busy sale day without slowing down.

Maybe look elsewhere, if...

This is your very first website and you'd rather start with the simplest possible option — a beginner host like Hostinger may be a gentler starting point.

Common questions

Do I need to know how to code to use Cloudways?

Not really, but it does involve a bit more setup than the simplest hosts, since you're picking a cloud provider and server size.

Can I use my own domain name?

Yes, you can connect a domain you already own.

What happens if I suddenly get a lot of visitors?

This is where Cloudways does well — it's built to handle traffic spikes more gracefully than basic shared hosting.

Is it a good fit for a first website?

It can be, but it's better suited to someone who expects meaningful growth soon, rather than someone testing the waters.