Cloudways vs Hosting.com — Detailed Comparison
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How does Cloudways compare to Hosting.com? We break down pricing, performance, support, and features so you can pick the right host.
By Mohamed Abdelaal, Founder & Lead Hosting Analyst
Our pick: Cloudways
100% independent
Updated August 2026
Quick Verdict: Cloudways wins
Cloudways wins overall for developers and agencies needing managed cloud hosting with 60+ data centers and 99.99% uptime, but Hosting.com is the smarter choice for budget-conscious users and WordPress beginners willing to accept lower uptime (99.9%) in exchange for a $1.99 entry price, phone support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
At a Glance
Cloudways and Hosting.com target different hosting tiers: Cloudways is managed cloud infrastructure starting at $11/month; Hosting.com is value-tier shared and WordPress hosting starting at $1.99/month.
Provider Profiles
Cloudways, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Malta, specializes in managed cloud hosting across DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud. It suits developers, agencies, and growing businesses that prioritize performance, scalability, and hands-off server management over lowest cost.
- 3-Day Free Trial — No Credit Card Required
- 3 Cloud Providers: DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud
- Lightning Stack (Nginx + Varnish + Redis + PHP-FPM)
- Object Cache Pro Included Free (4GB+ servers, $95/mo value)
- Cloudways Autonomous (auto-scaling)
Hosting.com (rebranded from A2 Hosting in 2024) was founded in 2001 and operates from Michigan, USA. It offers shared, WordPress, VPS, and reseller hosting with Turbo performance options, targeting budget-first users, small businesses, and WordPress beginners who want phone support and low entry prices.
- Turbo Servers — LiteSpeed + NVMe SSD (up to 20x faster)
- Formerly A2 Hosting — 20+ Years of Performance
- Free SSL, Free Migration & cPanel Included
- 24/7 Live Chat, Phone & Ticket Support
- Choose Your Data Center at Signup
1 Features
Cloudways offers cloud infrastructure with vertical scaling and multi-cloud choice, while Hosting.com delivers traditional cPanel-based hosting with LiteSpeed Turbo optimization and broader plan variety.
Cloudways
Round winner
Cloudways includes Object Cache Pro free on 4GB+ plans ($95/mo value), unlimited websites per server, auto-scaling via Cloudways Autonomous, and free first migration by its engineers. No email hosting, domain registration, or phone support; backups cost $0.033/GB extra.
Hosting.com
Hosting.com offers 27 plans across 6 hosting types, LiteSpeed + NVMe on Turbo servers, free domain (2-year minimum), free SSL, free migration, and free CDN. Entry shared plans lack Turbo and CDN features; those are reserved for managed WordPress and higher tiers.
2 Pricing & Plans
Hosting.com's starting price is $1.99/month—over 5 times cheaper than Cloudways' $11/month—but introductory rates differ sharply from renewal costs across both platforms.
Cloudways
Cloudways starts at $11/month on DigitalOcean and scales via vertical increments; uses pay-as-you-go billing with no money-back guarantee (3-day free trial instead). No hidden add-ons; backups are the main extra cost.
Hosting.com
Round winner
Entry plans begin at $1.99/month (Node.js) or $2.99/month (shared), but renewal prices roughly triple. Includes 30-day money-back guarantee with prorated refunds. Free domain requires 2-year commitment; renewal costs ~$21.99/year. Free CDN only on Managed WordPress tier.
3 Performance
Cloudways guarantees 99.99% uptime and deploys across 60+ global data centers; Hosting.com guarantees 99.9% uptime from 10 data centers but includes LiteSpeed Turbo for raw speed on select plans.
Cloudways
Round winner
99.99% uptime SLA with 60+ data centers spanning DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud. Lightning Stack (Nginx + Varnish + Redis + PHP-FPM) ensures consistent speed. Vertical scaling adds CPU/RAM on demand for traffic spikes.
Hosting.com
99.9% uptime SLA (0.09 percentage points lower than Cloudways) from 10 data centers. Turbo servers use LiteSpeed + NVMe SSD + AMD EPYC/Ryzen CPUs for fast page loads on select plans. No auto-scaling on shared hosting; VPS required for elasticity.
4 Customer Support
Both offer 24/7 support, but Hosting.com includes phone support while Cloudways relies on chat only.
Cloudways
24/7 live chat support with 4.8/5 rating in sub-ratings. No phone support, no ticket system mentioned. Premium support tier available as paid add-on. Free migration handled by Cloudways engineers.
Hosting.com
Round winner
24/7 support via live chat, phone, and tickets (4.8/5 for reliability, 3.9/5 for support satisfaction). Phone support is uncommon at this price tier. Post-rebrand consistency is inconsistent; some users report slower ticket response.
5 Ease of Use
Cloudways abstracts server management entirely via its proprietary platform; Hosting.com uses traditional cPanel, familiar to millions but requiring more hands-on control.
Cloudways
Round winner
Cloudways Platform handles all server admin (no SSH or terminal needed), appealing to non-DevOps teams. One-click scaling, free migration, and auto-backups reduce friction. Sub-rating: 4.8/5 user-friendly.
Hosting.com
cPanel control panel is industry-standard and recognizable to most users, but less beginner-friendly on entry plans. Rebrand from A2 is incomplete; legacy branding and UI inconsistencies persist in cPanel/WHM. Sub-rating: 4.0/5 user-friendly.
6 Privacy & Security
Both offer free SSL; Cloudways provides managed security via its platform, while Hosting.com relies on standard cPanel tools and optional add-ons.
Cloudways
Round winner
Free SSL for all sites. Managed platform reduces misconfiguration risk; Cloudways handles firewalls, updates, and patches. No details on advanced DDoS, WAF, or additional security layers beyond standard SSL.
Hosting.com
Free SSL included. cPanel includes basic security (AutoSSL, IP whitelisting, Imunify360 on select plans). No WAF or DDoS protection details; advanced security likely requires paid add-ons. Post-rebrand security stance unclear.
7 Server Locations
Cloudways deploys across 60+ data centers with multi-cloud optionality; Hosting.com offers 10 data centers with manual selection at signup.
Cloudways
Round winner
60+ data centers across DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud—choice of cloud provider at signup. Global latency optimization without vendor lock-in. Exact region distribution not specified.
Hosting.com
10 data centers (exact locations not listed, but includes US, UK, Germany, and Singapore). Users select one region at signup; no multi-region failover or CDN-based distribution on base plans.
Final Verdict: Cloudways vs Hosting.com
Why choose Cloudways
- Managed cloud platform eliminates server administration—focus on code, not infrastructure.
- 60+ data centers and 99.99% uptime guarantee suit high-availability and international audiences.
- Object Cache Pro ($95/mo value) free on 4GB+ plans accelerates WordPress and dynamic sites.
- One-click vertical scaling handles traffic spikes without downtime or manual intervention.
When to consider Hosting.com
- Your budget is under $15/month and you are willing to accept 99.9% uptime instead of 99.99%.
- You need cPanel familiarity and don't require multi-cloud flexibility.
- You want phone support and a 30-day trial period before full commitment.
- You are hosting WordPress, a small business site, or a static site that does not need global scaling.
Alternatives to Consider
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cloudways offer a money-back guarantee like Hosting.com?
No. Cloudways provides a 3-day free trial (no credit card required) instead of a money-back guarantee. Hosting.com offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it lower-risk for uncertain buyers.
Can I use Cloudways for email hosting?
Cloudways does not include email hosting. You must use a third-party provider like Rackspace ($1/mailbox/month minimum) or Elastic Email. Hosting.com does not explicitly offer email either, but its cPanel integration typically supports email forwarding and POP3/IMAP accounts on shared plans.
What is the real renewal price for Hosting.com after the intro period?
Entry shared plans ($2.99/month intro) renew at roughly $11.99–$14.99/month, nearly 5 times the initial rate. Cloudways pricing is stable; a $11/month plan stays at $11/month. Always check renewal rates before signing up with Hosting.com.
Which is faster: Cloudways Lightning Stack or Hosting.com Turbo servers?
Both are fast, but they optimize differently. Hosting.com Turbo (LiteSpeed + NVMe) excels at raw page-load speed for static and WordPress content. Cloudways Lightning Stack (Nginx + Varnish + Redis) is tuned for dynamic apps and high concurrency. Speed also depends on your site type and global data-center proximity; Cloudways' 60+ locations often win on latency.
Cloudways Plans
12 plans available across all hosting types.
Cloud Hosting 12
| Plan | Price | Storage | CPU | RAM | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DO Standard 1GB — DigitalOcean | $11.00/mo | 25 GB SSD | 1 Core | 1 GB | 1 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO Premium 1GB — DigitalOcean | $14.00/mo | 25 GB NVMe | 1 Core | 1 GB | 1 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO Premium 2GB — DigitalOcean | $28.00/mo | 50 GB NVMe | 1 Core | 2 GB | 2 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| GCP Standard Small — Google Cloud | $37.33/mo | 20 GB SSD | Shared | 1.7 GB | 1 GB Transfer | Get Plan |
| AWS Standard Micro — Amazon Web Services | $38.56/mo | 20 GB EBS | 2 Cores | 1.75 GB | 2 GB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO Premium 4GB — DigitalOcean Best | $54.00/mo | 80 GB NVMe | 2 Cores | 4 GB | 4 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO Premium 8GB — DigitalOcean | $99.00/mo | 160 GB NVMe | 4 Cores | 8 GB | 5 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO General Purpose 8GB — DigitalOcean | $106.00/mo | 30 GB NVMe | 2 Cores | 8 GB | 4 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| GCP Standard Large — Google Cloud | $152.02/mo | 20 GB SSD | 2 Cores | 7.5 GB | 1 GB Transfer | Get Plan |
| DO CPU Optimized 8GB — DigitalOcean | $164.00/mo | 50 GB NVMe | 4 Cores | 8 GB | 5 TB Transfer | Get Plan |
| AWS Standard Medium — Amazon Web Services | $183.22/mo | 20 GB EBS | 2 Cores | 8 GB | 2 GB Transfer | Get Plan |
| GCP Compute Optimized XL — Google Cloud | $255.37/mo | 20 GB SSD | 4 Cores | 16 GB | 1 GB Transfer | Get Plan |
Hosting.com Plans
27 plans available across all hosting types.
Shared Hosting 4
WordPress Hosting 4
| Plan | Price | Storage | CPU | RAM | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small plan for WordPress | $5.83/mo | 20 GB NVMe | — | — | 100 GB | Get Plan |
| Medium plan for WordPress Best | $9.96/mo | 50 GB NVMe | — | — | 300 GB | Get Plan |
| Advanced plan for WordPress | $16.63/mo | 100 GB NVMe | — | — | 600 GB | Get Plan |
| Turbo plan for WordPress | $24.99/mo | 200 GB NVMe | — | — | 1.2 TB | Get Plan |
VPS Hosting 4
Reseller Hosting 4
| Plan | Price | Storage | CPU | RAM | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reseller 30 | $20.42/mo | 100 GB NVMe | 1 vCore per account | 2 GB per account | Unlimited | Get Plan |
| Reseller 60 Best | $32.92/mo | 180 GB NVMe | 2 vCores per account | 2 GB per account | Unlimited | Get Plan |
| Reseller 120 | $53.75/mo | 360 GB NVMe | 2 vCores per account | 2 GB per account | Unlimited | Get Plan |
| Reseller 150 | $66.25/mo | 500 GB NVMe | 2 vCores per account | 4 GB per account | Unlimited | Get Plan |
Managed VPS 8
| Plan | Price | Storage | CPU | RAM | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managed cPanel 4GB | $28.75/mo | 100 GB NVMe SSD | 2 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 4 GB dedicated | 1 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 8GB | $45.42/mo | 150 GB NVMe SSD | 4 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 8 GB dedicated | 2 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 16GB Best | $70.42/mo | 300 GB NVMe SSD | 8 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 16 GB dedicated | 3 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 32GB | $116.25/mo | 400 GB NVMe SSD | 16 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 32 GB dedicated | 4 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 64GB | $207.92/mo | 800 GB NVMe SSD | 24 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 64 GB dedicated | 5 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 128GB | $457.92/mo | 1.2 TB NVMe SSD | 32 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 128 GB dedicated | 6 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 160GB | $582.92/mo | 1.4 TB NVMe SSD | 48 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 160 GB dedicated | 7 TB | Get Plan |
| Managed cPanel 256GB | $916.25/mo | 2 TB NVMe SSD | 64 CPU cores (AMD EPYC) | 256 GB dedicated | 8 TB | Get Plan |