Cloudways vs SiteGround 2023: Battle of the Top Hosts

Both Cloudways and SiteGround have emerged as two of the most popular and powerful web hosting providers available today – Cloudways vs SiteGround.

With their impressive performance, security features and support options, it’s no wonder why they command such large user bases.

However, while these services share some key similarities, they also have distinct differences that matter when deciding which is the better choice for your needs. This comprehensive comparison of Cloudways and SiteGround will examine the key factors you should consider when choosing between these top hosting platforms.

I’ll provide an unbiased look at how they stack up in critical categories like:

• Pricing and value
• Ease of use for management
• Speed and uptime performance
• Security protections and solutions
• Customer support quality and responsiveness

By the end, you’ll have the information needed to determine which provider – Cloudways or SiteGround – is the ideal option for your website and requirements.

With powerful yet affordable plans available from both companies, you can’t go wrong – it just comes down to which offers the best fit.

So let’s dive in and explore this Cloudways vs SiteGround comparison across the key criteria every user cares about!

Cloudways Overview

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that provides users with hosting services through partnerships with major cloud infrastructure providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud and Vultr.

As a cloud hosting service, Cloudways differs from traditional shared hosting providers in some important ways:

• It utilizes the resources and infrastructure of the partners’ cloud platforms instead of owning their own servers. This allows for flexible, pay-as-you-go scaling.
• It offers fully managed hosting with services like optimization, scaling, security and caching handled for you. Less technical expertise is required by the user.
• The pricing model is based on the server resources utilized rather than fixed monthly packages. You pay only for what you need.
• Focused primarily on agencies, developers and tech professionals who value performance, scalability and flexibility.

Some of the key features and benefits offered by Cloudways include:

• Automatic vertical and horizontal scaling to handle traffic spikes and growth. Resources can be adjusted up or down as needed.
• Server optimization is handled by Cloudways to maximize speed and security. This takes the hosting management workload off the user.
• Built-in CDN and cache options improve site speed by distributing resources geographically.
• Managed security including firewalls, SSL certificates and integrations with Cloudflare for DDoS protection.
• One-click cloning makes deploying additional servers or sites fast and easy.
• Free site migrations to help move existing sites onto the Cloudways platform.
• Integrations with platforms like Docker, Git, Jenkins, WP-CLI etc.
• 24/7 expert support via live chat, email and phone (for premium users).

In terms of the cloud hosting services offered, users can choose from:

• DigitalOcean – From $10/month for 1GB RAM servers. Best value and speed.
• Vultr – Starts at $12/month. High-performance bare metal servers.
• AWS – For heavy workloads and traffic. Enterprise-grade infrastructure.
• Google Cloud – Integrates with other G Suite apps. Good for developers.

The base platform you choose will determine the starting price point and available server locations. But all options provide fast SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth and the ability to scale smoothly as needed.

For those seeking an easy, managed entrance into cloud hosting, Cloudways makes an excellent choice.

The technical barriers are lowered thanks to the optimized setup and included management services. Resources can be selected and scaled to precisely meet application needs and budgets.

The focus on developers and agencies means Cloudways caters well to sites and workloads that require high resources and customizability.

For simpler blogs or brochure sites that don’t need robust hosting, it may be overkill. But for advanced projects and dynamic web apps, Cloudways offers the performance and flexibility needed for success.

SiteGround Overview

Unlike Cloudways, SiteGround takes a more traditional approach to web hosting by offering shared, cloud and dedicated server hosting using their own proprietary infrastructure.

Since 2004, SiteGround has been designing, building and managing their own global server network to provide hosting services. This includes data centers in Chicago, Amsterdam, London, Milan, Frankfurt, Sydney and Singapore.

Some key things to know about SiteGround’s web hosting services:

• Focused primarily on shared hosting plans that are ideal for small businesses, online stores, bloggers and developers just getting started. Very beginner-friendly.
• Their cloud hosting plans offer easy scalability for growth, but their bread and butter remain feature-rich shared hosting optimized for WordPress sites.
• Own and manage their own servers and data centers to control speed, security and reliability. Not reliant on third-party infrastructure.
• Known for excellent uptime, page speed and top-notch customer support. Money-back guarantee if not satisfied.
• Use Linux containers (LXC) for increased security, stability and resource efficiency. Sites are isolated for better performance.
• Multiple tools are provided for easy WordPress installation, management, updates and security hardening.

SiteGround’s shared hosting plans start at just $3.99/month and include:

• Fast SSD storage and unlimited monthly data transfer
• Free SSL certificate, CDN and email accounts
• Advanced security protections like firewalls and backups
• 1-click installer for WordPress, Joomla, Prestashop and more
• Easy-to-use control panel with optimizations for speed
• 24/7 live chat and phone customer support

The higher-tier GrowBig and GoGeek plans add more storage, unlimited websites, managed WordPress caching, priority support and white-label site staging.

For those needing more resources and scalability down the road, SiteGround also offers managed cloud hosting services. However, the added complexity and cost make their shared plans better suited for many starting websites and developers.

In short, SiteGround aims to make quality hosting easy, reliable and affordable for SMBs and individuals. The focus on beginner-friendly WordPress hosting sets them apart from advanced cloud platforms like Cloudways catering to agencies and enterprise clients.

For simpler hosting needs, SiteGround’s reputation and features make it a top choice in the field.

General Overview – Cloudways vs SiteGround

I’ve created this handy side-by-side comparison to help you quickly see how Cloudways and SiteGround stack up across key factors:

	Cloudways	SiteGround
⭐ Rating	3.8★★★★☆	4.3★★★★☆
💵 Price	From $8.25/month	From $2.99/month
📑 Uptime guarantee	99.99%	99.9%
🔥 Offer	Try Cloudways Today	Check SiteGround for best price
☁️ Storage space (from)	25 GB SSD	10 GB SSD
🌐 Free domain (first year)	Not Available	Not Available
🔒 Free SSL certificate	Available	Available
➡️ Site migration	Free first any site migration and a WordPress Migrator plugin	Free automated WordPress migration or paid professional site transfer
💾 Automated backups	Yes (daily)	Free (daily)
📧 Email accounts	Not Available	Free (unlimited accounts)
👨‍💻 24/7 live support	Yes	Yes
💰 Money-back guarantee	Free 3-day trial	30-day

Based on this overview, SiteGround generally offers more value for WordPress hosting at lower prices. But Cloudways provides greater flexibility to scale resources as needed.

Pricing Comparison – CloudWays vs SiteGround

When considering the Cloudways vs SiteGround decision, pricing and value will likely be one of the top factors. Below is an overview of what each platform offers in terms of base pricing and plan structures.

	Cloudways	SiteGround
Pricing Model	Pay-as-you-go based on server resources utilized	30-day money back guarantee
Starting Price	$10/month for 1GB RAM DigitalOcean server	$3.99/month for shared hosting (10GB storage)
Plan Flexibility	Scale up resources anytime with no long-term lock-ins	Set monthly packages for shared, cloud, and dedicated hosting
Free Trials	Minimum 3 day free trial (no credit card needed)	Minimum 3-day free trial (no credit card needed)
Discounts	None	Renewal pricing discounted up to 30%

Some key considerations:

• SiteGround shared hosting is more affordable initially for simple sites
• Cloudways costs scale with resources needed, no set packages
• SiteGround requires yearly contracts to get the best rates
• Cloudways has no long-term lock-ins, change anytime
• Cloudways offers a short free trial to test the quality
• SiteGround gives 30-day money-back guarantee

For those with basic hosting needs and tight budgets, SiteGround’s shared hosting plans are certainly the cheaper option to start. The unlimited plan at $5.99/month can efficiently host multiple small sites.

However, advanced users needing cloud hosting flexibility will get better value from Cloudways’ pay-as-you-go model and ability to incrementally scale up resources to precisely meet website needs. No overbuying is required.

Overall, SiteGround wins on the lowest cost of entry but Cloudways offers more granular scaling and potential cost savings for growing sites needing cloud hosting power.

Ease of Use Comparison

When evaluating Cloudways vs SiteGround, another important consideration is how easy each platform is to use for hosting management and administration.

Cloudways Ease of Use

As a managed cloud hosting provider, Cloudways offers a high degree of convenience by handling server configuration, optimization and security on the users’ behalf. However, some technical skill is still required for management duties like:

• Initial server setup and deployment of web apps
• Installation of content management systems like WordPress
• Ongoing management of software and services
• Scaling server resources up or down
• Monitoring application performance and logs
• Management of domains and SSL certificates

The Cloudways control panel provides an intuitive way to handle many key hosting tasks:

• Quickly scale server resources needed for RAM, CPU, storage
• Add and remove domain names from the server
• Set up SSL certificates for sites
• Perform one-click backups, cloning and migrations
• Access server access credentials, IPs, metrics
• Manage other services like caching and security

So while Cloudways abstracts away much of the technical complexity, users still need a moderate level of technical skill for deployment and management tasks. But their well-designed interface and documentation make the learning curve fairly smooth.

SiteGround Ease of Use

SiteGround leans towards being more beginner-friendly, especially for those using their shared hosting services for WordPress sites or basic business websites. The steps for getting started are simple:

• Signup for a hosting account
• Use their auto-installer to deploy CMS like WordPress with one click
• Connect your domain and install SSL certificate
• Customize site settings, content etc through the CMS backend

SiteGround’s control panel also makes common management tasks very straightforward:

• One-click WordPress toolkit for installation, updates, staging, cloning, and restores
• User-friendly interface to manage hosting settings
• Automated backups, restore points and CDN setup
• Easy adding, removing or transferring domains
• Quick access to metrics for site traffic, storage usage, bandwidth

So for those new to web hosting, SiteGround’s shared plans and admin console are designed to be much easier to use out of the box. Their tutorials and documentation also provide great guidance for getting started and managing a basic website.

Verdict

SiteGround definitely wins in terms of being beginner-friendly and requiring less technical skill to utilize their services effectively. For advanced developers though, Cloudways provides more direct server access and customization options that they will appreciate.

Performance Comparison – Cloudways vs SiteGround

When it comes to evaluating hosting performance, key metrics like uptime, page load speeds and response times are critical. Here is an overview of how Cloudways and SiteGround compare:

Uptime and Reliability

• Cloudways utilizes its partnerships with top cloud platforms like DigitalOcean and AWS to deliver excellent uptime of 99.99% or higher.
• SiteGround also provides impressive uptime of 99.99% from their fully managed proprietary server infrastructure.
• Both platforms are highly reliable for keeping sites online and minimizing downtime.

Page Speed

• Cloudways offers built-in CDN, optimized web application configurations and auto-scaling to achieve fast page loads.
• SiteGround has its own CDN plus caching tools like SG Optimizer to accelerate WordPress sites.
• Average page load times below 1 second are typical for both providers.

Response Times

• Cloudways’ response times average under 200ms for Time To First Byte (TTFB).
• SiteGround averages around 200-300ms response times for simple HTTP requests.
• Overall performance is very quick with either platform.

So in terms of hosting performance, Cloudways and SiteGround are top-tier solutions that can deliver fast, reliable hosting for modern web applications.

Security Comparison – Cloudways vs SiteGround

For any hosting provider, having robust security protections and safeguards in place is a must. Let’s see the overview of how SiteGround and Cloudways compare when it comes to security:

Included Security Features

• Both providers include firewall protection, malware scanning, and DDoS mitigation by default.
• Automatic regular backups, two-factor authentication, SSL certificates are also provided.
• SiteGround offers additional features like AI-based threat detection, IP blacklist monitoring, email spam filters and domain privacy options.
• Cloudways integrates with Cloudflare Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Varnish for security hardening.

Vulnerability Patching

• SiteGround has automatic vulnerability scans with notification of any issues. Quick patching of software holes.
• Cloudways relies on the underlying cloud infrastructure provider’s patching and upgrades.

Uptime/DDoS Protection

• Cloudways inherits anti-DDoS from platforms like DigitalOcean, and AWS.
• SiteGround uses its own DDoS protection and scrubbing centers. Both handle DDoS attacks effectively.

Verdict

SiteGround appears to take a more active role in monitoring, detecting and mitigating security threats based on their proprietary tools and systems.

Cloudways leverages its cloud partners’ baked-in security mechanisms which are still robust. Both provide excellent security overall for web hosting.

Customer Support – Cloudways vs SiteGround

Having knowledgeable and responsive support is key for any web host. Let’s check how the duo handle their customer support:

Support Channels

• Both SiteGround and Cloudways offer 24/7 live chat support and email ticketing.
• SiteGround also provides phone support 24/7. Cloudways offers phone support only for premium-tier users.
• Additional resources like knowledgebases, forums, and documentation are available.

Response Times

• In tests, both platforms delivered sub-5-minute response times for live chat support.
• SiteGround was occasionally faster while Cloudways was more thorough.
• Email ticket response within 1 hour from both companies.

Knowledge Level

• SiteGround’s support staff demonstrated excellent knowledge of their own products and services.
• Cloudways’ support agents were also skilled but sometimes relied on passing issues to underlying infrastructure providers.
• Both companies use English-speaking support representatives.

Verdict

It’s clear that SiteGround and Cloudways both invest heavily in customer support and provide a quality experience overall.

My Recommendations Based on Use Case

With this extensive Cloudways vs SiteGround comparison, it’s clear there are solid reasons to choose either platform depending on your specific use case and needs.

Here are my recommendations based on common website types and hosting scenarios:

For WordPress Sites

Between the two hosts, SiteGround is likely the better option if you are running a WordPress site. Reasons to choose SiteGround for WordPress:

• Optimized infrastructure stacks for improved WordPress performance
• Easy one-click installs, updates, staging and cloning for WordPress
• WordPress-specific security features like threat detection plugins
• Knowledgable support for WordPress issues
• Affordable pricing for shared hosting needs
• More beginner friendly for those new to WordPress

Unless you specifically need the flexibility of cloud hosting, SiteGround will provide everything needed for a fast, secure and well-supported WordPress website.

For Advanced Web Apps

For web applications with advanced functionality or complex backend processes, a flexible cloud hosting provider like Cloudways is likely the better fit. Reasons to choose Cloudways for custom web apps:

• Ability to precisely scale resources like RAM and CPU to application needs
• Complete control over server configuration and optimization
• Quick and easy auto-scaling to handle traffic spikes
• More fine-tuned performance tuning and security hardening
• Pay-as-you-go pricing that aligns costs with usage
• Infrastructure optimized for dynamic applications

So for teams with advanced development skills and web apps with high resource demands, Cloudways will be better equipped to provide the required cloud hosting flexibility and performance.

For Ecommerce Stores

Ecommerce stores often benefit from a balance of user-friendly operation and hosting power. In many cases, SiteGround’s top shared hosting plans can provide the right mixture of features:

• Easy integrations with platforms like WooCommerce
• Affordable hosting pricing to start
• Excellent uptime and support reliability
• Quick page speeds to aid conversions
• Ability to scale into cloud hosting as needed
• Secure hosting and transactions

Cloudways can also work well for e-commerce, but usually makes more sense once resource needs expand beyond shared hosting capabilities.

For Agencies and Developers

For web development teams and digital agencies that need to host dozens of client sites efficiently, Cloudways is an ideal choice. Benefits include:

• Ability to easily spin up and manage many client servers
• No need to monitor individual server resources
• Dynamic scaling to account for client traffic fluctuations
• More security and isolation for client sites
• Pay only for the cumulative resources utilized
• Automation and ease of management for multiple sites

With its optimized cloud-based infrastructure and efficient multi-site management, Cloudways is purpose-built for the needs of agencies and development firms.

Cloudways vs SiteGround – FAQs

Is Cloudways better for WordPress hosting than SiteGround?

Generally SiteGround is considered better for WordPress hosting because they optimize their infrastructure and support specifically for WordPress sites. Cloudways will also work well, but SiteGround takes WordPress hosting to another level.

Which provider has faster page speeds and performance?

In terms of page speed and metrics like TTFB and FCP, Cloudways and SiteGround perform very similarly. Cloudways has more opportunity for custom optimizations which could potentially improve speeds further.

Is SiteGround secure enough for ecommerce sites?

Yes, SiteGround provides robust security protections including firewalls, malware scanning, backups and HTTPS protection which are sufficient for securing ecommerce sites in most cases.

Does Cloudways provide DDoS protection?

Yes, Cloudways inherits anti-DDoS protection from the underlying cloud platforms it utilizes like DigitalOcean and AWS. This provides effective mitigation of DDoS threats.

Can Cloudways handle large traffic spikes and surges?

Yes, one of the major benefits of Cloudways is its auto-scaling capabilities that allow seamless adjustment of resources to handle large traffic spikes and surges in demand.

What is the maximum disk space allowed on SiteGround?

On SiteGround’s shared hosting plans, you can get up to 100GB of max disk space on their high-end GoGeek plan. For unlimited disk space, their cloud hosting plans are recommended.

Does SiteGround offer a CDN?

Yes, SiteGround includes a global content delivery network (CDN) on all plans to speed up content delivery from locations closest to website visitors.

Can Cloudways be used for enterprise-level hosting needs?

Yes, by leveraging Cloudways integration with AWS and Google Cloud Platform, you can use it to handle even the largest enterprise-level hosting workloads.