Cloudways vs
WP Engine: More Power, Lower Cost, Zero Limits
See why agencies and growing businesses choose Cloudways over WP Engine. Unlimited sites, instant scaling, 24/7 expert support and pricing that doesn’t punish your success.
Free Trial
Everything WP Engine
Charges Extra For — Included
Scale resources up or down whenever you need. No phone calls. No waiting. No surprise invoices.
Speed That Actually Delivers
Our optimized stack with SSD storage and integrated Cloudflare hits 200-400ms load times consistently. Add enterprise-grade security with malware scanning and WAF protection, all running on 99.99% uptime infrastructure.
Pick Your Cloud, Keep Your Freedom
Run your sites on AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode. Your call. WP Engine locks you into their infrastructure. With Cloudways, you choose the provider that fits your budget and performance needs.
Multisite Without the Multiplied Bills
Running a network with dozens of WordPress installations? Deploy them all on one server. No per-site fees. No artificial caps. Just straightforward hosting that grows with your business.
140,000+ businesses already made the move
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Same features, different approach and a price gap that’s hard to ignore.
|
|
|---|
|
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price per Month | Starting From $11 | Starting From $25 |
| Free Trial | 3-day trial without credit card | |
| Features | ||
| No. of websites | Unmetered on all plans | Starting from 1 |
| Monthly Visits | Unmetered on all plans | Starting from 25,000 |
| Scaling | 1-Click instant scaling | Contact account manager |
| 24/7 support | 24/7 Premium + Slack | Standard support |
| G2 Satisfaction Score | 98% | 44% |
| Benefits | ||
| Priority Access to Technical Support | Advanced + Premium | HigH priority on highest tier |
| Free Website Migrations | Unlimited migrations managed by Cloudways from Gold tier onwards | |
| Onboarding Tier Discount | 10% off upto 12 months | |
| Growth Bonus | Upto $1500 | No Bonus |
| Referral Commissions (via Affiliate Program) | Upto 10% lifetime comissions+$50 per referral No minimum referral cap | Upto 12% comissions Minimum referrals cap |
| Featured in Agency Partner Directory | Contact account manager | |
| Co-Sponsored Community Events | Platinum tier | Standard support |
| Unlimited Team Members | Available on all tiers | |
| Unlimited Websites | Available on all tiers | |
| Partner Badge | ||
| Custom Onboarding & Technical Training | Available from silver tier | Only available on highest tier |
What 4,000+ Verified Users Say About Us
G2 gathers verified feedback from real customers, no cherry-picked testimonials. When we stacked our scores against WP Engine, the results spoke for themselves.
“You can take advantage of the scalability and power of platforms like Digital Ocean, without being a systems administrator or having expertise with a server.”
Brandon Ernst
Founder & CEO, Brand on Fire
“Cloudways offers an easier interface & a more thorough set of features, which really helps support our growth as a business.”
Iain Wang
CEO, ClassBento
Cloudways offers an intuitive and user-friendly control panel that makes managing your server and applications a breeze
Michael Kuczek
Founder, Biiird.com
What’s Running Under Your Sites
We handle the server-side complexity. You focus on building great WordPress experiences. Here’s the tech stack doing the heavy lifting.
NVMe Storage
Every deployment runs on next-gen solid-state drives with read speeds that make traditional disks look like museum pieces. Database queries resolve in milliseconds. Large media files load without the wait.
Layered Cache System
Three caching engines work in parallel: one handles full pages, another stores database objects, and a third manages user sessions. The result? Up to 80% fewer database hits during peak traffic.
Production-Tested Stack
NGINX up front, Apache handling PHP, MariaDB or MySQL for storage, and PHP-FPM spawning workers as needed. Every component is configured to play nicely with the others.
Modern PHP Runtimes
Run PHP 8.x with JIT compilation for dramatically faster execution. Swap versions per application through your dashboard. No support tickets, no waiting.
Edge Network Integration
Connect Cloudflare Enterprise with a toggle. Static assets replicate across 300+ global nodes. Visitors pull content from the nearest location. Latency drops by more than half.
Built-in Optimization Plugin
Our proprietary caching plugin ships pre-configured on every WordPress install. File minification, image lazy-loading, browser caching, all enabled from day one.
Application-Layer Firewall
Incoming requests pass through rule-based filtering that blocks injection attacks, cross-site scripting, and known exploit patterns before they touch your application code.
Continuous Malware Detection
Automated scans check your file system against an updated signature database. Suspicious code triggers instant alerts so you can act before visitors notice anything wrong.
One-Click SSL
Provision Let’s Encrypt certificates for any domain in seconds. Auto-renewal handles expiration. HTTPS becomes the default without the usual certificate management headaches.
Volumetric Attack Protection
Cloudflare integration absorbs DDoS traffic at the edge. Malicious requests get dropped before reaching your origin server. Your application stays responsive during attacks.
Access Control by IP
Restrict SSH and database access to whitelisted IP addresses. Your development team gets through. Everyone else gets blocked at the door.
Multi-Factor Login
Add TOTP-based verification to your Cloudways account. Even compromised passwords can’t grant access without the second authentication factor.
Choose Your Infrastructure
Deploy on DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, or Linode. Pick based on regional availability, compliance requirements, or just price. Migrate between providers without rebuilding.
No Banned Plugins
Use whatever WordPress plugins your projects require. We don’t maintain a blacklist or override your choices. Your site, your toolset, your call.
Root-Level Access
SSH into your server. Edit configuration files directly. Install system packages via command line. Managed doesn’t have to mean restricted.
Configurable PHP Settings
Adjust memory limits, max execution time, and upload sizes from your control panel. Changes apply immediately. No support tickets required.
Scheduled Tasks
Set up cron jobs for any recurring task — database cleanups, cache purges, external syncs. Automate whatever your workflow demands.
Month-to-Month Billing
No annual lock-ins. Scale down during slow periods. Leave whenever you want. Data exports cleanly using standard tools and formats.
Engineers From the Start
Your first support interaction is with someone who understands infrastructure. No tier-one gatekeepers following scripts. Real problem-solvers from message one.
Always-On Chat
Production issue at 3am? Open a chat window. Weekends and holidays included. Critical issues get responses in under two minutes on average.
Dedicated Slack Channels
Agency partners receive their own Slack workspace with direct lines to senior engineers. Post questions without context-switching. Get answers without the queue.
Active Infrastructure Monitoring
Our systems watch your servers around the clock. Memory spikes, disk capacity warnings, unusual traffic patterns, we often catch issues before you do.
WordPress-Specific Help
Plugin conflicts after an update? Theme breaking in unexpected ways? Our team helps isolate the issue. We don’t just point at WordPress documentation and close the ticket.
Performance Audits
Request a configuration review from our engineers. They’ll identify bottlenecks and recommend specific tuning to improve load times and server stability.
Instant Staging Environments
Clone your live site to a staging instance in seconds. Test plugin updates, redesigns, or risky changes without touching production. Push approved changes back when ready.
Git-Based Deployments
Connect your repository. Changes deploy automatically when you push to your designated branch. Rollback is just as easy when something breaks.
Scheduled Backups
Daily snapshots happen automatically. Restore your entire application — or just the database — with a few clicks. Retention goes back 30 days.
Volumetric Attack Protection
Cloudflare integration absorbs DDoS traffic at the edge. Malicious requests get dropped before reaching your origin server. Your application stays responsive during attacks.
Access Control by IP
Restrict SSH and database access to whitelisted IP addresses. Your development team gets through. Everyone else gets blocked at the door.
Multi-Factor Login
Add TOTP-based verification to your Cloudways account. Even compromised passwords can’t grant access without the second authentication factor.
Managing Client Sites? There’s a Better Tier for That.
Agencies juggling multiple client projects deserve more than generic support queues. Our partner tier unlocks direct Slack access to senior engineers, an account manager who tracks your portfolio, tiered volume pricing, and marketing partnerships that generate real leads.
Explore the Partner Tier
Frequently Asked Questions
How much could I actually save by switching from WP Engine?
The gap depends on your site count and traffic. WP Engine's entry tier runs $25/month for a single site with a 25,000-visit ceiling. Exceed that and you're paying overages. Cloudways starts at $11/month with no per-site charges and no traffic limits. Agencies managing 10+ sites regularly report cutting their hosting costs by 50-70%.
What’s involved in moving my sites over?
Install our migration plugin on your existing WP Engine site, enter your new Cloudways server credentials, and click go. The tool copies your files, database, and settings while your current site stays live. Update DNS once everything checks out. Total downtime is usually just the few minutes it takes for DNS to propagate.
Will my site be slower or faster after migrating?
Most users see equivalent or better performance. Our stack delivers sub-400ms Time to First Byte globally, and you can configure caching layers that WP Engine keeps locked down. Independent benchmarks show Cloudways handling significantly more concurrent visitors before response times degrade.
Can your support team help with WordPress-specific issues?
Yes, our engineers troubleshoot WordPress daily. Plugin conflicts, theme bugs, database optimization, migration hiccups. The difference is accessibility: every Cloudways plan includes 24/7 live chat with actual engineers, not a tiered queue where complex issues get escalated for days.
What if I get a traffic surge, will I be charged extra?
No. Cloudways doesn't meter visitors. Your bill reflects the server resources you've provisioned, not how many people visit your site. If a traffic spike maxes out your current server, you scale up temporarily and scale back down after. WP Engine's model bills overages when you exceed your plan's visitor cap.
Are there plugin restrictions like on WP Engine?
No banned plugin list. WP Engine blocks certain caching, backup, and security tools that conflict with their proprietary systems. On Cloudways, install whatever your projects require. You control your own optimization stack.
How does scaling work when I need more resources?
Open your dashboard, select a larger server size, confirm. Resources adjust within minutes. No phone calls to account managers, no plan change negotiations, no waiting for approval. WP Engine scaling typically requires contacting sales and may involve contract discussions.
What’s included in the agency partnership?
A private Slack channel with direct access to senior engineers. A dedicated account manager who understands your client portfolio. Volume-based pricing that improves as you grow. Early access to platform features. Co-marketing opportunities including case studies and webinar partnerships.
What’s the catch with the 3-day trial?
There isn't one. Sign up without a credit card, test everything for three days — including migrations, support, and full platform access. If you want to continue, add payment details. If not, the account simply expires. No commitments, no awkward cancellation calls.
Is Cloudways Agency Partnership free to join?
Yes, participation in the Cloudways Agency Partnership Program is totally free. Pitch decks, complicated application procedures, or sign-up fees are not necessary.Your benefits unlock and scale naturally as your business grows without any hidden costs or forced upgrades because the program automatically tiers your agency (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) based on your monthly hosting spend.
How can I sign up for the Agency Partnership Program?
The only requirement to participate is that your company be an agency. If you are already a customer, you can apply straight from your Cloudways dashboard to become a member of the program. If you are a new client, you can enroll your agency in Cloudways by simply asking your onboarding manager to do so after completing a free trial.