Cloudways vs. SiteGround: Which Hosting Provider is Best?

Two of the most popular web hosting providers online today are Cloudways and SiteGround. Both managed hosting companies provide high-quality website hosting services to site owners and businesses from all backgrounds and industries.

When planning to launch or transfer a website, it’s important to choose between cloud hosting platforms carefully. So which host is best: Cloudways or SiteGround?

Let’s briefly introduce each platform, then cover their similarities.

What is Cloudways? 

Cloudways is a cloud hosting platform that features a wide range of features for website owners and web developers of all skill levels. It’s particularly well-suited to building high-powered sites that support a large volume of visitors and activity each day. If you’ve outgrown your current site performance, Cloudways might be a solid choice for you.

Like SirsteveHQ’s Cloudways is ideal for enterprise-level websites and organizations that routinely build client sites.

What is SiteGround? 

SiteGround is a cloud provider that offers shared hosting services built on the Google cloud. It’s great for beginners who want to set up a WordPress site or WooCommerce store with ease. SiteGround’s cloud hosting services feature site tools that are straightforward and simple, and it’s an affordable first step into the world of website ownership. If you’re already a SiteGround customer, checkout some of our recommendations for alternatives.

What Features Do Cloudways and SiteGround Have in Common? 

Cloudways and SiteGround are both user-friendly cloud hosting platforms that each use a cloud server and SSD storage for maximum stability, speed, and performance. When it comes to managed hosting, these cloud providers have plenty to offer.

Here are some of the key features Cloudways and SiteGround have in common.

• Cloud servers 
• SSD storage 
• Automatic site backups 
• Tech support personnel available 
• Auto-healing
• Free SSL certificates
• Managed WordPress hosting 
• Easy WordPress installation
• eCommerce setup and hosting 
• Ability to add collaborators 
• Staging areas available
• Option to host multiple websites
• DNS management
• Managed security
• Live chat support
• Security upgrades and routine security patching
• Easy WordPress installation
• Multiple hosting package options available, including reseller cloud hosting

Knowing which site host is right for you comes down to the specific capabilities you need–and whether that host fits your budget. Both cloud hosting providers are accessible to users at all levels.

Let’s dig deeper into the biggest differences between Cloudways managed services and the SiteGround hosting service.

Cloudways Cloud Hosting Features 

Cloudways is built with scalability in mind and is marketed not only to individual website owners, but to agencies and professional developers who need to build and host multiple sites, too. Because these target markets need a wide array of services and options, Cloudways offers more features than SiteGround.

One unique attribute that sets Cloudways apart is that it offers the same features on every site hosting plan, no matter the pricing tier. The real differences lie in the amount of storage space you’re purchasing, what kind of hosting company you need, and which cloud server you choose to host your site on. Cloudways offers DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google cloud server options, and each one differs in price.

What Sets Cloudways Apart From the Competition?

Here are some of the most important Cloudways features you need to know about.

• All Cloudways plans come with the same features; you’re paying for more storage with each tier
• Unlimited websites, including WordPress sites
• Free migration and dedicated hosting
• Your choice between DigitalOcean, AWS, or Google Cloud server hosting (price differs based on selected server, with DigitalOcean being the most affordable)
• Easy switching between servers
• Hosting options include website hosting, WordPress, WordPress multisite, Magento, PHP, Laravel, eCommerce, and reseller hosting
• Optional Cloudflare CDN add-on available
• Advanced caches built into the tech stack, including Redis, Memcached, Nginx, and Varnish
• Servers equipped for PHP 8
• 1-Click WordPress updating
• Performance enhancing tools like NGINX, PHPFPM, and more
• Enhanced security protocols like dedicated firewalls and anti malware tools to keep your site safe
• Excellent customer service available 24/7, with additional paid Cloudways support tiers if desired
• Free trial with no credit card required

Cloudways is great for advanced website owners who want a wide variety of options, a high level of customer satisfaction, and an impressive uptime guarantee of 99.99%, according to the company’s claims. If the premium support add on is within your budget, this adds another layer of protection to your online space.

Who Should Use Cloudways? 

Cloudways is a great platform for site owners with large websites they’ll need to scale, whether now or in the future. It’s also fantastic for agencies and developers who need the wide range of powerful features and choices this website host offers. While users of any experience level can jump into Cloudways, having some technical expertise is a good idea here. 

What Does the Cloudways Pricing Model Look Like? 

Starting at $54 per month for its highest-value DigitalOcean hosting plan. This plan includes 80GB of storage and 4GB RAM.

Cloudways is a bit more expensive than SiteGround. However, its features and flexibility just might be worth it for the return on investment. 

SiteGround Web Hosting Features 

Now, let’s talk about SiteGround’s features! SiteGround offers cloud hosting services, including shared hosting, that are well-suited for site owners and WordPress users who need a simple, easy-to-use interface.

Unlike Cloudways, which provides SiteGround hosting plans are tiered, with more features included in its more expensive plans. However, the less expensive shared hosting plans are incredibly affordable for new site owners who want to start with something simple.

What Sets SiteGround Apart From the Competition?

Here are some of SiteGround’s top features.

• Website, WordPress, WooCommerce, cloud, and reseller hosting available
• Unlimited websites starting at the GrowBig pricing tier
• Free WordPress and email migrations, with the option to pay SiteGround’s team for assistance
• Unlimited databases
• Unlimited email accounts
• Includes CDN
• Optimized for PHP-MySQL-based CRM and CMS applications
• Automatic WordPress updates
• Developer toolkit for tech-savvy users
• 100% renewable energy matching
• 30-day money back guarantee
• Highest-paid tier offers priority tech support, staging + Git, white label clients, free private DNS, and more

According to the company, SiteGround’s customer service is available via chat and support ticket 24/7.

Who Should Use SiteGround? 

SiteGround is a good starter cloud hosting provider that offers affordable shared hosting for site owners on a budget. Its simple setup works for beginners who don’t have much tech experience. And, for owners of small and medium-sized businesses (brick and mortar or eCommerce), this is a great starting point for your online presence.

Of course, if this doesn’t seem like the right fit, there are plenty of SiteGround alternatives available to choose from, including SirsteveHQ.

How Much Does SiteGround Cost? 

SiteGround costs less than Cloudways at a glance, coming in at $4.99 per month for its best-value GrowBig package. This tier offers 20GB of web space and accommodates about 100,000 monthly visits.  

You Deserve the Best Web Host and Cloud Provider

Now that you know more about both Cloudways and SiteGround, which web host fits your needs? As a brief recap, let’s recall who might benefit most from each platform:

• Cloudways pricing and hosting plans are best suited to website owners with a larger budget for web hosting, as well as agencies, web developers, and enterprise-level organizations.
• SiteGround features and pricing, especially its shared hosting, are tailored to website owners who want a simple setup and interface, as well as small- to medium-sized businesses.

Wondering how SirsteveHQ’s web hosting and enterprise packages measure up? Check out our hosting options here.