When comparing Cloudways vs WP Engine, we find Cloudways to be the better web host overall. Cloudways excels with its flexible cloud infrastructure, global reach, and scalability. WP Engine is a decent contender for WordPress websites but does not cater to other types of website and comes with higher costs and far fewer data centers.
In this article, we compare Cloudways vs WP Engine on the grounds of plans, pricing, features included, and performance. We also compare the software supported, developer tools, data center coverage, customer support, and security features. Finally, we answer the question of “Cloudways vs WP Engine: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Plan Type | Cloudways (RM /month) | WP Engine (RM /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| VPS Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| WordPress Hosting | RM49.50 – RM16064.90 | RM90 – RM9000 |
| Cloud Hosting | RM49.50 – RM16064.90 | Not Available |
| Dedicated Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| Reseller Hosting | RM49.50 – RM4752 | Not Available |
| Managed Hosting? | All Plans | WordPress Hosting |
Cloudways offers plans across 3 types of hosting: WordPress, Cloud Hosting, and Reseller Hosting. WP Engine offers only WordPress Hosting. This means Cloudways also caters to resellers whilst WP Engine’s plans cater to website owners and developers only. Both hosts provide managed services to make server management more convenient.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | Cloudways (RM /month) | WP Engine (RM /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | RM49.50 | RM90 |
| Renewal Price | RM49.50 | RM90 |
| Monthly Payment | Yes | Yes |
Cloudways pricing starts at RM49.50 per month, while WP Engine starts at a much higher RM90 per month. Both hosts offer monthly payment options. Neither host increases their renewal pricing. This rare transparency and stability in pricing makes both hosts appealing for long-term use. However, the price difference between the two hosts reflects their focus. WP Engine, being a premium WordPress-focused host, comes at a higher starting price. Cloudways’ cheapest plans cater to lower budgets but they also offer additional flexibility by leveraging cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud. This gives users multiple options to manage and scale their costs.
Features Included
| Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Space | 25 GB SSD storage | 10 GB SSD storage |
| Bandwidth | 1 TB | 50 GB |
| Websites | Unlimited (as long as resources allow it) | 1 |
| Email Hosting | Add on feature | No |
| Free Domain | No | No |
| AI Website Builder | No | No |
| Unlimited Storage | No | No |
| Unlimited Bandwidth | No | No |
| Additional Features | Cloud-based flexibility (AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode) | Nothing notable |
Cloudways provides 25 GB of SSD storage on its cheapest plans, while WP Engine offers a lower 10 GB. This difference could matter to users with larger websites where every dollar counts. Cloudways also offers 1 TB of bandwidth, far exceeding WP Engine’s 50 GB limit. Cloudways plan supports unlimited websites, provided resources permit it, while WP Engine only supports one website. Neither host includes email hosting but Cloudways offers it as a paid add-on. Neither host provides a free domain or AI website builder feature.
Performance
| Performance Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Yes, CloudFlare CDN | Yes, Cloudflare |
| Type of SSD | SSD | SSD |
| Caching | Yes | Yes |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.99% | 99.95% |
| Additional Performance Features | Advanced caching (Varnish, Redis, Memcached), CloudwaysCDN | LightSpeedWP, EverCache® caching for WordPress |
Cloudways guarantees 99.99% uptime which is slightly better than WP Engine’s 99.95%. Both hosts offer SSD servers and CDNs (Content Delivery Networks), with Cloudways using CloudFlare CDN. Caching is available with both. Cloudways includes advanced caching options such as Varnish, Redis, and Memcached. WP Engine includes EverCache® and LightSpeedWP for WordPress optimization.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Data centers | 65+ | 14 |
| HQ Location | St Julians, Malta | Austin, Texas, US |
| Data center locations | USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, Africa, South America | USA, Belgium, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Asia |
Cloudways offers over 65 data centers globally. This data center coverage vastly outdoes WP Engine’s 14 data centers. This means Cloudways has a larger presence in various regions, including the USA, Europe, Asia, and even Africa and South America. WP Engine’s data center coverage is more limited but still good since they cover North America, Europe, and Asia.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Click WordPress | Yes | Yes |
| OS supported | Linux | Linux |
| Control panel | Custom control panel | Management tools: SFTP, phpMyAdmin, SSH Gateway, WP-CLI, MySQL command line |
Both Cloudways and WP Engine support Linux hosting only. Neither supports the Windows operating system. They both offer 1-click WordPress installation. Cloudways’s user-friendly control panel does an effective job simplifying the usual complexities of cloud hosting. WP Engine does not offer a traditional control panel but instead provides a range of specialized management tools for WordPress sites including SFTP, SSH, and WP-CLI.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Root Access | No | No |
| GIT Access | Yes | Yes |
| WP-CLI | Yes | Yes |
| Cron Jobs | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple PHP Versions | Yes | Yes |
| SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Node.js Support | Yes | Yes |
| Python Support | Yes | Yes |
| Java Support | Yes | Yes |
| Django Support | Yes | No |
| Perl Support | No | No |
| Ruby on Rails Support | Yes | Yes |
| ASP.NET | No | No |
Both Cloudways and WP Engine provide essential developer tools such as staging environments, GIT access, WP-CLI, and SSH support. They also offer support for Node.js, Python, and Java. Cloudways offers Django support, which WP Engine lacks.
Customer Support
| Customer Support Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Live chat, ticketing system | Live chat on lower plans, phone and email on higher plans |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | None | 60 days |
Cloudways offers 24/7 support via live chat and a ticketing system, while WP Engine provides live chat for lower-tier plans and adds phone and email support for higher plans. Both hosts offer website migration services. WP Engine also stands out by offering a 60-day money-back guarantee which is double the industry standard guarantee of 30 days. Cloudways disappointingly does not provide a money-back guarantee.
Security Features
| Security Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Yes, automated daily backups | Daily and on demand backups |
| DDoS Protection | Yes, Cloudflare | Cloudflare and layer 3 & 4 DDoS protection |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | Yes, add on feature | Yes |
| Unique Security Features | Two-factor authentication, Bot protection, SSL certificates, WAF, server & app monitoring, auto-healing servers | Cloudflare CDN, Layer 3 & 4 DDoS protection, Global Edge Security with managed WAF |
Both Cloudways and WP Engine offer robust security features, including free SSL, firewalls, and DDoS protection via Cloudflare. WP Engine provides advanced protection with Layer 3 & 4 DDoS protection and Global Edge Security. Cloudways also includes strong security features like two-factor authentication, bot protection, and automated server healing.
Cloudways vs WP Engine: Which Is Better For You?
Cloudways is the better host.Use Cloudways if you’re a website that benefits from scalable hosting. Its ease of scaling makes it an ideal choice for multimedia-heavy sites, growing eCommerce businesses and high-traffic sites. Also use CloudWays if you’re a website targeting a global audience. Also use Cloudways if you’re managing multiple websites since its plans support unlimited sites and provides generous storage and bandwidth. Finally, choose Cloudways if you’re looking for cloud hosting from world-leading providers like AWS or Google Cloud but require a beginner-friendly interface to manage it.
Use WP Engine if you’re hosting a WordPress site that requires premium managed WordPress services. It suits WordPress-specific projects such as WooCommerce stores or large content-heavy blogs. Also use WP Engine if you prefer to thoroughly test your web host before committing since they provide a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
See other web hosting comparisons here.
Who is Cloudways?
Cloudways is a web host that was founded in 2011 and headquartered in Malta. It specializes in managed cloud hosting and offers easy-to-use tools with strong security. It has higher costs but provides excellent scalability and performance. Check out our Cloudways review for more details.
Who is WP Engine?
WP Engine is a web host that was founded in 2010 and headquartered in Texas. It focuses on managed WordPress hosting with fast speeds and strong security. Its higher prices and plugin restrictions limit flexibility for some users. See our WP Engine review for further insights.