When comparing A2 Hosting vs Cloudways, we find A2 Hosting to be the better web host overall. A2 Hosting offers a wider range of hosting types, faster speeds with their Turbo servers, and more robust storage options. Cloudways is excellent for cloud hosting but its reliance on third-party infrastructure limits control for users who need more customization.
In this article, we compare A2 Hosting vs Cloudways on the grounds of plans, pricing, features included, and performance. We also compare their data center coverage, software supported, developer tools, customer support, and security features. Finally, we answer the question, “A2 Hosting vs Cloudways: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Type | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $1.95/mo – $13.95/mo | Not available |
| VPS Hosting | $2.99/mo – $45.95/mo | Not available |
| WordPress Hosting | $9.95/mo – $39.95/mo | $11/mo – $3569.98/mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $15.95/mo – $37.95/mo | $11/mo – $3569.98/mo |
| Dedicated Hosting | $199.99/mo – $535.99/mo | Not available |
| Reseller Hosting | $15.95/mo – $37.95/mo | $11/mo – $1056/mo |
| Managed Hosting | All Plans | All Plans |
A2 Hosting offers 6 types of hosting: Shared, VPS, WordPress, Cloud, Dedicated, and Reseller Hosting. Cloudways offers 3 types of hosting: WordPress, Cloud, and Reseller hosting. Both hosts provide managed hosting services on all their plans. A2 Hosting is more appealing to users looking for diverse hosting options.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | $1.95/mo | $11/mo |
| Renewal Price | $12.99/mo | $11/mo |
| Monthly Payment Option? | Yes | Yes |
A2 Hosting starts with an introductory price of $1.95 per month. They renew at $12.99 per month. Cloudways offers a flat rate of $11 per month from the start. The significant increase in A2 Hosting’s renewal price represents a 567% jump, which users must consider carefully. Cloudways doesn’t offer great introductory discounts but remains slightly more cost-effective for long term users.
Features Included
| Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Space | 100 GB SSD | 25 GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | 1 TB |
| Number of Websites | 1 | Unlimited (as resources allow) |
| Email Hosting | Unlimited email accounts | Add-on feature |
| Free Domain | No | No |
| AI Website Builder | No (A2 SiteBuilder only) | No |
| Unlimited Storage? | Higher plans | No |
| Unlimited/Unmetered Bandwidth? | Unlimited | No |
| Additional Features | None | Cloud-based flexibility (AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode) |
A2 Hosting provides significantly more storage and bandwidth than Cloudways with 100 GB SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth. Cloudways provides 25 GB SSD storage and caps bandwidth at 1 TB. A2 Hosting’s higher-tier plans also offer unlimited storage, while Cloudways does not have such an option. A2 Hosting additionally includes email hosting while Cloudways treats it as an paid add-on. A2 Hosting is a better fit for users with higher data needs, but Cloudways provides more cloud-based scalability by providing access to top-tier cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud.
Performance
| Performance Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | No | Yes, CloudFlare CDN |
| Type of SSD Server | SSD | SSD |
| Caching | Higher plans | Yes |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.99% |
| Additional Performance Features | Option of Turbo plan (40% faster CPU performance, NVMe storage, LiteSpeed Turbo caching), Proprietary A2 Optimized WP plugin | Cloudflare, Varnish, Redis, Memcached |
A2 Hosting guarantees 99.9% uptime and offers the option of Turbo plans with up to 40% faster CPU performance, 3x faster NVMe storage, and advanced caching. Cloudways provides a slightly higher uptime guarantee of 99.99% and advanced caching options such as Varnish and Redis, plus integrated Cloudflare CDN. Cloudways’ CDN integration and superior caching give it an edge in global content delivery. A2 Hosting’s Turbo plans provide faster CPU and storage performance.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarter Location | Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA | St Julians, Malta |
| Number of Data Centers | 4 | 65+ |
| Data Center Locations | USA (Michigan, Arizona), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Singapore | USA (Northern Virginia; California; Ohio; Oregon; Iowa; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Salt Lake City; South Carolina; New York; Atlanta; Chicago; Dallas; Miami; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Fremont; Newark), Canada (Montreal; Toronto), Ireland, Germany (Frankfurt), UK (London; Manchester), France (Paris), Italy (Milan), Sweden (Stockholm), Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia (Sydney; Melbourne), Japan (Tokyo), India (Mumbai; Bangalore; Delhi; Chennai), Bahrain, South Africa (Cape Town; Johannesburg), South Korea (Seoul), Brazil (São Paulo), Netherlands (Amsterdam), China (Taiwan), Mexico (Mexico City), Turkey (Istanbul), UAE (Dubai) |
A2 Hosting operates 4 data centers located in the USA, Europe, and Asia. Cloudways far exceeds this by providing over 65 data centers globally. This broad coverage makes Cloudways more suitable for users targeting audiences in specific worldwide locations. A2 Hosting’s coverage is more limited but still strategic for North America, Europe, and Asia.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Click WordPress | Yes | Yes |
| OS Supported | Linux, Windows (Shared, Reseller, VPS) | Linux |
| Control Panel | cPanel, Plesk | Custom control panel |
A2 Hosting offers both Linux and Windows hosting, along with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk. Cloudways supports only Linux and uses its own custom control panel. Cloudways’ custom panel caters to cloud-specific features to simplify cloud hosting for non-technical users. Both hosts offer 1-click WordPress installation. A2 Hosting’s broader range of control panel options and OS support gives it more versatility, especially for users needing Windows-based hosting.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Root Access | Yes (VPS, Dedicated) | 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 | Yes |
| Perl Support | Yes | No |
| Ruby on Rails Support | Yes | Yes |
| ASP.NET | Yes | No |
Both hosts support key tools like GIT, WP-CLI, and multiple PHP versions. A2 Hosting provides extensive developer tools, including root access on VPS and Dedicated servers. A2 Hosting also supports Perl and ASP.NET, which Cloudways does not. Cloudways shines in simplifying cloud development but lacks certain language and framework support compared to A2 Hosting.
Customer Support
| Customer Support Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Phone, live chat | Live chat, ticketing system |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | None |
A2 Hosting offers 24/7 support via phone and live chat, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. Cloudways provides 24/7 support via live chat and a ticketing system but does not offer a money-back guarantee. This difference makes A2 Hosting more appealing to users looking for a risk-free trial. A2 Hosting’s live phone support also adds another layer of convenience.
Security Features
| Security Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Automatic daily backups (Drive plan and up) | Yes, automated daily backups |
| DDoS Protection | Cloudflare CDN | Yes, Cloudflare |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | Imunify360 | Yes, add-on feature |
| Unique Security Features | Free Hacksan, KernelCare, 2FA, in-built virus scanner | Two-factor authentication, bot protection, regular security patching, auto-healing servers, server & app monitoring (15+ metrics) |
Both A2 Hosting and Cloudways offer free SSL and daily automated backups. A2 Hosting goes further by including features like Imunify360 for proactive monitoring and kernel care for seamless updates. Cloudways’ unique advantage lies in its auto-healing servers and comprehensive bot protection. A2 Hosting also excels in offering a range of built-in security features like 2FA, brute force defense, and virus scanning. Cloudways’ reliance on add-ons for similar features is a bit less convenient for users who want an all-in-one solution.
A2 Hosting vs Cloudways: Which Is Better For You?
A2 Hosting is the better host. Use A2 Hosting if you are looking for full-fledged hosting that offers a wide variety of hosting options for easy scaling as your site grows. Also use A2 Hosting if you’re a business website that needs faster performance with Turbo servers and strong built-in security features. Lastly, use A2 Hosting if you’re a media-heavy website that prioritizes unlimited resources.
Use Cloudways if you want simplified cloud hosting with top-tier providers like AWS and Google Cloud. Also use Cloudways if you prefer pay-as-you-go pricing for more control over costs.
Check out other web hosting comparisons here.
Who is A2 Hosting?
A2 Hosting is a web host founded in 2001 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It specializes in fast performance with Turbo servers, SSD storage, and a wide variety of hosting types. High renewal prices are a drawback. Learn all about the brand in our A2 review.
Who is Cloudways?
Cloudways is a web host founded in 2012 and headquartered in St Julians, Malta. It focuses on simplified cloud hosting using top providers like AWS and Google Cloud. It does not provide root access and has less built-in features. Read our Cloudways writeup to learn more.