When comparing Hostinger vs Cloudways, we find Hostinger to be the better web host overall. Hostinger stands out with its affordable pricing, global data centers, and user-friendly hPanel, making it ideal for beginners and budget-conscious users. It offers fast server speeds, reliable uptime, and great customer support in multiple languages. Cloudways, on the other hand, comes with higher costs and lacks basic features like a money-back guarantee and integrated email hosting, making it less accessible for some users.
In this article, we compare Hostinger 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 of “Hostinger vs Cloudways: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Plan Type | Hostinger (US$ /month) | Cloudways (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $2.99 – $7.99 | Not Available |
| VPS Hosting | $4.99 – $19.99 | Not Available |
| WordPress Hosting | $2.99 – $7.99 | $11 – $3569.98 |
| Cloud Hosting | $7.99 – $29.99 | $11 – $3569.98 |
| Dedicated Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| Reseller Hosting | Not Available | $11 – $1056 |
| Managed Hosting Available? | Shared, WordPress, Cloud Hosting | All Plans |
Hostinger provides 4 hosting plan types: Shared, VPS, WordPress, and Cloud Hosting. Managed hosting services are available for shared, WordPress, and cloud hosting. Cloudways offers WordPress, Cloud, and Reseller hosting, with managed services available across all plans. Unlike Cloudways, Hostinger does not offer reseller hosting. Cloudways focuses on cloud hosting infrastructure while Hostinger remains more versatile with budget-friendly shared hosting and VPS options. This difference highlights the varying target markets of each host.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | Hostinger (US$ /month) | Cloudways (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | $2.99 | $11 |
| Renewal Price | $7.99 | $11 |
| Monthly Payment Option? | Yes | Yes |
Hostinger offers a more affordable introductory price of $2.99 per month compared to Cloudways’ $11 per month. The renewal price for Hostinger jumps to $7.99 per month, a 167% increase from the introductory rate while Cloudways maintains a steady price structure at $11 per month. This makes Hostinger attractive for budget-conscious users, but Cloudways’ stable pricing might appeal to those who prefer avoiding price hikes. Both hosts provide monthly payment options.
Features Included
| Feature | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Space | 100 GB SSD storage | 25 GB SSD storage |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | 1 TB |
| Websites | 100 | Unlimited (as long as resources allow) |
| Email Hosting | 100 email accounts, each with 1 GB of storage | Add on feature |
| Free Domain | Yes | No |
| AI Website Builder | Yes, Hostinger Website Builder | No |
| Unlimited Storage | No | No |
| Unlimited/Unmetered Bandwidth | Yes, Unlimited | No, Limited to 1 TB |
Hostinger offers significantly more storage space (100 GB SSD) compared to Cloudways’ 25 GB SSD. Hostinger’s entry plan also provides unlimited bandwidth and support for up to 100 websites. Cloudways limits bandwidth to 1 TB but allows unlimited websites as long as resources permit. Hostinger includes 100 email accounts with each plan, a free domain, and an AI website builder, while Cloudways either lacks these features or offers them as paid add-ons. These differences make Hostinger better for users needing more inclusive features at a lower cost, while Cloudways’ flexibility may be preferred by those with high-performance needs.
Performance
| Performance Metric | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.99% |
| Type of SSD Server | SSD (NVMe on higher plans) | SSD |
| CDN | Yes, Hostinger CDN (Higher plans) | Yes, CloudFlare CDN |
| Caching | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Performance Features | LiteSpeed WordPress acceleration, NVMe SSD on higher plans | Advanced caching (Varnish, Redis, Memcached), CloudwaysCDN |
Hostinger guarantees 99.9% uptime performance, fast SSD servers and LiteSpeed WordPress acceleration on its entry plan. Higher plans include NVMe SSDs and Hostinger CDN for even faster performance. Cloudways provides a slightly higher uptime guarantee of 99.99% and includes advanced caching technologies like Varnish, Redis, and Memcached, along with its CloudwaysCDN.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Data Centers | 10 | 65+ |
| HQ Location | Vilnius, Lithuania | St. Julians, Malta |
| Data Center Locations | USA, UK, Brazil, India, Singapore, etc. | USA, Europe, Asia, South America |
Both hosts offer excellent data center coverage. Cloudways boasts a vast network of over 65 data centers. Cloudways’ presence spans the USA, Europe, Asia, and other regions, making it ideal for users targeting global markets. Hostinger also offers good coverage but with a lower total of 10 data centers spread across key regions like the USA, UK, Brazil, and India. However, Cloudways clearly excels in global reach and data center variety.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| OS Supported | Linux | Linux |
| Control Panel | hPanel (proprietary) and cPanel for VPS | Custom control panel |
| 1-Click WordPress Installation | Yes | Yes |
Both Hostinger and Cloudways support Linux hosting only. Both offer 1-click WordPress installation. Hostinger provides its proprietary hPanel control panel and also offers cPanel for its VPS plans. Cloudways uses a custom control panel tailored to managing cloud hosting resources and simplifying the usual complexities of this type of hosting.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Available on higher plans | Yes |
| Root Access | Yes, for VPS hosting | 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 |
Hostinger provides developers with root access for its VPS plans. Cloudways does not provide root access, making Hostinger more attractive for users needing more advanced server control. Both hosts support essential developer tools like GIT access, WP-CLI, Cron jobs, and multiple programming languages. Cloudways excels with staging tools available on all plans, while Hostinger offers them only on higher tiers.
Customer Support
| Customer Support Feature | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Live chat, Help Center (no phone support) | Live chat, ticketing system |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | None |
Hostinger and Cloudways both offer 24/7 live chat customer support and website migration services. However, Cloudways provides an additional ticketing system for more structured support, whereas Hostinger relies on live chat and a comprehensive help center. Hostinger stands out with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Cloudways, disappointingly, does not offer a money back guarantee.
Security Features
| Security Feature | Hostinger | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Weekly backups (Premium); daily for higher plans | Yes, automated daily backups |
| DDoS Protection | Yes, Cloudflare | Yes, Cloudflare |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | No | Yes, add-on feature |
| Unique Security Features | Free WHOIS privacy protection | Two-factor authentication, bot protection. |
Both Hostinger and Cloudways offer robust security features such as free SSL certificates, Cloudflare DDoS protection, and firewalls. Cloudways provides automated daily backups across all plans, while Hostinger only includes daily backups for higher-tier plans and weekly for its lower tier plans. Cloudways also offers proactive monitoring as an add-on, alongside advanced security features like bot protection and two-factor authentication.
Hostinger vs Cloudways: Which Is Better For You?
Hostinger is the better host. Use Hostinger if you’re a budget-conscious user hosting small business websites, personal blogs, or portfolios. Also use Hostinger if you’re a beginner since you benefit from low pricing, a free domain and a free AI website builder. Finally, use Hostinger if you’re a growing eCommerce site since it offers affordable shared hosting and the ability to upgrade to VPS or cloud hosting as your business scales.
Use Cloudways if you’re managing a high-traffic website that requires advanced cloud hosting infrastructure. Also use Cloudways if you need global data center coverage and advanced caching options to serve a geographically diverse audience.
Check out other web hosting matchups here.
Who is Hostinger?
Hostinger is a web host that was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. It offers affordable shared and cloud hosting with a user-friendly hPanel. It excels in low-cost plans, but lacks phone support and daily backups on basic plans. Learn more about the brand in our Hostinger review.
Who is Cloudways?
Cloudways is a web host that was founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Julians, Malta. It specializes in managed cloud hosting, using top-tier infrastructure from providers like AWS and Google Cloud. Cloudways offers excellent performance but at higher costs. Get the full scoop in our Cloudways review.