When comparing Kinsta vs Cloudways, we find Kinsta to be the better web host overall. Kinsta excels in managed WordPress hosting and promises fast speeds and enterprise-level security backed by the premium tier of Google Cloud. Its WordPress-focused features and high-level expert support make it ideal for demanding sites. Cloudways offers more hosting options and flexibility across multiple cloud platforms, but has higher costs for its advanced plans.
In this article, we compare Kinsta vs Cloudways on the grounds of plans, pricing, features included, and performance. We also compare their data coverage, software supported, developer tools, customer support, and security features. Finally, we answer the question of “Kinsta vs Cloudways: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Plan Type | Kinsta (US$ /month) | Cloudways (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| VPS Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| WordPress Hosting | $30 – $563 | $11 – $3569.98 |
| Cloud Hosting | Not Available | $11 – $3569.98 |
| Dedicated Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| Reseller Hosting | Not Available | $11 – $1056 |
| Managed Hosting | WordPress Hosting | All Plans |
Kinsta specializes in Managed WordPress Hosting, but also offers Static Site, Web Application, and Database Hosting. Cloudways provides users with 3 types of hosting: WordPress, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting. Managed services are available across all Cloudways plans.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | Kinsta (US$ /month) | Cloudways (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | $30 | $11 |
| Renewal Price | $30 | $11 |
| Monthly Payment Option? | Yes | Yes |
Kinsta’s pricing starts at $30 per month for its managed WordPress hosting, nearly three times Cloudways’ lower entry point of $11 per month. Kinsta’s higher price reflects its premium focus on premium performance, security, and expert WordPress support. Both hosts maintain their initial pricing when renewing, which means there is no increase in cost.
Features Included
| Feature | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Space | 10 GB SSD storage | 25 GB SSD storage |
| Bandwidth | 25,000 visits (overage fee $1/GB) | 1 TB |
| Websites | 1 | Unlimited (resource dependent) |
| Email Hosting | No | Add-on feature |
| Free Domain | No | No |
| AI Website Builder | No | No |
| Unlimited Storage | No | No |
| Unlimited Bandwidth | No | No |
| Additional Features | DevKinsta, Kinsta APM, Expert support | Cloud-based flexibility, support for multiple cloud platforms |
Kinsta and Cloudways differ significantly in their feature offerings which makes sense given their different specialties of Premium Managed WordPress hosting vs cloud hosting . Kinsta provides 10 GB of SSD storage, which is lower compared to Cloudways’ 25 GB. Kinsta counts bandwidth based on site visits, with an overage charge if the limit is exceeded. Cloudways provides a more straightforward 1 TB bandwidth limit.
Cloudways allows unlimited websites depending on resource availability, whereas Kinsta only supports one site per plan. Kinsta offers specialized tools like DevKinsta and Kinsta APM, while Cloudways provides greater flexibility with its multi-platform, cloud-based infrastructure.
Performance
| Performance Feature | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Yes, Kinsta CDN | Yes, CloudFlare CDN |
| Type of SSD Server | SSD | SSD |
| Caching | Yes | Yes |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.99% |
| Additional Performance | Kinsta CDN and Edge Caching | Varnish, Redis, and Memcached caching stack, Cloudflare CDN |
Kinsta and Cloudways both offer solid performance features, including CDN services and caching options. Kinsta uses its proprietary CDN called Kinsta CDN, while Cloudways integrates CloudFlare CDN. Both hosts use SSD servers for faster performance. Kinsta guarantees a 99.9% uptime, while Cloudways promises a slightly higher uptime of 99.99%.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| HQ Location | Los Angeles, California, USA | St. Julians, Malta |
| Number of Data Centers | 37 | 65+ |
| Data Center Locations | Worldwide (USA, Europe, Asia) | Worldwide (USA, Asia, Europe, Africa) |
Both Kinsta and Cloudways provide outstanding data center coverage. Kinsta operates 37 data centers across various continents, including North America, Europe, and Asia. Cloudways surpasses this large number significantly with over 65 data centers in the US, Asia, Europe, and Africa. This gives Cloudways a broader global presence. Cloudways is particularly recommended for users targeting regions like the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Click WordPress | Yes | Yes |
| OS Supported | Linux | Linux |
| Control Panel | MyKinsta (proprietary) | Custom control panel |
Kinsta and Cloudways both offer Linux-based hosting environments only. Both provide 1-click WordPress installation. Kinsta provides its proprietary control panel, MyKinsta, which is fantastically user-friendly and designed specifically for WordPress management. Cloudways provides a custom control panel that integrates with its multi-cloud platform offerings. Both hosts cater well to users seeking a streamlined WordPress setup, but Kinsta’s control panel is more specialized.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Yes, DevKinsta | 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 | Yes |
| Perl Support | Yes | No |
| Ruby on Rails Support | Yes | Yes |
| ASP.NET | Yes | No |
Kinsta and Cloudways offer a wide range of developer tools, including support for Node.js, Python, and multiple PHP versions. Both also provide Git, SSH, WP-CLI, and staging tools.
We also found that Cloudways lacks ASP.NET and Perl support, which Kinsta includes. This makes Kinsta a slightly more comprehensive option for developers who require these specific technologies.
Customer Support
| Support Feature | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Live chat | Live chat, ticketing system |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | None |
Both Kinsta and Cloudways offer 24/7 customer support through live chat. Cloudways additionally provides a ticketing system for more detailed inquiries. Both hosts include free website migration. Kinsta emphasizes the WordPress expertise of its team and also provides a fantastic knowledgebase on a range of technical topics. Kinsta offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, while Cloudways disappointingly has none. This means Kinsta customers have a better safety net when testing the service.
Security Features
| Security Feature | Kinsta | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Automatic daily backups | Yes, automated daily backups |
| DDoS Protection | Yes, Cloudflare | Yes, Cloudflare |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | Yes | Yes (add-on feature) |
| Unique Security Features | Enterprise-level firewall, Cloudflare, Google Cloud security | Two-factor authentication, bot protection, auto-healing servers |
Kinsta and Cloudways both offer strong security features such as free SSL, daily backups, DDoS protection, and firewalls. Kinsta emphasizes enterprise-level security with Cloudflare integration and premium-tier Google Cloud infrastructure. Cloudways focuses on additional security features like two-factor authentication and bot protection. Cloudways also offers auto-healing servers for better reliability.
Kinsta’s advanced firewall and proactive monitoring come built-in, whereas Cloudways offers proactive monitoring as an add-on. Both hosts provide robust protection, but Kinsta’s integrated security measures are more comprehensive.
Kinsta vs Cloudways: Which Is Better For You?
Kinsta is the better host. Use Kinsta if you need managed WordPress hosting with superior performance, speed, and security. Also use Kinsta if you’re a growing or high-traffic WooCommerce store. Also use Kinsta if you’re a WordPress developer looking for specialized WordPress tools such as DevKinsta.
Use Cloudways if your website is built outside of WordPress and you want a more user-friendly way to use AWS or Google Cloud. Also use Cloudways if you’re looking for more affordable pricing, scalability, and support for diverse hosting types.
More hosting comparisons can be found here.
Who is Kinsta?
Kinsta is a web host that was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, USA. It specializes in premium managed WordPress hosting using Google Cloud for high speed and security. However, it lacks email hosting and phone support. Read our Kinsta review to find out more.
Who is Cloudways?
Cloudways is a web host that was founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Julians, Malta. It offers flexible cloud hosting with top-tier infrastructure from providers like AWS and Google Cloud. It has no money-back guarantee and limited hardware control. See our Cloudways writeup for a deep-dive.