Best Cloudways alternatives in 2026
Cloudways is a reasonable choice for some sites, but it isn't right if you want email, a free domain, phone support or a money-back guarantee. Rocket.net is our top Cloudways alternative. Here are 8 better-fitting options, with what each one does better.
8 alternatives ranked · Updated October 2026 · How we rate
Quick answer
- Best overall alternative Rocket.net 9.0/10 · From $25/mo See Rocket.net plans
- Cheapest over three years Hostinger About $89.64 for 3 years See Hostinger plans
Why people look for Cloudways alternatives
- No email hosting or free domain
- CDN and backup storage cost extra
- No phone support or money-back guarantee
Cloudways scores 8.3 out of 10 in our ratings. Read the full Cloudways review or see Cloudways pricing.
Compare the alternatives
| Add to comparison | Host | Score | Price | Best for | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket.net Edge-first managed WordPress with Cloudflare Enterprise built into every plan. | 9.0/10 | From $25/moSame price at renewalFree migration | Site owners who want very fast global load times and no visit counting | See plans | |
| Kinsta Premium managed WordPress on Google Cloud, with the best dashboard we've seen. | 9.0/10 | From $30/moSame price at renewalFree migration | Businesses, stores and agencies that want top speed and support and are happy to pay for it | See plans | |
| Liquid Web Managed WordPress and WooCommerce hosting from Liquid Web, now including Nexcess. | 8.5/10 | From $5/moRenews at $6/moFree migration | Small businesses and WooCommerce stores that want managed hosting, unlimited visits and phone support on a budget | See plans | |
| SiteGround Hands-off WordPress hosting on Google Cloud, with some of the best support around. | 8.4/10 | From $2.99/moRenews at $17.99/moFree migration | Bloggers and small businesses who want WordPress looked after and great support | See plans | |
| ScalaHosting Managed cloud servers without cPanel license fees, thanks to its own SPanel. | 8.2/10 | From $29.95/moRenews at $54.95/moFree migration | Growing sites and agencies ready to move from shared hosting to a managed cloud server | See plans | |
| Pressable Automattic's managed WordPress host, with Jetpack Security and hourly backups included. | 8.5/10 | From $20.83/moSame price at renewalFree migration | Agencies and site owners who want WordPress.com's infrastructure with full plugin freedom | See plans | |
| WP Engine The best-known managed WordPress host, with polished staging and developer tools. | 8.4/10 | From $26.25/moRenewal price not publishedFree migration | Established businesses, agencies and developers who want a mature platform and can pay a premium | See plans | |
| Hostinger Very cheap hosting with a slick control panel and lots included. | 8.3/10 | From $2.49/moRenews at $10.99/moFree migration | Beginners and small businesses who want the most features for the least money | See plans |
No hosts match those filters. Try turning off "Free site migration" or choosing "Anything".
The 8 best Cloudways alternatives
- 1Top alternativeExcellentout of 10 Score 9.0 out of 10, Excellent
Rocket.net
Best for: Site owners who want very fast global load times and no visit counting
Fast, secure and fairly priced: Cloudflare Enterprise and a firewall on every plan, no visit caps, and no price rise at renewal.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better speed and uptime (9.4 vs 9.0)
- Better support (9.0 vs 7.8)
- Better ease of use (8.8 vs 7.3)
- Phone support
Watch for
- Only 10 GB storage and 50 GB bandwidth on Starter
- Overage fees for bandwidth and storage
From $25/mo · Same price at renewal - 2Excellentout of 10 Score 9.0 out of 10, Excellent
Kinsta
Best for: Businesses, stores and agencies that want top speed and support and are happy to pay for it
Our top managed WordPress host: very fast, with excellent support, unlimited free migrations and no renewal price jump.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better speed and uptime (9.4 vs 9.0)
- Better support (9.3 vs 7.8)
- Better features and security (9.2 vs 8.4)
- Better ease of use (9.3 vs 7.3)
Watch for
- Expensive for one small site
- Visit limits with overage fees on lower plans
From $30/mo · Same price at renewal - 3Excellentout of 10 Score 8.5 out of 10, Excellent
Liquid Web
Best for: Small businesses and WooCommerce stores that want managed hosting, unlimited visits and phone support on a budget
Managed WordPress at shared-hosting prices: unlimited visits, 24/7 phone support and a 100% uptime guarantee, with a confusing product lineup.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better support (8.7 vs 7.8)
- Better ease of use (7.8 vs 7.3)
- Cheaper over three years ($204 vs $504)
- Phone support
Watch for
- Confusing lineup of plans and brands
- Entry plan keeps backups only 7 days
From $5/mo · Renews at $6/mo - 4Very goodout of 10 Score 8.4 out of 10, Very good
SiteGround
Best for: Bloggers and small businesses who want WordPress looked after and great support
Excellent support and solid speed with lots of care included, but the price rises sharply at renewal.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better support (9.2 vs 7.8)
- Better ease of use (8.8 vs 7.3)
- Lower starting price ($2.99/mo vs $14/mo)
- Phone support
Watch for
- Renews at about 6 times the intro price
- Entry plan is 1 site and 10 GB
From $2.99/mo · Renews at $17.99/mo - 5Very goodout of 10 Score 8.2 out of 10, Very good
ScalaHosting
Best for: Growing sites and agencies ready to move from shared hosting to a managed cloud server
The most affordable way to get a fully managed cloud server, with strong built-in security, but its control panel is less familiar.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better support (8.2 vs 7.8)
Watch for
- SPanel is less familiar than cPanel
- Renews at nearly twice the intro price
From $29.95/mo · Renews at $54.95/mo - 6Excellentout of 10 Score 8.5 out of 10, Excellent
Pressable
Best for: Agencies and site owners who want WordPress.com's infrastructure with full plugin freedom
Strong value for managed WordPress: WordPress.com's infrastructure, Jetpack Security, hourly backups and a 100% uptime guarantee.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better support (8.3 vs 7.8)
- Better ease of use (8.4 vs 7.3)
Watch for
- Visit caps with overage fees
- Fewer support channels advertised
From $20.83/mo · Same price at renewal - 7Very goodout of 10 Score 8.4 out of 10, Very good
WP Engine
Best for: Established businesses, agencies and developers who want a mature platform and can pay a premium
A polished, reliable managed WordPress platform with the best developer workflow, held back by visit caps, add-on pricing and no uptime guarantee on the entry plan.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better support (8.5 vs 7.8)
- Better features and security (8.8 vs 8.4)
- Better ease of use (8.5 vs 7.3)
- Phone support
Watch for
- Visit caps with overage fees on every plan
- Firewall and advanced DDoS cost extra below Enterprise
From $26.25/mo · Renewal price not published - 8Very goodout of 10 Score 8.3 out of 10, Very good
Hostinger
Best for: Beginners and small businesses who want the most features for the least money
The best value in cheap hosting: fast for the price, easy to use and packed with extras, as long as you can prepay for years.
Why it beats Cloudways
- Better ease of use (9.0 vs 7.3)
- Cheaper over three years ($89.64 vs $504)
Watch for
- Best price needs a 4-year prepay
- Renews at about 4 times the intro price
From $2.49/mo · Renews at $10.99/mo
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to Cloudways?
Rocket.net. Fast, secure and fairly priced: Cloudflare Enterprise and a firewall on every plan, no visit caps, and no price rise at renewal.
What is a cheaper alternative to Cloudways?
Hostinger costs about $89.64 over three years on its entry plan, versus about $504 for Cloudways.
Is there a faster alternative to Cloudways?
Rocket.net scores 9.4 out of 10 for speed and uptime, versus 9.0 for Cloudways.
Which Cloudways alternative has the best support?
Kinsta scores 9.3 out of 10 for support. Kinsta's 24/7 chat is staffed by WordPress engineers, in eight languages. Reviewers consistently rate it among the best support teams in hosting.
Can I move from Cloudways for free?
Rocket.net, Kinsta, Liquid Web, SiteGround, ScalaHosting, Pressable, WP Engine, Hostinger include free site migration, so switching costs nothing but a little time.