It’s a tough call between WP Engine and Cloudways – both companies are highly regarded in the WordPress hosting market.
Cloudways excels with a variety of cloud hosting choices and its auto-scaling feature, which handles high concurrency situations effectively. On the other hand, WP Engine offers outstanding WordPress-specific support, premium themes, and add-ons, making it a very strong contender for advanced WordPress users.
To provide real value and to help you make an informed choice between the two, We have done in-depth studies on the two companies. Make sure that you read our “Recommendation” section to learn about the details.
Cloudways vs WP Engine HostScore
Host Service Offering
| Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting Services | Cloud, and Reseller Hosting | - Hosting |
| Specialized Services | Managed WordPress Hosting | Managed WordPress Hosting |
| Server Locations | Canada, USA, Brazil, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Australia | USA, Belgium, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Ireland |
| Control Panel | In-House | WordPress |
| Uptime Guarantee | 100% | 99.95% |
| Money Back (Days) | 3 | 60 |
| Free Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Support Channels | Live chat and email | Phone, live chat, and email |
Plans & Pricing
| Hosting Type | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| VPS Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| Dedicated Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $11.00 - 1056.00/mo | $35.00 - 675.00/mo |
| Managed WP Hosting | $35.00 - 1640.00/mo | $15.00 - 145.00/mo |
| Windows Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| Coupon | HOSTSCORE | - |
| Coupon Details | 30% Discount for 3 Months | - |
Development Features & Others
| Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Language Support | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails |
| Dev Features | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access |
| Staging Tool | Built-in | Built-in |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Cache | Yes | Yes |
| Global CDN | Yes | Yes |
| Free Malware Scan | Yes | Yes |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Yes | Yes |
Our Recommendation
Key Differentials Between the Two
- Cloud Hosting Choices: Cloudways provides a wide range of cloud hosting options from providers like AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode. This offers users flexibility in choosing the best infrastructure for their needs. WP Engine, in comparison, focuses solely on its own optimized hosting environment designed specifically for WordPress.
- Auto Scaling: The new Cloudways Autonomous allows for automatic scaling up and down based on traffic demands. This feature gives Cloudways an edge in terms of scalability and resource management.
- Support and Applications: WP Engine boasts excellent WordPress-specific support with access to WordPress experts and includes premium WordPress themes and add-ons such as the Genesis Framework. Additionally, WP Engine offers automated updates for plugins, themes, WordPress, and PHP with auto roll-back functionality, ensuring site security and performance. Cloudways also offers robust support, but it extends to a wider range of applications beyond WordPress, making it a versatile choice for different types of projects.
- Pricing Model: Cloudways’ pay-as-you-go pricing model eliminates the need to pay a large lump sum of hosting fees upfront. Further, users can scale up or down as their websites grow, making it the more flexible choice when compared to WP Engine.
- Cost: Cloudways is slightly more cost-effective compared to WP Engine, offering a budget-friendly solution without compromising on quality or performance.
- Additional Features: WP Engine includes premium tools and features such as StudioPress themes, Smart Plugin Manager, Global Edge Security, and the Local WordPress development environment, which are designed to enhance the WordPress development and management experience. These tools help improve site performance, security, and ease of use, making WP Engine a comprehensive solution for WordPress users.
- Performance and Security: Both Cloudways and WP Engine offer enterprise-grade security measures, including DDoS protection and managed WAF, by default. WP Engine has a slight edge with its proprietary caching mechanism (EverCache®), a global CDN that ensure fast web content delivery world wide, which is critical for high-traffic international websites.
Our Verdict: Which is Right for You?
Like we said earlier – it is a tough decision to choose between Cloudways and WP Engine. Overall, Cloudways is ideal for those who need a managed hosting environment with the freedom to choose from various cloud providers. On the other hand, with its focus on WordPress addon features and expert supports, WP Engine is best suited for dedicated WordPress users looking for premium WordPress hosting.
About Cloudways
Established in 2011 by co-founders Aaqib Gadit, Pere Hospital, and Uzair Gadit, Cloudways is a managed hosting platform that initially focused on leveraging partnerships with AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Digital Ocean to serve its customers better. The acquisition by DigitalOcean in August 2022 further solidified this partnership, enhancing Cloudways' ability to provide superior managed hosting solutions.
Cloudways Pros
- Topnotch server uptime and speed performance
- Good abstration over complex cloud server setups with integrated dashboard
- Outstanding customer support
- High scalability; Autonomous plan supports auto-scaling
- Easy server cloning, site staging, and website transfer
- Host unlimited applications in one account
- 25% discount for first two months with coupon "HOSTSCORE"
Cloudways Cons
- Getting expensive - Prices increased steadily for the past few years
- Limited trial period
Visit Cloudways to learn more about the features
About WP Engine
Established in 2010 by Ben Metcalfe, Cullen Wilson, and Jason Cohen, WP Engine has its headquarters nestled in Austin, Texas. Through strategic acquisitions like Flywheel and key WordPress plugins such as Genesis Advanced Custom Fields and WP Migrate, WP Engine has fortified its position in the industry while expanding its global footprint.
Boasting a revenue surge to $192.4M in 2023 and a clientele exceeding 120,000, WP Engine, under the leadership of CEO Heather Brunner, continues to chart a path of innovation and growth in the web hosting domain.
WP Engine Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Round-the-clock WordPress-specialized support
- Developer-friendly environment
- Genesis framework and StudioPress themes included
- Choice of 20+ server locations in four continents
WP Engine Cons
- Email hosting services not included
- Only WordPress plans available
- Bandwidth and some server resources are highly limited
- No white-glove site migration
Visit WP Engine to learn more about the features
