Cloudways vs SiteGround
Compare Cloudways and SiteGround on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting — Flexible from $11/mo DigitalOcean Standard; Autonomous WordPress autoscaling separate line.
Best for
- • Teams that want managed hosting on a chosen cloud VM without buying a panel licence
- • Agencies running WordPress plus other apps on one Cloudways account
- • Buyers who will actually use hourly Flexible billing and the $11 DigitalOcean Standard floor
Starting from $11.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between Cloudways and SiteGround. Choose Cloudways when Teams that want managed hosting on a chosen cloud VM without buying a panel licence. Choose SiteGround when Teams that want managed WordPress hosting with a published $17.99 ongoing floor. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Cloudways is better for
- ✓ Starting pricing
- ✓ Integrations
Tie
- • Security & admin
Choose Cloudways if: Teams that want managed hosting on a chosen cloud VM without buying a panel licence
Choose SiteGround if: Teams that want managed WordPress hosting with a published $17.99 ongoing floor
SiteGround
Managed WordPress hosting with shared-plan packaging — StartUp promo $2.99 then renews $17.99/mo; GrowBig $29.99; GoGeek $44.99. Use $17.99 ongoing floor. Does not outrank WP Engine 7.7.
Best for
- • Teams that want managed WordPress hosting with a published $17.99 ongoing floor
- • Buyers comparing SiteGround StartUp to WP Engine Essential and Kinsta Single
- • Orgs that will treat $17.99 as renewal TCO, not the $2.99 promo month
Starting from $17.99/user/mo
No free plan
Comparison scorecard
Criterion-by-criterion results for Cloudways and SiteGround. Numeric bars appear only when both products have approved scores.
- Cloudways
Starting pricing
Published floor price and what that floor actually includes.
Cloudways publishes a lower researched starting floor ($11/mo vs $17.99/mo for SiteGround). Confirm currency, renewals, and add-ons — not a total TCO winner.
CloudwaysStrongerSiteGroundWeaker - Depends
Free plan
Whether a usable free plan is published, and what it gates.
Cloudways does not research a free plan; SiteGround does not research a free plan.
CloudwaysDependsSiteGroundDepends - Depends
User / licence minimum
Seat floors, per-employee minimums, and small-team pricing traps.
Check seat, agent, or licence minimums for Cloudways and SiteGround on current vendor packaging.
CloudwaysDependsSiteGroundDepends - Cloudways
Integrations
Important third-party integrations.
Cloudways leads on integrations (8/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Cloudways8/10SiteGround7/10 - Tie
Security & admin
Admin controls, access, compliance posture, and security packaging.
Cloudways and SiteGround are close on security admin (7/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
CloudwaysTieSiteGroundTie
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