Cloudways Alternatives – Smarter Hosting with Rocon

Cloudways alternatives: In today’s fast-paced digital world, hosting is more than just keeping a website up and running; it’s also about performance, scalability, and support. Cloudways is well-known as a managed hosting platform for developers, and it is especially popular with agencies and tech-savvy business owners.

But if your business grows or your technical needs change, you might start to wonder, “Is Cloudways still the best choice?”

A lot of people are looking for other options in 2025 because of the platform’s pricing structure, lack of email hosting, or just the need for a better user-friendly experience.

This article lists the best Cloudways alternatives based on how well they work, what features they have, how much they cost, and how they may be used. There is a choice for everyone, whether you are a developer, an agency, a startup, or a solitary entrepreneur.

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting service that enables users deploy software, primarily WordPress, on top-tier cloud providers like DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud without having to manage the server itself.

Main Features:

• 5 cloud providers to choose from
• WordPress installs with one click
• Environment for staging
• Scaling up vertically
• Caching that comes with the system (Varnish, Memcached, Redis)
• Free SSL and firewalls; pay-as-you-go pricing

Cloudways is mostly for developers, entrepreneurs, and digital agencies that want the benefits of cloud hosting without having to worry about managing servers.

Cloudways is flexible, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Here are some reasons why users look for other options:

1. No email hosting

• Cloudways does not host email natively. Users have to work with third-party suppliers like Rackspace, which makes things more complicated and expensive.

2. Hard for Newbies

• The dashboard is really powerful, but it can be hard to use for people who don’t know much about DevOps or server-side settings.

3. Worries About Prices

• Costs can go up quickly, especially if you use premium cloud services like AWS or GCP or host more than one app.

4. Lock-in with a vendor

• Even though the server is on another cloud provider, you have to use Cloudways’ platform for upgrades, firewall rules, backups, and more.

5. Limitations on Support

• Cloudways’ help is usually quick to respond, although it can be spotty when it comes to more complicated server-level problems.

Things to Look for in a Cloudways Alternatives

When looking for other options, think about: 

• Performance (uptime, caching, CDN integration) 
• Developer Tools (SSH, Git, staging, CLI access) 
• Scalability (auto-scaling, horizontal and vertical scaling) 
• Security (firewall, DDoS protection, backups)
• Clear pricing 
• Good support 
• Easy to use

1. Rocon – Best for Agencies & DevOps-Focused Teams

Rocon is a modern managed hosting platform designed specifically for WordPress, WooCommerce, and web applications. What sets Rocon apart is its containerized architecture and auto-scaling capabilities, built for high-traffic and complex environments.

Unlike traditional hosting, Rocon gives true isolation for each site, so your performance and security isn’t affected by “noisy neighbours”. With built in DevOps tools, Git based deployment and free migrations, it’s a platform for agencies, startups and technical teams who value flexibility and speed.

Key Features:

• Docker-powered container hosting
• Built-in CDN, backups, and monitoring
• Auto-scaling during traffic surges
• Git-based deployment
• DevOps tools for advanced teams
• Free migrations & staging environments
• Email integrations available

Ideal for: Agencies, startups, and developers needing flexibility and performance
Pricing: Starts at $1.99/month

2. Kinsta – Best for Enterprise-Grade WordPress Hosting

Kinsta is a premium managed WordPress hosting provider powered by Google Cloud Platform’s C2 instances. It’s perfect for businesses that demand top-tier speed, security, and support.

If you have a mission critical WordPress site or large ecommerce store, Kinsta’s reliability, 24/7 support and hack fix guarantee makes it a Cloudways competitor.

Key Features:

• 24/7 expert support
• Daily backups
• Free CDN and SSL
• Staging environment
• In-built APM (application performance monitoring)
• Hack fix guarantee

Ideal for: Enterprise WordPress sites, large ecommerce businesses
Pricing: Starts at $35/month

3. Rocket.net – Best for Speed & Simplicity

Rocket.net is an edge-optimized managed hosting platform built for WordPress. It uses Cloudflare Enterprise to deliver content fast—no extra configuration needed.

If you’re a content site, blogger or ecommerce store that wants speed and ease of use, Rocket.net makes it easy.

Key Features:

• Ultra-fast load times via edge network
• Built-in WAF and CDN
• Malware protection and daily backups
• No plugins required for caching or security
• Simple UI with analytics

Ideal for: Content-heavy sites, bloggers, ecommerce stores
Pricing: Starts at $30/month

4. WP Engine – Best for Large Agencies

WP Engine offers powerful managed WordPress hosting with advanced developer features, perfect for agencies or large publishing platforms.

Key Features:

• Genesis framework & StudioPress themes
• SSH access, Git integration
• Dedicated dev, staging, and prod environments
• Security patching and threat blocking
• 24/7 enterprise support

Ideal for: Agencies managing many WordPress clients
Pricing: Starts at $30/month

5. SiteGround Cloud Hosting – Best Budget-Friendly Option

SiteGround offers managed cloud hosting built on Google Cloud infrastructure, known for their outstanding support and ease of use.

Key Features:

• Site tools dashboard (replacing cPanel)
• Dynamic caching
• Free SSL, email, CDN, and backups
• White-labeled options
• Auto-healing servers

Ideal for: SMBs, agencies wanting simplicity with flexibility
Pricing: Starts at $100/month for cloud plans; shared plans from $2.99/month

6. GridPane – Best for Advanced Users & VPS Builders

GridPane is not for beginners. It’s a powerful control panel to manage your own VPS (Linode, Vultr, DO, etc.) with WordPress optimization built-in.

Key Features:

• Root-level control
• Advanced security stack
• Git and WP-CLI support
• Full NGINX + Redis setup
• Server monitoring tools

Ideal for: Developers, server admins, and technical agencies
Pricing: Starts at $50/month (control panel only)

7. DigitalOcean App Platform – For Developers Beyond WordPress

If you’re looking to host not just WordPress but modern web apps (React, Python, Node.js), DigitalOcean’s App Platform is a great PaaS solution.

Key Features:

• Git push-to-deploy
• Auto-scaling
• Docker support
• Static and dynamic app hosting
• Fully managed databases

Ideal for: Developers building custom apps, startups
Pricing: Starts at $5/month (static); $12/month (dynamic)

Cloudways is still a powerful competitor in the managed hosting field, but it’s not the only choice anymore, and it might not be the most versatile one either. As performance needs rise, clients expect:

• Easier onboarding
• Tools that work together (CDN, backups, email)
• Scaling that works without DevOps problems
• Clear prices and personal help

These Cloudways options in 2025 include solutions for every sort of user, whether you want to make your workflow easier, boost performance, or have more control over your stack.

Try Rocon: A Better Way to Grow

Try Rocon if you don’t like slow dashboards, prices that aren’t obvious, or limited scalability. Rocon is made for agencies, developers, and teams that work quickly. It has:

• Hosting in containers that works really well
• Complete DevOps toolkits
• Auto-scaling in real time
• Backups, security, and monitoring are built in.
• Prices that are affordable and may grow with you

Be wiser about scaling. Make things faster. Rocon is the host.

1. Why look for a Cloudways alternative?

While Cloudways offers flexibility some businesses need cheaper pricing, built-in features or specialized performance.

2. Which Cloudways alternative is the cheapest?

Rocon starts at $1.99/month, the cheapest managed hosting.

3. Which option is best for agencies?

Rocon or WP Engine, depends on whether you like container based scalability (Rocon) or enterprise client management tools (WP Engine).

4. Which is best for developers?

Rocon, GridPane and DigitalOcean are perfect for developers who need full control and flexibility beyond WordPress.