SiteGround vs Cloudways 2026: Speed, Uptime Tested

Choosing between SiteGround and Cloudways is not just a matter of price. These two platforms follow very different hosting philosophies, and the right choice depends on your technical comfort level, traffic expectations, and long‑term growth plans.

In this in‑depth comparison, we break down SiteGround vs Cloudways from a real‑world perspective—performance, pricing, features, ease of use, and who each platform is actually best for. No hype, no fluff, just practical guidance to help you make the right decision.

Quick Verdict (TL;DR)

• Best for beginners: SiteGround
• Best for performance & scalability: Cloudways
• Best for WooCommerce & high traffic: Cloudways
• Best for simplicity & support: SiteGround
• Best long‑term value for growing sites: Cloudways

If you want an easy, beginner‑friendly hosting experience, SiteGround is the safer choice. If you want flexibility, dedicated resources, and better scaling, Cloudways usually wins.

SiteGround: Beginner-Friendly WordPress Hosting

SiteGround is a long-established hosting provider officially recommended by WordPress.org, known for combining ease of use with dependable performance. Its hosting portfolio includes shared hosting, managed WordPress and WooCommerce plans, and scalable cloud hosting, with much of its infrastructure built on Google Cloud.

Key Strengths

Proven Trust and Brand Authority

SiteGround’s long history in the WordPress ecosystem and its WordPress.org endorsement make it one of the most trusted names for new and growing websites. For many users, this credibility alone is a deciding factor.

Consistent Performance for Most Use Cases

Performance is generally strong across SiteGround plans, especially for low to mid-traffic sites. It uses SSD storage (NVMe on select plans), a proprietary caching layer through the SG Optimizer plugin, and built-in CDN integration. Uptime reliability is also a strong point, with a 99.99% guarantee that suits business-critical websites.

Modern, Beginner-Friendly Control Panel

Instead of the traditional cPanel, SiteGround uses its custom Site Tools dashboard. The interface is clean, intuitive, and well-organized, making common tasks like managing domains, backups, caching, and email accessible even to non-technical users.

Responsive and Knowledgeable Support

Customer support is one of SiteGround’s standout features. Users have access to 24/7 assistance via live chat, phone, and ticketing, supported by detailed documentation and tutorials. This is particularly valuable for beginners and small teams without in-house technical expertise.

Practical Built-In Features

Most plans include free SSL certificates, daily backups, professional email hosting, collaborator access, and security features. Staging environments and advanced tools are available on higher-tier plans, making them suitable for developers and agencies managing active sites.

Potential Limitations to Consider

Higher Renewal Costs

While SiteGround’s introductory pricing is competitive, renewal rates increase significantly. This can impact long-term budgeting if users do not account for the higher ongoing cost after the first term.

Resource Constraints on Entry Plans

Lower-tier plans come with stricter limits on storage, visits, and site installations. These plans work well for small or single websites but may feel restrictive as traffic or project scope grows.

Advanced Tools Locked Behind Premium Plans

Some valuable features, such as on-demand backups, advanced caching options, and priority support, are only available on higher-priced plans, which may push growing users toward more expensive tiers.

Who Should Choose SiteGround?

SiteGround is best suited for:

• Beginners who want a smooth, low-learning-curve WordPress hosting experience
• Bloggers and small to mid-sized businesses need reliable shared or managed hosting
• Users who prioritize strong support, ease of use, and a well-established hosting brand

SiteGround delivers reliable performance, excellent support, and a user-friendly experience, making it a dependable choice for many WordPress users. However, it is best evaluated with long-term costs and plan limitations in mind, especially for sites expecting steady growth.

Cloudways: Flexible Managed Cloud Hosting

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that acts as a layer between users and major cloud infrastructure providers such as DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud. Instead of traditional shared hosting, Cloudways offers managed servers optimized for performance, scalability, and control, making it popular among developers, agencies, and high-traffic WordPress sites.

Key Strengths

True Cloud Infrastructure and Scalability

Unlike shared hosting environments, Cloudways provides dedicated cloud resources. This means CPU, RAM, and storage are isolated, resulting in more predictable performance. Vertical scaling is also straightforward, allowing users to increase resources as traffic grows without migrating to a new host.

Strong Performance Stack

Cloudways uses an optimized performance stack (often referred to as ThunderStack), which typically includes NGINX, Apache, PHP-FPM, Redis, Memcached, and optional Varnish caching. Combined with SSD storage and built-in CDN integration, this setup delivers excellent load times, especially for dynamic and high-traffic WordPress sites.

Developer-Friendly Control and Flexibility

The Cloudways control panel is designed for flexibility rather than simplicity. Users can manage server-level settings, PHP versions, cron jobs, Git deployments, and application configurations without dealing directly with the cloud provider’s dashboard. This level of control is a major advantage for technical users.

Pay-As-You-Go Pricing Model

Cloudways uses monthly, usage-based pricing tied to the underlying cloud provider. There are no long-term contracts, making it easier to scale up or down based on actual needs. This model is attractive for growing businesses and seasonal traffic patterns.

Advanced Features for Growing Sites

Features such as staging environments, automated and on-demand backups, server monitoring, firewalls, and free SSL certificates are included across plans. These tools make Cloudways suitable for agencies and teams managing multiple WordPress installations.

Potential Limitations to Consider

Steeper Learning Curve for Beginners

While Cloudways is “managed,” it is not beginner-oriented in the traditional sense. Users unfamiliar with cloud concepts may find the interface and terminology overwhelming compared to shared or fully abstracted WordPress hosting platforms.

No Email Hosting

Cloudways does not provide native email hosting. Users must rely on third-party services for transactional or business email, which adds complexity and potentially additional cost.

Costs Can Increase with Scale

Although entry-level pricing is reasonable, costs can rise quickly as server resources increase or when using premium cloud providers like AWS or Google Cloud. This makes long-term cost planning important.

Support Is Technical

Cloudways support is knowledgeable and responsive, but it is more technically focused. Users looking for step-by-step guidance or beginner-level assistance may find the experience less accommodating.

Who Should Choose Cloudways?

Cloudways is best suited for:

• Developers, agencies, and technically confident users
• High-traffic WordPress and WooCommerce websites
• Businesses that need scalable cloud performance without managing servers directly

Cloudways delivers powerful cloud-based performance, flexibility, and scalability that far exceed traditional shared hosting. It’s an excellent choice for performance-driven users, but it requires a higher level of technical comfort and thoughtful cost management.

Pricing is often the first thing people compare when choosing a hosting provider, but the real question isn’t just which is cheaper. It’s what you’re actually paying for and how that cost scales as your website grows.

SiteGround and Cloudways follow two very different pricing philosophies, which makes a direct dollar-to-dollar comparison misleading without proper context.

SiteGround Pricing: Lower Entry Cost

SiteGround is positioned as a budget-friendly option at the entry level. Its shared WordPress plans start at a low introductory rate, making it attractive for new websites, bloggers, and small businesses just getting started.

Even on the entry plan, users get a generous feature set: managed WordPress hosting, built-in caching, free SSL, daily backups, email hosting, and CDN integration. For small to medium traffic websites, this offers solid value at first glance.

However, the pricing picture changes after the initial term. Renewal rates increase significantly, and as traffic grows, users often need to upgrade to higher plans to avoid resource limitations. This means SiteGround is most affordable in the short term, but can become relatively expensive over time for growing sites.

Cloudways Pricing: Higher Starting Cost

Cloudways takes a different approach. Instead of shared hosting tiers, pricing is based on dedicated cloud resources from providers like DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, and Google Cloud.

The lowest-priced plans cost more upfront than SiteGround’s shared hosting, but they include dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage. This ensures predictable performance and eliminates the resource sharing common in entry-level hosting plans.

Cloudways uses a pay-as-you-go model with no long-term contracts, which makes it easier to scale resources only when needed. While this model offers transparency, costs can increase steadily as server resources grow or when using premium cloud providers.

Pricing

Comparing Value, Not Just Price

When comparing affordability, the value depends heavily on the type of website being hosted:

• For small or early-stage websites, SiteGround is usually more cost-effective initially, especially when email hosting and beginner-friendly tools are factored in.
• For performance-focused or high-traffic websites, Cloudways often delivers better long-term value due to dedicated resources and scalable infrastructure, despite the higher starting price.

Cloudways also requires fewer performance-related add-ons, while SiteGround users may eventually need plan upgrades or external services as their site grows.

When comparing hosting providers, features matter—but only when they align with how your site is built and managed. A long checklist looks impressive, but real value comes from how integrated, accessible, and usable those features actually are.

SiteGround and Cloudways take very different approaches here. One focuses on all-in-one convenience, while the other prioritizes performance control and flexibility.

Features At a Glance

SiteGround Features

SiteGround is designed to reduce dependency on third-party tools. Most of its core features are included across plans, which makes day-to-day site management straightforward—especially for non-technical users.

Key strengths of SiteGround’s feature offering include:

• Built-in security stack including a web application firewall, AI-based bot protection, daily backups, and geographically distributed backup storage
• Free SSL certificates, integrated CDN, and server-level caching via the SG Optimizer plugin
• Email hosting included with professional inbox management tools
• Collaboration and staging tools for safe testing and multi-user access
• Custom Site Tools dashboard that replaces cPanel with a more intuitive interface
• One-click application installs and Git integration on higher plans
• 24/7 support access across live chat, phone, and ticketing

Because these tools are tightly integrated, SiteGround works well for users who want a complete hosting environment without configuring multiple services.

Cloudways Features

Cloudways takes a more streamlined approach. Rather than bundling everything, it focuses on server performance, control, and scalability, leaving some functionality optional or external.

Notable Cloudways features include:

• Dedicated cloud resources with server-level caching and performance tuning
• Advanced caching options (Varnish, Redis, Memcached) depending on configuration
• Secure server access via SSH and SFTP
• Automated and on-demand backups, staging environments, and server monitoring
• Auto-healing servers and firewalls with regular security patching
• Minimalist control panel focused on infrastructure rather than site extras
• Enterprise-grade CDN and object caching are available as paid add-ons
• 24/7 technical support via chat and tickets

Cloudways is intentionally lean. Many features are optional, which gives advanced users flexibility but may require additional setup or third-party tools.

Feature Comparison: Convenience vs Control

From a pure feature-count perspective, SiteGround includes more tools out of the box. Email hosting, backups, security layers, and site management features are all built in and ready to use.

Cloudways, however, provides greater control over how performance features are deployed, which benefits developers and performance-focused websites. The trade-off is complexity and, in some cases, additional cost.

Performance is one of the most critical factors when choosing a hosting provider. It directly affects user experience, search visibility, and conversion rates. A fast website keeps visitors engaged, reduces bounce rates, and aligns with Google’s Core Web Vitals—metrics that now play a measurable role in SEO.

That said, performance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different hosting architectures deliver speed in different ways. To understand how SiteGround and Cloudways compare, it’s important to look beyond marketing claims and focus on real-world speed behavior.

How Hosting Performance Was Evaluated

To assess performance fairly, both platforms were tested under similar conditions using a WordPress setup designed to mimic a live website. A lightweight, production-ready theme with demo content was installed, and performance was measured using industry-standard tools commonly referenced for Core Web Vitals analysis.

The evaluation focused on key performance indicators such as:

• Time to First Byte (TTFB) – how quickly the server responds to a request
• First Contentful Paint (FCP) – when visible content first appears
• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – how long the main page content takes to load
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – visual stability during page load
• Total Load Time – overall page completion time

These metrics collectively determine whether a site meets Google’s performance thresholds and provides a smooth browsing experience.

SiteGround Speed Test

SiteGround’s performance benefits from a tightly integrated hosting stack built on Google Cloud infrastructure. Its server-level caching, optimized PHP handling, and SG Optimizer plugin work together to minimize response times.

Here is the quick speed summary of the results we got from the analysis:

• TTFB: 278 ms
• FCP: 967 ms
• LCP: 966 ms
• CLS: 0.03
• Loading time: 7.1 s

In testing, SiteGround consistently delivered:

• Very low server response times
• Near-instant first visual paint
• Stable layouts with no noticeable shifting
• Full page loads well under the three-second benchmark

For shared and managed WordPress hosting, these results are impressive and demonstrate why SiteGround is often recommended for speed-sensitive business and content websites.

Cloudways Performance Results

Cloudways approaches performance from a different angle. Instead of shared environments, it relies on dedicated cloud servers with configurable performance layers such as NGINX, PHP-FPM, Redis, and optional Varnish caching.

Here is the quick speed summary of the results we got from the analysis:

• TTFB: 313 ms
• FCP: 2.0 s
• LCP: 2.0 s
• CLS: 0.08
• Loading time: 5.0 s

During testing, Cloudways showed:

• Slightly higher initial response times compared to SiteGround
• Strong consistency under load
• Excellent page stability
• Fast overall load times that still fall comfortably within Core Web Vitals thresholds

Cloudways shines particularly well in scenarios involving higher traffic volumes or resource-heavy applications, where dedicated server resources prevent performance drops caused by neighboring sites.

Performance & Uptime

Performance Comparison: What the Results Really Mean

In pure speed tests under controlled conditions, SiteGround often loads pages marginally faster. This is largely due to its highly optimized shared infrastructure and aggressive caching tuned for WordPress.

Cloudways, while slightly slower in initial load tests, offers greater performance headroom. Its ability to scale resources and maintain speed under traffic spikes makes it better suited for demanding workloads.

Security is not just an optional feature in web hosting—it’s a foundation. A secure WordPress hosting environment protects sensitive user data, prevents downtime, and safeguards your site’s reputation in search engines and with customers. Even a single breach can lead to traffic loss, SEO penalties, or legal issues.

Both SiteGround and Cloudways take security seriously, but they approach it in fundamentally different ways. Understanding those differences helps determine which platform aligns better with your website’s risk profile and technical needs.

SiteGround Security: Proactive Protection Built In

SiteGround’s security model is designed for simplicity and prevention. Most protections are enabled by default, reducing the need for manual configuration and third-party plugins.

Key security highlights include:

• Custom web application firewall (WAF) designed to block common WordPress vulnerabilities
• AI-powered anti-bot system that actively prevents brute-force and spam attacks
• Daily automated backups with off-site storage and quick restore options
• Free SSL certificates across all plans
• Account isolation to reduce cross-site contamination risks
• Automatic core and server-level updates to minimize exposure to known exploits

Because these measures are integrated directly into the hosting environment, SiteGround is particularly well-suited for users who want strong security without having to manage technical configurations.

Cloudways Security: Control and Flexibility

Cloudways takes a more hands-on, infrastructure-focused approach to security. Instead of a fully preconfigured environment, it provides tools that allow users to shape their own security posture.

Cloudways security features include:

• Dedicated cloud servers that eliminate shared hosting vulnerabilities
• Advanced firewalls and OS-level protections
• IP whitelisting for SSH and SFTP access
• Automated and on-demand backups with configurable frequency
• Server monitoring and auto-healing mechanisms
• Regular security patching at the server level
• Free SSL certificates with manual or automated deployment

This setup provides robust protection but requires a higher level of technical expertise. Security is robust, but it relies more on correct configuration and ongoing management.

Security Comparison: Managed Safety vs Custom Control

SiteGround prioritizes preventive security and ease of use. Its system is ideal for small businesses, bloggers, and non-technical users who want protection handled automatically.

Cloudways focuses on server isolation and control, which makes it better suited for advanced users, developers, and high-traffic sites that require tailored security setups.

Neither platform is inherently insecure—the difference lies in how much responsibility the user carries.

SiteGround and Cloudways are both strong hosting platforms, but they are not ideal for every use case. Some website owners fall into a middle category where one feels too limited, and the other feels unnecessarily complex or expensive.

This is often the case for users who want cloud-level performance without the constraints of shared hosting or the overhead of cloud infrastructure management.

Potential Challenges with SiteGround

SiteGround works well for small to mid-sized websites, but it can feel restrictive as a site grows. Resource limits on shared plans, combined with rising renewal costs, may push users toward frequent upgrades. For businesses expecting consistent traffic growth, this can make long-term planning harder.

Additionally, users who need stronger workload isolation or predictable performance may eventually outgrow shared hosting environments.

Cloudways Challenges

Cloudways offers powerful cloud infrastructure, but it assumes a certain level of technical comfort. Tasks like server tuning, choosing cloud providers, and managing add-ons can be more than some users want to handle.

For small teams or business owners without technical support, the platform may feel like overkill—both in complexity and in cost as resources scale.

Balanced Hosting Option: Rocon

For users caught between these two extremes, platforms like Rocon take a different approach. Instead of shared hosting or raw cloud servers, Rocon uses a container-based architecture, where each WordPress site runs in its own isolated environment.

This model provides:

• Consistent performance without sharing resources with unrelated sites
• Stronger isolation compared to traditional shared hosting
• Fully managed WordPress support, reducing the need for server-level decisions
• Predictable pricing, making long-term costs easier to plan

Rocon is often considered by users who want cloud reliability and security, but with the simplicity of managed hosting and without the operational complexity associated with cloud platforms.

Who This Approach Works Best For

This type of hosting is typically a good fit for:

• Growing businesses that have outgrown shared hosting
• Agencies managing multiple WordPress sites
• Website owners who want performance stability without infrastructure management

When SiteGround feels limiting, and Cloudways feels too hands-on, a container-based managed WordPress platform like Rocon can offer a more balanced hosting experience.

Moving a website to a new host can feel intimidating, but careful planning ensures the process is seamless and minimizes downtime. Here’s everything you need to consider:

1. Backup Everything

Before making any changes, create a complete backup of your website files, databases, and emails. Most hosts provide backup tools via cPanel, Site Tools, or FTP. For extra safety, store a copy offline or in cloud storage. This ensures you can restore your site if anything goes wrong during migration.

2. Check Migration Tools and Services

Many hosting providers offer free migration services or dedicated plugins. For example:

• Cloudways provides a free WordPress migration plugin for easy transfers.
• SiteGround may include free migrations for higher-tier plans or paid services for lower-tier plans.
• Rocon (for container-based hosting) provides automated migration with minimal configuration.

Leveraging these tools can save time, reduce errors, and ensure critical settings like permalinks, SSL certificates, and database connections are preserved.

3. Prepare Your Website Data

You’ll need to transfer:

• Website files via FTP, SFTP, or the new host’s file manager
• Database(s) through tools like phpMyAdmin, MySQL import/export, or hosting migration scripts
• Configuration files (e.g., wp-config.php for WordPress) to match your new server environment

Check that all URLs, paths, and permissions are correct after transfer to avoid broken links or missing content.

4. Update Domain Name Settings

You usually don’t need to move your domain registrar. Instead, update your DNS records—nameservers or A records—to point to the new host once your site is fully migrated. Consider doing this during low-traffic hours, as DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours.

5. Plan Email Hosting Migration

If your email is managed by your old hosting provider (rather than a third-party service like Google Workspace), plan how to migrate email accounts and data. Backup email folders, configure new accounts, and update MX records on your domain to prevent lost emails.

6. Test Before Going Live

Before updating DNS, preview your site on the new host. Most providers offer:

• Temporary URLs
• Host file modification for local testing

Check that pages load correctly, forms work, SSL is active, and plugins or scripts function as expected.

7. Minimize Downtime

Schedule the final DNS update during off-peak hours. Monitor the transition carefully and confirm the site is live and stable once the changes propagate globally.

8. Optimize After Migration

After the site is live on the new host, consider:

• Clearing caches and CDN content to prevent serving outdated pages
• Verifying SSL certificates are properly configured
• Testing site performance and Core Web Vitals to ensure no slowdown occurred during migration
• Enabling automatic backups on the new host for ongoing protection

9. Keep Support Contacts Handy

Even with careful planning, issues may arise. Keep contact information from both your old and new hosts ready. Many hosts can assist quickly with DNS, database, or file migration problems.

A smooth migration requires thorough preparation: backing up all data, using migration tools where available, transferring files and databases carefully, testing before going live, updating DNS strategically, and monitoring performance post-migration. 

Following these steps minimizes downtime and ensures your website continues running reliably on its new host.

Choosing the right hosting provider in 2026 is less about finding the best host and more about finding the host that aligns with your website’s goals, technical comfort, and growth plans. Each platform has unique strengths and trade-offs, and understanding them helps you make a confident decision.

• SiteGround is great for beginners and small businesses seeking ease of use, reliable support, and essential features, though renewal costs can rise.
• Cloudways suits tech-savvy users and high-traffic sites that need scalable cloud performance, but it requires more technical know-how.
• Rocon offers a middle-ground solution with container-based isolation, predictable performance, and managed WordPress, ideal for growing websites or multiple-site management.

Ultimately, the best hosting provider is the one that fits your specific requirements today while also accommodating your website’s growth in the future. By evaluating performance, features, security, and support in line with your goals, you can choose a foundation that ensures a smooth, reliable, and scalable online presence.

1. Is Cloudways faster than SiteGround?

Independent benchmarks show Cloudways generally has a lower average TTFB (~405 ms) compared to SiteGround (~510 ms), which means Cloudways often delivers faster server response time. However, both providers perform well for most websites.

2. Does Cloudways or SiteGround have better uptime?

Cloudways typically records uptime close to 99.99%, slightly above SiteGround’s ~99.9% figures in long‑term tests.

3. Which hosting option is cheaper in the long term?

SiteGround offers lower introductory pricing, but renewal costs can be significantly higher, whereas Cloudways maintains stable pricing with its pay‑as‑you‑go model.

4. Does SiteGround include email hosting?

Yes — SiteGround includes free email hosting, while Cloudways typically requires an add‑on or third‑party email solution.

5. Which host is better for developers?

Cloudways tends to be better for developers due to SSH/SFTP access, staging environments, and custom caching configurations.