Last Updated on April 20, 2021 by monk
If you have read any of my previous articles on web hosting, you will know that I am a big fan of both Siteground and Cloudways web hosting.
When it comes to offering web hosting services, both have become top contenders in their field, making it even more essential to learn about their unique selling points.
I am personally hosting all my websites on both of these platforms so I can offer first hand insights to what the pros and cons are on hosting on each of these platforms.
This is why in this article, I am going to do my best to compare both of them and help you decide which is the better option for your web hosting needs.
Ready? Let’s jump into the SiteGround vs Cloudways hosting debate,
Founded in 2012, Cloudways is a web hosting company preferred by bloggers and freelancers for its user-friendly approach. According to its website, the company specializes in creating smooth hosting encounters from the finest up-and-coming industry tech and infrastructure.
Let’s go over some of their features and which ones stand out for users.
Listed Features
Cloudways has multiple features advertised on its website, placed under different categories. Here are some highlights:
- Customizing server specifications. The freedom to choose data centers and change storage space at any time are examples of this customization.
- Security management. Bot protection, dedicated firewalls, and regular security patching are some of the factors in this feature.
- High-speed performance concerns mean continual performance tweaks.
- Auto-healing managed cloud servers that address crashing,
- It offers a dedicated environment and Redis support.
- Expert support provides 24/7/365 live chat, proactive application monitoring, and server customization and configuration. Over half of the other features are accessible with premium support.
- Smooth and collaborative workflow offers application & server cloning, Git integration, Cloudways WP migrator plugin, SSH, and SFTP Access.
- Control, which relates to UI use and control over the application. Highlighted features include 1-click backup & restore, Supervisord Queue Manager, advanced/custom varnish settings, and change application webroot.
Pros
This pros list is based upon reviews from users who have had a positive response to these features.
- Cloudways coverage reaches most countries.
- Cloudways’ monthly pricing model can be a boon for starting companies with small capital and desire greater flexibility.
- 24/7 live chat customer support.
- Free trial option.
- Good uptime record.
Cons
Now regarding the cons, experience with Cloudways features can significantly differ depending on the user. I looked up extensive user reviews on the topic, and here are the issues with which users consistently encountered problems.
- Pricing model. Cloudways utilizes a pay-as-you-go model that might seem attractive for its low prices. However, this can be very misleading, as prices are usually based on the smallest Cloudways server. So, you’re likely to end up paying more.
- The user interface isn’t particularly friendly for users who are new to web hosting.
- Lack of domain name registration. Cloudways does not provide domain name registration. Users receive a temporary URL.
- Lack of email servers for email hosting.
- Caching issues. Cloudways issues are not a problem of speed but reliability. Users have reported issues with their websites crashing, particularly with Varnish caches. Website consistency may hinge on selected hosting solutions. I should mention that I had a brief issue with this too.
- Hosting Setup. Cloudways can prove troublesome for beginners. They provide a basic tutorial article to help you with DNS settings and domain mapping but not much else.
- Additional automatic backups for applications to the server cost an additional price. And these backups will only last for 28 days.
Personal Thoughts
If you are looking for affordable and reliable cloud hosting, Cloudways is a great option. I personally host 4 websites with them for the past 9 months now and so far so good.
The only issue I found with them was that I was unable to host my mails.
If you would like to buy yourself some Cloudways hosting, please do use my affiliate link here.
You can also read my extensive Cloudways review
SiteGround is a hosting company that began in Bulgaria. Since its launch in 2004, it has become one of the most popular web host companies for uptime and speed.
My personal experience with Siteground dates back to May 2012 when I hosted my first ever website with them and I have not stopped hosting with them.
Let’s go over some of their listed features and what users think about their service’s positive and negative aspects.
Listed Features
- Security solutions. SiteGound maintains three teams for their security. A 24/7 system administration team, a specialized security team that can handle web security threats, and a development operations team to craft solutions to combat those threats. An AI anti-bot system deals with malware and other daily attempts to threaten the system.
- Speed Boosters. Their software stack is reportedly built for speed. SiteGround boasts of providing the latest speed technologies ahead of their competitors. SiteGround also offers other speed boosting solutions such as their in-house SuperCacher built from Memcached and NGINX Reverse Proxy.
- Client tools. In-house designed client-facing software for better response. All tools are built with the same style guide to create a unified experience across products.
- They have advanced priority support. Veteran support staff handles reported cloud issues.
- Expert hosting support. The customer care team is available 24/7.
Pros
Here are what I consider to be the best pros of hosting with Siteground.
- Email service that allows you to create an unlimited number of email accounts.
- Excellent customer service makes it a top contender in the industry. Support is available 24/7 through phone and email. Plus, knowledge base articles and tutorials are informative and up to date.
- Excellent server security from two points — human and AI. Free automated security backups last for over 30 days. Regularly updated anti-hacking systems are another plus.
- Comprehensive tutorials, setup wizards, and the use of the well-known cPanel make for a good beginner experience.
- SiteGround’s monthly pricing is relatively straightforward. Its monthly pricing does not require a lengthy commitment to achieve a promo price.
- The company gives a 99% uptime guarantee, free CDN (content delivery network), and site speed reliability issues.
- Domain name purchase is an available feature.
Cons
SiteGround also has its share of hang-ups that users identified.
- SiteGround’s coverage is limited to certain parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Quite expensive compared to other web hosting platforms.
Personal Thoughts
If you have the money to invest in first class web hosting, Siteground should be your first choice. Yes they are quite expensive but the quality of support, features and reliability that you get is well worth the investment.
If you want to buy Siteground hosting, please use my affiliate link.
You can also read my extensive review on Siteground web hosting.
Conclusion
The SiteGround vs. Cloudways hosting comparison is an interesting analysis given that the two companies offer users some of the same functions. Both companies also boast numerous features ranging from the practical to the extraneous.
In some respects, they’re almost tied. Customer support available 24/7 is a feature in both. SiteGround has a cheaper pricing model, though Cloudways’ version seems to offer welcome flexibility for beginners.
Where they differ is in providing services that could make or break client involvement.
Cloudways lacks in domain name purchase and email service, something that is present in SiteGround. But Cloudways has a bit of an edge in global reach and the presence of a live chat function.
The idea of Cloudways being a user-friendly platform, though, seems to have multiple caveats.
For one, their hosting setup necessitates a degree of skill in domain mapping and DNS settings. And they provide barely any basic tutorials.
In contrast, SiteGround has an easier configuration, especially if you are purchasing a new domain. Their setup wizard and detailed tutorials provide a more accessible starting point for beginners.
Cloudways suffers from potential reliability issues with their caching and customer service response time. These features are not lacking in SiteGround, which boasts a 99% uptime guarantee and consistently positive customer service reviews.
In short, SiteGround seems to provide a superior product for veteran companies and beginners.
