Cloudways vs WP Engine 2026

Which managed WordPress host wins for developers and agencies? Price, speed, support, and scalability compared. · See 3-way comparison

Try Cloudways → Try WP Engine →
Feature Cloudways WP Engine
Starting Price $14/mo (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM)LOWER ENTRY $30/mo (Starter, 1 site)
Management Level Fully managed VPS — you choose the cloud provider (DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP) Fully managed PaaS — WordPress-only, opinionated stack
WordPress Optimized Yes — Object Cache Pro, Cloudflare add-on, PHP tuning Yes — Genesis themes, EverCache, CDN included
Number of Sites Unlimited (per server) 1–50 sites depending on plan
Staging / Dev Tools 1-click staging, SSH, Git, WP-CLI 1-click staging, Smart Plugin Manager, Git
Support 24/7 live chat (all plans) 24/7 chat + phone (Premium+)
Scalability Vertical scaling on-demand — resize server in minutes Container-based autoscaling (Global Edge)
Multi-Cloud Choice DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, Vultr, Linode, Hetzner Google Cloud only
Agency Multi-Site Strong — run 10+ sites on one server, separate app credentials Agency plan required ($290/mo for 15 sites)
Best For Agencies, developers, multi-app, WooCommerce, Node/Laravel Enterprise WordPress, large media, strict SLA requirements
Action Try Cloudways → Try WP Engine →

Verdict: Cloudways wins on value and flexibility

For agencies and developers managing multiple WordPress or mixed-stack sites, Cloudways offers lower entry pricing, more cloud provider choices, and no per-site caps. WP Engine is the better pick for enterprise WordPress teams that need phone support, strict SLAs, and managed plugin updates on a single large site.

Cloudways in depth

Pros

  • Pay-as-you-go — no per-site fees
  • 6 cloud providers (DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, Vultr, Linode, Hetzner)
  • Vertical scaling without migration
  • Object Cache Pro included on higher plans
  • Full SSH + WP-CLI access

Cons

  • Less opinionated — you manage more
  • No built-in CDN (requires Cloudflare add-on)
  • Dashboard learning curve for beginners

WP Engine in depth

Pros

  • WordPress-only — every config is tuned for WP
  • EverCache + global CDN included
  • Smart Plugin Manager (auto-updates with testing)
  • Phone support on Premium plans

Cons

  • Expensive per-site pricing at scale
  • Google Cloud only — no provider choice
  • WordPress-only: no Node, PHP non-WP, or Laravel
  • Banned plugins list (WP Rocket, etc.)

Who should pick Cloudways?

Agencies running 5–50+ WordPress or WooCommerce sites, developers who need SSH/CLI access, and teams on mixed stacks (WP + Node + Laravel on one server). Cloudways lets you host unlimited apps on a single server starting at $14/mo — WP Engine would charge $290+/mo for the same number of sites.

Who should pick WP Engine?

Enterprise teams with a single large WordPress site, publishers with high-burst traffic who need autoscaling and a guaranteed SLA, and teams that want phone support and managed plugin updates handled for them.

FAQ

Is Cloudways cheaper than WP Engine?

Yes, significantly. Cloudways starts at $14/mo with unlimited sites per server. WP Engine starts at $30/mo for a single site and $290/mo for 15 sites on an agency plan. For agencies or developers with multiple sites, Cloudways is 5–10× cheaper.

Which is faster — Cloudways or WP Engine?

Both are fast. WP Engine's EverCache and built-in CDN deliver excellent WordPress performance out of the box. Cloudways with Object Cache Pro and a Cloudflare add-on is comparable. The difference is smaller than the pricing gap suggests.

Can I run non-WordPress apps on Cloudways?

Yes. Cloudways supports PHP (WordPress, Laravel, WooCommerce), Node.js, and custom apps. WP Engine is strictly WordPress-only.

Does Cloudways offer a free trial?

Yes — Cloudways offers a 3-day free trial with no credit card required. WP Engine offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Try Cloudways → Try WP Engine →