Criterion by criterion
Where each one wins
Cloudways7.4
No renewal jump because billing is usage-based, though entry cost is above shared hosting.
Value & renewal pricing
25% weight
Bluehost7.0
Competitive first term with a free domain, but renewals step up considerably.
Cloudways9.0
Choose between several cloud providers and many regions, with isolated servers.
Infrastructure & performance features
20% weight
Bluehost6.6
Solid shared stack, though it publishes little choice of hosting region.
Cloudways7.4
24/7 chat and tickets; advanced support is a paid add-on.
Support
20% weight
Bluehost7.8
Offers both live chat and phone support around the clock.
Cloudways7.6
Staging, backups and server controls, though email hosting and domains are extra.
Features & ease of use
20% weight
Bluehost7.8
Guided WordPress set-up, free SSL and a free first-year domain.
Cloudways6.8
Offers a short free trial instead of a money-back window.
Trial & refund terms
15% weight
Bluehost7.6
Publishes a 30-day money-back guarantee on hosting.
Published facts
Side by side
| Fact | Cloudways | Bluehost |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Free domain (first year) | No | Yes |
| Money-back window | Not published | 30 days |
| Free trial | 3 days | No |
| Main hosting type | Managed cloud | Shared, WordPress, VPS |
| Support channels | 24/7 live chat and tickets | 24/7 live chat and phone |
| Data-centre regions | Choice of providers and regions worldwide | Not published |
| Renewal pricing | No intro discount; billed for usage | Higher than intro price |
Verdict
Which should you pick?
Choose Cloudways if…
You want something best for developers and agencies managing several sites.
- + Pick your own cloud provider and region
- + Usage-based billing with no long lock-in
- + Isolated servers suit busy sites
Choose Bluehost if…
You want something best for beginners starting a WordPress site.
- + Simple WordPress onboarding
- + Free domain for the first year
- + Phone and chat support
Checked 1 Nov 2026.
Questions
Cloudways vs Bluehost: quick answers
Is Cloudways better than Bluehost?
Cloudways leads Bluehost by 0.4 points overall (7.7 vs 7.3). Cloudways scores higher on value & renewal pricing, infrastructure & performance features. Bluehost scores higher on support, features & ease of use, trial & refund terms.
Who should choose Bluehost over Cloudways?
Bluehost is best for beginners starting a WordPress site. Cloudways is best for developers and agencies managing several sites.
How were Cloudways and Bluehost scored?
Both were scored on the same 5 weighted criteria for web hosting providers, using public information such as published plans and terms. We do not lab-test products.