SiteGround vs Cloudways
SiteGround leads Cloudways by 0.1 points overall (7.8 vs 7.7).
7.8/10, Very good
7.7/10, Very good
Criterion by criterion
Where each one wins
SiteGround6.2
Good features for the money in year one, but renewals are among the steepest here.
Value & renewal pricing
25% weight
Cloudways7.4
No renewal jump because billing is usage-based, though entry cost is above shared hosting.
SiteGround8.6
Runs on Google Cloud with several regions, a CDN and its own caching.
Infrastructure & performance features
20% weight
Cloudways9.0
Choose between several cloud providers and many regions, with isolated servers.
SiteGround8.2
24/7 chat and ticket support with a detailed knowledge base.
Support
20% weight
Cloudways7.4
24/7 chat and tickets; advanced support is a paid add-on.
SiteGround8.6
Daily backups, staging on higher plans and the Site Tools panel.
Features & ease of use
20% weight
Cloudways7.6
Staging, backups and server controls, though email hosting and domains are extra.
SiteGround7.6
30-day money-back on shared hosting, with stated exclusions.
Trial & refund terms
15% weight
Cloudways6.8
Offers a short free trial instead of a money-back window.
Published facts
Side by side
| Fact | SiteGround | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Free domain (first year) | No | No |
| Money-back window | 30 days | Not published |
| Free trial | No | 3 days |
| Main hosting type | Shared, cloud, WordPress | Managed cloud |
| Support channels | 24/7 live chat and tickets | 24/7 live chat and tickets |
| Data-centre regions | US, Europe, Asia and Australia (Google Cloud) | Choice of providers and regions worldwide |
| Renewal pricing | Much higher than intro price | No intro discount; billed for usage |
Verdict
Which should you pick?
Choose SiteGround if…
You want something best for small businesses that want polished shared hosting.
- + Google Cloud infrastructure with several regions
- + Daily backups and in-house caching
- + Well-organised support and documentation
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
Checked 1 Nov 2026.
Questions
SiteGround vs Cloudways: quick answers
Is SiteGround better than Cloudways?
SiteGround leads Cloudways by 0.1 points overall (7.8 vs 7.7). SiteGround scores higher on support, features & ease of use, trial & refund terms. Cloudways scores higher on value & renewal pricing, infrastructure & performance features.
Who should choose Cloudways over SiteGround?
Cloudways is best for developers and agencies managing several sites. SiteGround is best for small businesses that want polished shared hosting.
How were SiteGround and Cloudways 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.