Cloudways vs Hostinger: A Complete Comparison for 2026

Introduction to Cloudways

Cloudways is a fully managed cloud hosting platform. Unlike traditional hosting companies that own physical servers, Cloudways sits on top of renowned cloud infrastructure providers such as:

• DigitalOcean


• Linode


• Vultr


• Amazon Web Services (AWS)


• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

This gives users the flexibility to choose the cloud hardware they prefer while Cloudways handles server setups, security, updates, optimization, and performance management.

Cloudways is often the first choice for:

• Large websites


• Professional developers


• Ecommerce stores


• High-traffic blogs


• Digital agencies

Its mission is to make cloud hosting accessible without requiring users to manage servers manually.

Introduction to Hostinger

Hostinger is one of the world’s most popular shared hosting providers. It is known for its affordability, beginner-friendly features, and fast-growing user base. Hostinger provides a variety of hosting services such as:

• Shared hosting


• Managed WordPress hosting


• VPS hosting


• Cloud hosting


• Email hosting


• Domain registration

Hostinger targets beginners, students, bloggers, and small businesses that need low-cost hosting with good performance and ease of use. Its custom-built hPanel control panel provides simple management tools and a clean interface.

Hostinger continues to dominate the budget hosting segment because of its combination of pricing, simplicity, and performance.

Cloudways vs Hostinger: Detailed Comparison

Below is a comprehensive comparison of both platforms across various performance and service categories.

1. Hosting Type and Infrastructure

Cloudways

Cloudways operates purely on cloud hosting. That means users get:

• Dedicated resources


• SSD cloud servers


• Flexible scaling


• High performance


• Cloud-level optimization

There is no shared hosting on Cloudways. Every plan involves cloud infrastructure with isolated resources for each user.

Hostinger

Hostinger operates multiple hosting types:

• Shared server hosting


• Virtual Private Servers (VPS)


• Managed WordPress hosting


• Cloud hosting plans

This gives more flexibility for beginners, especially those looking for lower prices.

Winner:

Cloudways for cloud hosting power, Hostinger for multi-type hosting options.

2. Performance and Speed

Performance is the key factor for ranking, user experience, and conversion.

Cloudways Performance

Cloudways uses advanced cloud servers with an optimized technology stack including:

• NGINX


• Apache


• PHP-FPM


• Redis


• Varnish cache


• Memcached


• MariaDB or MySQL

This stack delivers excellent performance and can handle high traffic without slowing down. Since resources are dedicated, websites load faster and remain stable under load.

Hostinger Performance

Hostinger uses LiteSpeed web servers, which are very efficient for shared hosting and especially for WordPress. Features include:

• LiteSpeed caching


• SSD storage


• Optimized WordPress performance


• Good global data center locations

While Hostinger is extremely fast for its price, performance may drop when websites receive heavy traffic, especially on shared hosting plans.

Winner:

Cloudways – due to dedicated cloud resources and superior technology stack.

3. Ease of Use

Cloudways Ease of Use

Cloudways offers a simple control panel, but it is still more technical than shared hosting. Tasks like creating servers, setting environment variables, or scaling require some understanding.

It is extremely user-friendly for developers but may appear difficult for complete beginners.

Hostinger Ease of Use

Hostinger’s hPanel is built entirely for simplicity. It offers:

• One-click WordPress installation


• Easy DNS management


• Simple file manager


• Guided setup for beginners


• Automated tools

Even users who have never handled hosting before can manage their website easily.

Winner:

Hostinger – ideal for beginners and non-technical users.

4. Features and Customization

Cloudways Features

Cloudways includes advanced features such as:

• Multiple cloud infrastructure choices


• Vertical scaling


• Free SSL


• Staging environment


• Team management


• Server cloning


• Application-level firewalls


• SSH and SFTP access


• Cron job management


• GIT deployment


• Dedicated IP address


• Server monitoring tools

It is ideal for serious developers, agencies, and businesses that need total flexibility.

Hostinger Features

Hostinger offers:

• Free domain on some plans


• Free SSL certificate


• Easy-to-use hPanel


• WordPress-optimized environment


• One-click applications


• Website builder


• Email hosting


• Built-in caching


• Cloudflare integration

These features focus on ease of use, simplicity, and beginner convenience.

Winner:

Cloudways for advanced control and flexibility.

Hostinger for beginner-oriented features.

5. Security Features

Cloudways Security

Cloudways provides strong server-level security including:

• Firewalls


• Automated backups


• Two-factor authentication


• IP whitelisting


• Bot protection


• Regular OS-level patches


• Dedicated resources prevent cross-user threats

Hostinger Security

Hostinger security includes:

• BitNinja or Cloudflare protection


• Free SSL


• Weekly or daily backups


• Two-factor authentication


• Built-in malware scanner

Hostinger’s shared hosting environment is secure but not as isolated as Cloudways' cloud servers.

Winner:

Cloudways – due to stronger server isolation and cloud-level security.

6. Scalability and Growth

Cloudways Scalability

Cloudways excels in scalability. Users can easily upgrade server:

• RAM


• CPU


• Storage


• Bandwidth

Vertical scaling takes minutes and requires no migration. This is extremely helpful for high-traffic and growing websites.

Hostinger Scalability

Hostinger offers limited scalability on shared hosting. To scale up:

• Users need to upgrade to higher shared plans


• Or move to VPS or cloud hosting

Scaling is available but not as flexible as Cloudways’ cloud architecture.

Winner:

Cloudways – unmatched scalability.

7. Pricing Structure

Cloudways Pricing

Cloudways uses pay-as-you-go pricing. You pay only for the server resources you consume. While not expensive for cloud hosting, it is more costly compared to shared hosting.

It suits:

• Established businesses


• High-performance sites


• Agencies


• Ecommerce stores

Cloudways does not offer domain or email hosting by default, which adds to costs.

Hostinger Pricing

Hostinger is one of the most affordable hosting providers worldwide. Its shared hosting plans are heavily discounted and come with:

• Free SSL


• Free email


• Free domain (on select plans)


• Website builder tools

It is ideal for individuals, beginners, and small businesses.

Winner:

Hostinger – extremely budget-friendly.

8. Customer Support

Cloudways Support

• 24/7 live chat


• Ticketing system


• Knowledge base


• Priority support available as an add-on

Support is highly technical and meant for advanced hosting queries.

Hostinger Support

• 24/7 chat support


• Email support


• Beginner-friendly guidance


• Extensive tutorials

Hostinger excels at helping beginners solve common issues quickly.

Winner:

Hostinger – faster and more beginner-oriented support.

Cloudways vs Hostinger

Below is a comparison summary to help you decide quickly.

Who Should Choose Cloudways?

Choose Cloudways if:

• You own an ecommerce website


• Your site receives medium to high traffic


• You need cloud hosting performance


• You require advanced customization


• You are a developer or agency


• You want dedicated resources


• You need superior speed


• You want complete control over the server environment

Cloudways is built for power users and professional projects.

Who Should Choose Hostinger?

Choose Hostinger if:

• You are a beginner


• Your budget is limited


• You want easy setup and management


• You run a small or medium website


• You want hosting plus domain in one place


• You prefer a simple dashboard


• You aim for affordability and convenience

Hostinger is perfect for new bloggers, students, and small website owners.

Conclusion

Both Cloudways and Hostinger are excellent choices, but they serve two completely different audiences.

• Cloudways is best for high-performance cloud hosting.


• Hostinger is best for affordable beginner-friendly hosting.

If you want powerful hosting with advanced tools, choose Cloudways.
If you want budget hosting that is simple to manage, choose Hostinger.

Your final decision should depend on your budget, website size, and technical expertise.