A2 Hosting vs Cloudways: Which Is Better in 2026?

A detailed comparison to help you choose the right web hosting tool for your needs.

Our Pick: Cloudways

Cloudways has a significantly higher overall rating (8.5 vs 7.5)

Quick Comparison

Aspect
A
A2 Hosting
C
Cloudways(Winner)
Overall Rating
7.5/10
8.5/10
Starting Price
$2.99/mo
$14/mo
Free Plan
Free Trial
Best For
small
medium
Ease of Use
7/10
7/10
Features
8/10
9/10
Value for Money
8/10
8/10
Support
8/10
8/10

Overview

A2 Hosting emphasizes speed with their Turbo servers. Developer-friendly with SSH access, multiple PHP versions, and various hosting options.

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that deploys on AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, and more. Great for developers wanting cloud power with managed simplicity.

Pricing Comparison

Better value: A2 Hosting
A

A2 Hosting

Better Value
Pricing ModelPaid
Starting Price$2.99/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier
C

Cloudways

Pricing ModelPaid
Starting Price$14/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier

Features Comparison

Winner: A2 Hosting
FeatureA2 HostingCloudways
Shared Hosting
Vps Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Managed Word Press
Free S S L
Free Domain
Cdn Included
Turbo plans
Daily Backups
Staging Environment
Uptime Guarantee
99.9%
99.99%

2

features unique to A2 Hosting

0

features unique to Cloudways

Pros & Cons

A

A2 Hosting

Pros

  • Fast Turbo servers available
  • Developer-friendly features
  • Anytime money-back guarantee
  • Free site migration
  • Good variety of hosting types

Cons

  • Turbo plans cost extra
  • Renewal prices jump
  • Interface less polished
  • Support wait times vary
C

Cloudways

Pros

  • Choice of cloud providers
  • Excellent performance
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Free staging and migrations
  • Server cloning and scaling

Cons

  • No email hosting included
  • Learning curve for beginners
  • No domain registration
  • Support varies by plan

The Verdict: Cloudways Wins

After thorough evaluation, Cloudways emerges as the clear winner in this comparison. With an overall rating of 8.5/10 compared to 7.5/10, it offers a noticeably better experience across most evaluation criteria.

Cloudways particularly excels in Developers and agencies and High-traffic websites, making it the go-to choice for most users looking for a web hosting solution.

Our recommendation: We confidently recommend Cloudways for most users. However, A2 Hosting remains a viable option if you specifically need speed-focused websites.

Choose A2 Hosting if you...

  • • Need speed-focused websites
  • • Need developers wanting flexibility
  • • Need those wanting various hosting options

Choose Cloudways if you...

  • • Need developers and agencies
  • • Need high-traffic websites
  • • Need e-commerce stores

Ready to Get Started?

* We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit these tools through our links. This doesn't affect our ratings or comparisons.

A2 Hosting vs Cloudways FAQ

Based on our evaluation, Cloudways has a slight edge with an overall rating of 8.5/10. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs and use case.
Yes, A2 Hosting is more affordable with plans starting at $2.99/month, compared to $14/month for the other.
Both tools have similar ease of use ratings at 7/10.
Yes, migration between A2 Hosting and Cloudways is possible. Most tools offer data export features. Check each tool's documentation for specific migration guides and import capabilities.
For small teams, A2 Hosting is specifically designed for this use case. Consider your budget and specific feature needs when choosing.
For startups, consider your growth trajectory. Both tools require paid plans, so factor pricing into your runway calculations.
Yes, each tool has unique strengths. A2 Hosting excels at: Speed-focused websites, Developers wanting flexibility. Cloudways is better for: Developers and agencies, High-traffic websites. Review our detailed feature comparison above.
Both tools have similar support ratings at 8/10.
Both tools offer similar value for money, each rated 8/10.
Consider switching if Cloudways's strengths (Developers and agencies) align better with your current needs. However, factor in migration effort and learning curve before making the switch.