Cloudways vs WP Engine: Which Is Better in 2026?

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

Our Pick: Cloudways (by a slight margin)

Cloudways edges out with a slightly higher rating (8.5 vs 8)

Quick Comparison

Aspect
C
Cloudways(Winner)
W
WP Engine
Overall Rating
8.5/10
8/10
Starting Price
$14/mo
$20/mo
Free Plan
Free Trial
Best For
medium
large
Ease of Use
7/10
8/10
Features
9/10
9/10
Value for Money
8/10
6/10
Support
8/10
9/10

Overview

C

Cloudways

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.

W

WP Engine

WP Engine is the premium managed WordPress hosting provider, offering enterprise-grade performance, security, and support. Used by major brands worldwide.

Pricing Comparison

Better value: Cloudways
C

Cloudways

Better Value
Pricing ModelPaid
Starting Price$14/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier
W

WP Engine

Pricing ModelPaid
Starting Price$20/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier

Features Comparison

FeatureCloudwaysWP Engine
Shared Hosting
Vps Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Managed Word Press
Free S S L
Free Domain
Cdn Included
Daily Backups
Staging Environment
Uptime Guarantee
99.99%
99.99%

0

features unique to Cloudways

0

features unique to WP Engine

Pros & Cons

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
W

WP Engine

Pros

  • Premium WordPress performance
  • Excellent security features
  • Free Genesis themes and StudioPress
  • Great staging and dev tools
  • Enterprise-grade infrastructure

Cons

  • Expensive for small sites
  • WordPress only
  • Visitor-based pricing
  • Some plugins restricted

The Verdict: Cloudways Edges Out

This was a close comparison, but Cloudways edges out WP Engine with a slightly higher overall rating of 8.5/10 versus 8/10. Both are solid choices, but Cloudways offers a marginally better overall package.

Cloudways's advantages include Choice of cloud providers and Excellent performance, though WP Engine counters with Premium WordPress performance and Excellent security features.

Our recommendation: We give the slight edge to Cloudways, but don't count out WP Engine if its specific strengths align better with your needs.

Choose Cloudways if you...

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

Choose WP Engine if you...

  • • Need business-critical wordpress sites
  • • Need agencies managing client sites
  • • Need high-traffic blogs and stores

Ready to Get Started?

Try CloudwaysTry WP Engine

Read our full reviews:

Cloudways Full ReviewWP Engine Full Review

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

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Cloudways vs WP Engine 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, Cloudways is more affordable with plans starting at $14/month, compared to $20/month for the other.
WP Engine scores higher in ease of use (8/10) compared to Cloudways (7/10).
Yes, migration between Cloudways and WP Engine is possible. Most tools offer data export features. Check each tool's documentation for specific migration guides and import capabilities.
Both tools can work for small teams. Cloudways is best for medium teams while WP Engine suits large teams.
For startups, consider your growth trajectory. Both tools require paid plans, so factor pricing into your runway calculations.
Yes, each tool has unique strengths. Cloudways excels at: Developers and agencies, High-traffic websites. WP Engine is better for: Business-critical WordPress sites, Agencies managing client sites. Review our detailed feature comparison above.
WP Engine rates higher in customer support (9/10) compared to Cloudways (8/10).
Cloudways offers better value for money with a rating of 8/10 compared to WP Engine's 6/10.
Consider switching if WP Engine's strengths (Business-critical WordPress sites) align better with your current needs. However, factor in migration effort and learning curve before making the switch.