The best Cloudways alternative depends on why you want to leave. If you want the same managed cloud servers for less, FlyWP charged $8 a month for a 1 GB DigitalOcean server against Cloudways’ $11. If you are happy to manage the server bill yourself, a panel such as ServerAvatar on your own Droplet costs little more. If you want someone else to handle everything around WordPress, Kinsta or WP Engine fit better.
This guide compares seven alternatives on price, what is managed for you and who each suits.
Table of Contents
- 1Cloudways Alternatives at a Glance
- 2The Price to Beat: Cloudways
- 31. FlyWP: The Closest Like-for-Like Alternative
- 42. ServerAvatar: Manage Your Own Servers From One Panel
- 53. DigitalOcean: Cut Out the Middle Layer
- 64. ScalaHosting: A Managed VPS With Its Own Panel
- 75. Hostinger Cloud: Lower Cost Without a Server to Run
- 86 and 7. Kinsta and WP Engine: Fully Managed WordPress
- 9Which Alternative Should You Choose?
- 10Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cheapest alternative to Cloudways?
- Is FlyWP the same as Cloudways?
- Is managed WordPress hosting better than Cloudways?
- Can I move from Cloudways without downtime?
Cloudways Alternatives at a Glance
| Alternative | Type | Entry price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlyWP | Managed cloud servers for WordPress | $8 a month (1 GB DigitalOcean) | The same model as Cloudways, cheaper |
| ServerAvatar + your own server | Server control panel | $12 a month for up to 5 servers, plus the server | Several servers on one dashboard |
| DigitalOcean | Unmanaged cloud server | $6 a month (1 GB) | People who run Linux servers themselves |
| ScalaHosting | Managed cloud VPS | $22.46 a month (sale), renews at $54.95 | A managed VPS with its own control panel |
| Hostinger Cloud | Managed cloud hosting | $7.99 a month for 48 months, renews at $25.99 | Lower cost with no server management |
| Kinsta | Managed WordPress | $35 a month per site | Hands-off WordPress with monthly billing |
| WP Engine | Managed WordPress | From $28 a month, billed annually | Hands-off WordPress at a lower annual price |
The Price to Beat: Cloudways
On 10 November 2026, Cloudways charged $11, $24, $46 and $88 a month for Standard DigitalOcean servers with 1, 2, 4 and 8 GB of memory, plus $0.033 per GB for offsite backup storage. It was also advertising 80% off the first two months. The Cloudways review covers what you get for that price.
1. FlyWP: The Closest Like-for-Like Alternative
FlyWP works much like Cloudways: it launches managed servers on DigitalOcean, Vultr or Akamai, with one bill and no separate cloud account. Its DigitalOcean Basic servers had the same memory, CPU, storage and transfer as Cloudways’ Standard servers, at lower prices.
FlyWP lists a Docker-based architecture with each site isolated, full root and SSH access, Nginx or OpenLiteSpeed stacks, team roles, backups, free site migration and a 48-hour trial. It also lets you connect your own server instead. Check how backups are stored and billed before moving. The FlyWP review has more detail.
See FlyWP’s plans. Affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
2. ServerAvatar: Manage Your Own Servers From One Panel
ServerAvatar is a control panel rather than a host. You connect servers from any provider and manage apps, SSL, firewalls, backups and Git deployments from its dashboard. Its Newbie plan was $10 for the first month, then $12 a month for up to five servers.
With one 1 GB DigitalOcean Droplet at $6, that is $18 a month, more than Cloudways’ $11. With several servers the maths changes: five Droplets share the same $12 panel fee.
ServerAvatar’s extra cost buys a dashboard across all your servers. It suits agencies and developers who already pay for servers. See the ServerAvatar review or check its pricing. Affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
3. DigitalOcean: Cut Out the Middle Layer
If you are comfortable running Linux servers, you can rent the Droplet directly from $6 a month and manage everything yourself. Daily backups add 30% of the server price. You save the management premium but take on updates, security and fixes. Cloudways vs DigitalOcean lists exactly what that involves.
4. ScalaHosting: A Managed VPS With Its Own Panel
ScalaHosting sells managed cloud VPS plans with its own control panel. Its Build #1 plan with 2 CPU cores, 4 GB of memory and 50 GB of NVMe storage was $22.46 a month in its sale, renewing at $54.95. It suits people who want a managed VPS with a traditional hosting panel. Compare the renewal price with Cloudways’ $46 for a 4 GB server before choosing. See the ScalaHosting review or its plans. Affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
5. Hostinger Cloud: Lower Cost Without a Server to Run
Hostinger’s Cloud Startup plan cost $383.52 for 48 months, about $7.99 a month, renewing at $25.99. You do not choose or manage a server; Hostinger runs the platform and you manage sites in hPanel. It suits growing sites that have outgrown shared hosting but do not need their own server. Hostinger vs Cloudways compares the two directly, and you can see Hostinger’s plans. Affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
6 and 7. Kinsta and WP Engine: Fully Managed WordPress
If you want to stop thinking about servers entirely, managed WordPress hosts price per site and handle caching, security, backups and support. Kinsta’s single-site plan was $35 a month on monthly billing, with free unlimited migrations. WP Engine’s Essential plan was from $28 a month on annual billing, with 30 days of backups. Both cost more than a Cloudways server for one small site, but less work. Kinsta vs WP Engine compares them in depth.
See Kinsta’s pricing or WP Engine’s plans. Affiliate links: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| The same managed cloud model for less | FlyWP |
| Several servers on one dashboard | ServerAvatar |
| Full control at the lowest server price | DigitalOcean |
| A managed VPS with a hosting panel | ScalaHosting |
| A cheaper step up from shared hosting | Hostinger Cloud |
| No server work at all | Kinsta or WP Engine |
Before you switch, plan the move like any migration: copy, test on a temporary address, then change DNS. The WordPress migration guide covers the steps, and the best cloud hosting providers comparison lists more options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Cloudways?
For the same managed model, FlyWP was cheaper at every DigitalOcean size compared: $8 against $11 a month for 1 GB. For the lowest raw price, a self-managed DigitalOcean Droplet costs $6.
Is FlyWP the same as Cloudways?
It follows a similar model, launching managed servers on DigitalOcean, Vultr or Akamai, but it is built specifically for WordPress and uses a Docker-based setup.
Is managed WordPress hosting better than Cloudways?
It is less work, not automatically better. Kinsta and WP Engine handle more for you and price per site, while Cloudways gives you a server that can hold many sites.
Can I move from Cloudways without downtime?
Yes, if you copy the site, test it on the new host’s temporary address and switch DNS only once it works.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
