Hosting Reviews · Cloud Hosting
Hostinger vs Cloudways: Shared Plans or Managed Cloud?
Hosting Comparison • Cloud Hosting • Pricing
Hostinger and Cloudways both promise managed hosting, but one is a low-cost plan with fixed limits and the other is a cloud server you size yourself. That difference decides which one suits your site.
In this guide we compare Hostinger Cloud Startup with Cloudways Flexible on price, scaling, backups, migration and support, using what each host publishes. We focus on one question: do you want the lowest price or the most control as your traffic grows?
For the Hostinger details first, see our Hostinger review.
Editorial note: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and features were checked against each host’s official pages on October 17, 2026, and we have not hands-on tested these services. Hosts change plans and promotions often, so confirm current pricing before you buy.
Quick answer: Hostinger Cloud Startup is a fixed-limit managed plan with a very low promotional price ($7.99 a month on 48 months, renewing at $25.99), while Cloudways is managed cloud hosting where you pick a server size and cloud provider and pay hourly or monthly, from $14 a month. Hostinger is cheaper and simpler; Cloudways gives more control and room to scale.
- Choose Hostinger Cloud Startup for the lowest cost and a simple dashboard.
- Choose Cloudways if you want to size, scale and move a server across cloud providers.
- Price gap: Cloudways’ 4 GB server is $54 a month; Hostinger Cloud Startup renews at $25.99.
- Not like for like: one is a plan with published limits, the other is a server you size yourself.
- Not covered: we have not hands-on tested either.
Each block is one section, sized by how long it is. The orange block is the longest: Cloudways — Best for Control and Scaling (about 1 min). Tap a block to jump.
Hostinger vs Cloudways at a Glance
Both hosts manage the technical side of hosting for you, but they sell very different things. Hostinger sells plans with published limits at low multi-year prices. Cloudways sells managed servers on the cloud provider of your choice, billed hourly or monthly.
New to either? Read our Hostinger review, or see the best cloud hosting and best managed WordPress hosting guides for more options.
| Feature | Hostinger Cloud Startup | Cloudways Flexible |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 a month (48 months), renews at $25.99 | From $14 a month; hourly or monthly |
| Websites | Unlimited (fair use) | Unlimited, as many as the server supports |
| Resources | 4 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, 100 GB NVMe | 1 GB to 8 GB RAM tiers; 25 GB to 160 GB NVMe |
| Choice of cloud provider | Not offered | DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Google Cloud |
| Backups | Daily and on demand | Automated and on demand; offsite storage $0.033 per GB |
| Staging | Not listed on the pricing page | Free staging and cloning |
| Migration | Free for eligible sites | Free migration listed |
| Trial or refund | 30-day money-back guarantee | 3-day free trial, no credit card |
| Support | 24/7 priority support | 24×7 support; advanced add-on $100 a month |
Sources: Hostinger and Cloudways official pages, checked October 17, 2026.
Two ways to pay for managed hosting
How the billing and scaling models differ between the two hosts.
Facts from each host’s official pages, checked October 17, 2026.
Hostinger Cloud Startup — Best for Low Cost and Simplicity
Best for: Agencies and growing sites that want more resources than shared plans at a low promotional price and do not need to manage a server.
What it does well
- Lists 4 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, 100 GB NVMe storage, 100 PHP workers and daily plus on-demand backups.
- Unlimited websites under fair usage, free domain for a year and a built-in CDN.
- Hostinger lists a free 24-hour plan boost for traffic spikes.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Potential drawbacks
- Renews at $25.99 a month after the first term.
- Fixed limits that Hostinger sets; you cannot choose your cloud provider.
- The best price requires 48 months paid upfront.
Pricing
Cloud Startup: $7.99 a month on a 48-month term ($383.52 total), renewing at $25.99. Source: Hostinger pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
Cloudways — Best for Control and Scaling
Best for: Developers, agencies and stores that want to choose a cloud provider and server size and scale as traffic grows.
What it does well
- Choose DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud, with plans from 1 GB to 8 GB of RAM on the default selection.
- Unlimited websites, free migration, free staging and cloning, and a built-in firewall.
- Object Cache Pro is free on 4 GB servers and above; vertical scaling is listed.
- Pay hourly or monthly, with a 3-day free trial.
Potential drawbacks
- Costs more at the entry level: $14 a month for 1 GB of RAM.
- Extras are priced separately, such as Cloudflare Enterprise CDN from $4.99 per domain a month.
- Prices vary by provider and server type, so check the exact setup you choose.
Pricing
Flexible: $14 (1 GB), $28 (2 GB), $54 (4 GB), $99 (8 GB) a month on the default selection; hourly rates also listed. Source: Cloudways pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
What each price buys on the entry cloud tier
Published resources and prices side by side. They are different products, so read this as context, not a ranking.
Sources: Hostinger pricing and limits pages and Cloudways pricing page, checked October 17, 2026. Cloudways prices shown are for the default provider selection and exclude tax.
Head-to-Head: The Differences That Matter
Price and billing
Hostinger’s price is lower but needs a long prepaid term, and it renews at $25.99 a month. Cloudways costs more per month at comparable RAM, but you can pay hourly, scale up or down and are not locked into a multi-year term.
Scaling and control
On Cloudways you resize the server and pick the cloud provider. On Hostinger you move up plans (Premium, Business, Cloud Startup) and, beyond that, to VPS hosting; see our best VPS hosting guide.
Performance
Hostinger lists NVMe storage, LiteSpeed servers and a built-in CDN and Object Cache; Cloudways lists NVMe storage, its Lightning Stack and a free Object Cache Pro on 4 GB servers and above. We have not tested either, so we cannot rank speed. For methods and tools, see our page speed tools guide, and for context read fastest WordPress hosting.
Backups, staging and migration
Hostinger Cloud Startup lists daily and on-demand backups; Cloudways lists automated and on-demand backups, with offsite backup storage at $0.033 per GB. Cloudways lists free staging and cloning; we did not see staging on Hostinger’s pricing page. Both offer free migration for eligible sites.
Ecommerce
For stores, scaling headroom matters more. Cloudways’ larger tiers suit that, and our cloud hosting for ecommerce guide goes deeper.
Who Should Choose Which?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| want the lowest cost and a simple dashboard | Hostinger Cloud Startup |
| will outgrow fixed plan limits | Cloudways |
| need to pick AWS, Google Cloud or another provider | Cloudways |
| prefer paying hourly or monthly | Cloudways |
| are happy to commit 48 months | Hostinger |
| manage several client sites on a budget | Hostinger Business or Cloud Startup |
If you are not sure either fits, see Hostinger alternatives or the three-way Hostinger vs Bluehost vs SiteGround comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudways better than Hostinger?
Cloudways offers more control and scaling, while Hostinger is cheaper and simpler. Which is better depends on your traffic, budget and technical comfort.
Is Hostinger Cloud Startup real cloud hosting?
Hostinger sells it as a cloud-tier plan with fixed published limits. It is not the same as choosing your own cloud server size and provider, as you do on Cloudways.
How much does Cloudways cost?
The default selection shows $14 a month for 1 GB of RAM, $28 for 2 GB, $54 for 4 GB and $99 for 8 GB, with hourly rates also listed. Prices exclude tax.
How much is Hostinger Cloud Startup?
$7.99 a month on a 48-month term ($383.52 total), renewing at $25.99 a month.
Which is faster, Hostinger or Cloudways?
We have not tested them, so we cannot say. Results depend on your site, caching and server location.
Does Cloudways offer free migration?
Yes, free migration is listed among its included features.
Can I try Cloudways for free?
Cloudways lists a 3-day free trial without a credit card. Hostinger lists a 30-day money-back guarantee instead.
Which is better for WordPress?
Both support WordPress. For more options, see our best WordPress hosting guide.
Can I switch from Hostinger to Cloudways later?
Yes. Migrate before cancelling your old plan, and test the new site first.
Final Verdict
Pick Hostinger Cloud Startup if your goal is the lowest cost for a growing site and you are comfortable with fixed limits. Pick Cloudways if you want to size, scale and move a server and are willing to pay more for that control. If you are unsure, start on a cheaper Hostinger plan, test it inside the refund window and move up when your traffic requires it.
Need help choosing, migrating or tuning? Our WordPress development team can help.
Sources
Jaykishan Panchal
Founder, TechCognate · SEO Strategist & WordPress Expert
Jaykishan Panchal is the founder of TechCognate and an SEO strategist with 15+ years of hands-on experience driving organic growth for businesses worldwide. He specialises in technical SEO, content strategy and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), helping brands stay visible in both traditional search and AI-driven discovery.
- Technical SEO
- Content Strategy
- AI & GEO
- Google Ads
- E-Commerce SEO