SiteGround vs Cloudways 2026: Choosing the Right Engine for Your Business

SiteGround and Cloudways represent two different approaches to managed WordPress hosting. SiteGround bundles everything—email, security, backups—into a single monthly fee. Cloudways gives you more control and faster servers, but you assemble the stack yourself. Neither is universally better; the right choice depends on your business needs and technical comfort level.

The Quick Answer:

Read on for the full analysis.

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The Philosophy Difference

Before comparing features, understand what each company is selling:

SiteGround: Managed Convenience

SiteGround isn't just hosting—it's a management platform. You pay a premium so you don't have to think about:

• Server updates and security patches
• Caching and CDN configuration (SiteGround includes their own CDN built on Google's edge network)
• Email server maintenance
• WordPress troubleshooting

SiteGround's 24/7 support will actually help you fix WordPress issues—not just server problems. That's unusual in the hosting industry, where most providers draw a hard line at "server only."

Cloudways: Performance as a Service

Cloudways is a bridge. It sits between you and powerful cloud servers (DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, Google Cloud) and removes the complexity of managing them directly.

You pay for performance and flexibility:

• Dedicated CPU and RAM (no "noisy neighbors")
• NVMe storage for faster Core Web Vitals
• Configurable PHP workers (SiteGround caps these)
• Server cloning for staging environments

Cloudways requires more initial setup, but once configured, it largely runs itself.

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The Cost Reality: Renewal vs. Total Cost of Ownership

Key Verdict: SiteGround appears more expensive at renewal; Cloudways appears cheaper upfront. But when you add Cloudways' modular costs, they're surprisingly close.

Let's look beyond the sticker price. While SiteGround has higher renewal rates, it includes essential features that Cloudways charges extra for.

SiteGround: The "Bundled" Model

You pay a higher single fee, but it includes email, security, and backups.

SiteGround includes a custom Web Application Firewall (WAF), daily backups with easy restore, and unlimited professional email accounts. No add-ons required.

Cloudways: The "Modular" Model

Cloudways' base price looks cheaper (~$16/mo), but you build your own stack.

The Bottom Line:

If you already pay for Google Workspace, Cloudways edges out slightly cheaper. If you need free email and security included with zero configuration, SiteGround's renewal price is competitively positioned against the total Cloudways stack.

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Performance Comparison: Shared vs. Dedicated Resources

Key Verdict: Cloudways Vultr HF is measurably faster for dynamic sites (eCommerce, membership). SiteGround is more than sufficient for static and cached content.

Benchmark Expectations

When Speed Matters Most

Choose Cloudways Vultr HF if:

• You run WooCommerce or a membership site (dynamic content can't be fully cached)
• You run paid traffic (ads) where sub-1-second load times directly impact ROI
• You use database-heavy plugins (LMS, booking systems, CRM integrations)

Choose SiteGround if:

• You run content-driven sites, blogs, or service businesses
• You rely on page caching more than raw database processing power
• Speed is important, but not revenue-critical

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Scaling: What Happens When You Grow?

SiteGround: If you outgrow the GoGeek plan, you must migrate to their Cloud hosting (starting at ~$100/mo). It's a steep jump in price.

Cloudways: You have two options:

1. Vertical Scaling: Click one button to add more RAM/CPU to your existing server—no migration required.
2. Cloudways Autonomous: A newer high-availability plan that autoscales instantly to handle traffic spikes (like Black Friday) without you lifting a finger. It eliminates manual server management entirely, though it comes at a premium.

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The Email Decision: A Critical 2026 Update

Key Takeaway: The Cloudways/Rackspace $1 email add-on is not a reliable long-term solution.

Historically, Cloudways users relied on the $1/mo Rackspace add-on for professional email. As of March 2026, Rackspace is increasing legacy email pricing to ~$10/mailbox. While Cloudways may negotiate a lower rate, the stability of this add-on is uncertain.

Your Best Options

SiteGround: Includes unlimited email accounts free (you@yourdomain.com). Best for teams needing 3+ inboxes without extra monthly fees.

Cloudways: Requires a third-party service. We recommend Google Workspace (~$7/user) or Microsoft 365 (~$6/user) over the Rackspace add-on.

Why we recommend separate email hosting:

1. Decoupled infrastructure: If hosting is compromised, email stays safe
2. Superior reliability: Google/Microsoft have better uptime than any web host
3. Full productivity suite: Calendar, Meet/Teams, cloud storage included
4. Price stability: No surprise hikes from legacy pricing changes

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Usability and Dashboard

How you'll actually manage your hosting matters.

SiteGround: Site Tools

SiteGround's "Site Tools" dashboard is visual, friendly, and designed for non-technical users.

Highlights:

• One-click WordPress installation
• Drag-and-drop staging (copy your live site to test changes)
• Visual file manager
• Email account setup in under 2 minutes
• Automatic daily backups with one-click restore

Best for: Office managers, marketing coordinators, business owners who want to manage their own site without technical knowledge.

Cloudways: Server Panel

Cloudways' dashboard is functional and powerful, but assumes more technical comfort.

Highlights:

• Server-level access (PHP version, memory limits, cron jobs)
• One-click cloning (duplicate an entire server for testing)
• SFTP and SSH access
• Performance monitoring graphs
• Vertical scaling (upgrade RAM/CPU without migrating)

Best for: Developers, IT managers, or business owners who prefer to "set it and forget it" after initial configuration.

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Support Comparison

When something breaks, who helps?

SiteGround Support

• Availability: 24/7 live chat, phone, tickets
• Scope: Server and WordPress issues
• Response time: Usually under 5 minutes for chat
• Quality: Consistently excellent; support staff have WordPress expertise

SiteGround's support is a genuine differentiator. They'll help you troubleshoot plugin conflicts, not just server problems.

Cloudways Support

• Availability: 24/7 live chat, tickets
• Scope: Server and platform issues only
• Response time: Usually under 10 minutes
• Quality: Competent for infrastructure; won't help with WordPress code

Cloudways expects you (or your developer) to handle WordPress issues. They focus on keeping the server running.

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Final Verdict: Which One Are You?

Choose SiteGround If:

• You want "simplicity first"
• You need free professional email included
• You want support that helps with WordPress problems
• You're a local business, consultant, restaurant, or non-profit
• You don't have a developer on call

Recommended plan: SiteGround GrowBig (~$30/mo renewal) for multiple sites and staging.

Choose Cloudways (Vultr HF) If:

• You want "performance first"
• You already use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for email
• You run WooCommerce or a high-traffic site
• Speed directly impacts your revenue (ads, e-commerce)
• You have technical resources or a developer

Recommended plan: Cloudways Vultr HF 2GB (~$30/mo) for most business sites.

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Where to Get Started

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is SiteGround worth the renewal price?

For businesses that value simplicity, yes. The renewal rates (~$18-30/mo depending on plan) include free email hosting, 24/7 WordPress-specific support, and managed server maintenance. If you factor in the cost of separate email hosting and occasional IT support, SiteGround's all-inclusive approach often makes financial sense.

Does Cloudways include email hosting?

No. Cloudways focuses purely on web hosting performance. They offer a Rackspace email add-on (currently ~$1/mailbox), but we recommend using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for professional email. It's more reliable and keeps your email infrastructure separate from your hosting. See our Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 comparison for details.

Which is faster, SiteGround or Cloudways?

Cloudways with Vultr High Frequency servers is measurably faster. The dedicated NVMe storage and high-clock CPUs deliver sub-second load times. SiteGround is also fast—built on Google Cloud—but shares resources with other sites. For most business websites, both deliver excellent performance.

Can I migrate from SiteGround to Cloudways later?

Yes. Both platforms offer migration assistance. Cloudways provides a free WordPress Migrator plugin that handles most sites automatically. However, if you rely on SiteGround's free email hosting, you'll need to establish email elsewhere (like Google Workspace) before migrating.

Which hosting is better for WooCommerce?

Cloudways. Online stores benefit from Cloudways' dedicated resources and faster database performance. The difference is especially noticeable during traffic spikes from sales and promotions. SiteGround works adequately for smaller stores, but Cloudways scales better as your catalog and traffic grow.

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Both SiteGround and Cloudways are quality platforms—you're in good hands either way. The right choice depends on where you are in your business journey and what you value most: convenience or raw performance.