Cloudways vs Bluehost 2026: Cloud Hosting vs Managed WordPress Compared
Cloudways vs Bluehost compares two hosting models rather than two identical products. Cloudways is a managed cloud platform that lets you deploy applications on infrastructure from providers such as DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud. Bluehost offers packaged WordPress hosting with fixed plans, guided onboarding, domain tools, backups, security, and support.
Cloudways vs Bluehost: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Cloudways | Bluehost |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | DigitalOcean plans from about $11/mo | Starter $3.99/mo on 36-month offer |
| Billing | Pay-as-you-go / hourly | Prepaid term |
| Websites | Unlimited apps/sites subject to server resources | 10 on Starter |
| Storage | 50 GB on current entry DigitalOcean configuration | 10 GB NVMe on Starter |
| Traffic | Unlimited visits; bandwidth allocation applies | About 40,000 visits/mo guidance |
| Domain | Not bundled | Free 1st year |
| Separate/add-on | Pro email trial; email service depends on plan | |
| Best fit | Developers, agencies, growing apps | Beginners, blogs, small businesses |
Pricing and Billing
Cloudways Flexible currently starts around $11 per month on DigitalOcean and bills hourly, so you pay for the resources you use. Bluehost Starter is $3.99 per month on the current 36-month offer and renews at $9.99 per month on that schedule.
Cloudways costs more at entry, but you are paying for managed cloud infrastructure rather than a conventional packaged WordPress plan. Bluehost bundles domain registration, guided WordPress onboarding, CDN, staging, and other beginner-focused features into a lower-cost contract.
Performance and Scaling
Cloudways lets you choose the cloud provider and server size, then scale resources vertically as traffic grows. Its current platform includes Lightning Stack, staging and cloning, firewall protection, Redis/Object Cache options, migration, and 24/7 support.
Bluehost Starter includes NVMe storage, free CDN, caching, global data centers, and a 99.99% uptime SLA. It is simpler to manage but offers less infrastructure-level flexibility.
Ease of Use
Bluehost is easier for first-time website owners because domains, WordPress, security, staging, and support are packaged into one guided experience. Cloudways is more flexible but expects users to understand servers, applications, scaling, and cloud-provider choices.
Backups and Support
Cloudways supports offsite backups and charges separately for backup storage on Flexible plans. Bluehost Starter includes weekly backups. Both offer 24/7 support, although support channels and advanced service levels differ by plan.
Who Should Choose Cloudways?
Cloudways suits agencies, developers, ecommerce projects, and websites that need server-level scaling, multiple applications, or cloud-provider choice.
Who Should Choose Bluehost?
Bluehost suits beginners, bloggers, freelancers, and small businesses that want a lower-cost packaged WordPress platform with domain, staging, CDN, security, and guided setup.
Related HostHuby Comparisons
See our Cloudways vs Kinsta 2026 and SiteGround vs Bluehost 2026 guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudways cheaper than Bluehost?
No at the entry level. Bluehost Starter currently has the lower promotional price. Cloudways offers a different managed-cloud service model with hourly billing and greater infrastructure control.
Does Cloudways include a free domain?
No. Cloudways focuses on managed infrastructure. Domain registration is handled separately.
Final Comparison
Choose based on hosting model rather than headline price. Cloudways provides flexible managed cloud infrastructure and scaling. Bluehost provides a simpler bundled WordPress experience at a lower entry cost.
