{"id":5641,"date":"2026-04-01T15:01:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T20:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?p=5641"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:47:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T19:47:48","slug":"cloudways-vs-wpengine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/blog\/cloudways-vs-wpengine\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloudways vs. WP Engine: A Complete Comparison Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Choosing the right hosting platform for your WordPress\u00ae<sup>[1]<\/sup> site will impact your site\u2019s speed and security as well as your team\u2019s daily productivity. If you\u2019re comparing WP Engine and Cloudways, it all comes down to a philosophical choice: do you want a powerful, fully managed experience or a powerful DIY solution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine specializes in managing WordPress sites only, configuring all server infrastructure and specialized features to best serve WordPress users. Cloudways is also a managed hosting platform that supports a few types of site frameworks, including WordPress, Magento, and Laravel. Their flexible hosting gives users the keys to a server, but requires them to take greater control (and responsibility) over ongoing maintenance and optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">This guide provides a comprehensive comparison of WP Engine and Cloudways to help you choose the partner that best fits your business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-wp-engine-vs-cloudways-which-is-better-for-hosting\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine vs. Cloudways: Which is better for hosting WordPress sites?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine is the right choice for <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/enterprise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">enterprises<\/a>, brands, and <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/agency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agencies<\/a> that want to focus energy on their business growth, not their websites and server maintenance. If you value predictable performance and pricing, built-in security, and 24\/7 access to experts who can help you troubleshoot all your issues, choose WP Engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways is a strong option for technical users and developers who prioritize infrastructure flexibility, want a pay-as-you-go pricing model, and are comfortable managing low-level server configurations themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-performance-and-reliability\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Performance and reliability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/improve-wordpress-speed-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Speed<\/a> is more than just a metric; it\u2019s a conversion factor. While both WP Engine and Cloudways can provide the speed you need, they differ in how they deliver it and how they maintain reliability during traffic surges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-wp-engine-optimized-resilience\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine: Optimized resilience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine\u2019s managed platform is engineered for WordPress from the ground up. It uses EverCache, a proprietary caching technology designed specifically to handle the \u201cun-cacheable\u201d parts of WordPress sites. Because WP Engine manages the entire stack, it can push optimizations that aren\u2019t possible on a general-purpose cloud server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li><strong>Uptime SLA: <\/strong><a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/legal\/sla\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WP Engine\u2019s Service Level Agreement<\/a> guarantees a minimum 99.95% uptime, which scales up to 99.99% for <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Core and Enterprise plans<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Managed updates: <\/strong>WP Engine handles WordPress core and PHP updates for you, so your environment is always running the most recent versions without manual intervention.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insights and reporting features: <\/strong>WP Engine provides robust performance and usage analytics that provide visibility into critical metrics to drive optimizations. All accounts include a dedicated <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/performance-insights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">insights section<\/a> at the install and account level and <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/site-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">site reports feature<\/a> for scheduled, white-labeled reporting in the User Portal at no extra cost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-cloudways-diy-scalability\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways: DIY scalability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways provides great raw performance, but it is often \u201cunoptimized\u201d out of the box. Users are responsible for choosing their server size (RAM\/CPU) and caching layers. While this offers flexibility, it places the burden of performance tuning on the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li><strong>Uptime SLA:<\/strong> While certain pages of Cloudways\u2019 website mention customer reports of 99.99% uptime, no specific uptime guarantee is reflected in the company\u2019s <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudways.com\/en\/support-sla.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Service Level Agreement<\/a>. Specific uptime guarantees are based on the server provider a customer chooses and vary between choices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Managed updates: <\/strong>Cloudways offers managed updates to WordPress core as a paid add-on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insights and reporting features: <\/strong>Cloudways also offers some basic performance insights in its customer dashboard, but <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudways.com\/en\/client-reporting.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reporting features<\/a> cost extra if reporting to more than one client.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-cloudways-vs-wp-engine-speed-comparison\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways vs WP Engine: Speed comparison<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">While both providers offer excellent site speed and performance, <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/webhostingcat.com\/cloudways-vs-wp-engine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WP Engine may provide slightly better out-of-the-box performance than Cloudways<\/a>. Different configurations may offer faster or slower load times for different Cloudways customers, while WP Engine\u2019s platform is <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/ultimate-wordpress-performance-optimization-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">optimized for consistent performance<\/a> across all sites and plan types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-cloudways-vs-wp-engine-performance-features-and-reliability-at\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways vs WP Engine: Performance features and reliability at a glance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>WP Engine<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Cloudways<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Caching<\/td><td>Proprietary EverCache\u00ae (fully integrated and automated)&nbsp; plus caching optimizations available through the NitroPack add-on<\/td><td>Memcache (default) and options for Varnish, Redis, Relay, or Breeze plugin<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PHP and WordPress core updates<\/td><td>Fully managed<\/td><td>Manual \/ User-initiated<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Uptime SLA<\/td><td>99.95% \u2013 99.99%<\/td><td>Dependent on server provider<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Server optimization<\/td><td>Automatic out-of-the-box<\/td><td>Requires <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/support.cloudways.com\/en\/articles\/5120689-how-to-manage-your-server-settings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">manual configuration<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Performance insights &amp; reporting<\/td><td>Robust account level and site level usage and performance reporting Included for all customers<\/td><td>Some dashboard insights included; <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudways.com\/en\/client-reporting.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reporting may require additional costs<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-security-proactive-protection-vs-configurable-toolkit\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Security: Proactive protection vs. configurable toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Both WP Engine and Cloudways offer solid baseline <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/wordpress-site-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">security for WordPress sites<\/a>, but each takes a different approach. WP Engine offers a \u201cwalled garden\u201d experience where <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/wp-engines-security-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">security<\/a> is highly automated and managed for you, while Cloudways uses a \u201csecurity toolkit\u201d approach that gives users more granular control over and responsibility for their server-level defenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Both platforms provide certain security features as standard, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li><strong>Free SSL certificates:<\/strong> Both offer easy, free SSL installations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automated backups: <\/strong>Both provide daily automated backups with one-click restore functionality and off-site storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Staging environments:<\/strong> Both allow you to test updates and code in secure staging environments before pushing changes to a live site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IP &amp; country allow\/block:<\/strong> Both offer allow users to block malicious IPs or countries where attacks are originating.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Layers 3 &amp; 4 DDoS mitigation:<\/strong> Both protect network infrastructure from attacks designed to overwhelm resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Two-factor authentication (2FA): <\/strong>Both providers offer and enforce 2FA to protect customer data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">There are a few key differences in the security offerings of these two providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Additional WP Engine standard protections<\/strong><br>Edge and server-level managed firewall&nbsp;<br>Automated security patching and plugin risk scans&nbsp;<br>Edge threat detection and bot mitigation&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Automated malware detection<\/td><td><strong>Additional Cloudways standard protections<\/strong><br>Server-level managed firewall&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>WP Engine security add-ons<\/strong><br><a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/global-edge-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Global Edge Security:<\/a> A set-it-and-forget-it solution that expands security to include layer 7 DDoS mitigation, a fully managed web application firewall (WAF), end-to-end encryption, and performance enhancements like image optimization and smart traffic routing.<\/td><td><strong>Cloudways security add-ons<\/strong><br>Malware scanning &amp; cleanup: Paid add-on. <br>Edge-level managed firewall: Paid add-on via Cloudflare.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine provides stronger out-of-the-box security because features are largely integrated and automatic, which is ideal for customers who want a hands-off security posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways also delivers a good security baseline, but a more comprehensive security stack often requires additional user configuration or optional add-ons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-support-the-award-winning-difference\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Support: The award-winning difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">When your WordPress site goes down, you don\u2019t want a generalist; you want a specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Because WP Engine only hosts sites built on WordPress, its <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/wp-engine-scope-of-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scope of support<\/a> includes knowledge specific to WordPress environments. The <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/blog\/2026-stevie-awards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">award-winning support team<\/a> can help with site-specific issues, plugin conflicts, and performance bottlenecks, offering 24\/7\/365 live chat and phone support on almost every plan (excluding phone support for entry-level Startup plans).<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways offers 24\/7 chat support, but the primary focus of that support is the hosting platform and server infrastructure. <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudways.com\/en\/support.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Phone support on Cloudways<\/a> is only available as a premium add-on, costing $500 per month or 10% of the customer\u2019s monthly invoice, whichever is higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-developer-workflows-and-automation\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Developer workflows and automation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Both platforms offer staging environments, high-quality <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/enabling-wp-engine-api\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">API<\/a> and playground experiences, and Git integration, but WP Engine goes further, providing an entire suite of <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/developer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tools built for developers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-ai-readiness\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">AI readiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">While both providers are focusing on AI innovations, Cloudways is investing in tools that improve server optimizations, while WP Engine is focusing on tools that help improve developer workflows and visitor experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>WP Engine<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Smart Search AI&nbsp;<\/td><td>Uses semantic, natural language processing to understand a user\u2019s on-site search intent rather than basic keyword matching<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>AI-Powered Recommendations<\/td><td>Determines posts or products that are trending in user searches or that are related to a currently viewed post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Managed Vector Database&nbsp;<\/td><td>Automatically indexes and vectorizes your WordPress content. This allows developers to launch advanced AI features like <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.wpengine.com\/docs\/wp-engine-ai-toolkit\/examples\/rag-chatbot-example\/rag-chatbot-example\/#rag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RAG-powered chatbots<\/a> or personalized recommendation engines without managing complex data pipelines or external vector hosting<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Cloudways<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cloudways Co-pilot<\/td><td>Manages servers, providing 24\/7 monitoring and SmartFix: a feature that diagnoses server bottlenecks, disk space issues, or webstack failures.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-additional-developer-tools\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Additional developer tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">The most significant differentiator in the developer experience is WP Engine\u2019s role as a steward of the WordPress ecosystem. While Cloudways provides a clean slate of infrastructure, WP Engine owns and maintains the very tools that modern developers use to build sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine is the team behind <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/localwp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Local<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s most popular local WordPress development tools. The integration between Local and WP Engine makes local development seamless, allowing developers to push and pull sites with a single click. While Cloudways is developer-friendly, it lacks a native, vertically integrated local development tool that matches the ease of use found in the Local-to-WP Engine workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Building off the success of bringing Local into the fold, WP Engine acquired Delicious Brains to bring <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/www.advancedcustomfields.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Advanced Custom Fields<\/a>, <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/deliciousbrains.com\/wp-migrate-db-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WP Migrate<\/a>, <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/deliciousbrains.com\/wp-offload-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WP Offload Media<\/a>, and <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"outbound\" href=\"https:\/\/deliciousbrains.com\/wp-offload-ses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WP Offload SES<\/a> under its roof. Now, these industry-standard tools are directly tested against WP Engine\u2019s hosting environment before release. While you can certainly install these plugins on Cloudways-hosted sites or any other WordPress environment, WP Engine users benefit from specialized support and deeper integration with the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">For developers moving toward decoupled architectures, WP Engine also owns Faust.js, an open-source framework built on Next.js specifically for <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/headless-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">headless<\/a> WordPress environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Faust.js solves many of the common frustrations associated with headless development, like post previews and authentication, which are notoriously difficult to configure on standard cloud servers. Using Faust.js, developers get a purpose-built Node.js environment. Cloudways users can build and host headless sites, but the experience doesn\u2019t compare to WP Engine\u2019s out-of-the-box readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-ecommerce-readiness\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">ECommerce readiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">While both WP Engine and Cloudways offer high-performance tech stacks for eCommerce, WP Engine differentiates itself with a suite of tools engineered specifically for the demands of WooCommerce<sup>\u00ae<sup>[1]<\/sup> <\/sup>stores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Where Cloudways provides a flexible infrastructure, WP Engine\u2019s turnkey <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/ecommerce-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eCommerce solution<\/a> eliminates the plugin sprawl that often slows down experiences built with WooCommerce, the most-used plugin for converting WordPress sites into eCommerce stores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Some of the core eCommerce tools offered by WP Engine include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li><strong>Quick Store Setup:<\/strong> This guided, automated wizard handles the technical heavy lifting of launching a store, from theme selection to essential plugin configurations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NitroPack: <\/strong>This tool packages more than 30 individual optimizations to optimize images, minify and compress code, and deliver pages up to 30% faster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stripe Connect &amp; Stripe Checkout: <\/strong>These tools streamline the most critical part of your site: the payment. They offer a branded, mobile-optimized checkout experience that offloads PCI compliance to Stripe\u2019s servers to reduce friction and increase conversions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LiveCart for WooCommerce: <\/strong>Traditionally, WooCommerce carts use AJAX calls that can lag or break during high traffic. LiveCart ensures your cart remains stable and fast, even during massive sales spikes, by optimizing how it handles cart data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>EverCache for WooCommerce:<\/strong> An extension of WP Engine\u2019s proprietary caching system, this version of EverCache is cart-aware. It intelligently caches static pages while ensuring dynamic elements (like a user\u2019s individual cart or account) remain fast and accurate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slow Query Monitor: <\/strong>This developer-grade tool identifies specific database bottlenecks. It tells you exactly which plugin or theme is dragging down your speed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dynamic Plugin Loading: <\/strong>This prevents bloat by only loading the code required for a specific page. It can reduce page sizes by over 30%, significantly improving mobile load times.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Baking these tools into eCommerce experiences on WP Engine gives developers access to a tried-and-true feature suite that ensures fast, performant experiences from the moment a customer lands on the site all the way through checkout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-plan-differentiation-and-pricing\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Plan differentiation and pricing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine\u2019s pricing is built on predictability, whereas Cloudways uses a pay-as-you-go model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">WP Engine\u2019s tiered plans include a set number of visits, storage, and bandwidth. This makes it easy for finance teams to budget for the year. Should a site exceed its plan limit, an <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/overage-pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overage cost<\/a> of $2 per 1,000 extra monthly visits will be charged to the next invoice. Specialized plan types for <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/ecommerce-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eCommerce<\/a> stores, <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/newsroom-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">publishing and media<\/a> outlets, <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/agency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agencies<\/a>, and <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/headless-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">headless WordPress<\/a> configurations come pre-equipped with tools, support, and infrastructure specifically tuned for those use cases. This can help lower customers\u2019 total cost of ownership by including everything required for site success in a single, predictable invoice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Cloudways charges based on the server resources used, and overage calculations are dependent on both bandwidth usage and server type. While this can be cheaper for low-traffic sites, it can lead to higher, more unpredictable bills if your resource usage skyrockets. Cloudways also lacks some of the specialized, use-case-specific tools that WP Engine provides for headless architectures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-final-verdict-which-should-you-choose\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Final verdict: Which should you choose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">When you compare Cloudways vs WP Engine, you are choosing between a fully managed service partner and a managed platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Choose WP Engine if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li>You want a partner that takes ownership of your site\u2019s uptime and security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You need 24\/7 access to WordPress experts via phone and chat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You want built-in, specialized tools to reduce your maintenance hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You want to standardize your workflow and build a scalable experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Choose Cloudways if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">\n<li>You are a technical developer who enjoys configuring server stacks (Nginx vs. Apache, PHP-FPM, etc.).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You need to host non-WordPress applications (like Magento or Laravel) on the same server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You prefer a resource-based, pay-as-you-go pricing model.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">While Cloudways provides a powerful set of tools for those willing to do the work, WP Engine provides the peace of mind that comes with an experience that\u2019s fully managed, monitored, and maintained by the best in the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><strong><a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"http:\/\/wpengine.com\/contact\" type=\"link\" id=\"wpengine.com\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Talk to the WP Engine sales team today to see how a true partnership can help you scale without the stress of server management.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-faqs\" data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><strong>Is WP Engine more expensive than Cloudways?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Initially, yes. WP Engine\u2019s entry-level plans start around $25-$30\/mo, while Cloudways starts around $11-$14\/mo. However, when you factor in the cost of developer time for server maintenance, the price of security add-ons, and the value of expert support, WP Engine often provides a lower total cost of ownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><strong>Does Cloudways offer phone support?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\">Standard Cloudways plans include 24\/7 live chat. Phone support is typically only available as part of their paid Premium support add-ons, whereas WP Engine includes phone support on all Professional, Growth, and Scale plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-analytics-track-visibility=\"yes\"><strong>Can I migrate from Cloudways to WP Engine for free?<\/strong> Yes. WP Engine offers a <a data-analytics-action-type=\"link\" data-analytics-link-location=\"Post Content\" data-analytics-link-type=\"internal\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/support\/wp-engine-site-migration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free automated migration plugin<\/a> that handles the move in minutes. For larger enterprise sites and agencies, WP Engine\u2019s onboarding team can assist with the transition.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing the right hosting platform for your WordPress\u00ae[1] site will impact your site\u2019s speed and security as well as your team\u2019s daily productivity. If you\u2019re comparing WP Engine and Cloudways, it all comes down to a philosophical choice: do you want a powerful, fully managed experience or a powerful DIY solution? WP Engine specializes in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":5642,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"mediapress_draft_name":"","_mediapress_is_draft_copy":false,"_time_to_read":12,"footnotes":""},"audience":[21,17,16],"blog-category":[124],"buyer-stage":[31,32],"company-and-culture":[],"content-type":[43],"location":[],"persona":[106,108,109],"product":[],"topic":[101],"use-cases":[],"class_list":["post-5641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","audience-agency","audience-enterprise","audience-mid-market","blog-category-products-in-practice","buyer-stage-solution-research","buyer-stage-solution-selection","content-type-article","persona-developer","persona-it","persona-owner","topic-platform-architecture"],"acf":{"hero_image_alt_text":"","featured_on_hub_page":false,"featured_on_tag_page":false,"featured_on_category_page":false,"wp_engine_pick":false,"display_author_bio":false,"taxonomy_selector":{"":null,"taxonomy-audience":[21,17,16],"taxonomy-buyer-stage":[31,32],"taxonomy-company-and-culture":false,"taxonomy-content-type":[43],"taxonomy-location":false,"taxonomy-persona":[106,108,109],"taxonomy-product":false,"taxonomy-topic":[101],"taxonomy-use-cases":false}},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cloudways vs. WP Engine: A Complete Comparison Guide | WP Engine\u00ae<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Compare Cloudways vs WP Engine. 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