Cloudways vs Hostinger
A flat cloud price that never moves against the cheapest first year in hosting. Which is cheaper depends entirely on the year you ask about.
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Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting with no limit on sites.
Hostinger
The most popular starter hosting, dirt cheap when you commit long term.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | Cloudways | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Price | From $11/mo | From $2.99/mo |
| Renews at | n/a | $10.99/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Best for | Multiple sites | First website |
| Category | Managed WordPress | Starter hosting |
| Provider | Cloudways (DigitalOcean) | Hostinger International |
| Visit Cloudways | Visit Hostinger |
Our verdict
Hostinger wins year one and Cloudways wins the argument after that, but not on money. Hostinger Premium is $2.99 a month on the 48 month promo, $35.88 for the first year, then renews at $10.99 a month, $131.88 a year. Cloudways DO Starter is $11 a month, $132 a year, and it never changes.
After renewal the two are within $0.12 a year of each other, which is effectively the same price. So the choice is not about cost at all once the promo is gone; it is about what you get for roughly $132 a year.
Cloudways gives you a managed server at DigitalOcean and lets you run as many sites on it as the machine can carry. Hostinger gives you shared hosting with a friendlier panel and a support desk built for people who have never seen a server.
The honest downside of Cloudways is that the panel is more technical and there is no promo to soften the first year, so you pay $132 while the alternative asks $35.88. The honest downside of Hostinger is the renewal jump of roughly 3.7 times and the shared neighbours that come with the price.
One site, first year, tight budget: Hostinger. More than one site, or a horizon past the promo: Cloudways, because $11 a month buys the whole server.
“Host unlimited sites and pay per server size: with multiple sites this is far cheaper than the competition. Slightly more technical, but the strongest price-to-performance you will find in managed hosting.”Editorial team, on Cloudways
“Fast hosting and a clean control panel for a few dollars a month. The low price does require paying four years up front; renewal is higher but reasonable. For a first website, the obvious place to start.”Editorial team, on Hostinger
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudways more expensive than Hostinger?
Only in the first year: $132 against $35.88. From year two Hostinger renews at $131.88 a year and Cloudways stays at $132, a difference of $0.12. At that point you are choosing between a managed server that hosts unlimited sites and shared hosting for one, at the same money.
What happens to the Hostinger price after the first term?
Premium renews at $10.99 a month, $131.88 a year, up from $2.99 a month on the 48 month promo. Cloudways has no promo and no renewal step: DO Starter is $11 a month in year one and in year five.
Which one handles multiple websites better?
Cloudways, clearly. You pay for the server rather than per site, so three small sites still cost $11 a month as long as the machine can carry them. On Hostinger the number of sites is tied to the plan, and heavier sites push you up a tier.