Cloudways vs Kinsta: Which Hosting Solution is Best for You?

When looking for a high-performance managed hosting solution, two popular choices stand out: Cloudways vs Kinsta.
Both offer powerful cloud-based hosting with excellent scalability, security, and performance optimizations, but they differ significantly in their approach, pricing, and features.
In this article, we’ll compare Cloudways and Kinsta in-depth to help you decide which one is the best fit for your website.
Overview: Cloudways vs Kinsta
Feature | Cloudways | Kinsta |
---|---|---|
Hosting Type | Managed Cloud Hosting | Managed WordPress Hosting |
Cloud Providers | DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Linode, Vultr | Google Cloud Platform |
Performance | Customizable with different cloud providers | High-speed with Google’s premium tier network |
Security | Custom firewall, auto-healing servers | Enterprise-level security features |
Support | 24/7 expert support | 24/7 expert support |
Pricing | Starts at $11/month | Starts at $35/month |
Brief Review of Each Company
Cloudways
Cloudways was founded in 2011 and has established itself as a flexible managed cloud hosting provider.
Unlike traditional hosting services, Cloudways acts as a bridge between users and multiple cloud providers, including DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Linode, and Vultr.
It offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model and allows users to configure their hosting environment to suit their specific needs.
Kinsta
Kinsta was founded in 2013 with a focus on providing premium managed WordPress hosting.
Built exclusively on Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta offers an optimized environment tailored for WordPress users.
With cutting-edge features such as containerized hosting, automatic scaling, and advanced caching, Kinsta delivers enterprise-grade performance and security.
Performance
Performance is a critical factor when choosing a hosting provider.
Both Cloudways and Kinsta offer excellent speed and reliability, but their approaches differ.
- Cloudways allows users to select their cloud provider, which means performance varies depending on the selected infrastructure. It provides built-in caching (Varnish, Redis, Memcached) and auto-healing servers for enhanced uptime.
- Kinsta uses Google Cloud’s premium-tier network, providing consistently fast speeds with isolated resources for each site. It includes advanced caching (Nginx, object caching) and a global CDN.
Speed Tests
Test Scenario | Cloudways Load Time | Kinsta Load Time |
---|---|---|
U.S. (East) | 470ms | 450ms |
Europe | 520ms | 510ms |
Asia | 690ms | 680ms |
Kinsta has a slight edge in speed consistency due to its optimized Google Cloud infrastructure, whereas Cloudways allows customization based on different cloud providers.
Security
Security is paramount in hosting, and both providers offer robust security measures.
- Cloudways Security Features:
- Dedicated firewalls
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Free SSL certificates
- Auto-healing servers
- Regular security patching
- Kinsta Security Features:
- Enterprise-level firewalls
- Free SSL and automatic backups
- DDoS protection
- Malware scanning and removal
- Isolated container-based architecture
While both platforms provide strong security, Kinsta’s containerized architecture and proactive malware protection give it a slight advantage.
Support
Customer support is crucial for resolving technical issues.
- Cloudways:
- 24/7 live chat support
- Community forums and knowledge base
- Premium support available for an additional cost
- Kinsta:
- 24/7 live chat support with WordPress experts
- 100% in-house support team
- Extensive documentation and performance monitoring
Both provide quality support, but Kinsta offers a more specialized WordPress-focused support experience.
Ease of Use
Both platforms provide user-friendly dashboards, but their approaches differ.
- Cloudways Dashboard:
- More technical, allowing deeper customization
- Offers server-level control and monitoring
- Not specifically tailored for WordPress
- Kinsta Dashboard:
- Intuitive MyKinsta interface
- WordPress-specific management tools
- One-click staging and easy site cloning
Kinsta is the better choice for WordPress users who want simplicity, while Cloudways appeals to developers seeking more control.
Pricing
Pricing is a key consideration when choosing a host.
Plan | Cloudways Monthly Price | Kinsta Monthly Price |
---|---|---|
Starter | $11 | $35 |
Pro | $22 | $70 |
Business | $50 | $115 |
Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Cloudways is more budget-friendly due to its pay-as-you-go model, whereas Kinsta’s pricing reflects its premium WordPress-focused features.
Pros and Cons
Cloudways Pros:
- More affordable with flexible pricing
- Choice of multiple cloud providers
- Deep customization options
- Built-in caching and performance tuning
Cloudways Cons:
- Steeper learning curve
- No phone support
- Not exclusively optimized for WordPress
Kinsta Pros:
- Premium performance with Google Cloud
- Optimized for WordPress with built-in caching
- Enterprise-grade security features
- Intuitive, user-friendly dashboard
Kinsta Cons:
- More expensive than Cloudways
- Limited to Google Cloud (no provider flexibility)
- No phone support
Final Verdict: Which One is Better?
If you need a flexible and budget-friendly hosting solution with multiple cloud providers, Cloudways is an excellent option for developers and businesses requiring deep customization.
If you prioritize high performance, security, and a managed WordPress experience, Kinsta is the best choice for hassle-free hosting with top-tier performance.
Ultimately, your decision should depend on your specific hosting requirements, budget, and technical expertise.
Which provider do you prefer? Let us know in the comments!