Cloudways vs Flywheel (2024 Comparison)
Cloudways offers a flexible hosting solution with multiple cloud provider options and advanced caching mechanisms. It's ideal for businesses seeking scalability and performance optimization.
- Flexible cloud provider options.
- Advanced caching mechanisms.
- Automated backups with customization.
- Complex setup for beginners.
- Limited WordPress-specific features.
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$14 per month
Flywheel provides a user-friendly WordPress hosting experience with excellent support and an easy staging environment. Perfect for designers and agencies managing multiple sites.
- User-friendly interface.
- Excellent WordPress support.
- Easy staging environment.
- Limited cloud provider options.
- Higher cost for advanced features.
Free plan?
NoStarting price
$13 per monthWhat is Cloudways?
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that simplifies the process of hosting websites. It offers a user-friendly interface, allowing you to deploy, manage, and scale applications effortlessly. With Cloudways, you can choose from top cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, and DigitalOcean, ensuring high performance and reliability. The platform is designed to help businesses focus on growth by providing features like automated backups, advanced caching, and 24/7 support. Whether you're a developer, agency, or business owner, Cloudways makes hosting hassle-free, enabling you to concentrate on what truly matters.
What is Flywheel?
Flywheel is a managed WordPress hosting platform tailored for designers and creative agencies. It offers a seamless experience with features like staging environments, nightly backups, and free SSL certificates. Flywheel's intuitive dashboard makes managing multiple sites a breeze, while its collaboration tools enhance teamwork. With a focus on speed and security, Flywheel ensures your WordPress sites run smoothly, allowing you to deliver exceptional digital experiences. Whether you're building a portfolio or managing client projects, Flywheel provides the tools and support you need to succeed.
Pros and Cons of Cloudways vs Flywheel
Pros & Cons of Cloudways
- Cloudways offers a variety of cloud providers, including AWS, Google Cloud, and DigitalOcean, allowing you to choose the best fit for your needs. This flexibility ensures you can scale and optimize performance as required.
- With built-in caching solutions like Varnish, Memcached, and Redis, Cloudways ensures your websites load quickly and efficiently. These caching options are ideal for businesses looking to enhance site performance.
- Cloudways provides automated backups with customizable schedules, ensuring your data is always safe and recoverable. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that require regular data protection.
- Cloudways' setup process can be challenging for beginners, requiring some technical knowledge to navigate. This complexity may deter users who prefer a more straightforward hosting solution.
- While Cloudways supports WordPress, it lacks some of the specialized features that platforms like Flywheel offer. This limitation may be a drawback for users focused solely on WordPress hosting.
Pros & Cons of Flywheel
- Flywheel's intuitive dashboard makes managing multiple WordPress sites easy, even for those with limited technical expertise. This user-friendly approach is ideal for designers and agencies.
- Flywheel offers dedicated support for WordPress-related issues, ensuring you have access to expert assistance when needed. This specialized support is invaluable for WordPress users.
- Flywheel's staging environment allows you to test changes before going live, reducing the risk of errors. This feature is particularly beneficial for agencies managing multiple client sites.
- Flywheel focuses solely on WordPress hosting, limiting your choice of cloud providers. This restriction may be a drawback for users seeking more flexibility in their hosting options.
- Flywheel's advanced features come at a higher cost, which may not be feasible for all users. This pricing structure could be a barrier for small businesses or individuals on a budget.
Cloudways vs Flywheel: At A Glance
Cloudways vs Flywheel: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Performance Optimization
Cloudways excels in performance optimization with its advanced caching mechanisms and choice of cloud providers, ensuring fast load times and high availability. Flywheel also offers performance enhancements, particularly for WordPress sites, with features like built-in caching and CDN integration. If you're looking for a hosting solution that prioritizes performance across various platforms, Cloudways is the better choice. However, for WordPress-specific performance needs, Flywheel's tailored features are highly effective.
Backup and Restore
Both Cloudways and Flywheel offer robust backup and restore features, ensuring your data is safe and easily recoverable. Cloudways provides automated backups with customizable schedules, while Flywheel offers nightly backups with one-click restore options. If you need more control over your backup schedule, Cloudways is the better option. For a more straightforward, hassle-free backup solution, Flywheel's nightly backups are ideal.
Staging Environment
Flywheel stands out with its easy-to-use staging environment, allowing you to test changes before going live. Cloudways also offers staging capabilities, but with a slightly more complex setup. If you frequently test and deploy changes, Flywheel's staging environment is more user-friendly. However, if you need more control over the staging process, Cloudways provides the flexibility you need.
Collaboration Tools
Flywheel offers excellent collaboration tools, making it easy for teams to work together on projects. Cloudways also provides collaboration features, but they are more geared towards developers and technical users. If you're part of a creative agency or team, Flywheel's collaboration tools are more intuitive and accessible. For more technical collaboration needs, Cloudways offers the necessary tools and flexibility.
Server Management
Cloudways excels in server management, offering a user-friendly interface for managing server resources and configurations. Flywheel, while providing server management features, is more focused on WordPress-specific needs. If you require comprehensive server management capabilities, Cloudways is the better choice. For WordPress-centric server management, Flywheel's features are well-suited.
Free SSL Certificates
Both Cloudways and Flywheel offer free SSL certificates, ensuring secure connections for your websites. Cloudways provides easy SSL installation and management, while Flywheel includes SSL as part of its hosting plans. If you need a straightforward SSL solution, Flywheel's integrated approach is convenient. For more control over SSL management, Cloudways offers the flexibility you need.
Pricing Comparison of Cloudways and Flywheel
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Cloudways and Flywheel. This comparison will highlight the best option for your hosting needs.
Cloudways Pricing Plans
- 1 Core processor to handle basic computing tasks.
- 25 GB storage for essential data and applications.
- 1 TB bandwidth to support moderate traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 1 Core processor for improved computing capabilities.
- 50 GB storage for more data and applications.
- 2 TB bandwidth to support higher traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 2 Core processor for advanced computing tasks.
- 80 GB storage for extensive data and applications.
- 4 TB bandwidth to support high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 4 Core processor for demanding computing tasks.
- 160 GB storage for large data and applications.
- 5 TB bandwidth to support very high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 8 Core processor for intensive computing tasks.
- 320 GB storage for massive data and applications.
- 6 TB bandwidth to support extremely high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 8 Core processor for complex computing tasks.
- 640 GB storage for extensive data and applications.
- 7 TB bandwidth to support extremely high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 12 Core processor for highly complex computing tasks.
- 960 GB storage for extensive data and applications.
- 8 TB bandwidth to support extremely high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
- 16 Core processor for the most demanding tasks.
- 1280 GB storage for extensive data and applications.
- 9 TB bandwidth to support extremely high traffic levels.
- Free SSL certificates for secure data transmission.
Flywheel Pricing Plans
- Supports 5,000 monthly visits ensuring stable performance.
- Provides 5GB storage for essential website data.
- Offers 20GB bandwidth for smooth data transfer.
- Includes simple SSL certificates for secure connections.
- Handles 25,000 monthly visits for increased traffic.
- Provides 10GB storage for more content and media.
- Offers 50GB bandwidth for enhanced data transfer.
- Includes FlyCache for optimized site speed.
- Supports up to 10 sites for diverse projects.
- Handles 100,000 monthly visits for high traffic.
- Provides 20GB storage for extensive data needs.
- Offers 200GB bandwidth for large data transfers.
- Supports up to 30 sites for extensive management.
- Handles 400,000 monthly visits for massive traffic.
- Provides 50GB storage for substantial data needs.
- Offers 500GB bandwidth for extensive data transfers.
Our Rating Methodology
We conduct extensive testing on each hosting platform, evaluating performance, security, scalability, and more. Additionally, we analyze user reviews for real-world insights. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted to provide a final score, ensuring you avoid unreliable hosting solutions.
Cloudways or Flywheel: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Cloudways If You Need ...
- Flexible cloud provider options
If you need a hosting solution that offers a variety of cloud providers, Cloudways is the ideal choice. With options like AWS, Google Cloud, and DigitalOcean, you can select the best fit for your needs, ensuring scalability and performance optimization.
- Advanced caching mechanisms
If performance is a top priority, Cloudways' advanced caching mechanisms, including Varnish, Memcached, and Redis, ensure fast load times and efficient resource management. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses seeking to enhance site performance.
Choose Flywheel If You Need ...
- User-friendly interface
If you prefer a straightforward, easy-to-navigate hosting solution, Flywheel's user-friendly interface is perfect for you. It's designed for designers and agencies, making it easy to manage multiple WordPress sites with minimal technical expertise.
- Excellent WordPress support
If you need specialized WordPress support, Flywheel offers dedicated assistance for WordPress-related issues. This ensures you have access to expert help when needed, making it an ideal choice for WordPress users seeking reliable support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between Cloudways and Flywheel?
Which platform is better for WordPress hosting?
How do Cloudways and Flywheel handle scalability?
What security features do Cloudways and Flywheel offer?
Which platform offers better customer support?
How do Cloudways and Flywheel compare in terms of pricing?
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.
