Cloudways vs Bluehost — Which is Better in 2026?
Cloudways is significantly more expensive (273% more). In our testing, Cloudways consistently outperformed on speed. We compared pricing, support, uptime, and features so you can choose with confidence.
Last verified: June 2026
Our Quick Verdict
Cloudways wins overall with a 4.6/5 rating vs 4.2/5. It is best for Developers, Agency, WordPress. The other option — Bluehost — is a better fit if you need Beginners or WordPress.
Ratings Comparison
| Category | Cloudways | Winner | Bluehost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.6/5 | Winner | 4.2/5 |
| Speed | 4.7/5 | Winner | 4.0/5 |
| Support | 4.4/5 | Winner | 4.0/5 |
| Uptime | 4.7/5 | Winner | 4.5/5 |
| Value | 4.5/5 | Winner | 4.4/5 |
| Features | 4.6/5 | Winner | 4.1/5 |
| Security | 4.5/5 | Winner | 4.0/5 |
| Ease of Use | 4.2/5 | Winner | 4.7/5 |
Features Comparison
| Feature | Cloudways | Bluehost |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ |
| Free Migration | ✓ | ✕ |
| Money-Back | None | 30 days |
| Storage Type | SSD | SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.99% | 99.9% |
| Founded | 2012 | 2003 |
Pros & Cons
Cloudways
Pros
- ✓Choose your underlying cloud provider
- ✓Pay-as-you-go — no annual lock-in
- ✓Built-in CDN, Redis, and Varnish cache
- ✓Free SSL and automated backups
- ✓One-click staging environments
- ✓PHP-FPM and Nginx Varnish stack
Cons
- ✕No phone support
- ✕No email hosting included
- ✕Pricing scales with cloud server size
- ✕Not ideal for non-technical beginners
Bluehost
Pros
- ✓Free domain for first year
- ✓WordPress.org officially recommended
- ✓Very beginner-friendly cPanel interface
- ✓Phone support available 24/7
- ✓One-click WordPress installation
- ✓Integrated WordPress website builder
Cons
- ✕Slower speeds vs premium hosts
- ✕Only US-based data centres
- ✕Upsells during checkout can be confusing
- ✕No free migration on basic plans
- ✕Renewal prices are significantly higher
Performance Comparison
In our testing, Cloudways consistently outperformed Bluehost on page load speed, scoring 4.7/5 and 4.0/5 respectively. Cloudways uses SSD storage with data centres in USA, EU, while Bluehost relies on SSD storage with locations including USA (Utah). Cloudways guarantees 99.99% uptime, and Bluehost offers 99.9% uptime.
Pricing Breakdown
Bluehost starts at $2.95/month, making it more affordable than Cloudways ($11.00/month) — a 273% price difference. Over 12 months, that's $97 in savings by choosing Bluehost. Cloudways has no standard refund policy; Bluehost offers a 30-day guarantee.
Support Comparison
Cloudways offers support via live chat, ticket with a support rating of 4.4/5. Bluehost provides live chat, phone, ticket support, rated 4.0/5. Cloudways has the edge on support responsiveness and quality in our evaluation.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Cloudways if you need:
- Developers
- Agency
- WordPress
- WooCommerce
Not ideal for:
Beginners, Email hosting users
Choose Bluehost if you need:
- Beginners
- WordPress
- Small Business
Not ideal for:
Developers, High Traffic, International sites
Our Verdict
After testing both platforms, we recommend Cloudways for most users. The difference in overall rating is meaningful enough to have a clear recommendation.
Our Testing Methodology
ArdentSupport evaluates hosting providers across eight weighted criteria: overall value, page load speed, customer support quality, uptime reliability, feature depth, security posture, and ease of use. Ratings reflect real-world performance data, industry reputation, public SLAs, and first-hand support interactions. Prices are verified at time of publication. We update this comparison when provider data changes.