Cloudways cloudflare enterprise review: After DigitalOcean took over Cloudways, there have been noticeable changes to their service. I’ve received numerous complaints about price increases, the removal of Vultr, and many users looking for alternatives. If you’ve been feeling the pinch or noticed these changes, you’re not alone.
Let’s deep dive into this Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise review to see what’s gone down, whether performance has taken a hit, and what alternatives you should consider.
1. The DigitalOcean Acquisition Effect
When Cloudways joined the DigitalOcean family:
- Prices Increased: Yep, it’s more expensive now.
- Vultr and Other Providers Removed: Vultr and others got the boot, pushing users into DigitalOcean’s ecosystem.
- Added Full Page Caching to Cloudflare Enterprise: But the performance impact is debatable.
- Support and Billing Issues Popped Up: Complaints about these have been on the rise.
To sum it up, Cloudways getting bought out hasn’t been great for their service.
2. Poor Marks in Kevin Ohashi’s 2023 Benchmarks
Despite boasting cloud hosting with NVMe SSDs, Redis Object Cache Pro, and Cloudflare Enterprise now supporting full page caching, Cloudways didn’t fare well in Kevin Ohashi’s 2023 WordPress Hosting Benchmarks. Their performance issues are puzzling given their supposed high-speed setup.
Rocket.net, on the other hand, nailed it. If you’re seeking alternatives, Rocket.net could be your next stop. But, if you’re on a tighter budget, ChemiCloud’s WordPress Turbo plan (LiteSpeed, NVMe SSDs, Redis) or ServerAvatar (similar to Cloudways and cheaper) are worth exploring.
Overall, Cloudways still outperforms hosts like SiteGround, Kinsta, and other mainstream options.
3. Cloudways vs. Shared Hosts
Cloud hosting like Cloudways offers significant advantages over shared hosting:
- LiteSpeed is Faster than Apache
- NVMe SSDs Beat SATA SSDs
- MariaDB Outperforms MySQL
- Redis is More Efficient than Memcached
SiteGround GrowBig | Hostinger Business WP | WPX Business Plan | ChemiCloud WordPress Turbo | Cloudways Vultr HF (2GB) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Shared | Shared | Shared | Shared | Cloud |
| Cores/RAM | Not listed | 2 cores/1.5GB | 1 core/1GB | 3 cores/3GB – scalable to 6/6 | 1 core/2GB |
| Server | Apache + Nginx | LiteSpeed | LiteSpeed | LiteSpeed | Apache + Nginx |
| Storage | 20GB SATA | 200GB SATA | 15GB SATA | 40GB NVMe – 10/11 locations | 64G NVMe |
| CDN | Google Cloud | QUIC.cloud | QUIC.cloud | QUIC.cloud | Cloudflare Enterprise |
| DNS | Internal (blocked for 4 days) | Internal | Internal | Internal | DNS Made Easy ($5/mo) |
| Cache plugin | SG Optimizer | LSC | LSC or W3TC | LSC | Breeze |
| Object cache | Memcached | Memcached | x | Redis | Redis Pro |
| PHP processor | FastCGI | LiteSpeed | LiteSpeed | LiteSpeed | FPM |
| Database | MySQL | MariaDB | MariaDB | MariaDB | MariaDB |
| Bandwidth or monthly visits | 100k visits/mo (estimated) | At discretion | 200GB | Unlimited* | 2TB |
| CPU limits | Common | Low resources | 3 PHP workers | Efficient w/ LiteSpeed | Average (use at least 1 core/RAM) |
| Email hosting | ✓ | 1GB storage | Low limits | ✓ | x |
| Major incidents | TTFB/DNS/CPU issues, unethical | Fake reviews, scam reports, 2019 breach | Global outage blamed on dead CEO | None | None |
| Migrations | $30/site | Unlimited | 5-35 sites | 200 cPanel + 10 non-cPanel | 1 free + $25/site |
| TrustPilot rating | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 (fake) | 4.9/5 | 5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Intro price | $3.99/mo | $3.99/mo | $20.83/mo when paying yearly | $5.99/mo | $26/mo |
| Renewal price | $24.99/mo | $14.99/mo | $20.83/mo | $19.95/mo | $26/mo |
| 3 year price | $659.64 | $299.40 | $749.88 | $215.64 | $936 |
But if you’re looking for a simple performance upgrade from a shared host, Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise is a solid step up.
4. Cloudways vs. Other Cloud Hosts
You can also compare Cloudways to other providers in this handy spreadsheet.
Rocket.net offers faster PHP processing with LiteSpeed and more cores/RAM but usually costs more due to limited bandwidth/storage. Cloudways allows you to host multiple sites on a single server, unlike Rocket.net’s site limit. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Rocket.net: More expensive but faster
- Cloudways: More flexible but not as fast
5. Say Goodbye to CPU Issues
When I switched from SiteGround to Cloudways, my CPU usage plummeted under 10%. I downgraded CPU cores/RAM and saved about $100/month. SiteGround’s cloud hosting was a ripoff.
But a word of caution – Cloudways uses Apache servers, which are less efficient than LiteSpeed. If you’re plagued by high CPU usage due to traffic or plugins, consider ChemiCloud for LiteSpeed servers.
6. Monthly Pricing: Scaling Can Get Pricey
Cloudways offers monthly pricing (no renewals), but it gets expensive as you scale up. This is a common complaint. For instance, you’re essentially paying double what Vultr HF charges directly.
Although Cloudways makes scaling CPU/RAM easy, shared hosts often lock you into 1-3 year contracts with fixed resources. If your traffic grows or you add resource-hungry plugins, you might find yourself stuck.
8. Signing Up
Here’s how to set up Cloudways step-by-step (using my link for a 30% discount):
- Sign Up: Get 30% Off 3 Months
- Launch a Server: Pick WordPress or WooCommerce, your cloud host (Vultr HF recommended), server size, and data center location.
- Connect Your Domain: Add your domain under “Applications” → “Domain Management.”
- Request a Free Migration: Cloudways offers the first site migration free.
Cloudways makes it easy to get started!
9. Launch a Server
Once you’re signed up, launching a server is a breeze.
- Application: WordPress or WooCommerce
- Host: Vultr HF (recommended)
- Server Size: 1GB for small sites, 2GB+ for larger/WooCommerce sites
- Data Center: Closest to your audience (Cloudways offers 19 data centers)
Then, hit “Launch Now.”
Vultr HF is the most popular option, boasting faster NVMe storage, 3GHz+ CPUs, and higher clock speeds.
10. Connect Your Domain
After launching your server, it’s time to connect your domain.
- Add Domain: Under “Applications” → “Domain Management.”
- Update DNS Records: In NameCheap, follow this format:
- A Record: Cloudways’ Public IP
- CNAME: Your Domain Name
- SSL Certificate: Add free Let’s Encrypt SSL (auto-renewal).
If you need help, Cloudways provides a how-to video.
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How to Manage Your Domain DNS Records | Cloudways
11. Request a Free Migration
Cloudways offers a free migration (Add-ons → Application Migration). Each additional migration is $25/site, which is cheap compared to other hosts. They moved my site without a hitch.
Cloudways WordPress Migration Plugin video (Free)
12. Cloudflare Enterprise
Cloudways’ Cloudflare Enterprise add-on costs $5/month. Here’s what it brings to the table:
- Enterprise CDN: Prioritized routing, unique IPs, up to 100GBs.
- Managed WAF: Advanced bot management and mitigation.
- DDoS Protection: Prioritized for high traffic or attack periods.
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Rocket.net Comparison
Rocket.net’s Cloudflare Enterprise is free, automatically set up, and has always had full page caching. But among other hosts, Cloudways’ Cloudflare integration is the second-fastest, right behind Rocket.net.
How to Setup Cloudflare Enterprise Addon with Cloudways Server
Cloudways cloudflare enterprise review
FAQs
Yes, for $5/month, it offers great value with prioritized routing, DDoS protection, and managed WAF.
After the DigitalOcean acquisition, Cloudways shifted focus to promoting DigitalOcean providers.
Rocket.net’s is faster and automatically set up but more expensive, while Cloudways is more customizable.
No, Cloudways mainly uses Apache servers. For LiteSpeed, consider ChemiCloud or other hosts.
Yes, the first migration is free, and additional ones are $25/site.
If you’re looking for more details or features, leave a comment below or reach out to Cloudways’ community manager!
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