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Cloudways vs Contabo

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Pros
  • Flexibility to choose top cloud providers
  • High-speed performance with SSD and advanced caching
  • Scalable resources with pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Fully managed hosting with automated backups
  • 24/7 customer support and developer-friendly tools
  • Free SSL certificates and robust security features
  • User-friendly custom control panel
  • Free website migration for the first site
Pros
  • Scalable hosting architecture
  • Global data centers
  • In-house control panel for autonomy
  • Rapid provisioning and deployment process
Cons
  • No money-back guarantee
  • No built-in email hosting
  • Limited 3-day free trial
  • No cPanel, uses proprietary control panel
  • Expensive offsite backup storage
  • No free CDN included
Cons
  • Windows licensing restrictions on virtual servers
  • Lack of built-in firewall or managed security tools
  • Occasional performance dips on shared hypervisors
  • Potential downtime during scheduled migrations
Summary

Cloudways is a leading managed cloud hosting provider acquired by DigitalOcean in 2022. Originally founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Julian’s, Malta, they aim to simplify cloud hosting by integrating with top providers like AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr, offering businesses access to robust infrastructure without requiring technical expertise. Designed for digital agencies, e-commerce businesses, developers, and SMBs, Cloudways emphasizes performance, scalability, and ease of use. Key features include autoscaling for zero downtime during traffic spikes, pay-as-you-go pricing, SSD hosting, free SSL certificates, and advanced security tools like Imunify360. The platform also provides one-click app installations, automated backups, real-time monitoring, and developer-friendly tools like SSH access and Git integration. While praised for their flexibility, performance, and 24/7 support, Cloudways has a learning curve for beginners and lacks built-in email hosting or a free CDN. This review explores their pros, cons, and unique features to help you decide if Cloudways is the right hosting solution for your business.

Summary

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, Contabo has built a strong reputation as a reliable and affordable web hosting provider serving a global audience. They specialize in scalable infrastructure solutions, including VPS, VDS, dedicated servers, and object storage, all backed by enterprise-grade AMD EPYC hardware, NVMe storage, and unmetered bandwidth. With data centers strategically located across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, Contabo delivers low-latency performance and flexible deployment options for developers, SMBs, and enterprises alike. What sets Contabo apart is their focus on performance value—offering high-resource plans at some of the market’s most competitive prices, alongside a transparent, fixed-rate pricing model with no renewal hikes. Customers frequently highlight their strong uptime, quick provisioning, and the efficiency of their in-house control panel, though some note limitations in support hours and managed security tools. Operating from ISO-certified and renewable-powered data centers, Contabo remains a dependable, sustainability-minded option for users seeking professional-grade hosting without unnecessary complexity.

Quick Stats
  • Bandwidth : Unmetered
  • Price : Starting at $11/month (monthly plan)
  • Free Domain : Unavailable
  • Money-Back Guarantee : Unavailable
  • Uptime Guarantee : 99.99%
  • Customer Experience : Excellent
  • Storage : Between 25-3840 GB, depending on plan
Quick Stats
  • Money-Back Guarantee : 14 days
  • Bandwidth : Unmetered
  • Price : Starting at $5.99/month, (if taken on an annual/1-year basis)
  • Free Domain : Available
  • Uptime Guarantee : 99.9%
  • Customer Experience : Good
  • Storage : Between 50-1600 GB
Selling Points
  • Autoscaling for zero downtime during traffic spikes
  • Choice of multiple cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, etc.)
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing model with no long-term commitments
  • CloudwaysBot for real-time performance and security alerts
  • Agency-focused tools for client billing and team collaboration
Selling Points
  • High-performance infrastructure at budget-friendly prices
  • Transparent, fixed-rate pricing with no renewal hikes
  • Flexible configurations for every use case
  • Renewable-powered European data centers
Core Features
  • CDN Included
  • cPanel Included
  • Direct Hosting Provider
  • Undisclosed
    Reseller Hosting
  • Undisclosed
    Responsive Design
  • SEO Tools
  • Undisclosed
    Sitemap Support
  • SSD Storage
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • Unlimited Storage
  • Unlimited Websites
Core Features
  • CDN Included
  • cPanel Included
  • Direct Hosting Provider
  • Reseller Hosting
  • Responsive Design
  • SEO Tools
  • Sitemap Support
  • SSD Storage
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • Unlimited Storage
  • Unlimited Websites
Server & Hosting Types
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Dedicated Hosting
  • Green Web Hosting
  • Mac Hosting
  • Shared Hosting
  • VPS Hosting
  • Windows Hosting
  • WordPress Hosting
Server & Hosting Types
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Dedicated Hosting
  • Green Web Hosting
  • Mac Hosting
  • Shared Hosting
  • VPS Hosting
  • Windows Hosting
  • WordPress Hosting
E-commerce & CMS
  • Drupal Hosting
  • E-commerce Plans
  • Joomla Hosting
  • Magento Hosting
  • Online Store
  • WooCommerce Support
E-commerce & CMS
  • Drupal Hosting
  • E-commerce Plans
  • Joomla Hosting
  • Magento Hosting
  • Online Store
  • WooCommerce Support
Security Features
  • 24/7 Network Monitoring
  • DDoS Protection
  • Free Dedicated IP
  • Free SSL Certificate
  • Malware Scanning and Removal
  • Site Backups
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Security Features
  • 24/7 Network Monitoring
  • DDoS Protection
  • Free Dedicated IP
  • Free SSL Certificate
  • Malware Scanning and Removal
  • Site Backups
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Advanced Features
  • Custom Cron Jobs
  • HTTP/2 Support
  • MySQL Databases
  • PHP 7 Support
  • Python Support
  • Ruby on Rails Support
  • Secure Shell (SSH) Access
  • Website Builder
Advanced Features
  • Custom Cron Jobs
  • HTTP/2 Support
  • MySQL Databases
  • PHP 7 Support
  • Python Support
  • Ruby on Rails Support
  • Secure Shell (SSH) Access
  • Website Builder
Customer Support Options
  • 24/7 Support Availability
  • Community Forum
  • Email
  • Knowledge Base
  • Live Chat
  • Phone
  • Social Media
  • Ticketing
Customer Support Options
  • 24/7 Support Availability
  • Community Forum
  • Email
  • Knowledge Base
  • Live Chat
  • Phone
  • Social Media
  • Ticketing
Payment Methods
  • Bank Transfers
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Major Credit Cards
  • PayPal
Payment Methods
  • Bank Transfers
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Major Credit Cards
  • PayPal
Payment Options
  • Checks
Payment Options
  • Checks
Server Operating System
  • Linux/ Ubuntu Hosting
Server Operating System
  • Linux/ Ubuntu Hosting