Choosing the right hosting partner directly affects your agency’s reputation.

Slow sites, downtime, or poor support don’t just frustrate clients, but they cost you trust and recurring revenue. Reliable managed hosting isn’t optional. It’s operational infrastructure.

Two platforms agencies often compare are Cloudways and WP Engine. Both offer managed WordPress hosting, but they approach it differently.

Cloudways gives you more control over cloud infrastructure. WP Engine delivers a tightly managed, premium WordPress environment.

In this guide, I’ll break down what actually matters to an agency founder: pricing at scale, real-world performance, scalability, support quality, and day-to-day workflows.

By the end, you’ll know which platform aligns with your growth strategy — not just your budget.

Want to get it right? Read our top hosting for agencies guide.

Quick Overview (Side-by-Side Snapshot)

Category	Cloudways	WP Engine
Target Audience	Agencies & developers who want cloud flexibility and infrastructure control	Agencies & businesses that want fully managed, WordPress-focused hosting
Starting Price	~ $11/month (DigitalOcean plan)	~ $30/month (entry managed plan)
Infrastructure Model	Managed layer on top of DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, Linode	Curated, fully managed WordPress platform (primarily Google Cloud infrastructure)
Control Level	High — choose server specs, scaling, caching configuration	Moderate — opinionated stack with limited infra customization
Best Suited For	Agencies that want flexibility, cost control, and technical control	Agencies that want predictable performance, automation, and premium WordPress support

Cloudways overview

What it is

A managed cloud hosting control plane that sits on top of public cloud providers and handles server management, caching stacks, backups, and app-level tooling for WordPress and other PHP apps.

Cloud infrastructure options

You pick the underlying compute: DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, and Linode (Cloudways provisions and manages the server for you). Pricing tiers vary by provider and region.

Agencies that want cloud flexibility and granular control over server choice and resources prefer pay-as-you-go pricing, and can benefit from a platform that blends managed services with direct cloud scalability.

It’s a good fit when you want more control than a single-vendor managed host but less ops work than managing raw cloud VMs yourself.

WP Engine overview

What it is

A premium, WordPress-focused digital experience platform that provides fully managed hosting, performance optimizations, security tooling, and a suite of developer and business features (themes, plugins, and DX tools) targeted at mission-critical sites.

Premium managed WordPress positioning

The product is positioned as an all-in-one platform: managed infra + developer tools + premium themes (StudioPress/Genesis included on many plans).

Emphasis is on out-of-the-box performance, security, and support for high-value or enterprise clients.

Who it’s best for

Agencies that build and run high-traffic or revenue-sensitive WordPress sites need strong SLAs/enterprise features, and prefer a tightly managed platform (fewer infra choices, more opinionated tooling), so their teams can focus on dev and growth rather than server tuning.

Pricing Comparison for Agencies

Entry-level plans

• Cloudways uses a pay-as-you-go model with very low starting costs. Managed WordPress hosting on DigitalOcean begins around $11–$14/month for a basic server instance, and other cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, Linode, Vultr) start higher based on the resources chosen.
• WP Engine has structured tiers with a clear entry plan for managed WordPress hosting, typically starting around $25/month for one site with basic visit/storage limits.
• Key difference: Cloudways lets you choose cheaper infrastructure and scale from a very low base, while WP Engine’s minimum plan has a higher upfront price but comes with a set managed WP feature bundle.

Cost scaling (10, 20, 50+ sites)

• Cloudways: Because you’re essentially adding cloud servers, scaling costs depend on how you allocate infrastructure per client or project. You could host many small sites on a single instance or distribute them across multiple servers. Billing scales with the compute resources you choose, not strictly by site count.
• WP Engine: Plans grow in price as you add sites or traffic capacity. Their mid-tier plans include allowances for multiple sites (e.g., 3, 10, 30 sites), and enterprise or custom levels are priced via sales for larger portfolios.
• Agency implication: WP Engine’s tiered structure simplifies budgeting for fixed site counts but can jump quickly in price; Cloudways remains more modular but requires planning how to distribute sites across servers.

Overage fees

• Cloudways: Bandwidth and resource usage beyond what your cloud instance includes (e.g., data transfer) incur additional charges based on provider rates (for example, ~$0.02/GB on DigitalOcean).
• WP Engine: Overage typically comes as plan limits on visits, storage, or bandwidth. If traffic exceeds your plan’s visit cap, you may need to upgrade to a higher tier rather than pay a simple per-GB overage fee — meaning costs can jump in larger steps.
• Agency perspective: Cloudways tends to bill incrementally for excess use; WP Engine’s structured capacity limits can force tier upgrades.

Included features vs add-ons

• Cloudways: Core managed services (backup, cloud control panel, 24/7 support) are included, but premium add-ons (e.g., Cloudflare Enterprise, automatic WP updates, advanced backups) often carry extra monthly fees.
• WP Engine: Most managed WordPress essentials — staging, daily backups, security scans, SSL, CDN — are baked into each plan. Additional enterprise capabilities or performance tooling may require higher tiers.
• Feature trade-off: WP Engine’s bundled approach simplifies the included feature set but locks it behind plan tiers; Cloudways lets you purchase only what you need, but at incremental cost.

Long-term cost considerations

• Cloudways: Predictable usage-based billing means you only pay for resources you use. For agencies with uneven traffic or varied site sizes, this can be cost-efficient in the long run. However, choosing more powerful servers or add-ons increases recurring spend.
• WP Engine: Pricing is more fixed per plan with clear resource caps. Over time, as client sites grow or exceed limits, agencies may need to move up through higher-cost tiers. This can make long-term portfolios expensive, but it gives clarity on budgeting.
• Overall: Cloudways can offer better long-term value if you optimize infrastructure. WP Engine offers stability and predictable billing, but it can be pricier as an agency portfolio scales.

Performance & Speed

Infrastructure differences

• Cloudways: Because Cloudways lets you choose your underlying cloud provider — including DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, and Linode — your performance baseline depends on the provider and instance you pick. This means you can optimize for speed and global presence based on where your clients’ audiences are.
• WP Engine: Uses a pre-optimized infrastructure built specifically for WordPress on a managed stack (often powered by Google Cloud data centers), so you don’t choose the raw infrastructure — WP Engine tunes it for consistent performance instead.

Bottom line: Cloudways gives more control over server choice and locations; WP Engine provides WordPress-focused optimization without infrastructure decisions.

Built-in caching systems

• Cloudways: Includes an advanced caching stack by default — typically built with Varnish, Memcached, Redis, and NGINX — to serve cached content quickly at the server level. You can fine-tune caching settings and enable or disable individual components.
• WP Engine: Uses proprietary caching technologies like EverCache® and WordPress-optimized caching rules under the hood that are tailored to WordPress page delivery and reduce backend load, which helps speed up repeat page views without manual cache configuration.

Key point: Cloudways exposes more caching components to configure; WP Engine’s server-side caching is more opaque but purpose-built for WordPress.

CDN integration

• Cloudways: You can easily add a Cloudflare (including the Cloudflare Enterprise option) CDN directly from the dashboard. This means global edge caching, reduced latency, and faster content delivery for audiences worldwide — especially beneficial for client sites with international traffic.
• WP Engine: Includes a built-in global CDN integrated with their hosting platform. It’s optimized for WordPress static assets and works without extra configuration.

Summary: Both platforms leverage CDNs effectively, but Cloudways gives you choice and explicit control over the CDN provider and configuration.

PHP workers & server resources

• Cloudways: You control server CPU, RAM, and PHP workers based on the cloud instance you provision — meaning you can tailor resources per site or per server to meet performance demands for high-traffic or resource-intensive client sites.
• WP Engine: Allocates server resources and PHP workers based on your plan tier. Larger tiers get more capacity, but you don’t directly configure compute resources — you scale by plan rather than machine specs.

For agencies: Cloudways lets you right-size resources for each workload; WP Engine abstracts that and requires tier upgrades to scale.

Real-world performance expectations

• Cloudways: Users and tests show Cloudways can deliver very fast load times with its optimized stack and CDN, and its 99.99% uptime commitment supports consistent performance. Cloudways has flexible configurations that can outperform more rigid managed hosts when tuned properly.
• WP Engine: Consistently delivers strong WordPress performance with built-in optimization and global CDN, and TechRadar notes that many sites see speed improvements after migrating to WP Engine due to its purpose-built stack — though performance can vary based on plan and resource allowances.

In practice: Both are capable of high performance; Cloudways offers more resource control that can yield superior results when configured well, while WP Engine’s managed stack delivers predictable WordPress-optimized delivery out of the box.

Scalability for Growing Agencies

Adding new sites

• Cloudways: You can deploy multiple sites on the same cloud server or across different servers depending on resource needs. Adding a new WordPress site doesn’t require moving to a new plan — you simply install it on your existing infrastructure and scale resources manually as needed. This allows flexible site provisioning, especially if you manage diverse client portfolios.
• WP Engine: New sites are added through your WP Engine dashboard and count against your plan’s allowed site quota. Higher tiers or custom enterprise plans include more sites. This structured model simplifies site management, but means you must consider plan limits as your agency grows its portfolio.

Vertical vs. horizontal scaling

• Cloudways: Supports both vertical and horizontal scaling.
  • Vertical scaling: Increase the CPU, RAM, or storage of your existing server to boost performance quickly when demand rises.
  • Horizontal scaling: You can also add more servers to distribute load across instances, which helps with redundancy and high availability if you architect your setup for it.
• WP Engine: Provides managed platform scaling, often through tier upgrades or autoscaling features built into the infrastructure (especially on higher or enterprise plans), rather than manual resource choices. Their system is designed to adjust to traffic demands with under-the-hood scaling without requiring you to manage raw server specs.

Multisite support

• Cloudways: You can host WordPress Multisite installations, but configuration and resource planning (e.g., PHP workers, database load) are managed manually. This gives agencies flexibility, but you need to plan resources and performance tuning for large multisite networks yourself.
• WP Engine: Offers WordPress Multisite support on many plans, with infrastructure optimized for these setups. It’s tailored to agency workflows where networks of client or sub-brand sites run under one installation, with built-in tools to manage staging and deployments.

Handling traffic spikes

• Cloudways: Handles spikes by scaling your server resources (vertical) or distributing load across additional servers (horizontal). These changes typically require manual action via the Cloudways dashboard unless you’ve built automation tooling yourself.
• WP Engine: The platform is designed to manage high traffic spikes automatically by leveraging its WordPress-optimized infrastructure, caching, and load balancing. Their systems can accommodate sudden large traffic influxes — in some cases, from thousands to millions of visitors — without requiring plan changes at the moment of the spike.

Agency Workflow & Developer Tools

Staging environments

• Cloudways: Offers built-in staging environments that let developers test code, plugins, and design changes in a sandboxed version of a live site before deployment. You can push and pull changes between staging and production, helping avoid breaking clients’ live sites.
• WP Engine: Provides one-click staging as part of its managed platform, enabling devs to quickly spin up staging copies of sites. It also integrates with tools like Local by Flywheel for local development before pushing changes live.

Git integration

• Cloudways: Includes Git integration, allowing developers to manage and deploy code from repositories such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket, which is helpful for structured development workflows across agency teams.
• WP Engine: Fully supports Git workflows as part of its developer toolset, enabling version control and collaborative code management directly into the deployment process.

SSH access

• Cloudways: Provides SSH access for secure command-line interaction with your servers. This lets developers run WP-CLI, manage environments via command line, and perform advanced tasks without using a GUI.
• WP Engine: Also offers SSH access (with security-controlled privileges rather than full root access) as part of its developer features, enabling command-line operations and scripted workflows.

Team collaboration features

• Cloudways: Supports team access management through its platform dashboard, so you can grant different team members tailored access to servers and applications. You rely on standard cloud developer tools (SSH, Git, WP-CLI) for collaboration rather than a bespoke agency workbench.
• WP Engine: Designed with agencies in mind — team workflows include staging, version control, local dev tools, and API access that support collaborative development and deployment, plus options for sharing work-in-progress via Live Links in Local.

Site cloning and migration tools

• Cloudways: Offers site cloning tools to replicate an existing site within the platform. Migration between providers or to new environments uses built-in cloning or third-party migration tools.
• WP Engine: Includes automated migration support via its WP Engine Automated Migration plugin, making transferring client sites into the platform straightforward. Cloning and pushing sites between environments is integrated into the workflow.

Security & Backups

Firewall & malware protection

• Cloudways: Offers multiple security layers, including server-level firewalls, bot protection, Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules, two-factor authentication, brute-force protection via Fail2ban, and malware scanning through Imunify360. These tools help block unauthorized access, malicious traffic, and brute-force attacks at the server and application level. Alerts can be sent when malware is detected so you can act quickly.
• WP Engine: Uses managed, enterprise-grade security built around Cloudflare’s protections, including WAF, Layer 3 & 4 DDoS mitigation, threat detection and blocking, encrypted SSL, and multi-factor authentication. WP Engine’s platform continuously monitors for threats and remediates suspicious activity as part of its managed service.

Takeaway: Cloudways gives you strong baseline protections with customizable controls and alerts, while WP Engine bundles automated, managed security tuned for WordPress environments.

Backup frequency

• Cloudways: Provides automated backups with configurable frequency. You can set daily backups, adjust retention periods, and trigger on-demand snapshots before big changes. This flexibility lets agencies tune backup strategies to client needs.
• WP Engine: Automatically performs daily backups and stores restore points that you can revert to with a single click. In addition, WP Engine supports on-demand backups for major updates or changes.

Takeaway: Both platforms deliver daily backups, but Cloudways gives you backup frequency control, while WP Engine focuses on simple, automated coverage.

Disaster recovery

• Cloudways: Because backups and snapshots can be configured more granularly, you can reconstruct sites from specific points in time. Restoration is managed from the dashboard or via snapshots, giving you control over recovery points. Using CDN caching and cloud-provider redundancy also contributes to uptime.
• WP Engine: Disaster recovery is simplified with one-click restore from daily or on-demand backups, minimizing downtime after a crash or site issue. Their managed hosting and threat monitoring improve overall resilience so failures don’t immediately impact live sites.

Takeaway: Cloudways offers flexible restore options based on configured snapshots and backups, while WP Engine makes rapid recovery easier with straightforward one-click restores.

Update management

• Cloudways: Provides infrastructure patching (OS and stack updates) automatically at the server level, but WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates are generally managed by you (or via optional paid tools like SafeUpdates). This gives agencies control over timing and testing.
• WP Engine: Handles automated WordPress core, PHP, and MySQL updates as part of its managed service, reducing maintenance overhead. Their platform also mitigates risks by applying security patches automatically.

Takeaway: Cloudways requires more proactive update management from the agency (unless you add tooling), while WP Engine automates updates for the core platform and stack.

Support Quality

24/7 support availability

• Cloudways: Provides 24/7 live chat support for all plans, backed by a global support team. Standard support covers platform-level issues (server setup, networking, caching). Agencies can opt into premium support add-ons for faster response times and deeper troubleshooting help.
• WP Engine: Offers 24/7 customer support through live chat on all plans. Phone support is included starting at the Professional tier and higher, providing another real-time channel for urgent issues. Support teams are staffed by WordPress specialists trained to resolve common and complex problems quickly.

Takeaway: Both platforms ensure around-the-clock live support. WP Engine extends support with phone access on higher tiers, which can be important for agencies handling mission-critical client sites.

Technical depth

• Cloudways: Support generally focuses on the hosting platform and server infrastructure — server provisioning, cloud provider issues, performance settings, and platform tooling. For application-level issues (specific plugin conflicts, custom code), agencies may need internal expertise.
• WP Engine: Support is WordPress-centric and deep. Teams are specialized in WordPress hosting, performance, security, and platform-specific troubleshooting. Many agencies report that support feels like an extension of their development team, with practical, actionable help.

Takeaway: WP Engine’s support tends to offer greater depth for WordPress-specific issues, while Cloudways excels in platform and infrastructure support.

Priority support options

• Cloudways: Offers priority or advanced support tiers as paid upgrades. These add faster response SLAs, direct access to more senior engineers, and optional features like private Slack channels or even phone support for critical issues — useful for agencies with tight SLAs.
• WP Engine: Includes priority support through higher-level plans (e.g., Professional, Growth, Scale, Custom) with faster response expectations and more dedicated resources. Large or enterprise agency accounts can access VIP support, incident analysis, and consultative collaboration.

Takeaway: Both hosts offer elevated support options, but the mechanisms differ: Cloudways uses add-on tiers, while WP Engine embeds them into progressively advanced plans.

Agency-level support experience

• Cloudways: Users often praise Cloudways for responsive, helpful support that addresses platform and server questions effectively. However, agencies that rely heavily on application-level troubleshooting (plugins, custom themes, performance issues) may need internal resources or external support.
• WP Engine: Many reviewers highlight WP Engine’s expert WordPress support and the sense that support teams act as part of the agency’s extended tech staff. Agencies managing many client sites or complex WordPress setups benefit from fast, knowledgeable responses and deeper platform insights.

Takeaway: Both are strong, but WP Engine is often seen as more specialized for WordPress agencies, while Cloudways shines when agencies want flexibility and infrastructure-level assistance.

Pros and Cons

Cloudways: Pros & Cons

Pros

• Flexible infrastructure choices — pick from DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, or Linode to match performance and budget needs.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing — you pay only for the resources you provision, which helps control costs across diverse client sites.
• Strong developer tooling — staging, Git, SSH/CLI access, and caching controls support agency workflows.
• Customizable caching and CDN options — integrates with Cloudflare or other CDNs for global delivery.
• Scales both vertically and horizontally — you can resize servers or add more for high traffic scenarios.

Cons

• More hands-on management — you’re responsible for application-level updates and tuning unless you buy add-ons.
• Security tooling requires configuration — basic protections are included, but advanced tools often need setup.
• Support varies by plan — premium support costs extra; standard support may not cover deep WordPress issues.
• Performance depends on chosen cloud provider — you must choose the right instance size/region.

WP Engine: Pros & Cons

Pros

• Managed WordPress expertise — support teams are highly versed in WordPress performance and security best practices.
• Robust built-in caching and global CDN — optimized WordPress stack delivers strong out-of-the-box performance.
• Automated backups & updates — daily backups and platform patching reduce manual maintenance.
• One-click staging and Local integration — smooth workflows for dev/test/deploy cycles.
• Priority and enterprise support tiers — higher plans include phone support and faster SLAs.

Cons

• Higher starting price — entry plans cost more compared with basic Cloudways instances.
• Less control over underlying infrastructure — no choice of cloud provider or server specs.
• Plan limits on visits and sites — exceeding traffic or site counts may force expensive tier upgrades.
• Can be pricey at scale — agencies with many clients may find tiered pricing grows fast.

Best Use Cases

• Best for small agencies — Cloudways offers low entry pricing and flexible server sizing, making it cost-effective for agencies managing a handful of smaller client sites.
• Best for scaling agencies — Cloudways suits agencies that want to scale infrastructure gradually by increasing server resources or adding new instances without jumping between rigid plan tiers.
• Best for high-budget enterprise clients — WP Engine is ideal for enterprise projects that require premium support, managed security, and predictable performance under strict SLAs.
• Best for performance-focused projects — WP Engine delivers strong out-of-the-box WordPress optimization with built-in caching and CDN, reducing the need for manual tuning.
• Best for agencies that want control — Cloudways gives agencies direct control over cloud providers, server specs, caching layers, and scaling decisions.

Cloudways vs WP Engine: Final Verdict

There isn’t a universal winner here. The right choice depends on how your agency operates and what your clients expect.

If you want infrastructure flexibility, tighter cost control, and the ability to fine-tune performance per project, Cloudways gives you that control.

It’s a strong value for agencies comfortable managing technical decisions.

If your priority is premium support, built-in WordPress optimization, and reduced operational overhead, WP Engine is the safer, more hands-off option. You pay more, but you offload more.

In short: Choose Cloudways if you want flexibility and margin control. Choose WP Engine if you want predictability and a managed, WordPress-first experience.

Before you choose, explore our agency hosting provider breakdown.

FAQs

Is Cloudways cheaper than WP Engine long-term?

Often yes — Cloudways’ pay-as-you-go model can cost less over time if you right-size servers and avoid high-tier jumps.

Which is better for WooCommerce agencies?

WP Engine is typically better out of the box for WooCommerce due to built-in caching and performance tuning, but Cloudways can match it with proper configuration.

Can agencies white-label both platforms?

WP Engine supports white-labeling on higher plans and enterprise tiers; Cloudways doesn’t offer built-in white-label branding, but you can build your own agency interface around it.

Which one is easier for non-technical teams?

WP Engine is easier for non-technical teams because many optimizations and updates are automated.

Can I migrate from one to the other easily?

Yes, migrating between Cloudways and WP Engine is straightforward using standard WordPress migration tools or plugins.