Cloudways vs KnownHost: Which Is Better in 2026?
Compare Cloudways vs KnownHost in 2026 for pricing, performance, features, scalability, support, and hosting options to choose the right provider for your website.
- AMD EPYC Processors
- NVMe SSD Storage
- Free Weekly Backups
- AI Web Terminal
- Up to 20x faster website performance
- Free SSL
- email & daily backups
- Create your website faster with AI
If you want infrastructure choice, pay-as-you-go pricing, and don't mind a custom (non-cPanel) panel, Cloudways is the stronger pick. If you want a conventional cPanel-based host with a predictable flat rate and hands-on support at every tier, KnownHost fits better. See the full breakdown below.
HostingSeekers Rating
Our editorial score, based on the research above.
At a Glance
| Feature | Cloudways | KnownHost |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level plan | $14/mo for the Flexible entry tier | $3.47/mo (Basic Shared, promo rate) |
| Pricing model | Monthly or hourly cloud pricing; varies by infrastructure provider and product | Fixed tiers; shared plans use a promo-to-renewal structure, VPS/dedicated use flat monthly rates |
| Free trial / refund | 3-day free trial (no credit card on most plans); no standard money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Website migration | Free WordPress/WooCommerce migration; other managed migrations may incur additional charges | Free migration included across shared and VPS tiers |
| Storage type | NVMe on Flexible application-hosting tiers | NVMe SSD across shared, VPS, and dedicated |
| Backups | Included; offsite backup storage billed extra ($0.033/GB/server) | Daily backups via JetBackup, included from the entry tier |
| Control panel | Custom Cloudways Platform (not cPanel) | cPanel included on shared plans; cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin selectable on VPS |
| Uptime commitment | Cloudways advertises 99.99% uptime/SLA on qualifying environments | 99.99% guarantee |
| Server coverage | Global, inherits the data center footprint of whichever provider you choose (DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, GCP) | Atlanta, Seattle, and Amsterdam |
| Support channels | 24/7 live chat and ticketing; no phone support | 24/7 support through chat and tickets, with phone support also available |
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Plan & Pricing
| Plan tier | Cloudways | KnownHost |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | Not offered, Cloudways is cloud-VPS only | Basic Shared hosting plan starting from $3.47/mo promo, renews around $7.16/mo |
| Cloud/VPS entry | $14/month for 1GB RAM, 1 vCPU, and 25GB NVMe | Basic VPS server starting at $43.25/mo (4 CPU cores, 6GB RAM, 100GB NVMe SSD storage) |
| Higher cloud tiers | Flexible tiers: $28/mo, $54/mo, and $99/mo | VPS scales by RAM/CPU tier; control-panel choice (cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin) changes the price further |
| Dedicated Hosting | Does not offer | Dedicated servers available |
| Managed WordPress | Cloudways Autonomous (fully managed WP product), pricing varies | Managed Hosting for WordPress starting at $5.98/mo |
| Money-back guarantee | Not standard, 3-day free trial instead | 30 days |
Cloudways
Cloudways doesn't sell traditional shared hosting plans. Instead, it provides a managed application platform on top of cloud infrastructure from DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud. The existing Cloudways Flexible entry tier starts at $14/month for 1GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 25GB NVMe storage, and 1TB bandwidth. The lineup also runs at $28, $54, and $99 monthly tiers.
Standout Features
- Flexible plans start at $14/month.
- NVMe storage is included in the entry-level tier.
- Built-in caching (Redis, Varnish, Memcached) and free staging environments included, not gated behind an add-on.
- Cloudways AI Copilot for troubleshooting and Managed AI Agents for automating routine server tasks.
KnownHost
KnownHost runs a more conventional promo-then-renewal structure on shared hosting. Basic Shared starts at $3.47/mo and roughly doubles to $7.16/mo at renewal, while VPS and semi-dedicated tiers hold flat monthly rates without that renewal jump. The Basic VPS tier, for comparison, runs $43.25/mo for 4 cores, 6GB RAM, and 100GB NVMe SSD storage. Every tier, including the cheapest shared plan, comes with free SSL, daily JetBackup backups, and Imunify360 security bundled in rather than sold separately.
Standout Features
- Security and backup tooling (Imunify360, JetBackup) are included in the entry-level shared plan, not just on higher tiers.
- VPS and semi-dedicated pricing stay flat after signup with no renewal-shock structure on the higher tiers.
- Managed WordPress hosting, starting at $5.98/mo, is priced well below its managed VPS line for customers who don't need full VPS resources yet.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Cloudways | KnownHost |
|---|---|---|
| Websites allowed | Depends on server resources, not a hard plan cap | Varies by plan; Basic Shared supports multiple sites, unlimited on higher tiers |
| Storage type | NVMe on Flexible application-hosting tiers | NVMe SSD across all tiers |
| Bandwidth | Pay-as-you-go on AWS/GCP; fixed allowance on DigitalOcean/Vultr/Linode | Fixed allowance by plan (e.g., 2TB premium bandwidth on entry VPS) |
| Automatic backups | Included; offsite storage billed at $0.033/GB/server | Daily backups via JetBackup included |
| Site migration | Free WordPress/WooCommerce migration; other migration types may carry a fee. | Free migration included |
| Free SSL certificate | ||
| Control panel | Custom Cloudways Platform | cPanel (shared); choice of cPanel/Plesk/DirectAdmin (VPS) |
| Email accounts | Not natively included, typically requires a third-party mail service | Included, varies by plan |
| Website builder | Not offered | Not offered |
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Hosting Performance
Cloudways
Performance on Cloudways is really a function of the underlying provider and server size you choose, but the platform uses the Lightning Stack and NVMe storage starting from the entry-level Flexible plan. The platform is generally well regarded for handling WooCommerce and high-traffic WordPress workloads, with NVMe storage available across the full lineup rather than reserved for a premium tier only.
Standout features
- Built-in multi-layer caching (Varnish, Redis, Memcached) without manual setup.
- NVMe storage on the entry-level plan, not just Premium DigitalOcean and above.
- One-click vertical scaling lets you resize a server in place as traffic grows.
KnownHost
KnownHost focuses on consistent performance through LiteSpeed, LSCache, NVMe storage, and AMD EPYC processors on its hosting infrastructure. Some independent benchmarks have reported strong, consistent results on KnownHost's shared and VPS tiers, near-100 Lighthouse performance scores and low total blocking time on WordPress test sites, helped by LiteSpeed servers and NVMe storage across the board. Its 99.99% uptime guarantee sits above the 99.9% figure common among budget hosts.
Standout features
- LiteSpeed + caching bundled on shared hosting, not reserved for VPS.
- NVMe storage as standard across shared, VPS, and dedicated tiers.
- 99.99% uptime guarantee, higher than the typical 99.9% SLA.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Security & Privacy
| Security Feature | Cloudways | KnownHost |
|---|---|---|
| SSL Protection | (free) | (free, all plans) |
| DDoS Protection | (varies by underlying provider) | |
| Firewall | (dedicated firewalls, IP whitelisting) | (Imunify360 bundled from entry tier) |
| Daily Backups | (offsite backup storage billed separately) | (JetBackup, included) |
| Malware Scanning | Available, varies by add-on/provider | (via Imunify360, included) |
| Two-factor authentication |
Cloudways
Security on Cloudways includes dedicated firewalls, IP whitelisting, free SSL, two-factor authentication, and regular OS-level security patching handled by the platform. Backups are included but storing them offsite beyond the default retention adds a small per-GB charge, and malware scanning depth can vary depending on the underlying cloud provider and any add-ons applied. Offsite backup storage is charged at $0.033/GB per server.
Standout features:
- Dedicated firewalls and IP whitelisting configurable per server.
- Automatic OS-level patching handled by the platform, not left to the customer.
- Two-factor authentication on the account level.
KnownHost
KnownHost bundles Imunify360 a full security suite covering malware scanning, intrusion detection, and firewall management into every plan, including the cheapest shared tier. Daily backups via JetBackup are included rather than metered, which removes one of the more common "gotcha" costs seen elsewhere in budget hosting.
Standout features:
- Imunify360 security suite included in the entry-level shared plan.
- JetBackup daily backups included, no separate offsite storage fee.
- Real-time malware detection extended to VPS tiers as well.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Control Panel & Migration
Cloudways
Cloudways built its own management interface with the Cloudways Platform rather than licensing cPanel. It's organized around server and application management (launch servers, clone environments, manage staging, configure caching) more than the traditional file-manager-and-email view cPanel users expect. New customers can use free WordPress/WooCommerce migration options, while migrating other application types may come with an added cost.
Standout features:
Standout features:
- Application-centric dashboard built for managing multiple sites/servers rather than one cPanel-style account.
- One-click server cloning and staging environments built in.
- Cloudways AI Copilot layered into the dashboard for troubleshooting guidance.
KnownHost
Every KnownHost shared plan includes cPanel, described by the company as "the gold standard in hosting control panels" familiar to anyone who has used shared hosting before. VPS customers can choose between cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin depending on preference and budget, since panel choice affects the plan price. is free and handled by KnownHost's team across shared and VPS tiers, including zero-downtime upgrades between KnownHost's own plans.
Standout features:
- cPanel included standard on shared hosting, no learning curve for anyone coming from another cPanel host.
- Choice of cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin on VPS tiers.
- Zero-downtime plan upgrades handled by KnownHost's team.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Scalability Path
Cloudways
Scalability is Cloudways' core strength: because it sits on top of DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud, you can resize a server's RAM, CPU, and storage from the dashboard in seconds, or migrate between providers entirely if your needs change. There's no fixed ceiling for the same account can run on a $14/month blog server and, on a different application, an enterprise-grade AWS instance.
Standout features:
- Vertical scaling from the dashboard without a support ticket or downtime window.
- Five cloud providers to choose from, so you're not locked into one infrastructure vendor.
- Autonomous (fully managed WordPress) and Flexible (customizable) products for different levels of hands-on control.
KnownHost
KnownHost’s hosting path covers Shared Hosting, Managed WordPress, Managed VPS, and Dedicated Servers, all powered by its own infrastructure. While this offers a narrower growth path than Cloudways’ multi-provider model, KnownHost provides a fully managed experience at every level, including dedicated servers an option Cloudways does not offer.
Standout features:
- Full ladder from shared hosting to dedicated servers within one provider.
- Fully managed at every tier, including dedicated, with no unmanaged option to worry about configuring.
- Reseller hosting is available for agencies wanting to resell their own brand.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: AI & Automation
Cloudways
Cloudways has leaned into AI more recently with two features: Cloudways AI Copilot, which gives instant troubleshooting insights inside the dashboard, and Cloudways Managed AI Agents, aimed at letting customers launch and manage AI agents alongside their hosted applications. This is a notably different focus than a typical hosting AI tool it's aimed at technical troubleshooting and agent infrastructure rather than website content generation.
Standout features:
- AI Copilot for real-time troubleshooting inside the management dashboard.
- Managed AI Agents for launching and running AI agents on Cloudways infrastructure.
- Positioned toward developers and agencies rather than content-focused site owners.
KnownHost
KnownHost doesn't currently offer AI-assisted tools in its dashboard or support flow; its differentiator is human, onshore support rather than automated assistance.
Standout features:
- No AI tooling currently offered; support is handled by human agents throughout.
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Customer Support
| Support Feature | Cloudways | KnownHost |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 Support | ||
| Phone Support | ||
| Live Chat | ||
| Email Support | ||
| Ticket System | ||
| Premium/priority support | Available as a paid add-on for faster response | Standard support model without requiring a separate premium support tier |
| Support location | Global support team | US-based, on-shore support team |
Cloudways vs KnownHost: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Cloudways if
- You want to choose your own cloud infrastructure provider (DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, etc.).
- You're comfortable with a custom, non-cPanel management interface.
- You manage multiple sites/servers and want one-click cloning and staging.
- You want strictly usage-based pricing that scales with resources, not a flat tier.
Choose KnownHost if
- You want cPanel and a familiar shared-hosting experience out of the box.
- You want security and daily backups bundled in from the cheapest plan.
- You want a single, fully managed provider all the way up to dedicated servers.
- You want flat, predictable pricing without a separate infrastructure-provider decision.
