Overall
Cloudways surpasses A2 Hosting with its cloud-based hosting solutions, offering superior scalability, performance, and a broader range of server locations. A2 Hosting provides a traditional hosting environment with a wide range of services, but falls short in performance and scalability compared to Cloudways.
Service Offering
| Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting Services | Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Reseller Hosting | Cloud, and Reseller Hosting |
| Specialized Services | Managed WordPress, Email, and Minecraft Hosting | Managed WordPress Hosting |
| Server Locations | USA, Netherlands, Singapore | Canada, USA, Brazil, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Australia |
| Control Panel | cPanel | In-House |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 100% |
| Money Back (Days) | 30 | 14 |
| Free Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Support Channels | Live chat and email | Live chat and email |
A2 Hosting offers a comprehensive suite of services, including shared, VPS, dedicated, and reseller hosting. Cloudways focuses exclusively on cloud hosting solutions (using infrastructure by Digital Ocean, Google Cloud, or Amazon AWS), providing managed cloud hosting services with a simplified management interface. Cloudways’ approach is tailored for users seeking cloud-specific benefits, such as scalability and performance.
Plans & Pricing
| Hosting Type | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $2.99 – 14.99/mo | $ – /mo |
| VPS Hosting | $2.99 – 99.99/mo | $ – /mo |
| Dedicated Hosting | $109.99 – 529.99/mo | $ – /mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $ – /mo | $11.00 – 1056.00/mo |
| WordPress Hosting | $11.99 – 41.99/mo | $14.00 – 487.00/mo |
| Windows Hosting | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
| Coupon | – | HOSTSCORE |
| Coupon Details | – | 25% discount for 2 months |
A2 Hosting provides a wide range of pricing options across its various hosting types, catering to users with different budget constraints. Cloudways operates on a pay-as-you-go model that can be more cost-effective for users requiring scalable cloud resources, offering a transparent pricing model based on the resources used. Cloudways’ pricing structure is particularly appealing for users looking for flexibility without the commitment to long-term plans.
Development Features & Others
| Feature | A2 Hosting | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Language Support | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Django, Perl, and Ruby on Rails | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails |
| Dev Features | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access |
| Staging Tool | Softaculous | Built-in |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Cache | Higher plans | Yes |
| Global CDN | Yes | Yes |
| Free Malware Scan | Yes | Yes |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Yes | Yes |
Both A2 Hosting and Cloudways offer robust development features, including support for multiple programming languages, GIT access, and free SSL certificates.
Cloudways stands out with its managed cloud hosting environment – offering features like easy server cloning, site staging, and automatic backups. A2, on the other hand, provides traditional cPanel access and developer-oriented features.
About A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting’s origins trace back to 2003 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where it was founded by Bryan Muthig. Starting as a hobby project offering web hosting for friends and family, A2 Hosting swiftly transitioned into a professional business focusing on high-performance hosting solutions, particularly for WordPress sites. Responding to customer demands for speed and reliability, A2 Hosting pioneered SSD hosting to boost website loading times and developed the A2 Optimized solution, enhancing WordPress site performance through optimized settings for speed and security.
A2 Hosting Pros
- Server locations in North America, Europe, and Asia
- Free website migration assistance
- Developer-oriented features even on shared hosting
- Custom performance optimizations tools available in higher shared plans
A2 Hosting Cons
- Steep price increase during the renewal
- Free site transfers mainly for cPanel installations
- HTTP/2 only on TURBO plans
- Lowest shared plan does not support automatic backup
About Cloudways
Established in 2011 by co-founders Aaqib Gadit, Pere Hospital, and Uzair Gadit, Cloudways is a managed hosting platform that initially focused on leveraging partnerships with AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Digital Ocean to serve its customers better. The acquisition by DigitalOcean in August 2022 further solidified this partnership, enhancing Cloudways’ ability to provide superior managed hosting solutions.
Cloudways Pros
- Topnotch server uptime and speed performance
- Good abstration over complex cloud server setups with integrated dashboard
- Outstanding customer support
- High scalability
- Easy server cloning, site staging, and website transfer
- Host unlimited applications in one account
- 25% discount for first two months with coupon “HOSTSCORE”
Cloudways Cons
- Getting expensive – Prices increased steadily for the past few years
- Limited trial period
Our Recommendation
If you require a wide range of hosting options with cPanel access and prioritize having multiple server locations, A2 Hosting could meet your needs. However, if you’re looking for high-performance cloud hosting with easy scalability and management – Cloudways is the better choice. Consider Cloudways for a streamlined and efficient hosting experience, especially if you’re managing multiple sites or applications.
