Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team
Cloudways vs Contabo
Cloudways
Contabo
Higher score in this comparison
Where Cloudways and Contabo differ
| Compare | CloudwaysReviewVisitVisit | ContaboReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $11 | €4.40 |
| Hosting types | Managed cloud hosting, Managed WordPress hosting, Magento hosting, Laravel hosting, PHP application hosting, WooCommerce hosting, Node.js application hosting, Managed AI agent hosting | Core VPS, Performance VPS, Cloud VDS (Max Performance VPS), Storage VPS, Windows VPS, GPU VPS, Dedicated Servers |
| Features | Free SSL, Backups, Staging, CDN, EmailCovers more | Backups, CDN, Email |
| Data centres | New York, Amsterdam, Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto | Germany (Europe), New York, Seattle, St. Louis, Portsmouth, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, India |
| Intro price term (months) | 3 months | 24 monthsHigher |
| Renewal price | $11 | Not confirmed |
| Websites allowed | Unlimited websites per server | Not confirmed |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.99% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Contabo scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Hosting types: only Cloudways offers Managed cloud hosting, Managed WordPress hosting, Magento hosting.
- Hosting types: only Contabo offers Core VPS, Performance VPS, Cloud VDS (Max Performance VPS).
- Features: only Cloudways offers Free SSL, Staging.
- Data centres: only Cloudways offers Amsterdam, Bangalore, Frankfurt.
- Data centres: only Contabo offers Germany (Europe), Seattle, St. Louis.
- Intro price term (months) is higher at Contabo: 24 months vs 3 months.
- Support channels: only Cloudways offers Phone, Community.
- Founded is lower at Contabo: 2003 vs 2012.
Our verdict on each
Cloudways
Cloudways suits developers and small businesses who want managed hosting rather than shared plans, with WordPress, Magento, Laravel and Node.js covered. Entry plans start at $11 a month, and every server allows unlimited websites. Renewal holds at $11, so the entry figure is the working budget.
Contabo
Contabo suits small businesses and developers who want their own server with email, backups and a content delivery network in the same place. Entry is €4.40 across 24, and the hosting range stretches from Core VPS through GPU VPS to dedicated servers.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cloudways | Contabo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4Entry of $11 and renewal of $11 are identical, but the entry figure exceeds the web hosting median €2.95. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.8Higher | 9.1 |
| Trust | 9.1 | 9.4Higher |
Side by side, item by item
| Features | Cloudways | Contabo |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | No |
| Backups | Yes | Yes |
| Staging | Yes | No |
| CDN | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Cloudways | Contabo |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
How they place
| Ranking | Cloudways | Contabo |
|---|---|---|
| Business email hosting | 9 of 425 | 5 of 425 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cloudways | Contabo |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Beginners, Small business, Enterprise | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Cloudways LLC | Contabo GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | 2012 | 2003Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cloudways | Contabo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal price | $11above the median | Not confirmed | $7.67 |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.99%above the median | Not confirmed | 99.9% |
| Intro price term (months) | 3 monthslowest quarter | 24 monthsabove the median | 12 months |
Median across 380 listed software products.
Pros and cons
Cloudways
Pros
- Renewal matches entry, so $11 at sign up becomes $11 on renewal with no jump
- One provider covers the stack: managed cloud hosting, managed WordPress hosting and Magento hosting spans managed cloud, WordPress, Magento, WooCommerce, Laravel, PHP, Node.js and managed AI agent hosting
- Support reaches email, chat and phone, and uptime is guaranteed at 99.99%
Cons
- At $11 a month, entry cost sits above the web hosting median of €2.95
- free trial lists a free trial only, so there is no permanent free plan to test on
- Regions are limited to New York, Amsterdam and Bangalore, so a site needing a location outside that list has to look elsewhere
Contabo
Pros
- Backups, a content delivery network and email all appear in backups, cdn and email, so the common extras are covered.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, which is more than a single channel.
- Servers sit in Germany (Europe), New York and Seattle, so you can place them near your users.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, with no phone line among the listed channels.
- The entry price of €4.40 comes with a 24 term to see out.
- On entry price Contabo ranks 181 of 282 brands tracked, so cheaper entry points sit with other brands in the field.
Who each suits
Cloudways
Who it suits
- Agencies and freelancers running client WordPress, Magento or WooCommerce sites that want backups and staging handled, both listed under free ssl, backups and staging
- Developers shipping Laravel, PHP or Node.js applications who want a managed runtime in New York, Amsterdam and Bangalore
- Small businesses that want free SSL, backups, staging, CDN and email covered in the entry plan rather than bought separately
Who should look elsewhere
- Render, whose entry price is $0, suits readers who only want a free starting point
- Afrihost, listed at ZAR 84, is the pick when the opening number alone settles the shortlist
- Hosting.cl, quoted at CLP 159,900, gives readers a second entry figure to weigh against Cloudways $11
Contabo
Who it suits
- Small businesses that want a server they run themselves, with email and backups already listed.
- Developers who need room to move up through Core VPS, Performance VPS and Cloud VDS (Max Performance VPS) without changing provider.
- Buyers who want a spread of regions, with sites listed at Germany (Europe), New York and Seattle.
Who should look elsewhere
- Afrihost, listed at ZAR 84, suits buyers who want a mainstream shared host rather than a server.
- Hosting.cl, at CLP 159,900, is the pick for readers who want a locally priced option.
- Host Chile, at CLP 1,491.67, fits readers who want a plain web hosting entry point.
Current offers
Cloudways
Current offer
First period offer
30% OFF for 3 Months on All Plans: 30% off for 3 months
Limited time offer on Cloudways Flexible and Autonomous plans, claimed via the pricing page signup link
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
30% OFF for 4 Months on Cloudways Autonomous: 30% off for 4 months
Promotional banner for Cloudways Autonomous; scope limited to that product line
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
3-day free trial: 3 days free
No credit card needed; cancellable anytime
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Cloudways
How much does Cloudways cost at the start of a plan?+
Cloudways lists an entry price of $11 a month, and that rate applies for an introductory term of 3. After that term the plan moves to the renewal price of $11, which here matches the entry rate rather than rising above it.
Does the price change when a plan renews?+
Renewal sits at $11, the same figure as the $11 entry rate, so budgets do not step up after the first term. That makes the opening number a fair guide to what a managed server costs month to month.
Contabo
What does Contabo cost to get started?+
The entry figure is €4.40 and it is tied to a 24 term, so the price covers the full stretch rather than a single month. Readers on a short budget get a low headline number but a long commitment attached to it.
What happens to the price at renewal?+
Renewal pricing is a separate figure from the entry price, so budget for the term after the 24 you sign up for. Across business email hosting, renewal prices typically sit at €5.48, and the higher band of the field sits at €9.69.