Our pick
Cloudways
DuelStack Score 6/10 vs WP Engine 5.1/10
It particularly excels at excellent performance and speed.
Try Cloudways →Or evaluate WP Engine — full comparison below.
Cloudways
WP Engine
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Cloudways | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 support | ✓ | ✓ |
| CDN included | ✓ | ✓ |
| Daily backups | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free domain | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free site migration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Managed WordPress | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSD/NVMe storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSH access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalable resources | ✓ | ✓ |
| Staging environment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Uptime guarantee | ✓ | ✓ |
WP Engine Pricing
Cloudways
Pros
- excellent performance and speed
- easy scalability
- top-tier support
Cons
- no email hosting
- no root access
WP Engine
Pros
- Exceptional 24/7 support with quick resolutions
- Reliable performance and uptime
- Easy staging and automated backups
Why we landed here
Cloudways takes this one with a DuelStack Score of 6/10 vs 5.1/10. It particularly excels at excellent performance and speed.
The DuelStack Score (1–10) weights feature breadth (25%), pricing value (25%), pros/cons ratio (20%), tier flexibility (15%), and maturity + user rating (15%). Last updated October 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Cloudways or WP Engine?
Based on our analysis, Cloudways is the better pick. Cloudways takes this one with a DuelStack Score of 6/10 vs 5.1/10. It particularly excels at excellent performance and speed.
How much does Cloudways cost vs WP Engine?
Cloudways starts at $11/month. WP Engine starts at $35/month.
Does Cloudways have a free plan?
Cloudways does not offer a free plan, but pricing starts at $11/month.
Does WP Engine have a free plan?
WP Engine does not offer a free plan, but pricing starts at $35/month.