Cloud hosting is what we move a client to when shared hosting starts to limit them: traffic spikes, a store that slows at checkout, or a site that needs resources it does not share with anyone. The hosts below are the ones we deploy to and support, from fully managed clouds to raw infrastructure. Our sister site Host List keeps the full, independent host rankings.
How we chose
- Isolation: dedicated CPU and memory instead of resources shared with other customers.
- Scaling: how quickly a site can get more resources, and whether that happens automatically.
- Management: how much of the server stack, security and backups the host handles for you.
- Regions: data center choice for where your visitors are.
- Pricing you can predict, including renewal rates and add-ons.
Cloud, VPS or shared?
Shared hosting splits one server between many customers. A VPS gives you a fixed slice of one server. Cloud hosting draws on a pool of servers, so resources can grow and a hardware failure does not take the site down. For most businesses, a managed cloud such as Cloudways, Kinsta or SiteGround gives the benefits of the cloud without needing a sysadmin.
Verdict
Cloudways is the most flexible managed cloud for agencies, and Kinsta is the premium choice for WordPress sites that need speed and support. SiteGround and Hostinger are the easiest steps up from shared hosting, while Liquid Web and InMotion Hosting suit businesses that need managed VPS or dedicated servers. Go straight to Google Cloud only if you have people to run it. If you want help moving, Seahawk’s WP Services handles migrations.