This is not really a versus. Cloudways sits on top of DigitalOcean. The question is whether the managed layer is worth the markup for your situation.
What Cloudways adds
- A one-click optimised stack (NGINX, Varnish, Redis, PHP-FPM) with a caching plugin
- Managed security patches and server updates
- Automated backups, staging, one-click cloning
- A control panel instead of a terminal, and 24/7 support
- Free SSL, a CDN add-on, team roles
The trade is a monthly markup over the raw DigitalOcean droplet price, and slightly less flexibility than a bare server.
What DigitalOcean gives you direct
The same droplets for less, the best documentation in the industry, a clean API, and full control. You install and maintain the stack, apply updates, configure backups and handle security yourself, or add a free-tier panel like a self-hosted management tool.
| Cloudways | DigitalOcean direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Droplet + managed markup | Droplet only |
| You manage | Almost nothing | The whole server |
| Stack | Pre-tuned, one click | You build it |
| Best for | Agencies, non-sysadmins, time-poor | Developers comfortable with Linux |
The verdict
Cloudways if you want cloud performance without running a server, especially for client work where the markup is billable. DigitalOcean direct if you know Linux, want the lowest price, and are happy owning updates and backups.
Prices checked September 2026. Hosting prices change often and vary by region and term. Confirm the current number on the provider's own site before you buy. Where we could not verify a figure we left it out.