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Best Cloud Hosting Services of 2024 Compared

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that hosts websites and applications on virtual servers provisioned across multiple geographic locations. It provides scalability, redundancy, dedicated resources, and superior control compared to traditional web hosting or in-house data centers.

The major benefit of cloud hosting is root access to the servers, which allows webmasters to choose the tech stack of their choice. Cloud servers offer administrators greater visibility into resource consumption so that they know when to scale up or down. Reduced latency for worldwide users is another major reason why teams switch to cloud hosting providers.

The presence of multiple cloud hosting providers makes finding the perfect one a tough choice. Geekflare has eased this process by researching and compiling this list of the best cloud hosting services based on business size, location, operating system, price, performance, customer support, and ease of use.

  • AWS – Best Enterprise-Level Solution
  • DigitalOcean – Best Developer-Friendly Solution
  • Kamatera – Best for Flexible Cloud Services
  • Microsoft Azure – Best for Microsoft Integrations
  • Vultr – Best High-Performance Solution Within a Budget
  • Google Cloud Platform – Best for Scaling and Machine Learning
  • Linode (Akamai) – Best for Customizable VPS Hosting
  • Brightbox – Best for European Hosting
  • OVHcloud – Best for European Enterprise
  • IONOS – Best for Budget-Friendly Hosting
  • ScalaHosting – Best for VPS-Focused Web Hosting
  • Alibaba Cloud – Best for China Market
  • DreamHost – Best for Small Business
  • Hostinger – Best for Startups and E-Commerce
  • SiteGround – Best for Green Hosting
  • LiquidWeb – Best for Managed Hosting
  • Bluehost – Best for Personal Websites Web Hosting
  • Hostwinds – Managed Cloud on a Budget
  • Cloudways – Best for IAAS Solution
  • Show moreShow less

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At Geekflare, trust and transparency are paramount. Our team of experts, with over 185 years of combined experience in business and technology, tests and reviews software, ensuring our ratings and awards are unbiased and reliable. Learn how we test.

  • Free Tier/Trial

    Forever Free, Limited Time Trials

  • Datacenters

    34+

  • USP

    Price to Performance Ratio

AWS is the cloud hosting provider suitable for both small businesses and enterprise users because of cost efficiency, global locations, and robust performance.

Its product line caters to diverse use cases, such as virtual private servers, data storage, CDNs, generative AI applications, databases, AI modeling, data security, identity and access management, APIs, cloud search, and more.

A standout feature of AWS is you pay for what you use. It also offers a free tier for some of its popular services, such as EC2 (virtual servers), S3 (object storage), and RDS (managed relational database service).

Additionally, startups can benefit from AWS Activate, where they can apply for $100,000 worth of free AWS credits. In particular, GenAI startups building foundational models can be eligible for up to $300K in credits to try AWS Trainium and AWS Inferentia. These complimentary packages also include expert help in learning, building, and deploying the cloud products.

  • Key feature

    Compute engine with over 750 instances and flexibility to choose the latest hardware and software.

  • Key feature

    Foundational models from top AI companies, including AI21 Labs, Anthropic, Cohere, Meta, Mistral AI, and Stability AI.

  • Key feature

    600+ points of presence to deliver content globally with minimum latency and high speed.

  • Key feature

    Object storage for building data lakes, archives, and more with 99.99% availability.

  • Key feature

    Create RESTful APIs and WebSocket APIs supporting containerized and serverless workloads.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed relational database service for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, and Db2.

  • Key feature

    Implement search in 34 languages with features such as highlighting, autocomplete, and geospatial search.

  • Advantage

    Global server footprint

  • Advantage

    Enterprise-level performance and security

  • Advantage

    Generous free tiers and trials across various cloud products

  • Disadvantage

    Steep learning curve

  • Disadvantage

    A few products, such as RDS, offer limited customizations

  • Disadvantage

    Additional cost for technical support

  • Free Tier/Trial

    Free Tiers and Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    15

  • USP

    User Interface

Digital Ocean is a popular choice among developers. Its cloud portfolio includes Droplets (virtual machines), managed Kubernetes, NVIDIA H100 GPUs, managed databases, object and block storage, and more.

The platform includes managed database services like MongoDB, MySQL, Redis, and PostgreSQL, which are extremely helpful for non-tech-savvy users.

DigitalOcean also offers managed hosting for applications such as WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, PHP, and many more. It has decent global coverage, with 15 locations covering North America, Europe, South Asia, and Oceania.

Every new user gets $200 worth of free credits for a risk-free trial.

  • Key feature

    Create virtual servers with flexible distribution choices, pre-installed apps, and custom OS support.

  • Key feature

    Managed Kubernetes with 99.5% uptime SLA, free control plane, automatic updates, etc.

  • Key feature

    Deploy AI/ML workloads with highly flexible and scalable GPU droplets with NVIDIA H100s.

  • Key feature

    Host apps with enterprise-grade security, scalability, and native support for Node.js, Python, Django, Go, PHP, and static sites.

  • Key feature

    Secure and optimize application traffic by implementing cloud firewalls, load balancers, etc.

  • Key feature

    S3-compatible object storage with built-in CDN serving 200+ geographical locations.

  • Key feature

    Manage everything with a RESTful API available in Go, Python, Ruby, Ansible, .NET, PHP, and TypeScript.

  • Key feature

    Monitor CPU, storage, disk I/O, bandwidth, and memory all in one place.

  • Advantage

    Excellent user interface

  • Advantage

    Flexible support plans, including a free tier

  • Advantage

    Startup-friendly price points

  • Advantage

    Great documentation and community support

  • Disadvantage

    Setup can be challenging for non-developers

  • Disadvantage

    Premium support offering quick response times is pricey

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $100 Free Credits

  • Datacenters

    21

  • USP

    24/7 Technical Support

Kamatera brings close to 3 decades of cloud hosting experience, providing services such as cloud servers, virtual desktops, firewalls, load balancers, and storage.

Even though the company has been operational since 1995, Kamatera is the new booming player in the global markets. Its sudden increase in popularity is mainly due to its unique added values—fairly priced VMs (starting from $4/month), excellent scalability, flexible server configuration, multiple payment options, and, most importantly, customized cloud services with 24/7 support.

Kamatera services are built using top-of-the-shelf hardware, such as Intel Ice Lake Processors and NVMe SSDs, and offer a decent 99.95% server uptime guarantee.

  • Key feature

    Highly customizable cloud servers with easy deployment for popular operating systems, control panels, web servers, CMS, and more.

  • Key feature

    Opt for Linux, Windows servers, Windows desktops, or upload a custom OS image.

  • Key feature

    Choose from preconfigured cloud plans or customize everything, including CPU type, number of processors, data centers, RAM, storage, OS image, bandwidth, IPs, backup, add-ons, and more.

  • Key feature

    Implement a custom firewall or choose from any of three preconfigured options with FortiGate VM, pfSense, and Sophos.

  • Key feature

    Deploy smart load balancers that divert traffic based on availability and server load, and pay by the minute.

  • Key feature

    Choice to select a fully managed experience starting at $50/month.

  • Advantage

    Server customization

  • Advantage

    24/7 on-call assistance for paid support

  • Advantage

    Availability of managed services

  • Disadvantage

    Documentation lacks depth

  • Disadvantage

    Absence of native object storage

  • Free Tier/Trial

    Trial Credits and Free Tier

  • Datacenters

    60+

  • USP

    Microsoft Support and Heritage

Azure was launched in 2010 as Windows Azure and later renamed Microsoft Azure in 2014. It has many product offerings, including its own software, such as IIS, MS SQL, Exchange Server, etc.

With a portfolio encompassing AI, IoT, computing, security, analytics, containers, databases, and networking, there is little chance that Azure lacks any type of cloud service. Though Azure is home to countless enterprise and government projects, startups can also join their BizSpark program to get up to $150,000 in free Azure credits.

Azure features pay-as-you-go pricing and offers $200 credits for newcomers to experience the cloud platform without any risks. You can also create a free Azure account to use limited quotas of certain services, such as AI search, speech recognition, and app services, for free.

Microsoft Azure has an expansive geographical coverage and is also one of the few outsiders to have servers in Mainland China.

  • Key feature

    Presence across 60+ global regions and 300+ datacentres, including China.

  • Key feature

    Build generative AI projects built over the top of AI models from Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, and more.

  • Key feature

    Deploy simplified Kubernetes with automated updates, node provisioning, scaling, and network configuration.

  • Key feature

    Provision Linux VMs with Azure’s support for major distributions, including Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Ubuntu, etc.

  • Key feature

    Benefit from the native Microsoft integration to deploy services, such as Windows virtual desktops, SQL servers, .NET applications, and SharePoint.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed database services supporting Redis, Cosmos DB, MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Azure SQL.

  • Key feature

    Automation for pushing updates, tracking changes, configuration management, monitoring resources, and more.

  • Key feature

    Securely serve global users with Azure’s content delivery network with over 200 points of presence.

  • Advantage

    AI chatbot to pick the best Azure service based on requirements

  • Advantage

    Native integration with Microsoft’s tech stack (Windows servers, .NET, SQL, Visual Studio, etc.)

  • Advantage

    Extensive range of services to deploy everything cloud

  • Disadvantage

    Lack of technical assistance unless purchased separately

  • Disadvantage

    Higher cost for small-scale projects

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $200 Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    32

  • USP

    Low-cost Plans

Vultr simplifies cloud hosting at highly economical costs, with plans starting at as low as $2.5/month. It provides most of the features teams expect, such as auto-scaling, resizing, choice of OS, and high-speed SSD storage.

It’s ideal for startups or anyone looking for a simpler alternative to cloud service behemoths, including GCP, AWS, and Azure. Teams use Vultr not only for its low cost but also for its ease of setup, customer support, and quick provisioning.

Vultr offers cloud servers, GPUs, stores, bare metal servers, managed databases, private networks, load balancers, content delivery networks, storage, and managed Kubernetes.

  • Key feature

    Choose between shared and dedicated infrastructure boasting high-end AMD EPYC & Intel Xeon CPUs and NVMe SSDs.

  • Key feature

    Deploy from a wide variety of pre-configured images, spin up a custom ISO, or choose a Vultr marketplace application.

  • Key feature

    Provision 99.99% uptime SLA-supported, fully managed MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis database via Vultr control panel, API, or CLI.

  • Key feature

    Latest NVIDIA and AMD GPUs as virtual machines or bare metal servers for workloads for AI/ML, extended reality, etc.

  • Key feature

    Connect Vultr instance with external cloud, on-premise datacentres, or colocation facilities with guaranteed bandwidth and the minimum number of network loops.

  • Key feature

    Quickly fire up load balancers with features like health monitoring and automatic failover, from the control panel or the API.

  • Advantage

    Startup friendly ecosystem

  • Advantage

    Excellent UI to set up, use, and easily manage cloud resources

  • Advantage

    Superior range of hosting options

  • Disadvantage

    Customer support restricted to ticket system without any 24/7 phone or live chat assistance

  • Disadvantage

    Pricing can vary among datacentres

  • Free Tier/Trial

    Free Tier and Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    40

  • USP

    Advanced AI

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is the first choice of teams that are serious about minimizing latency to build performance-oriented applications. It’s available across 200+ countries and has 187 network edge locations as of this writing.

GCP has a Forever Free tier with usage limitations for 15 of its cloud products, such as compute engine, BigQuery, and storage. Additionally, it offers $300 in free credits to new customers.

Google Cloud has over 150 cloud products covering AI/ML, app development, generative AI, web hosting, app security, network management, cloud storage, databases, and more.

Though GCP is perceived as a made-for-enterprise cloud platform, it has lucrative incentives for startups. For instance, teams can get up to $2,000 in credits if they are not backed by startup funding equity. This goes up to $200,000 worth of credits for projects supported by startup funding equity. Besides, AI and web3 startups can claim up to $350,000 in credits against select GCP offerings.

  • Key feature

    Build genAI applications with GCP’s fully managed Vertex AI, giving access to 130 foundation models.

  • Key feature

    Close to 100% automation to deploy, manage, and scale containers with Google Kubernetes Engine.

  • Key feature

    Choose from a wide variety of VM options, including confidential VMs, solo tenant, pay-as-you-go, committed use, and spot VMs.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed relational database service for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQL Server, with a 99.99% uptime SLA for enterprise customers.

  • Key feature

    Securely connect to GCP instances from on-premises datacentres or other cloud providers.

  • Key feature

    Build, debug, and run apps in major programming languages (including Java, Go, and Node.js), and in multiple environments (such as VMs, serverless, Kubernetes, or Firebase).

  • Key feature

    Top-notch cloud security with cloud firewall, intrusion detection system, and confidential computing with data encryption.

  • Advantage

    Enterprise-grade scalability and security

  • Advantage

    Documentation and community support

  • Advantage

    Extensive cloud portfolio covering virtually all use cases

  • Disadvantage

    Expensive for projects on a budget

  • Disadvantage

    Expert support is paid

  • Disadvantage

    Complex learning curve for non-technical users

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $100 Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    29

  • USP

    Free Bundled Services

A well-known Digital Ocean alternative, Linode (now acquired by Akamai), is perfect for hosting web applications, from personal blogs to eCommerce. It takes care of everything, starting from cloud migration to DNS configuration, load balancing, and auto-scaling, all the while providing predictable and affordable pricing.

Linode offers an extensive range of cloud services, including virtual servers, GPUs, Kubernetes, managed load balancing, cloud firewall, managed databases, object and block storage, and more.

It also provides a wealth of security, networking, monitoring, and maintenance services with every cloud instance without charging extra. These free services include DDoS protection, firewalls, DNS management, IPv6 support, flexible deployment (via web interface, API, or CLI), and performance and resource monitoring.

New users can benefit from 100 trial credits. Teams can also fill out a short form to see if their business qualifies for an additional 5000 cloud credits.

  • Key feature

    Choose from shared CPU, dedicated CPU, high memory, and premium compute (AMD EPYC CPUs) instances.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed Kubernetes with 99.99% uptime guarantee for control plane and worker nodes.

  • Key feature

    S3-compatible object storage, making it an ideal fit for big-data analytics and machine-learning operations.

  • Key feature

    Fully API-manageable NVMe SSD-based block storage with high scalability and built-in data replication.

  • Key feature

    Create custom firewall rules to control network activity based on IP allowlists, ports, and protocols.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed load balancers to support TCP-based traffic with native monitoring and smart request routing.

  • Key feature

    Set up isolated networking with public/private network access for Linode instances.

  • Key feature

    Optional 24/7 incident response package for $100 per Linode per month.

  • Advantage

    24/7 Email and phone support for all subscriptions

  • Advantage

    4100+ Globally distributed PoPs

  • Advantage

    100+ one-click, read-to-deploy apps

  • Disadvantage

    Registration process is glitchy

  • Disadvantage

    Support documentation lacks in details

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $50 Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    Undisclosed

  • USP

    UK-native Infrastructure

Brightbox is a perfect choice for the European market, with 100% UK-based infrastructure. This cloud platform provides highly advanced security and enterprise-scale features like PXE bootable hardware, fully private networking, and the ability to use practically any operating system.

Teams can opt for cloud servers, databases, cloud storage, and load balancers with Brightbox.

Though this cloud provider is limited in scope and geographical presence, it’s highly competitive and provides human support with all plans. New users can claim $50 free credits to test the platform without paying.

  • Key feature

    Cloud servers with live resizing, IPv6 support, private networking, 100% uptime SLA, and more.

  • Key feature

    High-performance MySQL and PostgreSQL cloud databases with off-site backups.

  • Key feature

    UK-based block and object storage with data redundancy and self-healing properties.

  • Key feature

    Cloud IP support that allows switching servers easily while keeping the IP address.

  • Key feature

    Deploy available images, import custom, or PXE boot from the network.

  • Key feature

    Ad-hoc and 24/7 Service management with on-call support, incident response, and more.

  • Advantage

    One of the best options for UK-based teams

  • Advantage

    100% Uptime SLA on cloud servers

  • Advantage

    Live server resizing without needing a reboot

  • Disadvantage

    Limited geographical footprint

  • Disadvantage

    Small number of cloud services

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $200 Trial Credits

  • Datacenters

    43

  • USP

    European Footprint

OVHCloud can serve a wide spectrum of personal and business use cases with its public and private cloud services. It offers dedicated servers, cloud storage, backup, network security, VPS and email, containers, databases, and load balancers, among others.

The best aspect of OVHcloud is the diversity of the cloud services available. Teams can also choose from the latest hardware, including AMD and Intel CPUs and NVIDIA GPUs. Professionals can use Eco servers to have dedicated servers for as low as $5.6/month.

Though OVHcloud seems a better fit for individuals, it still has offerings that suit complex business use cases, including AI and machine learning, quantum computing, and identity and access management.

OVHcloud has datacentres across 4 continents, including Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific region. However, the majority of coverage targets Europe, with 20 datacentres spread across France, Germany, Poland, and the UK.

  • Key feature

    Provision a DDoS-protection enabled VPS for under $1/month for the first year.

  • Key feature

    Dedicated servers with the latest hardware, including AMD EPYC/Intel Xeon and NVMe SSDs.

  • Key feature

    Choose from object (S3- compatible), block, long-term, archive, and file storage.

  • Key feature

    Load balancer with anti-DDoS, IPv6 support, free SSL, algorithmic traffic distribution, advanced routing, monitoring, etc.

  • Key feature

    Private networking supporting hybrid and multi-cloud environments with unmetered bandwidth.

  • Key feature

    Managed database services for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, OpenSearch, Kafka, Grafana, Cassandra, etc.

  • Key feature

    CDN with a global network offering features such as free SSL, data compression, analytics, DDoS protection, Anycast routing, and more.

  • Key feature

    Deploy and manage GPU-accelerated containers with a range of top-of-the-shelf NVIDIA cards.

  • Advantage

    CDN included with performance hosting

  • Advantage

    Decent global presence for a mid-tier cloud host

  • Advantage

    Budget-friendly dedicated servers

  • Disadvantage

    Poor customer service

  • Disadvantage

    Sluggish UI

  • Free Tier/Trial

    $100 Trial Credit

  • Datacenters

    8

  • USP

    Cost-effective

IONOS is a traditional web host that also doubles as a cloud service provider. Its extensive range encompasses compute, storage, load balancing, DNS management, managed Kubernetes, databases, etc. Teams can also benefit from easy access to the best open-source generative AI model families, such as Llama, Mistral, Code Llama, and Stable Diffusion.

The standout IONOS feature is its 24/7 multi-channel support, which is included in every plan. This works via chat, email, and on-call (during business hours).

Although IONOS is competitively priced, it still offers newcomers $100 for 30 days to try out the platform without risking funds.

  • Key feature

    Fully customizable compute engine with shared and dedicated resources and 24/7 support.

  • Key feature

    Database management service supporting MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, etc.

  • Key feature

    CNCF certified Managed Kubernetes service with free control panel.

  • Key feature

    S3-compatible, highly scalable object storage with integration support via REST API and third-party SDKs.

  • Key feature

    Enterprise-grade virtual private servers offering multiple management channels (web UI, SDKs, and API) and pay-as-you-go billing.

  • Key feature

    Load balancing with individual routing rules, health monitoring, WebSocket support, and more.

  • Advantage

    Excellent user feedback on public forums, including G2 and Trustpilot

  • Advantage

    Helpful tech support

  • Advantage

    Dual-redundant block storage

  • Disadvantage

    Lacks servers in Asia Pacific

  • Disadvantage

    Unintuitive control panel

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    16

  • USP

    Managed VPS

Scala Hosting is a web host that is slowly making inroads in the cloud hosting industry. Previously, it had only 3 data centers in the United States and Europe. Now, it has partnered with AWS to let its users choose from an additional 13 locations across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

This hosting provider is highly revered among its users for exceptional tech support. It’s rated 4.9/5 on G2 and Trustpilot for its excellent services. However, the cost is higher than that of a few other cloud hosts, such as DigitalOcean and Vultr.

Every ScalaHosting subscription comes with a complimentary SPanel and SShield. SPanel is Scala’s in-house cloud control panel which also retails separately. However, it comes free with every Scala plan, making server management effortless. SShield, on the other hand, is a 100% automated cybersecurity system that stays online 24/7 and instantly informs webmasters of any anomaly.

Overall, ScalaHosting is a decent choice for a business or individual looking for a reliable hands-off web hosting experience. However, it does not offer services for advanced use cases, such as building genAI agents, load balancers, and cloud firewalls.

  • Key feature

    SPanel-powered self-managed VPS with redundancy across 3 locations and a 10Gbps redundant network.

  • Key feature

    Option to choose from ScalaHosting’s native datacenters or from AWS for a broader coverage.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed AWS-based VPS with free migration, high scalability, and an integrated SPanel.

  • Key feature

    24/7 support with near-instant response times for live chat (30 seconds) and tickets (15 minutes).

  • Key feature

    Install 400+ apps and scripts with a single click via Softaculous.

  • Advantage

    Fully managed VPS

  • Advantage

    Highly rated customer support

  • Advantage

    Option to pick AWS servers

  • Advantage

    Free SPanel for simplified server management

  • Disadvantage

    Expensive compared to its peers

  • Disadvantage

    Limited choice of data centers

  • Disadvantage

    Resource customization still lacks full flexibility

  • Free Tier/Trial

    Forever Free and Limited Trials

  • Datacenters

    29

  • USP

    Chinese Market Presence

Alibaba Cloud is your gateway to the Chinese audience. Thanks to its extensive Cloud portfolio, teams can host almost everything inside China to provide the best possible experience to their customers.

Businesses can opt for bare metal servers, virtual desktops, cloud storage, private and public networking, load balancers, global content delivery, firewalls, databases, and container orchestration.

Some of these services (WordPress hosting, container registry, etc.,) have always free tiers, whereas a few others (including compute, CDN, and object storage) have limited time, credit-based trials. Teams can also apply for Alibaba’s Startup Catalyst Program for getting up to $120K in cloud credits.

  • Key feature

    Choose from a wide variety of compute instances starting at $7.9/month and offering up to 99.995% uptime commitment.

  • Key feature

    Distribute content to worldwide users with 3200+ nodes (over 2300 in China) located in 70+ countries, ensuring minimum latency.

  • Key feature

    Deploy dedicated physical resources (CPU, RAM, and network interface controllers) with instant scalability for enterprise use cases.

  • Key feature

    Enterprise cloud network with features such as shortest path algorithm and 4 redundant routes for optimal connectivity and availability.

  • Key feature

    Highly efficient load balancer compatible with multiple protocols and frameworks, such as TCP, UDP, TCPSSL, HTTP, HTTPS, QUIC, and gRPC.

  • Key feature

    Cloud firewalls to control traffic based on various factors, including IP address, ports, applications, domains, and locations, and provide real-time cyber defense.

  • Advantage

    Excellent coverage of the Chinese market

  • Advantage

    Robust range of cloud services with enterprise-grade security

  • Disadvantage

    Subpar customer support

  • Disadvantage

    Poor documentation

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    3

  • USP

    Pro Services Addon

DreamHost offers traditional web hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, email hosting, and domains, with cloud computing and object storage being the latest additions.

The biggest draw of DreamHost is ease of use and customer support, making it best for individuals and small-scale projects. DreamHost cloud provides root access to resources and complete freedom to run the stack of one’s choice.

On the downside, teams have no option but to host everything at DreamHost’s Ashburn, Virigina (US) datacentre as of this writing. Likewise, DreamCompute only features 3 plans to start with. However, one can scale resources as needed.

Though there is no free trial for DreamComptute, teams can try DreamObjects free for 60 days.

  • Key feature

    Choose from the 3 compute tiers with free bandwidth and 100GB block storage.

  • Key feature

    S3-compatible open-source object storage with a 60-day free trial.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed virtual private servers for hosting unlimited websites and business emails.

  • Key feature

    Dedicated servers with 24/7 tech support, 100% network uptime guarantee, and DDoS protection.

  • Key feature

    Optional service add-ons for website setup, monitoring, malware removal, update, and optimization.

  • Advantage

    24/7 Chat and email support

  • Advantage

    Best for WordPress-centric solutions

  • Disadvantage

    Extremely small footprint

  • Disadvantage

    Limited resource customization

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    11

  • USP

    Free Complimentary Services

Hostinger allows hosting websites and applications across 4 continents with 24/7 customer support and 99.9% uptime guarantee. It’s backed by AMD EPYC processors and NVMe storage to deliver industry-leading performance.

Unlike some cloud providers, Hostinger users get free goodies, such as free automatic backups, real-time snapshots, and free SSL. Besides, every cloud subscription comes with a free CDN integration for high redundancy. On the downside, it lacks resource customization, and one is bound to choose from the templated offerings.

  • Key feature

    Install 40+ apps, including operating systems, control panels, LLMs, and more with a single click.

  • Key feature

    Internet security with web application firewall, malware scanner, and DDoS protection.

  • Key feature

    Drag and drop website builder with 150+ pre-built templates and AI assistance.

  • Key feature

    Marketing integrations such as Google Analytics, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google AdSense, etc.

  • Key feature

    Get websites created with open-source platforms such as WordPress for free.

  • Key feature

    WordPress management, vulnerability checker, multisite compatibility, staging, and more.

  • Key feature

    Free CDN with built-in static website caching, CSS & JavaScript minification, cache purging, and other essential features.

  • Advantage

    24/7 Live chat technical support

  • Advantage

    WordPress centric features

  • Advantage

    Free website builder and CDN

  • Disadvantage

    Can’t build servers with custom resources

  • Disadvantage

    High renewal costs

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    11

  • USP

    Fully Managed Service

SiteGround is a Google Cloud-based premiere web host better known for its fully managed WordPress hosting. However, it also has plans for regular web hosting, powered by the same underlying infrastructure.

Its datacenters are part of carbon-neutral Google Cloud infrastructure. This means all the carbon emissions are offset with green energy that’s sent back to the grid.

SiteGround’s subscriptions start at $100/month and can go up to $2090/month for the maxed-out customized plan. While these plans look expensive, users have still rated SiteGround high on public forums, citing superior customer support and service reliability. This can be useful for non-tech-savvy users who want to get things done without diving too deep into the technical aspects of hosting.

  • Key feature

    Option to scale resources with a click or set the instance on auto-scale to handle traffic spikes.

  • Key feature

    Free access to SiteGround Migrator Plugin to transfer WordPress websites with minimum effort and no downtime.

  • Key feature

    Free content optimizer plugin for auto image optimization, lazy loading, GZIP compression, and CSS and HTML minification.

  • Key feature

    One-click staging and preinstalled Git and WP-CLI.

  • Key feature

    Complimentary services, such as free CDN, SSL, daily backups, and tools for real-time collaboration.

  • Advantage

    Superior tech support compared to other hosting providers

  • Advantage

    Powered by Green Google Cloud

  • Disadvantage

    Pricing plans are expensive

  • Disadvantage

    Less attractive for non-WordPress use cases

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    3

  • USP

    24/7 Expert Support

Liquid Web is a pioneer in the web hosting industry, operating since 1997. It offers products such as virtual private servers, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, WordPress hosting, and Magento hosting. Besides, it has PCI and HIPAA-compliant hosting for taking care of sensitive data and regulatory obligations.

Like most of its services, Cloud VPS comes as self, core, and fully managed subscriptions. One can choose from the pre-built configurations or go custom.

Though Liquid Web specializes in regular web hosting, it also has plans to host load balancers, CDN, SQL servers, firewalls, and more.

  • Key feature

    Self, core, and fully managed subscriptions for Cloud VPS.

  • Key feature

    100% power and network uptime guarantees.

  • Key feature

    Free DDoS protection to mitigate up to 2 Gbps network attacks and optional 10 Gbps protection addon.

  • Key feature

    Automatic backup addon to create 3 snapshots per day with quick restore.

  • Key feature

    Option to choose from 3 control panels: InterWorx, cPanel, and Plesk.

  • Key feature

    Self and fully managed dedicated servers with built-in security and resource customization.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed load balancers with HTTP compression, up to 10 Gbps throughput, automatic failover, SSL offloading, etc.

  • Advantage

    Self, core, and fully managed plans

  • Advantage

    24/7 call, chat, and ticket-based support

  • Advantage

    Good choice of OS, backups, DDoS security, etc., at purchase

  • Disadvantage

    Recent G2 user reviews reveal poor customer service and subpar performance

  • Disadvantage

    Limited datacenter coverage

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    Undisclosed

  • USP

    Managed WordPress

Bluehost is a WordPress-recommended web host best for small to mid-level projects. It has plans for shared hosting, VPS, cloud servers, managed WordPress, and WooCommerce hosting.

This hosting platform offers a decent list of built-in security and performance-enhancing features, such as firewalls and content delivery networks. However, Bluehost’s USP is its fully managed WordPress cloud, which offers 24/7 standby support from experts specially trained in WordPress.

On the downside, cloud plans don’t let users choose resources and instead provide pre-built configurations. Besides, one cannot choose to host at the datacenters of one’s choice.

In fact, Bluehost has decided not to reveal server locations on its website. Considering these aspects, Bluehost is best suited for personal projects, especially for non-tech-savvy individuals looking for a hands-off WordPress hosting experience.

  • Key feature

    Fully managed WordPress with 100% uptime SLA and 24/7 priority support.

  • Key feature

    High security and redundancy with built-in WAF, CDN, anti-DDoS, anti-malware, and real-time scans.

  • Key feature

    Free SSL, uptime monitoring, real-time backups, and one-click restores.

  • Key feature

    Full root access VPS servers powered with AMD EPYC processors, DDR5 RAM, and NVMe SSD.

  • Advantage

    24/7 Chat and call support

  • Advantage

    Managed WordPress hosting with inherent security, backups, and global content distribution policies

  • Advantage

    Industry-leading hardware and uptime SLA

  • Disadvantage

    High renewal price

  • Disadvantage

    Lacks resource customizations

  • Disadvantage

    Resource utilization caps, even with dedicated servers

  • Free Tier/Trial

    None

  • Datacenters

    3

  • USP

    Cost-effective Server Management

Hostwinds offers fully managed cloud servers, load balancers, object and block storage, virtual private servers, and more at competitive price points. It also offers regular shared hosting and business hosting for individuals and small businesses, respectively.

The platform has scored an almost perfect 4.9/5 from 430+ G2 reviews. Users appreciate their customer support and reliable performance.

However, one apparent downside is the limited geographical presence. Hostwinds has datacenters in just 3 locations, 2 in the USA and 1 in Europe.

  • Key feature

    Deploy instantly scalable and fully manageable cloud servers with 99.9999% uptime and cloud firewall.

  • Key feature

    Distribute traffic among your servers with Hostwinds load balancer offering HTTP/2 and proxy support.

  • Key feature

    Scalable block storage and S3-compatible thrice redundant object storage.

  • Key feature

    Self and fully managed VPS (Linux and Windows) with real-time backups, firewall, load balancers, and scalable storage.

  • Key feature

    Dedicated servers with RAID storage, server monitoring, nightly backups, and root access.

  • Key feature

    Business hosting with dedicated IP, unlimited professional emails, free SSL, latest cPanel, 24/7 support, and more.

  • Advantage

    Cost-effective, fully managed cloud

  • Advantage

    15+ pre-configured operating systems and applications

  • Advantage

    24/7/365 live chat and ticket support

  • Disadvantage

    Renewals are expensive

  • Disadvantage

    Limited global presence

  • Free Tier/Trial

    3-Day Trial

  • Datacenters

    65

  • USP

    Multiple Cloud Management

Cloudways (by DigitalOcean) is a fully managed solution with servers available across multiple cloud providers, including AWS, GCP, Vultr, etc.

In addition to 24/7 live chat and ticket support, Cloudways makes server management easy with its control panel. It allows users to manage the hosting necessities right away, including SSL installation, staging, server cloning, cache, traffic monitoring, and more.

Cloudways has given special attention to WordPress users with its Autonomous subscriptions. These fully managed, auto-scalable WordPress plans are made for high-traffic websites. Moreover, Cloudways Autonomous benefits from Cloudflare Enterprise integration for content delivery and network security.

  • Key feature

    Choose servers from Digital Ocean, Linode, Vultr, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform.

  • Key feature

    Free SSL, website migration, real-time monitoring, automated backups, and SSH and SFTP Access.

  • Key feature

    Dedicated firewall per server and regular security patches.

  • Key feature

    Native Cloudflare (addon) integration for global content delivery in 120+ countries.

  • Key feature

    Effortless management with free staging, DNS management, and one-click-deploy 10+ applications.

  • Advantage

    Availability of top cloud providers

  • Advantage

    Free goodies, including SSL, backups, staging, tech support, etc.

  • Advantage

    Built-in security with firewall, login security, IP whitelisting, and more

  • Disadvantage

    No option to choose custom resources

  • Disadvantage

    Scalability is an issue due to expensive pricing in the higher tiers

Best Cloud Hosting Services Comparison

The table below compares the best cloud hosting services with their introductory VPS price, server locations and types, free tier, and key features.

Rating

Entry Level VPS Pricing

Datacenters

Server Type

Key Features

Explore

AWS

AWS

4.5

/5

$5/month

North & South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, & Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

750 compute instances, 600 PoPs, Enterprise security, Huge cloud services portfolio

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean

4.8

/5

$4/month

North America, Europe, South Asia, and Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

Simple user interface, documentation

Kamatera

Kamatera

4.5

/5

$4/month

North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania

Dedicated & VPS

Server customization, Optional managed service

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure

4.5

/5

$3.79/month

North & South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, & Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

300+ Datacentres, Microsoft integration, AI advisor, Cloud automation

Vultr

Vultr

4.2

/5

$2.5/month

North & South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, & Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

Ease of use, High-end hardware, Flexible connectivity

Google Cloud Platform

Google Cloud Platform

4.5

/5

$7.99/month

North & South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, & Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

130+ Foundation models, Enterprise-grade security and scalability, Kubernetes automation

Linode (Akamai)

Linode (Akamai)

4.5

/5

$5/month

North & South America, Asia, Europe, & Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

24/7 Support, 4100+ PoPs, 100+ one-click deploy applications

Brightbox

Brightbox

4.8

/5

£5/month

UK

VPS & Specialized

UK native infrastructure and workforce, 24/7 Support

OVHcloud

OVHcloud

4.0

/5

$5.06/month

North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

Economical dedicated servers, Top-notch hardware, Private networking

IONOS

IONOS

4.2

/5

$2/month

North America and Europe

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

24/7 Call, email, and ticket support

ScalaHosting

ScalaHosting

4.5

/5

$19.95/month

North America and Europe

VPS

Additional AWS server locations, Instant tech support, 400+ One-click apps, Free cloud panel

Alibaba Cloud

Alibaba Cloud

4.2

/5

$29/year

North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania

Dedicated, VPS, & Specialized

Huge Chinese market footprint, 3200+ PoPs, Robust security

DreamHost

DreamHost

4.5

/5

$4.50/month

North America

Dedicated & VPS

24/7 Free support, Fully managed VPS

Hostinger

Hostinger

4.5

/5

$4.99/month

North & South America, Asia, & Europe

VPS

24/7 Support, 40+ One-click installs, Integrated security, Free CDN

SiteGround

SiteGround

4.2

/5

$100/month

North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania

Dedicated

Managed dedicated cloud, Great tech support, Free CDN, Staging, WordPress optimization

Liquid Web

Liquid Web

4.5

/5

$5/month

North America and Europe

VPS & Dedicated

Self and fully managed VPS and dedicated servers, 24/7 Free support

Bluehost

Bluehost

4.2

/5

$29.99/month

North America

VPS & Dedicated

Top hardware, 24/7 Free support, Free CDN, Managed cloud

Hostwinds

Hostwinds

4.0

/5

$4.99/month

North America and Europe

VPS & Dedicated

24/7 Tech support, Self and fully managed cloud, 15+ OS and apps to install

Cloudways

Cloudways

4.8

/5

$11/month

North & South America, Asia, Europe, & Oceania

VPS

Fully managed VPS, Free SSL, 24/7 Support, Auto healing servers

Cloud Hosting vs. Dedicated Hosting

Cloud hosting platforms offer virtual machines linked across multiple servers, providing unmatched scalability and redundancy. They are a cost-effective solution, presenting a significant upgrade from regular and entry-level shared hosting.

For non-technical users, managed cloud hosting platforms provide a good stepping stone to understanding the basics of hosting. These platforms lack customization, but handle all the maintenance duties to ease the technical burden on the user or business. On the other hand, unmanaged cloud hosting platforms are ideal for technical and tech-savvy users, as they can customize the servers based on their specific requirements.

A major disadvantage of cloud hosting is that multiple users still share the same underlying hardware. This can cause users relying on cloud hosting to suffer from poor performance.

Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, is about hosting a web resource on a physical server allotted to a single organization. This single-tenant setting is best suited for intensive use cases demanding constant high performance.

While it seems good on paper, dedicated servers are expensive, difficult to maintain, and lack scalability. Therefore, traffic spikes exceeding the server capacity should be planned in advance, as provisioning additional resources takes time and isn’t as effortless as with cloud hosting.

How to Choose the Best Cloud Hosting Service?

Choosing the best cloud host depends on a few factors, such as server location (nearest to the target audience), native support to the desired tech stack (operating system, database, etc.), default security (firewall, DDoS, data encryption, and more), and regulatory compliance.

FAQs

Which cloud service is best?

The best cloud service depends on the users’ or businesses’ requirements. Enterprise users often choose big names, such as Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure. Mid-level teams and startups generally choose DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode (Akamai). Individuals should opt for the fully managed experience offered at SiteGround, Hostwinds, and Hostinger.

Is Google Cloud Hosting good?

Google Cloud is best for big teams seeking enterprise-level scalability and security. It has a global network of servers, supports multiple web technologies, and is one of the best options for building AI-based applications.

In which location should I host my website?

Website servers should be stationed closest to the target audience for minimum latency. If the audience is global, opt for a content delivery network with diversely spread points of presence.

More Cloud Hosting Resources

  • Web Hosting Explained
  • Best eCommerce Hosting

Source: geekflare.com

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