Working with a great hosting provider can save you a ton of headache and stress on your website building journey. And if you’re a beginner just starting out, you want to keep things as easy as possible. However, you also want to make sure that your hosting provider has enough features and performance capabilities to scale with you as your website grows.
Finding a happy medium between performance and beginner friendliness can be a bit of a challenge. A challenge that, in my opinion, Cloudways has addressed quite well.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at Cloudways and explore why I believe it’s a great option for beginners. Hopefully by the end of this article you’ll have all the information you need to make an informed decision as to whether Cloudways is right for you.
What is Cloudways Hosting?
Before diving into why Cloudways is a good fit for beginners, let’s understand what Cloudways hosting actually is.
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that partners with some of the industry’s top cloud providers, including DigitalOcean, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, Linode, and Vultr.
The key term here is “managed hosting.” Managed hosting means that while you get the power and scalability of cloud infrastructure, you don’t have to deal with the complex technical setup and maintenance tasks. Cloudways handles server management, security, and performance optimizations, making high-performance hosting accessible even to those without technical expertise.
In essence, Cloudways acts as a bridge between the raw power of cloud servers and the ease of use typically associated with traditional web hosting. It’s designed to offer the best of both worlds, which makes it an attractive option for beginners.
Key Features that Make Cloudways Beginner-Friendly
Cloudways is packed with features that make it particularly appealing to beginners. Let’s look at some of the most important ones.
User-Friendly Interface
Navigating a hosting platform’s user interface can be a major hurdle for beginners. Cloudways addresses this challenge with a dashboard designed to be straightforward and user-friendly.
- Easy Setup Process: The moment you sign up, Cloudways guides you through an intuitive setup process. You don’t need any technical skills to launch your first server. With simple drop-down menus, you can choose from multiple cloud providers, select your server size, and pick the location.
- One-Click Installs: Cloudways makes deploying applications effortless with one-click installations. Whether you want to launch a WordPress site, start an online store with WooCommerce, or use Magento, Cloudways simplifies the process, allowing you to set up your site quickly without any technical hassle.
- Dashboard Simplicity: The Cloudways dashboard is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. You can manage your applications (websites), monitor server performance, and adjust settings without needing to navigate through complex menus. Essential functions like scaling resources, managing backups, or setting up domain mapping can be done with just a few clicks.
Benefits for Beginners
Cloudways takes the stress out of managing a website by handling all the technical aspects of hosting. Here’s how Cloudways managed hosting can benefit beginners:
Automatic Backups
Regular backups are essential for any website. Cloudways offers automated backups, meaning your website data is regularly saved without you having to lift a finger. You can choose the frequency of backups—hourly, daily, or weekly—depending on your needs.
If something goes wrong, restoring your site to a previous state is as simple as clicking a button. This feature ensures that your data is safe and can be restored quickly, providing peace of mind for beginners who might be worried about making mistakes.
Security Features
Security is a major concern for anyone managing a website, and for beginners, it can be particularly daunting. Cloudways provides advanced security features, including dedicated firewalls, SSL certificates, and automatic security patching. These measures help protect your website from potential threats and hackers.
With Cloudways handling your security, you can focus on building and growing your site, knowing that it’s well-protected.
Performance Optimization
Website performance is crucial for user experience and search engine optimization (SEO). Cloudways uses server-level caching mechanisms like Varnish, Memcached, and Redis to ensure your website loads quickly.
If these terms sound like technical jargon, think of them as tools that store parts of your website to make it load faster for visitors. The best part is that Cloudways handles all the setup and configuration for you, so you don’t need to worry about learning how these tools work.
24/7 Support
Support is a crucial aspect of web hosting, especially for beginners who might run into issues or have questions. Cloudways offers round-the-clock support through live chat, email, and a ticketing system. Their support team is known for being responsive and helpful. Whether you need assistance with a technical issue or simply have a question about using the platform, Cloudways support is always available to help you.
Prior to switching over to Cloudways, I used Bluehost for a number of years. For the most part I was happy with them until I started having issues. Their customer support, at least for me, was subpar at best. It was always a hassle to resolve any issue, and frequently required multiple ticket submissions, chats, and phone calls to resolve. Talk about frustrating.
All of my interactions with the Cloudways support team have been amazing!
Scalability and Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of using Cloudways is the scalability it offers, making it ideal for beginners who plan to grow their online presence.
Pay-as-You-Go Pricing Model
Cloudways operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, which means you only pay for the resources you use. This is perfect for beginners who might be starting small and don’t need a lot of server power initially.
As your website traffic increases, you can easily upgrade to a larger plan without changing servers or moving your site. This flexibility ensures that you can scale your hosting to match your needs without paying for unnecessary resources.
Easy Resource Scaling
Scaling with Cloudways is straightforward. If you experience a sudden traffic spike or need more server resources, you can quickly increase your server’s capabilities with just a few clicks.
Cloudways allows you to scale server resources up or down easily, ensuring that your website remains fast and responsive, no matter its size. Beginners don’t need to worry about complicated configurations or technical adjustments—Cloudways handles it all.
Performance and Reliability
Ensuring that your website is fast and reliable is crucial, and Cloudways excels in both areas. Here’s how:
High-Speed Performance
Cloudways uses SSD-based servers, which are faster and more reliable than traditional hard drives. Additionally, Cloudways supports PHP 7 and HTTP/2, which are optimized for speed. These features ensure that your website loads quickly, providing a better user experience for your visitors and positively impacting your search engine rankings.
Uptime Guarantee
Cloudways leverages the infrastructure of leading cloud providers to ensure high uptime. This means your website will remain online and accessible to visitors with minimal downtime. For beginners, this reliability is crucial, as frequent downtime can lead to lost visitors and potential revenue.
Built-in CDN
Cloudways includes a built-in Content Delivery Network (CDN) called CloudwaysCDN. A CDN helps deliver your website content faster to users around the world by caching it on servers closer to your visitors’ locations.
Setting up CloudwaysCDN is easy and requires no technical skills, making it perfect for beginners. By using a CDN, you can improve your website’s loading speed, which can lead to better user experience and SEO performance.
Depending on how many domains you have, you can get access to Cloudways CDN for as little as $1.99 a month per domain name.
The Not So Beginner Friendliness of Cloudways
While I do believe Cloudways is great for beginners with little to no technical experience, it does offer a few small hurdles that will need to be navigated. These are hurdles that you wouldn’t typically face with some of the other “big box” hosting providers. Trust me, these “hurdles” are so small they should actually be considered small “speed bumps” instead.
Domain Registering & Mapping
When you purchase hosting through Bluehost, for example, you can also purchase your domain name through them. When you do this, they’ll automatically set up your DNS records and map them appropriately (i.e. point them to the appropriate IP address so that your website loads when the URL is called upon).
If you decide to use Cloudways, you’ll need to purchase your domain name through a third party registrar such as Namecheap and then point your DNS records to Cloudways. This may sound super technical and complicated but it isn’t. It’s a simple “copy and paste” process that literally takes 3 minutes to complete.
Setting Up Your SSL
Setting up your SSL is another small task that most “big box” hosting providers take care of for you when you launch a site through them. With Cloudways, you’ll need to set this up manually.
To do so all you’ll need to do is click on the Application (website) that you want to install the SSL certificate on, click on the “SSL Certificate” tab, choose which SSL certificate you want, enter your domain name, and click “Save Changes”. Piece of cake.
Customer Support and Community Resources
Good customer support is essential, especially for beginners. Cloudways provides various support options to ensure users get the help they need.
24/7 Support Availability
Cloudways offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and a ticketing system. Whether you encounter technical issues, need guidance on using the platform, or have questions, Cloudways’ support team is always available to help.
Their support staff is knowledgeable and known for quick response times, which can be a lifesaver for beginners who may not have the technical know-how to troubleshoot issues on their own.
Knowledge Base and Tutorials
The Cloudways knowledge base is a treasure trove of information. It includes comprehensive guides, tutorials, FAQs, and videos that cover everything from basic setup to advanced features. Beginners can use these resources to learn more about managing their servers, optimizing their websites, and making the most out of Cloudways’ features.
Community Support
Cloudways also has an active community forum where users can ask questions, share tips, and learn from each other’s experiences. Engaging with the community can provide additional support and insights, helping beginners feel less isolated as they navigate the world of web hosting.
Getting Started with Cloudways
If you’re ready to give Cloudways a try, here’s a simple guide to help you get started.
Step 1: Sign Up for the Free Trial
Cloudways offers a free trial, and you don’t even need to enter your credit card details to start. This trial allows you to explore the platform and see if it meets your needs without any commitment.
- Visit the Cloudways website and click on the ‘Start Free Trial’ button.
- Enter your details, such as name and email address, and set a password.
- You’ll receive an email to verify your account. Click on the link to activate your trial.
Step 2: Launch Your First Server
Once you’ve signed up, launching your first server is simple:
- Choose Your Application: If you want to create a WordPress website, select WordPress from the list of applications.
- Select Your Cloud Provider: Choose from options like DigitalOcean, AWS, or Google Cloud. Don’t worry if you’re not sure which one to pick. Cloudways offers guidance on which provider might be best for your needs.
- Configure Your Server: Decide on the server size and location. Beginners can start with the smallest server size, which is usually enough for a new site.
- Click ‘Launch Now’: Your server will be ready in just a few minutes.
Step 3: Manage Your Website
After launching your server, you can manage your website through the Cloudways dashboard. From here, you can install plugins, create backups, and monitor performance. The dashboard’s intuitive design makes these tasks straightforward, even for beginners. And if you ever need help, the Cloudways knowledge base and customer support are just a click away.
Start Your Free Trial With Cloudways!
Conclusion
So, is Cloudways hosting good for beginners? Absolutely! Cloudways combines the power of cloud hosting with the simplicity needed by those just starting out. While there are a few very minor inconveniences associated with getting started with Cloudways, the benefits you gain far outweigh them.
Cloudways makes high-performance hosting accessible and straightforward, ensuring you have everything you need to successfully manage and grow your online presence. If you’re new to web hosting and want a platform that offers flexibility, ease of use, and excellent support, Cloudways is a great choice.
Ready to experience the ease of Cloudways hosting? Sign up for their free trial today and see how simple managed cloud hosting can be. Whether you’re launching your first website or looking to move to a more powerful platform, Cloudways provides the tools and support you need to succeed.
