CLOUDWAYS VS ANTAGONIST
Side-by-side comparison using HRI™ data, Google reviews, and Trustpilot scores. No paid placements, ranked by signal only.
WHICH IS BETTER?
As of 2026, Cloudways scores 97/100 on HostList's HRI algorithm versus Antagonist's 88/100, making Cloudways the higher-rated provider in this comparison. Cloudways has a moderate lead, though both providers are competitive within the same tier and either is a defensible choice. Cloudways is based in HQ: Saint Julians, Malta, while Antagonist operates from HQ: Alkmaar, Netherlands, worth considering if your audience has regional latency requirements. HRI is an independent 0–100 algorithmic rating combining trust signals (25 points), profile completeness (25 points), data freshness (25 points), and performance (25 points), never paid placements.
| Metric | vs | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| HRI™ | 97 | vs | 88 |
| Trust Score | 25 | vs | 24 |
| Completeness | 24 | vs | 17 |
| Performance | 23 | vs | 22 |
| Freshness | 25 | vs | 25 |
| Google Rating | · | vs | 4.7★ |
| Google Reviews | · | vs | 446 |
| Trustpilot | 4.6★ | vs | 3.5★ |
| Location | HQ: Saint Julians, Malta | vs | HQ: Alkmaar, Netherlands |
| Founded | 2011 | vs | 2004 |
| Segment | PURE HOST | vs | PURE HOST |
| Claimed | Yes | vs | No |
PROS & CONS
Cloudways
- +Strong overall HRI of 97/100
- +High trust signals, 25/25 on the Trust component
- +Trustpilot score of 4.6/5 indicates positive third-party sentiment
- +Thorough profile data: pricing, features, and contact details verified
- +Profile data is recent and actively maintained
- −No verified Google rating available, limited customer-feedback signal
- −Hostscore is algorithmic, does not assess pricing, support response time, or feature parity
Antagonist
- +Strong overall HRI of 88/100
- +High trust signals, 24/25 on the Trust component
- +Excellent Google rating (4.7/5 from 446 verified reviews)
- +Profile data is recent and actively maintained
- +Established provider, operating since 2004
- −Listing is not claimed by the host, no direct accountability
- −Hostscore is algorithmic, does not assess pricing, support response time, or feature parity
WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
you prioritise verified customer reviews and trust signals and detailed published plans and feature data.
you specifically need a Netherlands-based operation or a larger review history (446 reviews).
WHAT IS CLOUDWAYS?
Cloudways is a web hosting provider based in HQ: Saint Julians, Malta, founded in 2011, specialising in pure host. Cloudways, a managed cloud hosting platform based in Saint Julians, Malta, offers a range of hosting services tailored for developers and businesses seeking simplicity and performance. Founded as part…
Cloudways has a HRI of 97/100. The listing is claimed and verified by the host.
WHAT IS ANTAGONIST?
Antagonist is a web hosting provider based in HQ: Alkmaar, Netherlands, founded in 2004, specialising in pure host. Antagonist is a web hosting company headquartered in Alkmaar, Netherlands, serving over 60,000 customers and hosting more than 100,000 websites. The company offers a range of services including shared…
Antagonist has a HRI of 88/100 and a Google rating of 4.7★ from 446 verified reviews. The listing has not been claimed by the host.
CLOUDWAYS VS ANTAGONIST, FAQ
Is Cloudways better than Antagonist?
Cloudways scores higher on HRI (97/100 vs 88/100), reflecting stronger trust signals, profile completeness, and review data. Antagonist may still suit users who need its specific location (Netherlands) or specialization (pure host). HRI is an objective algorithmic rating, it does not account for pricing, which can vary significantly between providers.
Which has better customer reviews, Cloudways or Antagonist?
Cloudways has no Google rating, and Antagonist has 4.7★ on Google (446 reviews). Review volume matters as much as the star rating, a 4.5★ score from 50 reviews is less reliable than a 4.2★ score from 5,000. HRI weights Google reviews by volume, so providers with more verified customer feedback score higher on the trust component. Check each provider's Trustpilot profile for a second independent signal before deciding.
What are good alternatives to Cloudways and Antagonist?
The best alternative depends on what you value. If you want unbiased rankings across all hosting types, the HostList directory ranks 30,000+ providers by HRI. For AI-powered matching based on your specific project requirements, tech stack, traffic, location, budget, use HostMatch at hostlist.io/match. For category-specific alternatives, the pure host rankings at hostlist.io show the highest-scoring providers in the same hosting type as Cloudways and Antagonist.
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