Is Hostwinds better than Cloudways?

Hostwinds scores higher on HostScore (87/100 vs 78/100), reflecting stronger trust signals, profile completeness, and review data. Cloudways may still suit users who need its specific location (Malta) or specialization (pure host). HostScore is an objective algorithmic rating, it does not account for pricing, which can vary significantly between providers.

Which has better customer reviews, Hostwinds or Cloudways?

Hostwinds has 4.1★ on Google (124 reviews), and Cloudways has no Google rating. 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. HostScore 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 Hostwinds and Cloudways?

The best alternative depends on what you value. If you want unbiased rankings across all hosting types, the HostList directory ranks 28,000+ providers by HostScore. 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 Hostwinds and Cloudways.

HOSTWINDSVSCLOUDWAYS

Name: Hostwinds
Brand: Hostwinds
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.1 (124 reviews)

Side-by-side comparison using HostScore™ data, Google reviews, and Trustpilot scores. No paid placements, ranked by signal only.

Updated 29 Jun 2026·Independent · no paid placements

Quick Verdict

WHICH IS BETTER?

As of 2026, Hostwinds scores 87/100 on HostList's HostScore algorithm versus Cloudways's 78/100, making Hostwinds the higher-rated provider in this comparison. Hostwinds has a moderate lead, though both providers are competitive within the same tier and either is a defensible choice. Hostwinds is based in HQ: Seattle, USA, while Cloudways operates from HQ: Saint Julians, Malta, worth considering if your audience has regional latency requirements. HostScore is an independent 0–100 algorithmic rating combining trust signals (45 points), profile completeness (25 points), data freshness (20 points), and performance (10 points), never paid placements.

Metric	Hostwinds87	vs	Cloudways78
HostScore™	87	,	78
Trust Score	24	,	14
Completeness	20	,	17
Performance	18	,	22
Freshness	25	,	25
Google Rating	4.1★	,	·
Google Reviews	124	,	·
Trustpilot	4.5★	,	4.7★
Location	HQ: Seattle, USA	,	HQ: Saint Julians, Malta
Founded	2010	,	2011
Segment	PURE HOST	,	PURE HOST
Claimed	No	,	No

HOSTWINDSVSCLOUDWAYS

WHICH IS BETTER?

PROS & CONS

Hostwinds

Cloudways

WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

WHAT IS HOSTWINDS?

WHAT IS CLOUDWAYS?