CLOUDWAYSVSDIGITALOCEAN
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 85/100 on HostList's HRI algorithm versus DigitalOcean's 84/100, making Cloudways the higher-rated provider in this comparison. The two are nearly tied, the right choice depends on geographic location, specialisation, and whether you need a claimed and verified profile rather than overall quality. Cloudways is based in HQ: Saint Julians, Malta, while DigitalOcean operates from HQ: New York City, USA, worth considering if your audience has regional latency requirements. HRI 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 | vs | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| HRI™ | 85 | vs | 84 |
| Trust Score | 19 | vs | 24 |
| Completeness | 18 | vs | 17 |
| Performance | 23 | vs | 18 |
| Freshness | 25 | vs | 25 |
| Google Rating | · | vs | 3.1★ |
| Google Reviews | · | vs | 158 |
| Trustpilot | 4.7★ | vs | 4.6★ |
| Location | HQ: Saint Julians, Malta | vs | HQ: New York City, USA |
| Founded | 2011 | vs | 2000 |
| Segment | PURE HOST | vs | PURE HOST |
| Claimed | No | vs | No |
PROS & CONS
Cloudways
- +Strong overall HRI of 85/100
- +High trust signals, 19/25 on the Trust component
- +Trustpilot score of 4.7/5 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
- −Listing is not claimed by the host, no direct accountability
DigitalOcean
- +Strong overall HRI of 84/100
- +High trust signals, 24/25 on the Trust component
- +Trustpilot score of 4.6/5 indicates positive third-party sentiment
- +Profile data is recent and actively maintained
- +Established provider, operating since 2000
- −Low Google rating (3.1/5), concerning customer sentiment
- −Listing is not claimed by the host, no direct accountability
WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
you prioritise detailed published plans and feature data and measured performance signals.
you specifically need a USA-based operation or a larger review history (158 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 solutions tailored for developers and businesses seeking simplicity and performance. Founded as par…
Cloudways has a HRI of 85/100. The listing has not been claimed by the host.
WHAT IS DIGITALOCEAN?
DigitalOcean is a web hosting provider based in HQ: New York City, USA, founded in 2000, specialising in pure host. DigitalOcean is a developer-focused cloud infrastructure provider built around Droplets, its Linux virtual private servers (VPS), with dedicated CPU plans, GPU Droplets for AI and machine learning wor…
DigitalOcean has a HRI of 84/100 and a Google rating of 3.1★ from 158 verified reviews. The listing has not been claimed by the host.
CLOUDWAYS VS DIGITALOCEAN, FAQ
Is Cloudways better than DigitalOcean?
Cloudways and DigitalOcean are closely matched, Cloudways scores 85/100 on HRI versus DigitalOcean's 84. At this margin, the decision should be based on your geographic location, preferred hosting type, and whether you need direct support from a claimed and verified provider. Both are legitimate hosting operations; neither has a dominant quality advantage over the other.
Which has better customer reviews, Cloudways or DigitalOcean?
Cloudways has no Google rating, and DigitalOcean has 3.1★ on Google (158 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 DigitalOcean?
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 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 DigitalOcean.
ALSO COMPARE
Not sure which host is right for your project? Describe your requirements and get a personalised recommendation from 28,000+ providers, no paid placements.