Hostinger vs Cloudways (2026): Managed Shared/Cloud vs Managed Cloud Servers
Disclosure: VGraple is a verified Hostinger Partner. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. We host 45+ client sites on Hostinger and recommend what we run ourselves.
Quick answer
Hostinger is the better starting point for a small business site or a modest WooCommerce store: fixed INR pricing, 48-month lock and Mumbai servers. Cloudways is the better choice once a store or high-traffic site needs a dedicated managed server with scaling, at roughly USD 14-50 per month with no long-term discount. Most of our clients start on Hostinger Cloud Startup and only a few outgrow it.
They are different products
Hostinger sells hosting plans: you pick Business or Cloud Startup, pay for the term, and get a managed environment with hPanel. Cloudways sells managed cloud servers: you pick a provider (DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, Google Cloud), a server size and a location, pay monthly, and Cloudways manages the stack. Cloudways has Indian locations through DigitalOcean Bangalore and AWS Mumbai.
| Hostinger Cloud Startup | Cloudways (DigitalOcean 2 GB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | INR 849/month (48 mo), fixed | About USD 14-28/month, pay as you go |
| Billing | Up front for the term, INR | Monthly, USD |
| Resources | 2 vCPU, 3 GB, dedicated | 1-2 vCPU, 2 GB, dedicated |
| Scaling | Upgrade plan | Resize server anytime |
| India location | Mumbai | Bangalore (DO), Mumbai (AWS) |
| Panel | hPanel | Cloudways platform |
| Included | Not included (add-on) | |
| Domain | Free first year | Not included |
| Support | 24/7 chat, priority on cloud | 24/7 chat, paid premium tiers |
| Ideal user | Owner-managed business site or store | Developer-managed store or app |
When Hostinger is enough
A business site, a content site, or a WooCommerce store doing up to a few dozen orders a day runs well on Hostinger Cloud Startup. You get dedicated resources, Mumbai, email and a domain for a fixed four-year price that works out under INR 1,000 a month. Nothing to manage.
When Cloudways makes sense
- A store doing hundreds of orders a day, or traffic in the hundreds of thousands
- A site that needs vertical scaling on demand (flash sales, seasonal peaks)
- A developer-run project that wants SSH, git deploys, Redis and server-level control
- Multiple sites on one server with per-app isolation
Cloudways is the natural step up from Hostinger Cloud, and the migration is straightforward because both run standard WordPress.
Cost reality
Cloudways looks cheap at USD 14, but add email, backups (charged per GB), and the USD billing with card conversion, and a small Indian business pays INR 1,500-3,000 a month for a 2 GB server. Hostinger Cloud Startup is under INR 1,000 a month with email and domain included. The gap is worth it only when you need what Cloudways offers.
Verdict
Start on Hostinger. Move to Cloudways when order volume or traffic demands a real server and you have someone to look after it. We host client stores on both, and the sites on Cloudways are the ones that outgrew Hostinger, which is the right order.
Related guides
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Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudways better than Hostinger?
For high-traffic or high-order stores with a developer, yes. For a small business site or a modest store, Hostinger Cloud Startup is cheaper, includes email and a domain, and needs no management.
Does Cloudways have servers in India?
Yes, via DigitalOcean Bangalore and AWS Mumbai. Hostinger has its own Mumbai data centre.
How much does Cloudways cost per month in India?
A 2 GB DigitalOcean server is about USD 14-28/month, plus backups and email add-ons, billed monthly in USD. Expect INR 1,500-3,000/month all-in for a small store.
Can I move from Hostinger to Cloudways later?
Yes. Both run standard WordPress, so a backup plugin or Cloudways' migrator moves the site in an afternoon.
Does Cloudways include email hosting?
No. Email is a paid add-on or must be hosted elsewhere. Hostinger plans include Hostinger Email.
Written by
Chirag Darji, Founder of VGraple
Chirag has built and hosted business websites since 2011 and currently runs 45+ client sites on Hostinger from Ahmedabad, India. Every recommendation on this page is based on sites VGraple manages, with prices checked on 25 August 2026.