--- title: "Cloudways vs Liquid Web: Which Is Better for a Business That Needs More Than Basic Hosting?" description: "Liquid Web fits regulated businesses and teams that need root access, while Cloudways fits agencies and stores that want a managed cloud server without touching the operating system. At 16 GB of…" url: "https://hostingguider.com/comparison/cloudways-vs-liquid-web/" canonical_url: "https://hostingguider.com/comparison/cloudways-vs-liquid-web/" date: "2026-06-13T05:51:16+00:00" modified: "2026-09-27T14:11:54+00:00" author: Rantideb Howlader type: article site: HostingGuider language: en-US --- # Cloudways vs Liquid Web: Which Is Better for a Business That Needs More Than Basic Hosting? Liquid Web fits regulated businesses and teams that need root access, while Cloudways fits agencies and stores that want a managed cloud server without touching the operating system. At 16 GB of RAM, a Cloudways server costs $149 a month and a Liquid Web managed VPS $145 at its regular rate. So control and compliance, not price, usually decide this one. Liquid Web gives you root access, a choice of cPanel, Plesk, or InterWorx, and signed HIPAA business associate agreements (BAAs) on its HIPAA-ready hosting. Cloudways gives you a simpler dashboard and five cloud providers, but no root access and no stated BAA. The [Cloudways review](https://hostingguider.com/reviews/cloudways/) and the [Liquid Web review](https://hostingguider.com/reviews/liquid-web-review/) cover each host in full. This page compares them at business scale. ## Cloudways vs Liquid Web: the short verdict Liquid Web wins on control, compliance, and uptime terms, while Cloudways wins on ease of use, location choice, and a slightly lower 8 GB price ($88 vs $100 a month). ![Cloudways vs Liquid Web hosting comparison banner](https://hostingguider.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/cloudways-vs-liquid-web-hosting-comparison-1024x577.webp "A side-by-side comparison of Cloudways and Liquid Web hosting platforms.") **Liquid Web:** better for healthcare, finance, and other regulated businesses, and for teams that need root access, Windows, or a traditional control panel. **Cloudways:** better for agencies and online stores that want a managed cloud server, a choice of providers, and no server administration. **Both work** for a busy WordPress or WooCommerce site. The choice comes down to how much control and paperwork you need. ### Cloudways vs Liquid Web at a glance | Decision point | Cloudways | Liquid Web | | --- | --- | --- | | 8 GB server | $88 a month (DigitalOcean, 160 GB) | $100 a month, $50 for the first 2 months (240 GB) | | 16 GB server | $149 a month (DigitalOcean, 320 GB) | $145 a month, $72.50 for the first 2 months (440 GB) | | Root access | Not available | Included on managed VPS | | Control panel | Cloudways dashboard | cPanel, Plesk, or InterWorx | | HIPAA BAAs | Not stated | Signed for HIPAA-ready hosting | | Uptime terms | No uptime SLA listed | 99.9% server uptime, 100% network uptime SLA | | Email | Rackspace add-on from $1.50 per mailbox | Runs through the server control panel | | Dedicated servers | Not sold | Sold | | Current plans and prices | [See Cloudways plans](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/cloudways) | [See Liquid Web plans](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/liquidweb) | Prices confirmed on September 25, 2026. ## What Cloudways and Liquid Web actually sell Cloudways sells managed cloud servers on five providers, while Liquid Web sells a wider range, from VPS to dedicated servers, on its own infrastructure. Cloudways runs servers on DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, and Google Cloud. It manages the server software, and you manage your apps through its dashboard. Liquid Web’s [pricing page](https://www.liquidweb.com/pricing/?utm_source=hostingguider.com) covers self-managed and managed VPS, dedicated servers, cloud dedicated servers, managed cloud, and managed WordPress. So the closest match to a Cloudways server is a Liquid Web managed VPS. Both give you a private slice of a server with management included. ## Liquid Web managed VPS vs Cloudways server prices at business scale Cloudways costs $88 a month at 8 GB against Liquid Web’s regular $100, while at 16 GB Liquid Web is $4 cheaper ($145 vs $149) and includes more storage. | Server | CPU and RAM | Storage | Transfer | Monthly price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Cloudways DO8GB | 4 cores, 8 GB | 160 GB | 5 TB | $88 | | Liquid Web Managed VPS, 8 GB | 4 vCPUs, 8 GB | 240 GB | 5 TB | $100 ($50 for the first 2 months) | | Cloudways DO16GB | 6 cores, 16 GB | 320 GB | 6 TB | $149 | | Liquid Web Managed VPS, 16 GB | 6 vCPUs, 16 GB | 440 GB | 7 TB | $145 ($72.50 for the first 2 months) | Cloudways lists its rates in its [pricing table](https://www.cloudways.com/en/pricing-new.php?utm_source=hostingguider.com). Liquid Web’s figures are on its [managed VPS page](https://www.liquidweb.com/vps-hosting/managed-vps/?utm_source=hostingguider.com). Prices confirmed on September 25, 2026. Prices change often, so check [Cloudways’ current prices](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/cloudways) and [Liquid Web’s current prices](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/liquidweb) before you buy. Cloudways bills by the hour, invoiced monthly, with no contract or intro rate. Liquid Web’s 50% discount lasts two months, then the regular monthly price applies, so compare the regular prices. Liquid Web’s general pricing page advertises managed VPS from $16 a month. That is a first-two-months price (75% off) on a 2 vCPU, 4 GB, 40 GB plan that then costs $64 a month. Its managed VPS page lists a 2 vCPU, 4 GB, 80 GB plan at $72 a month ($36 for two months). The two pages describe different product lines, so confirm the plan at checkout. ## Root access and server control at Cloudways and Liquid Web Liquid Web includes root access on its managed VPS plans, while Cloudways doesn’t offer root access at all. Liquid Web’s managed VPS page lists root access, AlmaLinux with Windows available, and cPanel, Plesk, or InterWorx as control panels. Cloudways explains its position in a [support article](https://support.cloudways.com/en/articles/5134090-why-can-t-i-have-root-access-to-my-server?utm_source=hostingguider.com): it can’t be sure users won’t break tools that are core to its platform. Root access is full administrator control of the server. You need it to install custom software, change system services, or run tools Cloudways doesn’t support. For your site, this means Cloudways is fine for standard WordPress, WooCommerce, and PHP apps. If your developer needs to install something at the system level, Liquid Web is the safer choice. **Winner: Liquid Web.** ## Cloudways and Liquid Web HIPAA and PCI compliance Liquid Web signs BAAs for its HIPAA-ready hosting and publishes its own PCI DSS attestation, while Cloudways points to its cloud partners’ certifications. Liquid Web’s [HIPAA hosting page](https://www.liquidweb.com/hipaa-hosting/?utm_source=hostingguider.com) says it provides signed BAAs for all HIPAA-ready hosting environments. Its dedicated server HIPAA solutions start at $229 a month on Linux and $271 on Windows. Its [security and trust page](https://www.liquidweb.com/policies/security-and-trust/?utm_source=hostingguider.com) lists SOC 2 and SOC 3 reports, HIPAA compliance for managed dedicated and cloud dedicated servers, and a 2025 PCI DSS attestation of compliance. Cloudways’ [trust center](https://www.cloudways.com/en/trust.php?utm_source=hostingguider.com) lists certifications of its cloud partners, such as PCI DSS and HIPAA for DigitalOcean. It doesn’t say that Cloudways itself signs BAAs. On PCI, a Cloudways [help article](https://support.cloudways.com/en/articles/5134114-does-cloudways-provide-pci-compliance?utm_source=hostingguider.com) says its infrastructure partners are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant, but a hosting platform alone can’t be fully PCI compliant. A BAA is a contract that US healthcare businesses need with any vendor that stores patient data. Without one, hosting that data can break HIPAA rules. For your business, this means a clinic, insurer, or anyone storing patient records should look at Liquid Web. A store using a hosted payment gateway like Stripe can work fine on Cloudways. **Winner: Liquid Web.** ## Cloudways vs Liquid Web support and migrations Both hosts offer 24/7 support, but Liquid Web’s managed VPS migration also moves email and control panel accounts, while Cloudways’ free expert migration covers your first site. Liquid Web lists 24/7 support, live chat, and a sales phone number on its pricing page. On managed VPS, its team migrates website content, email, databases, and control panel accounts. Cloudways offers 24/7 live chat and tickets, with Advanced Support as a paid upgrade. Its experts migrate your first site free, per its [migration page](https://www.cloudways.com/en/free-website-migration-service.php?utm_source=hostingguider.com). You can move more WordPress sites free with the Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin. Extra expert migrations for non-WordPress PHP apps cost $99 per site. **Winner: Liquid Web**, for fuller hands-on migrations. ## Email, backups, and uptime at Cloudways and Liquid Web Liquid Web backs its managed VPS with a 99.9% server uptime guarantee and a 100% network uptime SLA, while Cloudways lists no uptime SLA. **Email:** Liquid Web’s managed VPS comes with a control panel such as cPanel, which can run email on the server. Cloudways sells [Rackspace email](https://www.cloudways.com/en/addon/rackspace-email-hosting.php?utm_source=hostingguider.com) as an add-on from $1.50 per mailbox a month. **Backups:** Liquid Web’s managed VPS includes backups stored with Acronis. Cloudways includes automated backups and charges $0.033 per GB for offsite storage. **Uptime:** Liquid Web’s managed VPS page lists a 99.9% server uptime guarantee. Its [SLA policy](https://www.liquidweb.com/about-us/policies/sla/?utm_source=hostingguider.com) separately guarantees 100% network uptime on all services. We found no uptime SLA percentage on Cloudways’ pricing or terms pages. In plain terms, 99.9% uptime still allows about 8.8 hours of downtime a year. **Winner: Liquid Web**, for published uptime guarantees. ## Cloudways and Liquid Web data center locations Cloudways offers locations across five cloud providers, while Liquid Web lists data centers in the US, Europe, and Australia. Each Cloudways provider has its own set of regions. Liquid Web’s locations are listed on its [dedicated server page](https://www.liquidweb.com/dedicated-server-hosting/?utm_source=hostingguider.com). For your site, this means Cloudways can place a server closer to visitors in more regions. Liquid Web keeps everything with one company, from VPS to dedicated servers. **Winner: Cloudways**, for location choice. ## Cloudways vs Liquid Web for growing into dedicated servers Liquid Web sells managed dedicated servers from $205.70 a month on a two-year term, while Cloudways doesn’t sell dedicated servers. That $205.70 price is for a 4-core Intel Xeon E-2134 with 16 GB of RAM and 480 GB SSD. Liquid Web’s pricing page also shows an E-2134 server at $154 a month, with $77 for the first two months. A dedicated server gives you a whole physical machine. It suits businesses with steady heavy traffic, strict compliance rules, or software that needs predictable hardware. The signs that [a business needs a dedicated server](https://hostingguider.com/blog/when-business-needs-dedicated-server/) help you judge whether you’ll get there. If you might, starting at Liquid Web makes the later move easier. ## Cloudways vs Liquid Web winners by category Liquid Web wins five of nine categories, mostly on control, compliance, and uptime, while Cloudways wins on the 8 GB price, ease of use, and location choice. | Category | Winner | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Price at 8 GB | Cloudways | $88 vs $100 a month after Liquid Web’s promo | | Price at 16 GB | Tie | $149 vs $145 a month | | Storage per plan | Liquid Web | 440 GB vs 320 GB at 16 GB | | Root access | Liquid Web | Cloudways doesn’t offer it | | HIPAA and BAAs | Liquid Web | Signed BAAs for HIPAA-ready hosting | | Uptime terms | Liquid Web | 99.9% server and 100% network SLA vs none listed | | Ease of use | Cloudways | Simple dashboard, no server admin | | Provider and location choice | Cloudways | Five cloud providers | | Growth to dedicated servers | Liquid Web | Sells managed dedicated servers | **Our pick:** Liquid Web for regulated businesses and teams that need control. Cloudways for agencies and stores that want a managed cloud server without system administration. ## Should you choose Cloudways or Liquid Web? Choose Liquid Web if you need root access, a traditional control panel, or HIPAA paperwork, and Cloudways if you want an easy managed cloud server in more regions. **A healthcare practice with a patient portal** should choose Liquid Web, which signs BAAs for its HIPAA-ready hosting. **If you run a WooCommerce store with a hosted payment gateway,** Cloudways is simpler and similar in price. **Need Windows, cPanel, or custom server software?** Liquid Web, since Cloudways gives no root access. **An agency with clients in several countries** fits Cloudways, which offers more locations through five providers. Liquid Web is also weighed against a WordPress-only host in [Liquid Web vs WP Engine](https://hostingguider.com/comparison/liquid-web-vs-wp-engine/), and the [VPS vs dedicated server](https://hostingguider.com/blog/dedicated-server-vs-vps-hosting/) trade-offs explain the next step up. Wider questions sit in the [VPS hosting](https://hostingguider.com/topics/vps-hosting/) section. **Ready to check prices?** [Visit Cloudways](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/cloudways) or [visit Liquid Web](https://hostingguider.com/recommend/liquidweb) to see today’s plans before you buy. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Liquid Web better than Cloudways? For regulated businesses and teams that need root access, yes. For agencies and stores that want an easy managed cloud server, Cloudways is often the better fit. ### Does Cloudways or Liquid Web give root access? Liquid Web does, on its managed VPS plans. Cloudways doesn’t allow root access on any server. ### Is Cloudways or Liquid Web HIPAA compliant? Liquid Web signs BAAs for its HIPAA-ready environments, with dedicated HIPAA solutions from $229 a month. Cloudways lists partner certifications but doesn’t state that it signs BAAs. ### Which is cheaper, Cloudways or Liquid Web? It depends on size. Cloudways costs $88 vs $100 at 8 GB, while Liquid Web costs $145 vs $149 at 16 GB, at regular monthly rates. ### Does Liquid Web or Cloudways have an uptime guarantee? Liquid Web does: 99.9% server uptime on managed VPS and 100% network uptime under its SLA policy. We found no uptime SLA from Cloudways. ### Can Cloudways or Liquid Web host a dedicated server? Only Liquid Web sells dedicated servers, from $205.70 a month on a two-year term. Cloudways sells cloud servers only. ## How we compared Cloudways and Liquid Web This comparison is built from official sources only. For Liquid Web, we used its pricing, managed VPS, dedicated server, HIPAA hosting, SLA policy, and security and trust pages. For Cloudways, we used its pricing table, trust center, help articles on root access and PCI compliance, and its migration and email add-on pages. All details were checked on September 25, 2026. Our [Methodology](https://hostingguider.com/methodology/) and [Editorial Guidelines](https://hostingguider.com/editorial-guidelines/) explain how we research hosts and correct errors.