I have run sites on both, and the most common mistake I see is people comparing them like-for-like on price without understanding what they are actually buying. They are not the same product category.
What RunCloud Actually Is
RunCloud is a server management panel. You rent a VPS from wherever you want — I usually use Hetzner or Vultr — and then you point RunCloud at it. RunCloud installs Nginx, PHP, and a web UI so you can create sites, manage SSL, set up staging environments, and handle deployments without touching the command line constantly.
The key word is you own the box. The underlying server is your server. That means you pay the VPS provider directly (often significantly cheaper than managed hosting markups), and you also bear responsibility for OS updates, backups, and anything that goes wrong at the infrastructure level.
For a developer or self-hoster who is comfortable with the idea of SSH and Linux, this is a good deal. You get a polished panel on top of cheap, powerful hardware.
What Cloudways Actually Is
Cloudways is a managed hosting platform. You pick a cloud provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, Vultr, GCP, Linode) and a server size, and Cloudways provisions and manages the entire stack for you. The server runs on infrastructure Cloudways controls, and their team handles security patches, monitoring, and platform-level support.
You do not get root access in the traditional sense, and you do not deal with OS-level concerns. You just deploy apps and Cloudways handles the rest. For that, you pay a markup over raw VPS pricing — but you are buying managed operations, not just compute.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | RunCloud | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Control panel (install on your VPS) | Fully managed platform |
| Server ownership | You rent and own the VPS | Cloudways manages the infra |
| Monthly cost | Panel fee + VPS cost separately | Bundled (server + management) |
| Underlying VPS choice | Any Ubuntu VPS | AWS, DO, Vultr, GCP, Linode |
| Root SSH access | Full root access | Restricted/managed SSH |
| OS updates | Your responsibility | Managed by Cloudways |
| Support | Panel support only | Infrastructure + platform support |
| PHP/Nginx control | Granular | Preconfigured, less flexible |
| Free trial | TODO: verify current offer | 3-day trial (verify) |
Prices above are approximate and change — always check the provider’s current pricing before deciding.
When I’d Pick RunCloud
If you are comfortable picking a VPS and understand that you are taking on server ownership, RunCloud is hard to beat on value. I run several sites on RunCloud installed on Hetzner CX servers — the combination gives excellent performance per dollar for Europe-based traffic. For US traffic, a Vultr High Frequency instance works well.
RunCloud’s panel is genuinely good: site isolation, staging environments, Nginx rules, Redis, Git deployment — it covers everything most PHP and WordPress sites need. The learning curve exists but is not steep if you have ever managed a Linux server before.
The catch: you will want to set up automated backups, keep your OS updated, and know what to do when something breaks. That is the tradeoff for the lower cost and full control.
See my guide on setting up Nginx Proxy Manager if you want a sense of what self-managing your own reverse proxy looks like — RunCloud abstracts much of this, but the mental model is similar.
When I’d Pick Cloudways
Cloudways makes sense when you want to focus entirely on your application and not think about infrastructure. For agencies managing client sites, the support and reliability guarantee has real value. For non-technical founders, not needing to SSH in to fix a broken PHP version is worth the price premium.
Cloudways also shines when you are running on a tight deadline and cannot afford to spend time debugging server issues. Their managed backups, staging, and support team are genuinely useful.
The downside is cost at scale and lock-in. Because your sites live on Cloudways’ managed infrastructure rather than a VPS you control, migrating away takes effort.
For a broader look at managed vs. self-managed options, see my Cloudways vs Hetzner comparison which digs into the cost difference with real server configurations.
My Honest Take
Neither tool is universally better. RunCloud on a cheap Hetzner or Vultr box is the right choice if you are a developer or self-hoster who wants control and low cost. Cloudways is the right choice if you value managed operations and support over raw cost efficiency.
The mistake is picking one based on price alone without accounting for your time. If RunCloud requires 2 hours of server maintenance per month and your time is worth anything, the math shifts.
For more context on picking the right foundation, see my best VPS for self-hosting roundup where I cover the underlying provider choices that make RunCloud setups work well.
