10 Best Cloud Hosting Services – Reliable and Affordable [2024]

The search for cloud hosting that’s right for your specific needs can get pretty confusing. Although more and more hosts are offering cloud hosting solutions, there doesn’t seem to be a single unified model of what cloud hosting services should include. The information isn’t always clear, and sometimes there isn’t even a way of knowing if a cloud hosting service is managed or unmanaged.

To help you make the right choice, we compared the best hosting providers that can give you a much better cloud hosting experience.

ScalaHosting is one such host, with affordable, easily scalable managed cloud hosting that’s ideal for many common use cases. It’s our top recommendation, but there are some other great cloud hosting providers you should consider.

What We Look For in the Best Cloud Hosting Services

While cloud hosting plans vary significantly, there’s still a set of features that the hosts on this list all provide:

• Reliability and uptime. One of the most talked-about benefits of cloud hosting is its reliability, since it’s not dependent on a single physical server. However, some cheap cloud hosts may still cut corners, and this can affect uptime and reliability. The best cloud hosts on this list stand out for exceptional reliability and speed.
• Generous resources. If you’re moving from shared hosting, you may have become used to the “unlimited” storage and bandwidth many hosts claim to offer (although there’s actually no such thing as unlimited storage and bandwidth). Cloud hosting offers different levels of storage, memory, processing power, and bandwidth. All the hosts on this list have fairly generous resource provision on their base-level plans.
• Multiple server locations. Although cloud hosting is built on thousands of servers working together, the cloud hosts on this list all give you some choice over the location of your servers so you can choose the ones closest to your visitors.
• User-friendliness. While cloud hosting is rarely as simple to use as shared hosting (unless it’s a managed service), the best cloud hosting solutions are relatively easy to learn or have really good knowledge bases or tutorials.
• Easily scalable. The best cloud hosting providers make it easy to add more resources to your hosting plan as your website grows, ensuring that your visitors won’t experience any disruption when you’re getting more traffic.

1. ScalaHosting: Managed VPS That Balances Power, Affordability, and Ease of Use1

ScalaHosting takes user-friendliness to new heights, making it a priority in nearly everything it does. ScalaHosting offers users a proprietary control panel, SPanel, for server and account admin that our reviewer called “very easy to use and intuitive” while being specially optimized for cloud hosting.

You’ll also get the ability to use Apache, NGINX, or OpenLiteSpeed servers, to best serve your needs. You can access each and switch from one to another right from SPanel. ScalaHosting offers support for LiteSpeed, too, as a paid add-on.

SPanel also offers you a suite of monitoring and analytics tools. You can monitor uptime, SSL certificates, average loading speed, and more. ScalaHosting also makes cloud hosting affordable, offering all these features and more with budget-friendly pricing.

Features

• SShield Security protection. This bespoke security package, included with all ScalaHosting’s managed cloud VPS plans, will block 99.998% of malicious traffic and attacks on your website. It also includes automatic notifications if a hacker targets your website. What’s more, SShield Security will protect all the websites on your cloud VPS service, whether you have one or a hundred.
• SWordPress Manager. For additional protection, ScalaHosting has implemented its own WordPress manager that combats the issue of questionable security with WordPress. The SWordPress Manager enables automatic updates, provides a WordPress security lock, and has cloning, staging, and backup tools included.
• One-click scalability. With ScalaHosting, you can upgrade or downgrade your cloud VPS server at any time, with a single click. You can add more storage, CPU, RAM, and bandwidth as your business grows – or lower your resources if you find you’re not using them.
• Full NVMe storage. While many hosting companies still rely on SSD or even HDD, ScalaHosting exclusively uses NVMe SSD storage in all hosting plans. NVMe SSDs offer superior performance compared to traditional HDDs and even standard SSDs, thanks to their faster read and write speeds, lower latency, and more advanced interface.

To learn more about this company, read our full ScalaHosting review.

2. Kamatera: Flexible and Easy to Configure, With up to 104 vCPU Processing Power1

Kamatera has 18 data centers across three continents, with servers in the US, Europe, Israel, and Hong Kong. Because it utilizes fast Intel Xeon Platinum/Cascade Lake, 2.7GHz+ processors, its servers are quick and powerful, giving you the performance you need, no matter how resource-hungry your website is.

Kamatera has an impressive 99.95% uptime guarantee. If you hit a problem, its technical support teams are available 24/7 – and you can also choose to have a fully managed server (at a fixed monthly cost).

The difference between a fully managed server and a managed server with Kamatera is primarily in the level of support you get – with the fully managed option you have an on-demand expert to handle every aspect of your server, so you don’t have to hire an in-house expert systems administrator. The managed server option includes monitoring and maintenance but the day-to-day systems administration is up to you.

Features

• Completely customizable. Although you could opt for one of the simple, pre-configured plans, Kamatera enables you to fully customize your cloud server setup. You choose the number of processors, RAM, storage, IP addresses, the data center, the operating system, and add-ons such as cPanel or Plesk.
• Operating system options. Kamatera lets you choose from various versions of the following 12 operating systems
  • RockyLinux
  • AlmaLinux
  • CloudLinux
  • TrueNAS
  • FreeNAS
  • OpenSUSE
  • CentOS
  • Debian
  • FreeBSD
  • Ubuntu
  • Windows
  • Windows Server
• 30-day free trial. Although you do have to enter your credit card information when you sign up, you can try out Kamatera for free for 30 days. The trial gives you access to all of the features of Kamatera’s cloud management platform, one cloud server with a configuration worth up to $100, a designated account manager, 24/7 technical support, and advice on the best cloud solution for your needs after the free trial is over.
• Instant scalability. If you find that you need more resources, Kamatera allows you to increase your server capacity in a matter of minutes, adding CPU, RAM, SSD, firewalls, load balancers, and more. You’ll only be charged for what you use, so you’re not forced to upgrade to a completely new package.

For a full list of features, read our in-depth Kamatera review.

3. HostArmada: Budget-Friendly Managed Cloud-Based WordPress Hosting1

HostArmada is known for its affordable, managed WordPress hosting on the cloud platform. Its plans are not only easy on the budget, but jam-packed with plenty of resources, making it a good option for those looking to upgrade from shared hosting to something more powerful without adding much cost to their hosting budget.

Some of those resources include free SSLs, daily backups, malware scanning and removal, and free website migrations. Depending on your current hosting provider, you may actually get more security and support features for your cloud-based WordPress site for less money with HostArmada.

All those resources aren’t much good without speed and power behind them, though. HostArmada doesn’t disappoint in that area, either. All of its cloud-based WordPress plans support Cloudflare CDN integration, offering your site a boost right from the start. HostArmada’s upper-tier plan runs on LiteSpeed servers, giving you more performance abilities than the NGINX servers included in the lower two plans.

Features

• Serious security measures and tools. HostArmada includes Imunify360’s suite of security tools in all its WordPress plans. You’ll also get PHP hardening, malware protection, and 24/7/365 server monitoring to keep your site well-defended.
• 45-day money-back guarantee. Forget only having a month to try out your new cloud hosting package. HostArmada offers you 45 days instead. So, even if you’re a bit of a procrastinator, you should still have enough time to figure out if HostAramada is right for you.
• Many unlimited resources. From add-on domains to email accounts, FTP accounts to SQL databases, HostArmada doesn’t skimp on many resources. On the mid- and top-level plans, you can even host unlimited websites.
• Multiple term options. HostArmada allows you the option to pay monthly, yearly, every two years, or go for the best prices with a three-year commitment. Renewal fees are also well within an acceptable, reasonable range.

Read our expert HostArmada review for more details.

4. Liquid Web: Powerful Cloud Hosting With the Best Service Guarantee Around1

There are many things to like about Liquid Web’s cloud service. From the low cost to enter the cloud hosting world, to the 100% uptime guarantee (that it can stand firmly on), to the ability to opt into just the features you want, Liquid Web stands out in the cloud hosting crowd.

Liquid Web has created its cloud hosting plans so that you’re in full control of what you get and how much you pay. You have the choice of fully managed, core-managed, or unmanaged cloud hosting. You can also choose your OS, your control panel, and your hardware. Opt for prepackaged bundles with your number of cores, amount of bandwidth, disk space, and memory.

The choices don’t stop there. You can select the amount of block storage space, optional daily backups, the number of IP addresses on your server, and whether you want standard or advanced DDoS protection. Once you become a customer, you can also immediately scale your resources up or down, without the need to change platforms.

Features

• The company’s own data centers. Most cloud hosting providers will use other providers’ servers as well as their own, but Liquid Web relies solely on its own data centers – with over 25,000 servers in the US and Europe.
• Excellent SLAs. Liquid Web has possibly the best service-level agreements (SLAs) out of all the cloud hosts I’ve tested. SLAs usually cover uptime, but Liquid Web’s includes:
  • 59-minute help desk initial response time guarantee – If you don’t get a response to your help desk request within an hour, you will be credited for 10x the amount of time over the hour.
  • 100% uptime guarantee – If your website experiences any downtime, you’ll be credited for 10x the amount of downtime.
  • 30-minute hardware guarantee – If there’s a fault with dedicated server hardware, Liquid Web promises to identify the problem within 30 minutes or (you guessed it) you’ll be credited for 10x the amount of extra time.
• Core-managed and fully managed server monitoring. Liquid Web’s team monitors all its core-managed and fully managed servers 24/7. Should your server ever experience an issue that takes your site down, they will get it back up and running for you without you having to do anything. No ticket. No phone call. You might not even know it happened until after the fact when you receive your report.
• Softaculous is still there, if you want it to be.If you choose cPanel or Plesk for your control panel, you get free access to Softaculous. So whether you want a WordPress site or you prefer Joomla, you can still quickly and easily get it up and running as you can any of the other 100 or so apps in the Softaculous library.

To learn more, read our full Liquid Web review.

5. FastComet: VPS Hosting Optimized for Small Businesses1

FastComet’s hosting services all run on its FastCloud servers and come with some perks such as unlimited websites and email accounts, free daily backups, free domain transfer, and an express migration service. FastComet claims its cloud VPS plans are ideal for small business sites, and its features and performance uphold that promise. Its top three cloud VPS plans offer enough resources to satisfy the average small business owner. All cloud VPS plans also have a 7-day money-back guarantee.

FastComet’s cloud VPS plans are fully managed, so everything from setup to updates, backups to upgrades is taken care of. Plans come with fixed resources, but you won’t face charges or service suspension if you go over your monthly bandwidth limits. You’ll simply be advised to upgrade to a higher plan if you’re consistently exceeding your bandwidth.

FastComet isn’t the most budget-friendly host on the block. That said, we feel you get a lot of value for the price. The quality of FastComet’s cloud hosting is well worth the higher prices. Its support team is another reason to want to pay a bit more, especially if you’re new to the whole cloud VPS hosting arena.

Features

• Error-Correcting Code RAM. FastComet’s VPS plans all offer ECC RAM, adding a layer of stability to your server’s performance. ECC RAM detects and corrects common errors, avoiding data corruption and server crashes.
• Imunify360 Security Suite and DDoS protection. Adding more data protection and server security, FastComet deploys Imunify360 on all its cloud VPS plans. All managed plans also include DDoS protection.
• cPanel and Softaculous included. You may be new to cloud VPS hosting, but you can rely on your old admin friends to get the job done. Easily install WordPress and other apps from the familiarity of your cPanel dashboard.
• E-commerce optimization. You get e-commerce optimization on all but FastComet’s entry-level cloud VPS plan. Your small business will enjoy its free Cloudflare CDN integration, priority customer support, and more with your FastComet hosting plan.

To see the results of our FastComet test, visit our FastComet review.

6. InterServer: A Basic Cloud VPS Server for the Price of Shared Hosting1

InterServer may lack the complete customization options of some of the hosts on this list, but what it lacks in flexibility, it makes up for in affordability. It also comes with high levels of security and dedicated backup systems that include encrypted backups and simple restore tools.

InterServer’s cloud hosting options include both Windows and Linux cloud VPS, as well as WordPress cloud hosting. There’s a 99.9% uptime guarantee, but the SLA doesn’t specify the amount of compensation you get if you experience more downtime than that.

Features

• Managed support when you buy four cores or more. No need to DIY your VPS if you purchase four or more slices. InterServer will manage your server for you. And at InterServer’s reasonable rates, you’ll still be paying much less for your bigger piece of the VPS pie than you would for a much smaller serving of server with other hosts.
• Self-healing hardware. Even InterServer admits it sounds “odd” to call its fail-safe system that, but it works, so we’ll go with it. What it amounts to is an automatic shifting of your site from one data center location to another whenever an issue is detected. So if your US-based server experiences an attack or a failure, your site is slipped to an overseas server in the blink of an eye, without experiencing downtime.
• Optimized VPS options. InterServer offers Windows VPS, Linux VPS, WordPress VPS, and large capacity storage VPS hosting. The servers in each option are specially optimized for their intended purpose by the InterServer team.
• Top-notch security suite. InterServer protects your site and server with the KVM, Openvz, Virtuozzo and Hyper-v virtualization platforms. They’re all highly regarded and well-established for some of the best security practices in the business.

For more information and performance test results, read our expert InterServer review..

Other Notable Cloud Hosting Providers

We found four other cloud hosting providers deserving of inclusion on a “best of” list but not so impressive as to warrant the detailed attention we’ve given the previous six. That doesn’t mean they’re bad hosts, just not standout, stellar cloud hosting providers. You may find one of them fits your needs better than one of our top six, so we encourage you to give them a look.

7. Cloudways1

Cloudways is unique in that it really isn’t a hosting provider. Instead, it serves as a middleman for various other hosting providers. You can utilize Amazon Web Services (AWS), Digital Ocean, or Google Cloud hosting via Cloudways.

Cloudways offers support, site migrations, free SSLs, backups, and other perks just like other hosting providers. It just does all that for other’s services. However, backup storage isn’t for free. Backup charges will be based on the storage amount you use.

8. SiteGround1

While SiteGround’s cloud hosting isn’t what most would consider budget-friendly, its service and features are worth the price. For instance, you can easily scale up with just a few clicks from inside your Site Tools dashboard.

If you’re already a SiteGround shared hosting customer, your site will be transferred to the cloud in a matter of a few hours without downtime. SiteGround also offers you the option of prepackaged hosting plans or completely customized server configurations to meet whatever needs you have.

9. A2 Hosting1

Our review showed that A2 Hosting’s cloud hosting didn’t offer the power of some of the other hosts on this list. Which is bad if you need a big powerful server. If you’re just starting out with cloud hosting, you may find it’s not much of an issue.

A2 Hosting’s cloud hosting is unmanaged, though, so it may not be for everyone. One thing we do like about A2 Hosting is its “anytime” money-back guarantee. There’s no time limit, no specifications. If you’re unhappy with your hosting service, for any reason, at any time, you can request to terminate your service and receive a refund.

10. Hostwinds1

When you need a cloud server up and running quickly, Hostwinds is the choice you need to make. When you need to scale your existing server in a matter of seconds, Hostwinds is the choice you need to make. It’s known for its speed in both setup and scaling.

Hostwinds is also somewhat unique in giving an “hourly” payment option, where your billing is based on your hourly usage instead of a set time period. But if you need a more powerful server type, it’s worth noting that the prices may increase quite quickly.

Choosing the Best Cloud Hosting Provider for You

We’ve given you 10 of the best choices in cloud hosting to mull over. Which one is the best one for you? Only you can decide that. We’ve made our choices pretty clear.

We found that ScalaHosting is the best1 if you’re looking for an easy-to-use managed cloud VPS.The combination of managed support and SPanel makes this host the easiest option to get started with.

On the other hand, experienced site owners will be at home with Kamatera and its powerful and affordable DIY cloud VPS1. The sheer extent of customization and the resources you get are unbeatable if you don’t need the extra help.

Finally, those looking for WordPress hosting should try HostArmada1 for the combination of WordPress capabilities and robust managed services. This host shows that ease of use doesn’t have to come at the cost of customization and control.

FAQ

Is cloud hosting better than shared hosting?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is still yes. Shared hosting means you share the server with other users’ sites. Cloud hosting typically involves receiving a dedicated piece of the server just for your site. That means that you and your site have all the power, all the speed, and all the resources to yourself. A host such as Kamatera allows you to configure that slice of the server pie with just the resources you need, so you aren’t paying for under-utilized features.  

What is the biggest concern with cloud hosting?

The industry pretty much agrees that security is the main concern when it comes to cloud hosting. The cloud is prone to data breaches due to misconfiguration of security measures. That’s why a managed cloud hosting service such as HostArmada is a good choice. Its expert server maintenance team can handle all that for you, leaving your site safer and more secure.

What’s the most beginner-friendly cloud hosting provider?

We’d have to say that ScalaHosting is the best choice for those new to cloud hosting. It provides you with managed server hosting and combines that service with its incredibly user-friendly SPanel control panel. You’ll have your site up and running in no time, with little stress or hassles.

Who is the best cloud hosting provider for small businesses?

Fresh, new startups and small businesses will find a perfect home with InterServer’s cloud hosting. It’s the most wallet-friendly and only offers month-to-month payment plans, so you can easily fit your hosting into your budget. You also have the option of the easy-to-use Webuzo VPS, which allows for one-click installs, much like Softaculous, making setup and admin a breeze for the new website owner.