Cloudways vs RunCloud: managed hosting or server panel
Published on 2026-10-26 by frfrand
Cloudways vs RunCloud in WordPress and PHP projects
Cloudways and RunCloud appear when managing PHP sites without configuring everything manually. But there is a fundamental difference: one sells managed hosting and the other relies on servers that you contract and control yourself.
I propose a way to compare them that does not depend on who has the prettiest marketing: take a real project, note what it has to do, and test it in the appropriate environment. A landing page and a booking platform are two different problems.
Cloudways vs RunCloud: the main difference
Cloudways. Cloudways offers managed hosting oriented to apps and PHP/WordPress sites, with the server included in its offering.
RunCloud. RunCloud provides a management layer over compatible servers that you have already contracted with another provider.
That already marks an important separation. Before looking at the price, check if they are selling you a machine, a panel, a managed service, or a mix of those products. They do not have the same responsibilities.
An example to understand the difference
An agency that only maintains WordPress may value the convenience of Cloudways. Another that already has well-sized servers may prefer RunCloud to manage them. If it adds bots and Python APIs, it may be convenient to separate the infrastructure of those applications.
How I would compare them in practice
- Separate server cost, panel license, and real support.
- Publish the same WordPress or Laravel test site.
- Configure domain, HTTPS, and staging if the product supports it.
- Compare caching policies, PHP, backups, and restoration.
- Check what SSH or root access your team will need.
Then test two situations that do not appear in most tutorials: what happens if you restart the process? and what happens if a migration goes wrong?. In both cases you need logs, backups, and a way to recover the application. A platform that publishes quickly but leaves you without diagnostics can complicate your life later.
Decision table
| Question | Cloudways | RunCloud |
|---|---|---|
| What you are contracting | Cloudways offers managed hosting oriented to apps and PHP/WordPress sites, with the server included in its offering | RunCloud provides a management layer over compatible servers that you have already contracted with another provider |
| Where do you manage the code? | Git or compatible tools according to the product | Git or compatible tools according to the product |
| How do you protect data? | According to infrastructure and own procedures | According to infrastructure and own procedures |
| Who updates the application? | Your team | Your team |
Mistakes worth avoiding
Do not compare Cloudways price with RunCloud fee alone: in the second option you also have to pay for the server. Also do not assume that managed hosting provides root.
There are three other errors that repeat in almost all providers: uploading a password to the repository, leaving a database publicly accessible, and testing backups only by checking that a file exists. If the project stores money, reserves, or personal data, those checks are mandatory for responsible operation.
What if you did it with ArduMaker?
ArduMaker combines VPS and deployment management, databases, domains, Docker, and processes. It can reduce the need to connect an external panel to each server when you also need custom code and persistent services.
You can create a VPS, connect GitHub, configure services, associate domains, and work with PostgreSQL or Redis when the project requires it. The panel and the MCP help operate infrastructure components, but the application still needs good migrations, access control, backups, and monitoring.
What you gain and what you give up?
The VPS gives you flexibility to have an API and a worker that remain active. The trade-off is that you need to size CPU and RAM, update dependencies, and monitor the system. If you prefer to delegate those responsibilities, a more managed platform may have real advantages.
Which one would I choose?
Cloudways if you want managed hosting for PHP, RunCloud if you already have a VPS and prefer a PHP layer, ArduMaker if you need VPS and custom development integrated.
I would also consider the second year of the project: who will manage the keys, what happens if a client wants to migrate, what the extras cost, and whether another developer can take over the application without depending on a configuration that only you know.
Useful resources
To conclude: the good provider is not the one who promises to solve everything. It is the one with whom you can deploy, measure, update, and recover the real project you want to maintain.