Cloudways Setup Guide 2026: How to Set Up Cloudways from Registration to Launch

Cloudways is different from traditional shared hosting — it's managed cloud hosting. That sounds advanced, but in practice it's much simpler than you might expect. You don't need to know Linux or touch a command line; everything can be done through a graphical dashboard.

This cloudways tutorial will take you from scratch, walking through every step from signup to a live website. Even if it's your first time with cloud hosting, you can complete the entire setup in 45 minutes.

If you're still on the fence about Cloudways, check out our Cloudways 2026 Full Review. Want pricing details? See the Cloudways Pricing Plans page.

Step 1: Create a Cloudways Account

Cloudways offers a 3-day free trial — no credit card required. Signup takes under 2 minutes.

Step 2: Choose a Cloud Provider and Plan

Cloudways supports 5 cloud providers. Here's a quick breakdown to help you decide.

Cloud Provider	Starting Price	Best For	Recommended
DigitalOcean	official checkout final amount	Most websites, best value	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vultr	official checkout final amount	Peak performance, high-frequency CPU	⭐⭐⭐⭐
AWS	official checkout final amount	Enterprise-grade, global deployments	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Google Cloud	official checkout final amount	Enterprise, AI/ML integration	⭐⭐⭐
Linode	official checkout final amount	Developers, reliable and steady	⭐⭐⭐⭐

80% of users choose DigitalOcean — best value. Recommended starting points:

• Personal blog: start with a modest DigitalOcean Flexible configuration, then confirm the final amount at official checkout
• Mid-size site / WooCommerce: consider a larger DigitalOcean Flexible configuration after checking expected traffic and plugins
• High-traffic site: compare Vultr HF or a larger Flexible route for better CPU performance
• Enterprise: compare AWS or Google Cloud routes and verify the final checkout amount

Step 3: Launch Your First Server

Step 4: Install WordPress

If you selected WordPress in Step 3, it's already installed automatically! Check Access Details for the temporary URL, admin URL, and login credentials.

Initial Configuration

• Change the admin password (use a strong one)
• Set the site title: Settings → General
• Set the timezone: Settings → General → Timezone
• Set permalinks: Settings → Permalinks → "Post name"
• Delete the default "Hello World" post and sample page

You can install multiple applications on a single server — click "+ Add Application" to add more.

Step 5: Add Your Domain

Replace the Cloudways temporary domain with your own domain.

Add Your Domain in Cloudways

1. Go to Application Management → Domain Management
2. Enter your domain in the "Primary Domain" field (e.g., yourdomain.com)
3. Click "Save Changes"

Configure DNS Records

Log in to your domain registrar (Cloudflare, Namesilo, etc.) and add the following records:

Type	Host	Value	TTL
A	@	Your Cloudways Server IP	Auto
CNAME	www	yourdomain.com	Auto

DNS propagation typically takes 1–2 hours. Check status at dnschecker.org.

Step 6: Install an SSL Certificate

HTTPS is a must for modern websites. Cloudways provides free Let's Encrypt SSL — one-click installation.

1. Go to Application Management → SSL Certificate
2. Select "Let's Encrypt", enter your email and domain
3. Check "Apply on CNAME (www)" to cover the www version
4. Click "Install Certificate"
5. Enable "Auto Renewal" (auto-renews every 90 days)

Force HTTPS Redirect

Enable "HTTP to HTTPS Redirection" on the SSL page, then update both address fields to https:// in WordPress → Settings → General. For more details, see the full setup tutorial.

Step 7: Performance Optimization

Cloudways is already much faster than shared hosting, but these optimizations take it even further.

1. Configure Breeze Caching

Cloudways comes with the Breeze caching plugin pre-installed. In WordPress → Settings → Breeze:

• Basic Options: Enable Varnish Cache, Gzip compression, browser caching
• File Optimization: Enable HTML/CSS/JS minification
• CDN: Configure your domain if using Cloudflare CDN
• Varnish: Ensure it's enabled (Server Management → Settings)

2. Enable Redis Object Cache

1. Server Management → Settings → REDIS → Enable
2. Install the WordPress plugin "Redis Object Cache"
3. Click "Enable Object Cache" in the plugin

Redis dramatically reduces database queries, significantly boosting dynamic page speed.

3. PHP Version and Settings

Use the latest stable version (recommend PHP 8.2 or 8.3). Adjust in Application Settings: memory_limit ≥ 256M, max_execution_time = 300.

4. Database Optimization

We recommend MariaDB 10.6+. Cloudways already pre-optimizes the database; fine-tune further in Server Settings.

Step 8: Configure Backups

Data safety is the bottom line for running a website.

Set Up Automatic Backups

1. Go to Server Management → Backups
2. Set frequency to Daily with a retention of 7 days
3. Choose the lowest-traffic time window (e.g., 3–5 AM)
4. Click "Save Changes"

Manual Backups

Always take a manual backup before major updates: Application Management → Backup And Restore → "Take Backup Now".

Off-Site Backup Recommendations

• WordPress plugin UpdraftPlus — backup to Google Drive / Dropbox
• Cloudways SafeUpdates feature (safe updates + auto backups)
• Periodically download backups via SFTP to local storage

📝 Essential Settings Checklist

The following settings must be completed before launching your site. Use this as a checklist:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions