Cloudways vs Vapor: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Choosing between Cloudways and Vapor comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
By Toolradar Team · Last updated February 28, 2026 · Methodology
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting platform
Best for you if:
- • Managed cloud hosting from $11/month on DigitalOcean to $37/month on Google Cloud
- • Pay-as-you-go with free SSL, backups, staging, and 24/7 support across all plans
Vapor
Deploy your Laravel PHP application to the cloud with serverless simplicity and incredible scale.
Best for you if:
- • You want the higher-rated option (8.5/10 vs 7.0/10)
- • You want to try before committing
- • Serverless deployment platform for Laravel applications on AWS.
- • Automates scaling, database, cache, and queue management.
| At a Glance |  Cloudways |  Vapor |
|---|---|---|
Price | Paid | Free + Paid |
Best For | Hosting & Deployment | Hosting & Deployment |
Rating | 70/100 | 85/100 |
| Feature | Cloudways | Vapor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| Editorial Score | 70 | 85 |
| Community Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Total Reviews | 0 | 0 |
| Community Upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Categories | Hosting & DeploymentVPS & Servers | Hosting & DeploymentCI/CD |
How Cloudways and Vapor Compare
Cloudways
Managed cloud hosting platform
Paid · 70/100 score
Vapor
Deploy your Laravel PHP application to the cloud with serverless simplicity and incredible scale.
Free tier available · 85/100 score
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Vapor has a free tier. Cloudways is paid only.
Go with: Vapor
Want the highest-rated option?
Cloudways: 70/100. Vapor: 85/100.
Go with: Vapor
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Vapor
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Cloudways is paid. Vapor is freemium. Vapor lets you start free.
What's your use case?
Both are hosting & deployment tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Vapor scores higher: 85/100 vs 70/100.
Key Takeaways
Vapor
- Higher score: 85/100 vs 70
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Cloudways
The Bottom Line
Vapor (85/100) is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudways or Vapor better?
Vapor scores 85/100 in our evaluation. Cloudways is paid and Vapor is freemium.
What are Cloudways and Vapor used for?
Cloudways: Managed cloud hosting platform. Vapor: Deploy your Laravel PHP application to the cloud with serverless simplicity and incredible scale..
What does Cloudways cost vs Vapor?
Cloudways is a paid tool. Vapor is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.