Cloudways vs Register.com: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over Cloudways vs. Register.com, it’s clear why both hosts are so popular. They have both hosted millions of
websites that run on WordPress for decades, building up a loyal customer base.

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  Register.com (Overall grade: 6.6)
  
  
  focuses on simplicity and user-friendliness, offering straightforward shared and VPS hosting plans alongside basic WordPress hosting. It includes a range of features like a website builder, domain registration, and basic email hosting, making it a good choice for beginners and small businesses. Register.com excels in multimedia website hosting due to unlimited disk space and media management features. Despite these strengths, Register.com falls short in areas like advanced performance optimization and comprehensive security features. It does not offer cloud or ecommerce hosting, and users may find its technical support less responsive compared to Cloudways. Moreover, the lack of sophisticated tools like built-in caching and server-level firewalls might be a limitation for more advanced users.
  
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  Cloudways (Overall grade: 8.5)
  
  
  offers a range of advanced hosting options such as cloud and ecommerce hosting, making it ideal for businesses and agencies requiring robust performance and scalability. Its exceptional uptime, fast server response times, and advanced caching systems ensure top-notch website speed and reliability. Security is another strong point, featuring detailed technical and operational measures, including DDoS mitigation, SSH access, and two-factor authentication. Although Cloudways does not include shared or dedicated hosting, its flexible and scalable plans across various cloud providers cater to a wide audience. The user interface is intuitive, and extensive support options make it highly user-friendly. However, Cloudways lacks built-in email hosting, which is available only as an add-on.
  

Hosting types offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner Cloudways: A reliable managed cloud hosting provider with outstanding uptime and availability.

Cloudways boasts exceptional uptime, demonstrating nearly perfect availability over the past three years, with a slight decrease to 99.99% in 2022. This performance is reinforced by its excellent average server response time of 229ms and fast loading times. The hosting service provides a 99.99% uptime guarantee, a comprehensive status page, and a community forum for user support. Cloudways’ infrastructure includes multiple cloud providers, adding to its versatility and scalability.

Register.com offers robust uptime for Unix users at 99.99%, though Microsoft users may experience lower availability. The hosting plans feature comprehensive security measures like malware scanning and SSL certificates. Register.com also includes domain registration and email hosting, adding convenience for users. With 24/7 support and various hosting plans, it supports small businesses and entrepreneurs effectively. However, Cloudways’ higher performance stats and unique features make it the more reliable choice.

Winner: Cloudways: A high-performing hosting solution leveraging modern technologies for superior website performance and security.

General Performance:

Cloudways offers SSD hosting which is known for being three times faster than traditional HDDs, resulting in superior page load times. This hosting provider integrates advanced caching systems like Memcached, Varnish, Nginx, and Redis, which significantly boost website speed without additional setup. Cloudways employs an optimized stack including NGINX, Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, and PHP-FPM, ensuring smooth handling of high traffic. Additionally, with PHP 8 ready servers, Cloudways offers seamless updates to the latest PHP versions. While Cloudways includes Cloudflare Enterprise for enhanced CDN capabilities, Register.com lacks mention of a built-in CDN. Both providers guarantee high uptimes and offer various security measures, but Cloudways seems to have a more comprehensive skill set with features like auto-healing servers and free SSL certificates.

Website Speed

Cloudways stands out in terms of website speed due to its use of SSDs and advanced caching technologies like Memcached, Varnish, and Redis. The optimized stack further boosts performance, resulting in fast load times. Meanwhile, Register.com offers impressive speed with WordPress hosting that claims to be twice as fast as competitors. However, without specific caching integrations, it falls short compared to Cloudways’ more complete offering.

Scalability

Cloudways excels in scalability with features like vertical scaling to adjust resources like RAM, CPU, and storage on demand, keeping costs low. The platform allows easy server and website cloning with just one click, making it straightforward to handle traffic spikes. Register.com provides scalability but requires plan upgrades, and detailed cost structures are not specified, making it less flexible compared to Cloudways.

🏆 Winner Register.com: Register.com provides an extensive range of security features, ensuring a highly secure hosting environment.

Both Cloudways and Register.com, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

Cloudways offers robust technical security features such as free 1-Click SSL certificates, server-level firewalls, PHP 8 support, regular security updates, and DDoS mitigation via Cloudflare Enterprise. Register.com, on the other hand, provides 256-bit SSL encryption, multiple SSL validation options, malware protection through SiteLock, and automatic backups using CodeGuard. Cloudways includes comprehensive automated protection like Fail2ban and bot protection, whereas Register.com offers password protection and raw log files access for detailed monitoring. Both providers support varying PHP versions, but Cloudways features specific versions up to PHP 8.2.

Operational security measures:

Cloudways includes operational security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA), IP whitelisting for secure access, and automatic healing servers. Register.com features GDPR compliance with masked WHOIS output for EU residents, customer error pages, and scheduled task manager. Cloudways uses platform-level firewalls, dedicated firewalls, and application isolation for WooCommerce stores. Register.com emphasizes transactional security via SSL certificates and offers live expert support and MyTime assistance for setup and technical help.

Compliance and certifications:

Cloudways utilizes PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure from cloud providers but does not specify compliance itself. Register.com ensures secure transactions through SSL certificates and defines roles to comply with GDPR obligations, such as data processor and data controller roles. GDPR compliance includes Register.com’s masking of personal information for EU residents.

🏆 Winner
Cloudways: Offering a combination of optimized performance, robust security, and flexible scalability.

While Cloudways provides a range of advanced features designed for tech-savvy users, Register.com focuses on simplicity and ease of use for those with less technical expertise. Cloudways stands out with its sophisticated tools like built-in caches, Cloudflare integration, and a Breeze plugin that boosts website performance. It also offers vertical scaling and a pay-as-you-go model, allowing users to scale resources as needed without long-term contracts. On security, Cloudways excels with features like dedicated firewalls, two-factor authentication (2FA), and SSL certificates. The availability of SSH and SFTP access, along with Git integration, makes it a strong choice for developers who need secure, high-performance hosting.

Register.com, on the other hand, appeals to users seeking straightforward website creation and management. With a user-friendly website builder, it allows beginners to design and launch a website without much hassle. The platform also provides numerous open-source applications and a script library, which can add value to websites. Despite its accessibility, Register.com lacks some of the advanced security and performance features found in Cloudways. While it has essential tools like password protection, database management, and FTP access, it doesn't offer SFTP or SSH, which could be a limitation for more advanced users. Another convenience is the domain pointer feature, allowing easier management of multiple domains.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both Cloudways and Register.com offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

Cloudways offers transactional email capabilities through its Elastic Email add-on, suitable for actions like form submissions. Users can also take advantage of Rackspace Email for their hosting needs. Register.com includes basic email hosting and the ability to set up email campaigns, making it suitable for small businesses and individuals. However, neither provider offers reselling of third-party services like Google Workspace or Outlook.

Winner Cloudways: Offering an extensive range of flexible plans, Cloudways stands out with its versatile solutions suitable for various needs.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

When comparing Cloudways and Register.com, Cloudways provides a vast array of plans across different hosting types, including WordPress, Ecommerce, AWS, Google Compute Engine, Vultr, and Linode. Register.com focuses on more straightforward shared and WordPress hosting plans, with varying storage options and a few included features like SiteLock and SSL certificates. Cloudways offers scalable resources such as multiple RAM and storage options aligning with different budgets, whereas Register.com presents a simpler, more uniform pricing model but with limited features in comparison.

Enterprise plans

Cloudways offers advanced scalability with its high-end AWS and Vultr hosting plans, suitable for enterprises needing large amounts of RAM, processing power, and storage. Prices range from $445.76 per month for AWS 2XL to $3569.98 per month for AWS 24XL, covering extensive requirements with robust features. On the other hand, Register.com does not provide specialized enterprise-level plans and focuses on more simplified offerings, limiting its suitability for large-scale business operations.

🏆 Winner Cloudways: Offers a straightforward and highly automated setup experience.

Cloudways provides an intuitive control panel with 1-click actions that are ideal for both technical and non-technical users. The user-friendly interface simplifies server and application management, making it easier to backup or restore data, clone websites, and launch applications such as WordPress, Magento, Laravel, and PHP apps. Additionally, features like pre-installed Git, SSH, and SFTP access further enhance the ease of setup and management. This focus on automation reduces the learning curve, allowing even users with limited technical knowledge to manage their websites effectively.

Register.com offers a basic yet practical approach to website management. The hosting service includes a 1-Click Install feature and a Website Builder tool, which are suitable for beginners. Users can manage their website files through an FTP Account Manager and customize various aspects with ease. There is a broader range of tools like a script library, AWStats, and a Scheduled Tasks Manager which, while useful, may require a bit more technical know-how to fully utilize. Overall, the platform is accessible but might require some additional effort to navigate compared to Cloudways.

Cloudways stands out for its free migration of the first website from any host, streamlining the process for new users. This service includes automated tools, reducing the manual effort required for migration. In contrast, Register.com does not offer specific details around the availability or cost of migration tools, which might imply manual migration or additional costs. This difference makes Cloudways a more attractive option for those looking to switch hosts easily.

Both providers make extensive help center resources available but Cloudways’ comprehensive and active support options give it an edge.

🏆 Winner Cloudways: Cloudways excels with its comprehensive user management features, flexibility, and intuitive interface.

When comparing user management features between Cloudways and Register.com, Cloudways stands out for its detailed approach to managing user roles and permissions. Cloudways users can easily access the WordPress Admin Panel through direct access or via the Cloudways Platform, offering significant flexibility. Cloudways also provides detailed processes for adding, editing, updating, and deleting users, along with changing user roles. Register.com lacks detailed user management and role information making it hard to assess its capabilities in this area.

The user interface of the Cloudways platform is designed for easy navigation and efficient user management. Through the WordPress Admin Panel accessed directly or via the Cloudways Platform, users can manage roles and permissions without hassle. The steps involved in managing users, such as adding, editing, and deleting, are straightforward, clearly defined, and easily accessible. Register.com’s user interface for user management remains unclear without detailed documentation.

Cloudways effectively manages access control with defined user roles that cater to different administrative needs. It allows assigning specific responsibilities and restricting access based on role requirements, which is crucial for team management and secure operations. This flexibility ensures that user roles can scale with the growing needs of a website, maintaining efficiency and security. The lack of comprehensive documentation for Register.com’s user management systems limits its ability to demonstrate similar effectiveness.

Cloudways user roles table:

🏆 Winner
Cloudways: Offers extensive 24/7 customer support with multiple channels and quick response times, including premium support options.

Cloudways offers a wealth of customer service options, including 24/7 live chat, email ticketing, and phone support upon request. They also provide a private Slack channel with premium support add-ons and proactive monitoring to address server or stack issues preemptively. With different support levels available, users can choose the response time and level of service that meets their needs.

Register.com offers 24/7 live chat support and a ticketing system with an average response time of 24 hours. While they provide comprehensive phone support and accessibility features, they lack the dedicated agents and priority support that Cloudways offers. However, Register.com does provide valuable resources like malware protection, automatic website backup, and SSL certificates for security and backup services.

User feedback

Cloudways consistently receives high praise for its ease of use, robust performance, and excellent customer support. Many reviewers highlight the platform’s intuitive interface, effective server management features, and the ability to choose from top-tier cloud providers like AWS and DigitalOcean. Users appreciate the scalable hosting options and reliable customer service, which often includes quick response times and helpful assistance. However, some customers note areas for improvement, such as the absence of email hosting, limitations on server vendor choices, and discrepancies in pricing transparency. Overall, Cloudways is deemed a solid hosting provider, especially valued for its managed hosting features and performance enhancement capabilities.

Customer feedback on Register.com is notably polarized. A significant number of users commend the platform for its easy-to-use interface, extensive template selection, and generally satisfactory customer service, emphasizing that it meets basic web hosting and domain registration needs effectively. However, many users also express frustration over high costs, slow response times, and unaddressed technical issues such as unreliable email services and slow page loading speeds. While some customers have had positive long-term experiences, others warn against the service due to unreliability and poor customer support, resulting in business losses and dissatisfaction.

FAQ