Choose Cloudways if you want to pick the cloud provider and server size yourself, or host more than WordPress, such as Laravel, Node.js or AI agents. Choose Kinsta if you run WordPress or WooCommerce and want each site in its own container, human support and one managed dashboard, with no infrastructure decisions. Both offer a free trial route.
Do you want to choose your servers, or never think about them again? Answer that honestly and you're most of the way to a decision. One of these hosts hands you the controls: which cloud, which data centre, how big a server. The other makes those calls for you and keeps the focus on WordPress.
To save repeating brand names, I'll call the first one the pick-your-cloud host and the second one the container host, because that's how each one is built.
Advice first, detail second
If you're an agency or developer running a mix of apps, or you like deciding exactly where your sites live, go with the pick-your-cloud host. If you run WordPress or WooCommerce, want strong isolation between sites and would rather spend your time on the business than on server sizing, go with the container host. Neither site proves one is better overall, so match the host to how hands-on you want to be.
Who chooses the infrastructure?
This is the part most comparisons skip. The pick-your-cloud host runs on top of other people's clouds: you choose DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud, then the data centre and server size. It manages the stack on that server for you. That gives you real say over where your sites run, and it also means you're the one making those choices.
The container host doesn't offer that menu. It runs one managed platform with 30 data centres and places each site in an isolated container. You pick a location, not a provider. For a lot of WordPress owners, that's exactly the point: one less thing to get wrong.
The pick-your-cloud host has also grown well beyond WordPress. Its homepage now sells Node.js hosting under the Velocity name and managed hosting for AI agents, next to WordPress, Laravel, Magento, WooCommerce and PHP. So if any part of your stack isn't WordPress, the gap between these two widens quickly.
The two hosts across seven areas
| Area | Cloudways | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure choice | You pick DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud, plus data centre and server size | One managed platform with 30 data centres; no choice of underlying provider |
| What it hosts | WordPress, Laravel, Magento, WooCommerce, PHP, Node.js and AI agents | WordPress first, with application, database and static site hosting add-ons |
| Security approach | Cloudflare Enterprise and malware protection as add-ons and integrations | Isolated container per site, managed firewall, DDoS protection and free malware removal |
| Hands-off level | Flexible (customisable) or Autonomous (fully managed, autoscaling WordPress and Woo) | Fully managed by default, with automatic plugin updates |
| Support | 24x7 expert support and a free migration | 24/7 human support in eight languages and unlimited free migrations |
| Agency tooling | Client Billing and Reporting, Site Manager, Agency Partner Program | Agency Partner Program, Agency Directory and local development tooling |
| AI features | Copilot with AI Insights and SmartFix, an MCP server and an AI website builder | An API and a bot-traffic analytics tool |
How much do you want to manage?
Here's where the pick-your-cloud host has become more interesting. It now runs two product lines. Flexible is the customisable one, for people who want to tune their servers. Autonomous is fully managed and autoscaling for WordPress and Woo, which brings it much closer to the container host's way of working.
The container host is fully managed from the start. Plugin updates run automatically and everything sits in its own dashboard. If you've never logged into a server and don't intend to, that's a comfortable place to be.
Security: containers or add-ons
The container host builds isolation into the platform. Every site runs in its own container, with a managed firewall, DDoS protection and free malware removal. For agencies with dozens of client sites, isolation means a problem on one site is less likely to spill into the next.
The pick-your-cloud host offers Cloudflare Enterprise and malware protection as add-ons and integrations. That's a sensible model if you want to choose your own layers, but it's worth checking which ones you'll switch on before you move anything important.
Support and moving your sites over
Both promise round-the-clock help. The pick-your-cloud host lists 24x7 expert support and a free migration. The container host states 24/7 human support in eight languages and unlimited free migrations, which matters if you're moving a whole portfolio rather than one site. If migration is your biggest worry, our guide to the best website migration services covers the specialists too.
For agencies running client sites
Each host has an Agency Partner Program. The pick-your-cloud host adds Client Billing and Reporting and a Site Manager, which helps if you rebill hosting to clients. The container host adds an Agency Directory and DevKinsta for local development, so your team can build and test on their own machines first.
On AI, the pick-your-cloud host is further ahead on its own pages: its Copilot offers AI Insights and SmartFix, and there's an MCP server and an AI website builder. The container host's AI-related tools are an API and a bot-traffic analytics tool rather than a hosting copilot.
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Three more managed hosts to compare
If neither is quite right, these three are the closest rivals, and our roundup of the best WordPress hosting goes wider.
WP Engine
Best for: Agencies, enterprises and small businesses wanting managed WordPress with eCommerce, Headless and Newsroom options plus a Smart Plugin Manager.
Flywheel
Best for: Designers and agencies managing client sites, with free migrations, 24/7 support and a 60-day guarantee stated.
Rocket.net
Best for: Bloggers and agencies wanting simple WordPress hosting delivered through Cloudflare Enterprise, with a firewall and malware protection built in.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I choose AWS or Google Cloud with Cloudways?
Yes. You choose DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud, then the data centre and server size.
Does Kinsta host anything other than WordPress?
WordPress is the headline, but it offers application, database and static site hosting as add-ons.
Which host isolates each site?
The container host runs every site in its own isolated container, with a managed firewall and DDoS protection.
Do both hosts help with migrations?
Yes. One lists a free migration, the other states unlimited free migrations, so moving many sites is simpler on the second.
Is there a free trial on either?
Both state a free trial route, so you can try each before moving a live site.
Which is better for hosting Node.js or AI agents?
The pick-your-cloud host, which now sells Node.js hosting and managed AI agent hosting next to WordPress.
