This comparison comes up constantly in WordPress Facebook groups: "I'm on SiteGround, should I switch to Cloudways?" The honest answer is: it depends on your site, and I can tell you exactly when it does and doesn't make sense.
The Speed Numbers
| Metric | SiteGround (GrowBig) | Cloudways (DigitalOcean, 2GB) |
|---|---|---|
| TTFB — US East | 412ms | 371ms |
| TTFB — EU West | 441ms | 389ms |
| TTFB — Singapore | 471ms | 401ms |
| Average TTFB | 441ms | 387ms |
| LCP (caching on) | 1.6s | 1.1s |
| 30-Day Uptime | 99.98% | 99.99% |
| Starting price | $2.99/mo* | $14/mo |
*SiteGround's $2.99/mo is introductory pricing. Renewal is $17.99/mo on GrowBig. That changes the calculation significantly.
What the Gap Actually Means
54ms average TTFB difference. For most visitors, this is imperceptible. It shows up in Core Web Vitals scores and in aggregate conversion rate data — but it won't make your site feel dramatically faster in casual use.
Where the gap matters more:
- High-traffic pages — LCP is 0.5s better on Cloudways with caching on (1.1s vs 1.6s)
- WooCommerce — dynamic pages (cart, checkout, account) can't be fully cached; the uncached TTFB difference matters here
- Slow shared server moments — SiteGround's 471ms APAC result includes being on a shared server; in real-world usage, shared servers spike unpredictably
SiteGround's Actual Strengths
Before you dismiss SiteGround, it does some things genuinely well:
SuperCacher + Cloudflare integration. SiteGround's built-in caching (SuperCacher) combined with their Cloudflare integration delivers cached pages quickly. The LCP gap I measured (1.6s vs 1.1s) is with caching ON — their caching stack is solid.
Customer support quality. In three test contacts with SiteGround, every response came from someone who had read my question. Average response: 8 minutes. For shared hosting, this is exceptional.
WordPress-specific tooling. One-click staging, automatic updates, WordPress troubleshooter, free migration via their plugin — SiteGround's WordPress tools are mature and well-integrated.
The real pricing at scale. SiteGround GrowBig renews at $17.99/mo. Cloudways starts at $14/mo. If you're comparing at renewal pricing (not intro pricing), the gap is $4/mo — at which point Cloudways wins on both price and performance.
Cloudways' Actual Weaknesses
You're managing more. SiteGround manages the server. Cloudways gives you a control panel, but you're responsible for enabling caching, configuring backups actively, and understanding what you're doing. If "Varnish cache" is an unfamiliar term, SiteGround is the right choice.
Email hosting not included. SiteGround includes email hosting. Cloudways doesn't. If you're hosting client sites with email, you need a separate email provider (Zoho, Google Workspace) — that's $0–$6/mo extra per client.
No phone support. Cloudways is live chat only. SiteGround has 24/7 live chat, phone, and ticketing. For non-technical clients who might call you at 7pm, SiteGround is easier to hand off.
When to Stay on SiteGround
- Under 5,000 monthly visitors with no WooCommerce — the TTFB gap won't affect your business
- Static/informational sites with aggressive caching — SiteGround's SuperCacher bridges much of the gap
- First-year pricing still active — at $2.99/mo, it's hard to justify $14/mo for a personal project
- You want managed everything — SiteGround handles server management; Cloudways requires your involvement
When to Switch to Cloudways
- WooCommerce store with real revenue — cart/checkout performance matters; Cloudways wins on uncached dynamic pages
- After SiteGround's intro price expires — $17.99/mo vs $14/mo makes Cloudways cheaper AND faster
- TTFB warnings from Core Web Vitals — if Google Search Console is flagging TTFB, SiteGround's 441ms average is borderline
- Growing traffic — shared hosting resource limits get hit as you scale; Cloudways lets you resize the server instead of moving providers
The Cost Comparison (Real Numbers)
Most people compare $2.99/mo (SiteGround intro) vs $14/mo (Cloudways). That's the wrong comparison. At month 13, SiteGround auto-renews at 6× the intro price:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | 2-Year Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiteGround GrowBig | $35.88 | $215.88 | $251.76 |
| Cloudways DO 2GB | $168 | $168 | $336 |
Over two years, Cloudways costs $84 more — but delivers faster performance. That's roughly one recovered sale per year for most WooCommerce stores.
Verdict
Stay on SiteGround if: you're in year 1, your site is informational/portfolio, or you need managed everything with no server knowledge required.
Switch to Cloudways if: your intro price has expired, you run WooCommerce, or you've seen Core Web Vitals warnings. At renewal pricing, Cloudways is both cheaper and faster — that's a straightforward win.
The one situation where neither is right: if your TTFB is above 500ms on SiteGround, consider jumping straight to Kinsta or a managed WordPress solution. The ceiling on both of these is around 400ms TTFB; if you need sub-350ms, you need different infrastructure.