Fly.io vs Cloudways(2026)
Fly.io is better for teams that need true global deployment. Cloudways is the stronger choice if freedom to pick underlying cloud provider. Fly.io is freemium (from $1.94/month) and Cloudways is paid (from $14/month).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
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Fly.io
Fly.io transforms containers into micro-VMs that run on hardware in 35+ cities around the world, close to your users.
Starting at $1.94/month
Visit Fly.ioCloudways
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that runs on top of AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr — abstracting server management while giving you cloud flexibility.
Starting at $14/month
Visit CloudwaysHow Do Fly.io and Cloudways Compare on Features?
| Feature | Fly.io | Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | paid |
| Starting price | $1.94/month | $14/month |
| Global edge deployment | ✓ | — |
| Docker-based | ✓ | — |
| 35+ regions | ✓ | — |
| Persistent volumes | ✓ | — |
| Private networking | ✓ | — |
| Multi-cloud (AWS, GCE, DO, Linode, Vultr) | — | ✓ |
| One-click app installs | — | ✓ |
| Managed security and patching | — | ✓ |
| PHP/Node/Laravel/WordPress support | — | ✓ |
| Team collaboration | — | ✓ |
| Performance monitoring | — | ✓ |
Fly.io Pros and Cons vs Cloudways
Fly.io
Cloudways
Should You Use Fly.io or Cloudways?
Choose Fly.io if…
- •True global deployment
- •Docker-native
- •Low latency globally
Choose Cloudways if…
- •Freedom to pick underlying cloud provider
- •Significantly cheaper than managed alternatives
- •No server management headaches