Cloudways Free VPS

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Cloudways Free VPS – When businesses, developers, or freelancers look for a powerful hosting solution, Cloud VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting often comes up as the most balanced choice between affordability, scalability, and control. Among the many providers in the market, Cloudways has built a reputation as a managed cloud hosting platform that simplifies deployment, management, and scaling of web applications.

Many potential users ask: Does Cloudways provide a free VPS? The short answer is: Yes, Cloudways offers a free trial on its managed VPS hosting, without requiring a credit card. This makes it possible for developers, startups, and agencies to explore the platform risk-free before committing.

This article explores everything you need to know about Cloudways Free VPS, including how it works, the features included in the trial, limitations, benefits, and whether it is the right fit for your hosting needs.

What Is Cloudways?

Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform launched in 2012. Instead of owning physical data centers, Cloudways acts as a middleware between end users and leading cloud infrastructure providers. With Cloudways, you can deploy websites and applications on top of cloud providers like:

  • DigitalOcean

  • Linode

  • Vultr

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

This means that while you get the raw power and scalability of these infrastructure giants, you don’t have to worry about server setup, maintenance, or complex DevOps tasks. Cloudways manages the environment, adds performance optimization, and provides a user-friendly dashboard.

What Is a VPS and Why Does It Matter?

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a type of hosting where one physical server is divided into multiple virtualized environments. Each VPS gets dedicated resources (RAM, CPU, storage) that are isolated from other users, offering much better performance and control compared to shared hosting.

Advantages of VPS hosting include:

  • Dedicated server resources

  • Improved website speed and uptime

  • Greater customization and root access

  • Scalability for growing traffic

  • More security compared to shared hosting

However, traditional VPS hosting often requires advanced technical knowledge to configure, secure, and optimize. That’s where Cloudways’ managed VPS hosting comes into play.

Does Cloudways Offer a Free VPS?

Cloudways does not permanently give away free VPS servers. Instead, it provides a 3-day free trial (sometimes extended with promotions) that allows you to spin up a fully functional managed VPS instance with no credit card required.

This free trial gives you access to:

  • Cloudways platform features

  • Deployment on top providers (e.g., DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode)

  • A complete managed hosting environment

  • Server and application management dashboard

  • Performance optimizations like Nginx, Varnish, Redis, and Memcached

After the trial expires, you’ll need to subscribe to one of Cloudways’ plans to continue using the VPS.

Features of Cloudways Free VPS Trial

Here’s what you can expect when you sign up for the free trial:

Choice of Cloud Provider

You can test hosting on top providers like DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode during the trial. While AWS and Google Cloud are available, sometimes they are excluded from the free trial due to higher costs.

Pre-Configured Tech Stack

Cloudways uses the ThunderStack, a powerful combination of server technologies including:

  • Nginx and Apache (hybrid stack)

  • Varnish Cache

  • Redis and Memcached

  • PHP-FPM

  • MySQL/MariaDB

This stack ensures optimal speed and performance for web apps.

Managed Security

The free VPS includes automatic security patches, firewalls, and bot protection. Even during the trial, Cloudways ensures your server environment is hardened against threats.

Easy Deployment

You can launch popular applications such as WordPress, Magento, Laravel, PHP apps, or WooCommerce with just a few clicks.

Performance Monitoring

Cloudways provides real-time performance monitoring and integration with New Relic, even in the free trial. You can track server load, memory usage, and application response times.

Scalability

Although the trial is limited in resources, it demonstrates how easily you can scale vertically (increasing RAM, CPU) once on a paid plan.

24/7 Live Chat Support

Even trial users have access to customer support, allowing you to test the responsiveness and expertise of Cloudways’ technical team.

Limitations of Cloudways Free VPS

While the trial is generous, it comes with certain restrictions:

  • Duration: Limited to 3 days (may extend with promotions).

  • Providers: Typically restricted to DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode (AWS/GCP may not be included).

  • Resources: You start with the smallest server configuration (1 GB RAM, 1 core CPU, 25 GB storage).

  • Email Hosting: Cloudways does not include email hosting, even in the trial. You’ll need an add-on.

  • No Permanent Free VPS: Unlike some free tiers from AWS or Google Cloud, Cloudways only offers a temporary trial.

Benefits of Testing Cloudways Free VPS

  1. Risk-Free Evaluation – You can test Cloudways’ dashboard and managed hosting services without committing.

  2. No Credit Card Required – Sign up is frictionless, making it ideal for students, freelancers, and small businesses.

  3. Performance Check – Try your website or application in real-world conditions to see speed, uptime, and server stability.

  4. Learning Platform – Great for developers who want to practice deployment and scaling without cost.

  5. Support Test Drive – You can interact with Cloudways’ 24/7 support to evaluate their expertise.

Cloudways Pricing After Free Trial

Once your free trial ends, you need to upgrade to a paid plan. Pricing depends on the provider you choose. Here’s a snapshot:

  • DigitalOcean Plans start at $11/month (1 GB RAM, 1 Core, 25 GB storage).

  • Vultr Plans start at $11/month.

  • Linode Plans start at $12/month.

  • AWS Plans start at around $36.51/month.

  • Google Cloud Plans start at around $33.18/month.

These prices are slightly higher than using raw cloud providers directly, but Cloudways adds management, security, caching, and support—saving you time and effort.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Cloudways Free VPS

  1. Go to Cloudways Website
    Visit Cloudways.com and click on “Start Free.”

  2. Create an Account
    You can sign up using your email, LinkedIn, GitHub, or Google account.

  3. No Credit Card Needed
    Unlike other platforms, you don’t need to enter payment details for the trial.

  4. Choose Your Application
    Select WordPress, Magento, Laravel, or a custom PHP app.

  5. Pick a Cloud Provider & Server Size
    DigitalOcean, Linode, or Vultr with the smallest VPS option (1 GB RAM).

  6. Select Data Center Location
    Cloudways allows you to choose from multiple global locations to host closer to your target audience.

  7. Launch Your Server
    Within minutes, your VPS instance will be live. You can access it through the Cloudways dashboard.