Cloudways is not hosting in the traditional sense. It’s a platform that manages DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, and Linode servers, making them accessible to regular people. Their affiliate program deserves special attention.
Official website: https://www.cloudways.com
How they pay
Cloudways has a hybrid model:
- $50 per sale — a fixed bonus.
- OR recurring commission of 5-10% of the client’s payments for life.
- Bonus: 30% discount on the first three months for your referrals.
- 90-day cookies — solid for cloud hosting.
- Payouts via PayPal, $100 threshold.
Who Cloudways is for
Cloudways is a bridge between shared hosting and full-scale cloud. Ideal for those who’ve outgrown SiteGround but don’t want to configure a server from scratch. Audience: developers, agencies, WooCommerce store owners.
Nuances
The product is more complex than regular hosting — the learning curve is steeper. And the $50 commission is lower than WP Engine ($200). But the cookie window is twice as long — 90 days. And the recurring model can bring more in the long run if the client stays for years.
Verdict
Cloudways is the golden mean. Not as complicated as selling AWS, but not as cheap as shared hosting. For a technical audience that’s growing — an excellent option.