Compared 2026-09-05 using published specs and documentation.
Linode — now part of Akamai — sells straightforward raw VPS/Cloud Compute instances. Cloudways adds a full managed layer — 24/7 support, backups, security patching, staging and scaling tools — on top of raw cloud servers. The comparison below uses published pricing from both providers' official pages.
Spec-by-spec
| Feature | Cloudways | Linode (Akamai) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $11/mo managed | $5/mo unmanaged (Shared 1GB) ✔ |
| Management | Fully managed ✔ | Self-managed |
| Backups | Automated daily, included ✔ | Paid Backup service |
| Support | 24/7 hosting engineers ✔ | Akamai ticket/support plans |
| WordPress optimization | Breeze, Object Cache Pro, staging ✔ | DIY |
| Datacenters | 65+ via 5 providers ✔ | 24 regions |
| Enterprise network (Akamai) | Not included | Native Akamai ecosystem ✔ |
Where Linode wins
Raw price and the Akamai enterprise ecosystem. If you're building on Akamai's edge network with your own engineering team, Linode is a natural fit.
Where Cloudways wins
Everything around the server. Deployments, SSL, backups, scaling, staging and 24/7 engineers who actually fix hosting problems. For WordPress/WooCommerce/Magento workloads, the tooling gap is enormous.
Our verdict
Winner: Cloudways for businesses and agencies. Linode stays a solid raw VPS for self-sufficient developers — and Cloudways customers can run on Linode hardware with the managed layer on top.
★★★★½ 4.7/5
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Linode managed hosting?
No — Linode sells unmanaged servers; you administer the OS and stack yourself.
Can I get Linode servers through Cloudways?
Yes, Akamai Linode is one of the five selectable providers on Cloudways.
What is the Cloudways free trial?
3 days, no credit card required.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our rankings — every comparison is based on published specs and pricing.