Cloudways vs DigitalOcean:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cloudways had more branded searches than DigitalOcean among VPS hosting providers worldwide. Cloudways had about 74,000 branded searches, while DigitalOcean had 10. Cloudways made up 1.6% of all VPS hosting provider searches we track, and DigitalOcean accounted for <0.01%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about VPS hosting providers, DigitalOcean appeared in all five answers and Cloudways in three. DigitalOcean was mentioned before Cloudways in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Cloudways, about 7400 searches for every 1 for DigitalOcean
Who does AI mention more?
DigitalOcean, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
DigitalOcean, named ahead of Cloudways in every answer
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Top VPS hosting providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, DigitalOcean appeared in all five answers. Cloudways was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. DigitalOcean was listed before Cloudways in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- DigitalOcean5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Vultr4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Hostinger3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Hetzner3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Cloudways3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
OVHcloud2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Linode2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about VPS hosting providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which VPS hosting provider should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best VPS hosting providers?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best VPS hosting provider for a small website?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“vps hosting providers”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best vps hosting”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Cloudways or DigitalOcean more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cloudways and DigitalOcean by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven VPS hosting providers we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Cloudways, DigitalOcean. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Hostinger | Hetzner | OVHcloud | Vultr | Linode | Cloudways | DigitalOcean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 84.6% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 84.9% | 6.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 84.9% | 6.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 84.8% | 6.9% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 1.4% | 1.4% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 82.1% | 9.7% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.1% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 82.1% | 9.9% | 3% | 2.4% | 0.9% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 82.2% | 10.1% | 3% | 2% | 0.91% | 1.7% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 81.8% | 10.1% | 3% | 2.5% | 0.91% | 1.7% | 0% |
| Jun 2026 | 78.6% | 11.6% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0% |
| Jul 2026 | 80.8% | 9.8% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 80.2% | 9.7% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0% |
| Sep 2026 | 79.1% | 9.6% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 1.6% | <0.01% |
How has the Cloudways and DigitalOcean comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cloudways was ahead of DigitalOcean in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cloudways’ share of searches among VPS hosting providers worldwide held steady at 1.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 74K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, DigitalOcean’s share of searches among VPS hosting providers worldwide held steady at <0.01%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 10.
How did search popularity change for VPS hosting providers worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Linode overtook Cloudways to rank 5th among VPS hosting providers worldwide, with 1.9% of the searches.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cloudways’ and DigitalOcean’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Cloudways
1 branded search term
- cloudways
DigitalOcean
1 branded search term
- cloud storage digitalocean
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