Cloudways vs Hetzner:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Hetzner had more branded searches than Cloudways among VPS hosting providers worldwide. Hetzner had about 450,000 branded searches, while Cloudways had 74,000. Hetzner made up 9.6% of all VPS hosting provider searches we track, and Cloudways accounted for 1.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about VPS hosting providers, Cloudways and Hetzner each appeared in three of the five answers. Hetzner was mentioned before Cloudways in three out of four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Hetzner, about 6 searches for every 1 for Cloudways
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 3 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Hetzner, named ahead of Cloudways in 3 of 4 answers
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Top VPS hosting providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Cloudways was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Hetzner was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Hetzner was listed before Cloudways in three out of four answers that named either.
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 Hetzner more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cloudways and Hetzner 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 Hetzner, Cloudways. 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 Hetzner comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Hetzner was ahead of Cloudways 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, Hetzner’s share of searches among VPS hosting providers worldwide moved from 6.5% to 9.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 450K.
How did search popularity change for VPS hosting providers worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Linode overtook Cloudways to rank 5th among VPS hosting providers worldwide, with 1.9% of the searches.
Hetzner’s share of searches among VPS hosting providers worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 11.6% to 9.6% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cloudways’ and Hetzner’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.
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