Cloudways already gives you access to fast cloud infrastructure, but adding Cloudflare on top can take things further, reducing load times, protecting against attacks, and serving cached content from a location close to each visitor.
So should you use Cloudflare with Cloudways? Yes, and here is what you need to know before you set it up.
What is Cloudflare?
Cloudflare is one of the world’s largest internet networks, used by millions of websites and applications to improve performance and security. As of 2025, Cloudflare processes more than 60 million HTTP requests every second and operates in over 330 cities across more than 100 countries.
It works as a reverse proxy. When a visitor requests your website, the request passes through the nearest Cloudflare data centre first. Cloudflare serves cached content from that location, reducing the distance data has to travel and cutting load times. If your server is under heavy demand, Cloudflare absorbs a large portion of that load before it even reaches Cloudways.
Research has consistently shown that for every second of additional load time, websites lose around 7% of traffic and revenue, making any meaningful speed improvement worth having.
Does Cloudflare Work With Cloudways?
Yes, Cloudflare works with Cloudways without any conflict. You can point your domain’s DNS to Cloudflare, leave your Cloudways server as the origin, and Cloudflare will proxy all traffic through its network. The full setup process is covered in our guide to using Cloudflare with Cloudways.
Cloudways Built-in Cloudflare CDN
Cloudways also offers a native Cloudflare Enterprise CDN add-on directly from the Cloudways dashboard. This gives you access to Cloudflare’s enterprise-tier features, including Argo Smart Routing and HTTP/3, without needing to configure Cloudflare as a separate account. It is available as a paid add-on and is billed alongside your server costs.
If you want the full Cloudflare free plan, you can set it up independently through your own Cloudflare account. If you want enterprise features without the management overhead, the built-in add-on is the simpler option.
Cloudflare vs Cloudways CDN: Which Should You Use?
Cloudways offers its own built-in CDN (powered by Cloudflare’s network at the enterprise tier). If you are comparing a standalone Cloudflare free account against the Cloudways CDN add-on, here is how the two options differ:
- Cloudways CDN add-on: Integrated with your server dashboard, no separate account needed, billed per GB of bandwidth delivered. Covers static asset delivery from a global edge network. No free tier.
- Cloudflare free plan: Requires a separate Cloudflare account and a DNS change. Takes 15-30 minutes to set up. Includes static asset caching, DDoS protection, a Web Application Firewall, free SSL, and firewall rules. No bandwidth charges on the free tier.
- Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise add-on: Gives you Cloudflare’s enterprise network integrated directly into the Cloudways dashboard, including Argo Smart Routing and image resizing. Suitable for high-traffic sites where every millisecond of latency matters.
For most WordPress sites on Cloudways, the Cloudflare free plan is the practical first choice. You get a global CDN, DDoS mitigation, and SSL without extra charges. The Cloudways CDN add-on is a reasonable alternative if you prefer one billing relationship, but it lacks Cloudflare’s firewall and security layer.
What are the Advantages of Using Cloudflare with Cloudways?
There are several clear advantages to adding Cloudflare to a Cloudways site.
The first is faster load times. Cloudflare caches your static assets, images, CSS, JavaScript, at the data centre nearest to each visitor. This reduces the load on your Cloudways server and shortens the response time your visitors experience.
The second is DDoS protection. Cloudflare automatically filters malicious traffic and absorbs volumetric attacks before they reach your server. The free plan includes basic DDoS mitigation; paid plans add more sophisticated protection layers.
The third is free SSL. Cloudflare provides a free SSL certificate for your domain through its Universal SSL feature. This means even if your Cloudways server runs HTTP internally, visitors always connect to your site over HTTPS.
Finally, Cloudflare improves redundancy. If there is a short-lived issue with your Cloudways server, Cloudflare can continue serving cached pages to visitors rather than showing them an error.
Recommended Cloudflare Settings for Cloudways WordPress Sites
Once you have pointed your domain to Cloudflare, a few settings are worth adjusting to avoid common conflicts with WordPress on Cloudways.
- SSL/TLS mode: Set to “Full (Strict)” in the Cloudflare SSL/TLS tab. The “Flexible” option causes redirect loops on sites that already have an active SSL certificate on the Cloudways origin server.
- Caching level: Leave at “Standard” for most WordPress sites. Aggressive caching can serve stale admin-bar pages to logged-in users.
- Rocket Loader: Disable on WordPress sites. It defers JavaScript in a way that conflicts with WooCommerce, Elementor, and similar plugins.
- Always Use HTTPS: Enable under “Edge Certificates.” This redirects all HTTP requests to HTTPS at the Cloudflare edge, before they reach your Cloudways server.
- Auto Minify: Enable only if your WordPress caching plugin (Breeze, W3 Total Cache) is not already minifying. Running both at the same time can produce garbled output.
Cloudflare Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
For most Cloudways users, Cloudflare’s free plan is enough to see a meaningful improvement. It includes the CDN, basic DDoS protection, free SSL, and the firewall rules you need to block common threats.
Paid plans add features like image optimisation, advanced bot management, load balancing, and priority support. These are worth considering if you run a high-traffic e-commerce site or if security is a major concern. For most small to medium WordPress sites on Cloudways, the free tier covers the important bases.
Final Word: Should I Use Cloudflare with Cloudways?
Cloudflare is a straightforward addition to any Cloudways site. The free plan costs nothing, takes under an hour to set up, and immediately adds CDN caching, DDoS protection, and SSL. If you are running a live WordPress or e-commerce site on Cloudways, there is no good reason not to use it. For a full overview of Cloudways plans and features, see our Cloudways hosting guide. For the technical breakdown of what type of infrastructure Cloudways actually provides and how it compares to a raw VPS, see our guide on does Cloudways have a VPS. For more on what makes Cloudways different from standard hosting, see our guide on what makes Cloudways different from regular hosting. Cloudflare is one of several optimisation choices; the full picture is in our Cloudways performance and speed guide. When you are ready to connect the two services, our guide on how to use Cloudflare with Cloudways covers the full setup including SSL mode configuration. For the complete WordPress performance stack on Cloudways, including Varnish, Redis, OPcache, and Breeze setup alongside Cloudflare, see our how-to on how to make Cloudways faster for WordPress. Changing the domain name on your Cloudways application (for example when moving a staging site to production) is covered in our guide on how to change a Cloudways application domain name, which includes the DNS update and SSL re-provisioning steps. If you encounter file permission errors after a Cloudflare proxy change or SSL toggle, the guide on how to reset file permissions on Cloudways covers the dashboard reset and the specific files to check. For a closer look at one of the most popular Cloudways providers, our DigitalOcean hosting guide covers Droplet pricing, the App Platform vs Droplets distinction, and third-party server management options. For the full Cloudways security stack beyond Cloudflare, including SSL certificates, file permissions, and a step-by-step recovery guide if your site gets hacked, see our Cloudways security and SSL guide.
