Yes, WP Rocket works on Cloudways. You install it like any WordPress plugin: buy a license, upload the zip or install from the dashboard, and activate it. Cloudways runs standard PHP hosting so there are no compatibility issues. The question is whether you should use WP Rocket alongside Cloudways’s built-in caching options, or use something different entirely.
What is WP Rocket?
WP Rocket is a premium WordPress caching plugin. It combines page caching, file minification, image lazy loading, database optimization, and a CDN integration layer into a single interface. Unlike free alternatives such as W3 Total Cache or LiteSpeed Cache, WP Rocket is configured to work out of the box with sensible defaults, which makes it popular with site owners who want results without spending time on settings.
Key features relevant to Cloudways users:
- Page caching: Generates static HTML pages so PHP and MySQL are bypassed on repeat visits.
- Minification and combining: Reduces the size and number of CSS and JavaScript files loaded per page.
- Image lazy loading: Defers loading of below-the-fold images until the user scrolls to them, improving initial page load metrics.
- DNS prefetching: Speeds up connections to external resources like Google Fonts or analytics scripts.
- Cloudflare integration: Can clear the Cloudflare CDN cache directly from the WP Rocket dashboard.
WP Rocket vs. Breeze on Cloudways
Cloudways ships a free caching plugin called Breeze. For most standard WordPress sites, Breeze combined with the Cloudways Varnish cache and optional Redis object cache handles caching well enough without an additional paid tool.
Where WP Rocket adds value over Breeze:
- Better CSS and JS minification with more granular exclusion controls
- More aggressive lazy loading, including iframes and videos
- Built-in database cleanup scheduler
- Easier to configure for e-commerce sites that need cart and checkout pages excluded from caching
Breeze handles the caching layer that Cloudways’s Varnish handles at the server level. Running WP Rocket on top of Breeze can cause cache conflicts. The standard advice is to disable Breeze’s caching when using WP Rocket, and let WP Rocket manage the page cache while keeping Varnish active at the server level.
WP Rocket vs Rocket.net on Cloudways
These are two different things that share a name, and the confusion is common. WP Rocket is a caching plugin. Rocket.net is a managed WordPress hosting platform.
Rocket.net runs its infrastructure on Cloudways (built on DigitalOcean) and layers Cloudflare Enterprise on top for edge caching. The result is a managed host where Cloudflare’s CDN acts as the primary performance layer rather than server-side caching. Performance benchmarks for Rocket.net show strong TTFB globally because most pages are served directly from Cloudflare edge nodes rather than the origin server.
If you are deciding between Cloudways with WP Rocket versus switching to Rocket.net:
- Cloudways + WP Rocket: More control over your server, cheaper at the $11 to $50 per month range, but you manage optimization yourself.
- Rocket.net: Simpler management, Cloudflare Enterprise CDN included, but typically costs $30+ per month for a single site and you give up direct server access.
For developers or agencies managing multiple sites, Cloudways wins on flexibility and cost. For a single business site where you want a fast, low-maintenance setup and can afford the higher price, Rocket.net is a legitimate alternative worth considering.
How to Set Up WP Rocket on Cloudways
- Disable Breeze caching in the Cloudways application settings (keep Varnish enabled).
- Purchase a WP Rocket license from the WP Rocket website.
- In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and install the zip file.
- Activate the plugin. WP Rocket applies a baseline configuration automatically.
- In WP Rocket settings, enable page caching, minification (test carefully on staging first), and lazy loading.
- Exclude your cart, checkout, and My Account pages from caching if you run WooCommerce.
For a full walkthrough of improving WordPress performance on Cloudways, see our guide to making Cloudways faster for WordPress and the Cloudways performance and speed guide.
Summary: Should I Use WP Rocket with Cloudways?
WP Rocket works well on Cloudways and is worth the cost if your site has complex caching requirements, runs WooCommerce, or needs tighter control over file optimization than Breeze offers. For simpler WordPress sites, Breeze plus Varnish handles most of the performance work at no extra cost. If you are comparing Cloudways to Rocket.net as a hosted platform, the choice depends on how much control you want versus how much you want managed for you.
