Feature by feature
10 dimensions compared, August 2026
6
Hostwares
4
Cloudflare Pages & Workers
| Feature | HHostwares | |
|---|---|---|
| Computing model | Full containers - any language, any binary | V8 isolates - JS/WASM, CPU-time limits |
| Databases | Real Postgres, MySQL, Redis, Mongo from $3/mo | D1 (SQLite), KV, Durable Objects - proprietary APIs |
| Static site price | $3/mo pack | Free with unmetered bandwidth |
| Edge locations | Single region + CDN | 300+ global locations |
| Self-hosted apps (WordPress, n8n…) | 326+ one-click | Not possible (no containers) |
| Long-running processes / websockets servers | Yes | Constrained (Durable Objects patterns) |
| Vendor lock-in | Standard tech - take your containers anywhere | High - Workers/KV/D1-specific code |
| Entry price for dynamic apps | $3/mo | Workers free tier; paid $5/mo |
| DDoS / WAF | Standard protections | Industry-leading, included |
| AI capabilities | AI DevOps agent (web + CLI) | Workers AI (inference API); no ops agent |
Sources: cloudflare.com pricing page & docs, August 2026. Vendors change pricing - confirm on their site.
Cloudflare Pages & Workers pricing vs Hostwares pricing
Cloudflare Pages hosts static sites free with unmetered bandwidth. Workers' paid plan is $5/mo including 10M requests (then ~$0.30 per million) with CPU-millisecond metering; KV, D1, R2, and Durable Objects each have generous free tiers and low usage rates - R2 famously charges zero egress. It is the cheapest way to run code at the edge, full stop. What it can't do is run containers or standard databases: that's where Hostwares' $3–18 flat packs live.
$ scenario: SaaS app with Postgres + admin panel + background jobs
Cloudflare Pages & Workers
HHostwares
- flat. same price in your biggest month.
The honest verdict
Choose Hostwares if…
- Your stack is ordinary software: Node/Laravel/Django + Postgres/MySQL
- You need containers, background processes, or self-hosted apps (WordPress, n8n)
- You want to avoid rewriting against Workers-specific APIs (lock-in)
- You want AI-managed infrastructure, cPanel, and domain registration
Choose Cloudflare Pages & Workers if…
- You're building edge-native apps and want 300+ locations for $5/mo
- You're hosting a static site - Pages' free unmetered bandwidth is unbeatable
- You need serious DDoS protection and WAF as first-class features
Why teams switch from Cloudflare Pages & Workers
Run software, not rewrite it
Cloudflare's model asks you to rebuild on Workers APIs, D1, and KV. Hostwares runs the code you already have - any framework, any container, standard databases.
Real databases
Postgres with extensions, MySQL, Redis, Mongo - not an SQLite-at-the-edge compromise. Your ORM just works.
The self-hosted universe
WordPress, Ghost, n8n, Supabase, Uptime Kuma - 326+ apps that simply cannot run on an isolates platform, one click on Hostwares.
No lock-in
Everything on Hostwares is standard tech. If you ever leave, your containers and databases move with you. Workers code only runs on Cloudflare.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hostwares an alternative to Cloudflare Pages?
For static sites, Cloudflare Pages is cheaper (free, unmetered). Hostwares is the alternative when your project outgrows static - real backends, databases, and self-hosted apps at flat prices, without rewriting for edge APIs.
Cloudflare Workers vs Hostwares containers - which should I choose?
Choose Workers for edge-native, latency-critical, stateless code. Choose Hostwares for everything that expects a normal server: frameworks with native dependencies, Postgres/MySQL, websocket servers, cron workers, and any of 326+ self-hosted apps.
Can WordPress run on Cloudflare?
Not on Pages/Workers - there are no PHP containers. On Hostwares, WordPress is a one-click deploy on a $3/mo pack (and pairs well with Cloudflare's free CDN in front).
Can I use Cloudflare and Hostwares together?
Yes, and it's a great combo: host your app and database on Hostwares and put Cloudflare's free CDN/DNS/DDoS layer in front of your domain.
Is D1 a real database?
D1 is SQLite replicated at the edge - excellent for read-heavy edge apps, but it isn't Postgres: no extensions, different consistency model, Cloudflare-specific bindings. Hostwares gives you actual Postgres/MySQL from $3/mo.
How much does Hostwares cost?
Resource packs are $2/mo for Micro (0.25 vCPU, 256 MB, 5 GB), $3 for Starter (0.5 vCPU, 512 MB, 10 GB), $7 for Standard (1 vCPU, 2 GB, 25 GB), $18 for Performance (2 vCPU, 4 GB, 50 GB) and $35 for Business (4 vCPU, 8 GB, 100 GB). One pack runs one deployment - a site, a database or a service.
Is there a free tier?
No. Entry is $2/mo for a Micro pack. There is no free tier and no signup bonus - if a competitor's free tier covers your project, use it.
Do you charge for bandwidth?
No. Packs are a flat monthly price and traffic is not metered, so a busy month costs the same as a quiet one.
Are there per-seat fees?
No. You pay for resources, not for people. Adding teammates does not change the bill.
What is your refund policy?
Resource packs carry a 7-day money-back guarantee on first purchase. cPanel hosting is a pro-rated refund within the first 7 days if the account has not been used. Servers are a full refund within 48 hours if not provisioned, pro-rated within 7 days. Domains are non-refundable per ICANN policy. Full terms are on the refund policy page.
How do I pay?
PayPal, Stripe (card) and bKash, invoice-based. AI credits are a separate balance and are only used for the AI agent, never for hosting.
Does the price change at renewal?
No. The price you buy at is the price you renew at. There is no introductory rate that steps up later.
How do I deploy an application?
Connect a GitHub repository and Hostwares detects the framework and builds it. Next.js, React, Vue, Svelte, Node, Python, Go, Ruby, PHP and static sites are detected without configuration. You can also deploy any Docker image or upload a ZIP.
Can I deploy from a private repository?
Yes. Connect your GitHub account and private repositories become selectable in the deploy panel.
Do you support Docker?
Yes. Deploy any public or private Docker image with a tag and a port, or let a Dockerfile in your repository drive the build.
What databases can I run?
Managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Redis and MongoDB from $3/mo, with automated backups and a connection string. Each database occupies its own pack.
Do I get shell access?
You get a shell into your own container. You do not get root on the host - if you need kernel modules or arbitrary system packages, an unmanaged VPS is the right tool rather than a managed platform.
Can I run background workers and cron jobs?
Yes. A worker or scheduled job is a separate deployment from the same repository with a different start command, so it needs its own pack.
How long does a deployment take?
Most applications build and go live in about 60 seconds. Larger stacks - Supabase runs 14 containers - take a few minutes.
Are custom domains and SSL included?
Yes. Custom domains are included on every pack and SSL certificates are issued and renewed automatically once DNS resolves to us. There is no per-domain charge.
Can I register domains through Hostwares?
Yes, from $9.58/yr for a .com, with DNS management included for domains in your account.
Do you offer email hosting?
Email mailboxes come with cPanel hosting, which is a separate product from container packs and starts around $1.25/mo equivalent. Container packs do not include mailboxes.
How do I migrate an existing application?
Push the project to GitHub, connect the repository, move your environment variables across, and dump and restore any databases. For most standard applications this is under an hour. Detailed guides exist for Heroku, Vercel and Railway.
Will you help me migrate?
Ask through a support ticket. The AI DevOps agent can also perform much of the work directly - connecting the repository, setting environment variables, provisioning a database and diagnosing failed builds.
What is the AI DevOps agent?
An AI that operates your infrastructure through conversation - deploying from GitHub, reading build logs, diagnosing failures, setting environment variables, configuring domains and provisioning databases. It is available in the dashboard, from a CLI, and as an MCP server for editors such as Cursor and Claude Desktop.
Does the AI agent cost extra?
It uses AI credits, which are a separate balance from hosting. Chat starts at $0.10 and task execution at $0.50. Billing and support questions are free regardless of balance.
What support do you offer?
Support tickets from the dashboard, with the AI agent available for technical troubleshooting at any hour. We are a small team - if you need a contractual enterprise SLA with named contacts, we do not offer that today.
Are backups included?
Managed databases have automated backups. Verify a restore before you rely on it - that advice applies to any provider, ours included.
Where are your servers located?
Deployments run in a single region per container rather than across a global edge network. If your application needs multi-region placement or edge delivery close to users on several continents, a platform built for that is the better choice.
Do you have a status page?
Yes, at /status, showing real-time platform and infrastructure status.
Are you SOC 2 certified?
No. We have not completed a SOC 2 audit. If your procurement process requires one, that is a genuine reason to choose a larger provider.
How long has Hostwares been running?
Hostwares LLC was incorporated in Wyoming in 2026, so we are a new platform. If a long uptime track record is your main criterion, an established provider is the honest answer.
Can I export my data and leave?
Yes. Deployments are standard containers built from your own repository, and databases can be dumped with the usual tools. There is no proprietary format holding your application in place.
What happens if I do not pay an invoice?
Invoices are raised ahead of the due date so you can pay early. After the due date a grace period runs before services are suspended, and suspended services are terminated after 30 days of non-payment. You are emailed at each stage.
More platform comparisons
Deploy in 60 seconds.
From $1/mo, flat.
Connect GitHub, pick a pack, and let the AI DevOps agent handle the rest - deploys, debugging, and fixes included.
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