Migrate from Cloudways to Valebyte
Move from Cloudways to Valebyte: same DigitalOcean/Vultr underlying, but at $7.59 instead of $14, and you control the panel.
Why people leave Cloudways
$14/1 GB managed price for what is a $6 DO Droplet
Cloudways resells DigitalOcean/Vultr/Linode/AWS at 2x markup for the managed layer. Their 1 GB plan ($14) is a $6 DO Droplet underneath.
Locked into their stack and limits
Cloudways uses NGINX + Apache + Varnish + Redis on a fixed pattern. If you need a different setup (Caddy, Traefik, custom kernel modules), you're constrained.
Add-ons multiply quickly
SSL ($0 with Let's Encrypt), backups ($0.033/GB-mo), staging server (extra), email ($1-5/mo) — easy to double your effective price.
Migration restrictions
Moving sites between Cloudways servers is a paid feature ($25-50). You don't really 'own' your VPS — Cloudways manages access.
Acquired by DigitalOcean (Aug 2022)
Cloudways is now a DO subsidiary. Long-term independence is uncertain. Some users report support quality changes since the acquisition.
Cannot bring your own infrastructure
If you already own a server (or want to use Hetzner, Scaleway), Cloudways won't manage it. You're tied to AWS/DO/Vultr/Linode/GCP under their control.
Cloudways vs Valebyte: honest comparison
No marketing — actual differences. Including where they win.
| Feature | Cloudways | Valebyte |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | DO 1 GB managed — $14/mo (= $6 Droplet + $8 markup) | VPS-XS — $7.59 — 2 GB dedicated, no markup |
| What's underneath | DO/Vultr/Linode/AWS/GCP | Own KVM cluster on Xeon Gold + multi-provider catalog |
| Stack control | Fixed NGINX+Apache+Varnish+Redis | Full root — any stack you want |
| Add-on costs | SSL free, backup $0.033/GB, staging extra | All free or self-hosted |
| Migration between hosts | Paid feature ($25-50) | Standard rsync/dump — your VPS, your access |
| $1-5/mo per mailbox | Self-host Postfix/Mailcow on VPS | |
| Database | Included MySQL only (managed) | Self-host any: Postgres, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB |
| BYO infrastructure | No (locked to their cloud partners) | Your VPS is yours |
| Locations | Inherited from underlying cloud | Multi-provider: FR, NL, DE, NO, JP, IN, US, ZA, AE, BR |
| Payment methods | Card | Stripe, Square, SEPA, USDT/BTC/ETH/TON, MIR/SBP |
Migration checklist: 12 steps
Total time — 1 hour (small VPS) to 4 hours (TB-scale DB). Zero-downtime possible — steps 4-6.
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1
Snapshot or back up your existing servers
Cloudways panel → server → 'Backups'. Trigger an on-demand backup. Then use Cloudways' 'Migration' option to package, OR SSH directly into the server (Master Credentials → SSH Terminal) and rsync your `/home/master/applications/
/` directory. -
2
Export DNS records to a zone file
Cloudways doesn't manage DNS. Your DNS is at your registrar (or Cloudflare). Lower TTL there 24h before, then update A/AAAA records to your new Valebyte VPS IP after restoring.
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3
Lower DNS TTL to 300 seconds
Do this 24h before cutover. Visitors see new IP within 5 min instead of waiting hours for caches.
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4
Order your Valebyte VPS or dedicated matching specs
Match RAM and vCPU; disk you can grow later. Pay your preferred way (card, SEPA, USDT/BTC, MIR/SBP).
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5
Restore data via rsync over SSH
`rsync -avzP --delete /source/ root@new-server:/dest/` for files, configs, Docker volumes, and pre-dumped databases. Test first with `--dry-run`.
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6
Migrate databases with logical dump
Postgres: `pg_dumpall | ssh new-server psql`. MySQL: `mysqldump --all-databases | ssh new-server mysql`. Cloudways MySQL: phpMyAdmin (Application → Access Details) → Export → SQL → import on new server with `mysql -u root < dump.sql`. For larger DBs, use `mysqldump --single-transaction` over SSH directly to the new server.
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7
Re-create users, SSH keys, sudoers
Don't copy `/etc/shadow` blindly across distros — use `useradd` and copy `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`. Verify sudoers with `visudo -c`.
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8
Install your stack
Same Docker Compose, Ansible playbook, or k3s manifest works on Valebyte (Ubuntu 22/24, Debian 12, AlmaLinux 9 are available). No vendor-specific lock-in.
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9
Re-create firewall rules
List your existing rules → recreate via `ufw` or `nftables` on Valebyte. Test all inbound services with `nmap` from outside before going live.
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10
Update DNS A/AAAA records to new IPs
Wait for old TTL to expire (5 min if you lowered earlier). Watch traffic with `tcpdump` to confirm requests are arriving on the new server.
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11
Run both servers in parallel for 48 hours
Don't shut down the old side immediately. Watch error rates, latency, customer complaints. If something breaks — flip DNS back instantly.
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12
Cancel old service only after 7 days
Wait until you're sure nothing references old IPs (cron jobs, webhooks, hardcoded configs in third-party services).
Pick a plan that matches your Cloudways budget
All plans: 10 Gbps, dedicated IP, full root, KVM console
Frequently asked questions
Will Cloudways refund unused balance?
How fast is the actual cutover?
Can I run my Docker Compose stack on Valebyte?
Do you have an API?
Can I migrate without downtime?
What about IP-based licenses?
Leave Cloudways today
10 Gbps unmetered, multi-region, flexible payment (card, SEPA, crypto, MIR). VPS in 30 seconds.
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