The Cleavr Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Cleavr in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Cleavr
The Insider’s Guide
Server and deployment manager for PHP and Node.js apps on your own VPS
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Cleavr’s own pages.
Made by Vistafari LLC · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Cleavr’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Cleavr’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 74 of the 122 other web hosts we grade
Cleavr connects to a VPS you rent from a provider such as DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, Linode, UpCloud or AWS, or to a custom server, and sets it up for PHP and Node.js apps. It handles provisioning, deployments from Git, SSL, databases, backups and monitoring. The servers themselves are not included in its price.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Cleavr, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The server bill is separate, Lite covers one server only, and backups, monitoring and the API all sit on dearer plans.
- 1
Best for setting up PHP and Node.js apps on your own VPS
Cleavr sets up and deploys PHP and Node.js apps on a VPS you rent elsewhere.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5.50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $5.5 per month, billed yearly ($66 a year).
- 3
You can try it first
5-day free trial with Pro access and API access; no credit card required until you subscribe.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Server provisioning
Servers are created at Vultr, DigitalOcean, AWS, UpCloud, Linode or Hetzner, or a custom VPS is connected.
- 6
App types
AdonisJS, NuxtJS, NextJS, Laravel, Strapi, NodeJS, WordPress, PHP and static HTML apps can be installed from the dashboard.
- 7
Zero-downtime deploys
Deployments run with one click or by push-to-deploy from GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket, to one server or several behind a load balancer.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 74 of 122
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Cleavr you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Cleavr at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $5.5 per month, billed yearly ($66 a year)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 5-day free trial with Pro access and API access; no credit card required until you subscribe.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Vistafari LLC
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for setting up PHP and Node.js apps on your own VPS
Cleavr sets up and deploys PHP and Node.js apps on a VPS you rent elsewhere. The server bill is separate, Lite covers one server only, and backups, monitoring and the API all sit on dearer plans.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Lite is $5.50 a month billed yearly, just above the $5.00 cheaper-quarter line for web hosting, and that covers one server. Backups and monitoring start at Pro, $15 a month, and your VPS is billed on top. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 5-day trial with Pro and API access and no card until you subscribe. No free plan, and five days is short. |
| Features | C | Provisioning, Git deploys, SSL, databases and monitoring for PHP and Node apps. Backups and server monitoring need Pro, team members and the API need Business, and Lite stops at one server. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect a provider account or a custom server and set up each app yourself, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but it connects to Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Slack, and has an API on Business. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Cleavr is for
- Fits if you run a handful of PHP or Node.js sites on a VPS and want a dashboard instead of SSH
- Works for freelancers who already pay a VPS provider and only need the deployment layer
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want hosting included, because every server is billed separately by your provider
- Tight if you need more than one server, as Lite is capped at one
- Pricey if you need backups, which start at Pro at $15 a month
- Watch out: team members and API access need Business at $30 a month, and the trial is 5 days
- Not for you if you need to see monthly-billing prices, which the pricing page doesn't list
Good to know
Good for
- Freelancers and agencies running several PHP or Node.js sites on their own VPS
- Developers who want a Forge-style panel for Nuxt, Next or AdonisJS apps
- Small teams that need predictable server costs
Worth knowing
- Servers are not included: you pay your VPS provider separately.
- Lite is limited to one server, and backups and server monitoring start at Pro.
- Team members and API access need Business, which is $30 a month billed yearly.
- The pricing page shows yearly-billed figures; the monthly-billing prices are not listed in the page text.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.50
A month to start
Cleavr is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $5.5 per month, billed yearly ($66 a year).
Lite
$5.5
per month, billed yearly ($66 a year)
One server, unlimited apps, cron jobs and process monitors.
Pro
$15
per month, billed yearly ($180 a year)
Everything in Lite plus unlimited servers, server monitoring and log reports, database and filesystem backups, and quick scripts.
Business
$30
per month, billed yearly ($360 a year)
Everything in Pro plus team members and team management, resource management and Cleavr API access.
Trying it first
5-day free trial with Pro access and API access; no credit card required until you subscribe.
Read from cleavr.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly billing savings
The pricing page states yearly billing saves $30 a year on Lite, $36 on Pro and $72 on Business.
Stated on cleavr.ioEducation
50% off yearly plans for students
Students, non-profits and individuals from low-income regions can ask for 50% off yearly plans by emailing proof of status.
Stated on cleavr.ioStartups
Free for open-source projects
Open-source projects can ask to be sponsored with Cleavr at no cost in return for a README credit and link.
Stated on cleavr.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Server and deployment manager for PHP and Node.js apps on your own VPS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, databases, workflow automation.
Provisioning, Git deploys, SSL, databases and monitoring for PHP and Node apps.
- Server provisioning
- Servers are created at Vultr, DigitalOcean, AWS, UpCloud, Linode or Hetzner, or a custom VPS is connected.
- App types
- AdonisJS, NuxtJS, NextJS, Laravel, Strapi, NodeJS, WordPress, PHP and static HTML apps can be installed from the dashboard.
- Zero-downtime deploys
- Deployments run with one click or by push-to-deploy from GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket, to one server or several behind a load balancer.
- Databases and backups
- MySQL, PostgreSQL and MariaDB servers are managed, and backups can go to AWS S3, Wasabi, Backblaze, DO Spaces, SFTP or local storage.
- Security
- Free Let's Encrypt SSL, Fail2Ban, UFW configuration, SSH key handling and site isolation are listed.
- Monitoring and API
- Server health monitoring and notifications to Slack, Discord, Telegram or email are available; the API needs the Business plan or an active trial.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Bitbucket
- DigitalOcean
- Hetzner
- Vultr
- AWS
- Slack
Cleavr is made by Vistafari LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
74/122
Other web hosts it is graded above
Cleavr's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 74 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 57 of 122) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5.50 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 42 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Cleavr’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122
- CFree plan and trialAbove 74 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- CEase of useAbove 40 of 122
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 57 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 111 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Cleavr is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Cleavr you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $66 a year.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
What this rests on. Cleavr’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Laravel Forge, RunCloud, Ploi, ServerPilot and Hatchbox
The 5 tools Cleavr is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Laravel Forge
From $12/mo
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps.
- Cleavr also covers databases.
- 2.0GPA
RunCloud
Free trial · from $9/mo
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers.
- Cleavr also covers databases and workflow automation.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- 2.2GPA
Ploi
Free plan · from $10/mo
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps.
- Ploi has a free plan. Cleavr does not, though it has a free trial.
- Cleavr also covers databases and workflow automation.
- 2.0GPA
ServerPilot
Free trial · from $5
Control panel for PHP and WordPress servers at any cloud provider.
- Cleavr also covers databases and workflow automation.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards and page speed.
- 2.0GPA
Hatchbox
Free trial · from $15/mo
Deploy Rails and Ruby apps to servers you own, billed per server.
- Cleavr also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Cleavr free?
No, Cleavr is a paid product, but you can try it first. 5-day free trial with Pro access and API access; no credit card required until you subscribe.
How much does Cleavr cost?
Cleavr lists 3 plans. Lite: $5.5 per month, billed yearly ($66 a year).
What platforms does Cleavr work on?
Cleavr is available on Web.
Does Cleavr offer any discounts?
Cleavr publicly lists the following: Yearly billing savings; 50% off yearly plans for students; Free for open-source projects.
Does Cleavr have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cleavr is listed for Web.
Does Cleavr have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cleavr is listed for Web.
Is Cleavr open source?
Cleavr is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Cleavr have an API?
Yes. Cleavr offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Cleavr integrate with?
Cleavr's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, AWS and Slack.
Does Cleavr have a student discount?
50% off yearly plans for students. Students, non-profits and individuals from low-income regions can ask for 50% off yearly plans by emailing proof of status.
Who makes Cleavr?
Cleavr is made by Vistafari LLC.
What are the alternatives to Cleavr?
The closest alternatives to Cleavr in our directory are Laravel Forge, RunCloud, Ploi, ServerPilot and Hatchbox.
How does Cleavr compare with other web hosts?
Cleavr's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 74 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
Is Cleavr good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Cleavr C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5.50 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 42 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Cleavr?
To replace Cleavr you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Cleavr’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cleavr's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Vistafari LLC. Prices change, so check cleavr.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Cleavr, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cleavr
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Cleavr: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cleavr
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cleavr/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after Cleavr, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 123 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- GitHub Pages Insider's GuideStatic site hosting built into GitHub repositories2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Cleavr’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Cleavr is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Vistafari LLC. Prices and plans change: check cleavr.io before you buy.