The RunCloud Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about RunCloud 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.
RunCloud
The Insider’s Guide
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from RunCloud’s own pages.
Made by RunCloud · checked Nov 12, 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 RunCloud’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on RunCloud’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade
RunCloud is a control panel that sets up and manages web servers you rent from cloud providers such as Vultr, Linode, UpCloud, Hetzner, AWS, Google Cloud or DigitalOcean. Plans differ by server count, backup storage, staging environments and team features, and none of them includes the server itself. It lists NGINX caching, Git deployment, SSL certificates and a WordPress toolkit.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about RunCloud, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You connect a cloud provider and set up servers.
- 1
Best for managing PHP and WordPress servers
Servers are billed separately, Essentials covers one server, and the API, zero-downtime deploys and WAF are Business and above.
- 2
Paid plans start at $9 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $9 per month (Essentials, billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Server and app management
Plans list unlimited web applications, domain management and one-click SSL certificates, with server counts from 1 to 500.
- 6
Caching
Server-side caching with NGINX FastCGI and Redis full-page and object cache is listed on every plan.
- 7
Backups
Full and incremental backups come with 2 to 100 GB of free storage by plan, with external backups to providers that widen on higher plans.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 20 of 54
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
RunCloud sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
RunCloud at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $9 per month (Essentials, billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- RunCloud
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for managing PHP and WordPress servers
RunCloud is a control panel for PHP sites on servers you rent elsewhere, from $9 a month. Servers are billed separately, Essentials covers one server, and the API, zero-downtime deploys and WAF are Business and above.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $9 a month for 1 server on Essentials, $19 for 50 servers, $49 for Business, near the category middle of $11. Server rental is extra. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A 7-day free trial, and the page read doesn't say whether it needs a card. No free plan. |
| Features | C | Unlimited apps, caching, backups, staging, Git deploys and a firewall. A smaller job than hosting, and the API, zero-downtime deploys and WAF need Business. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect a cloud provider and set up servers. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Vultr, Linode, Hetzner, AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean and Cloudflare. |
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 RunCloud is for
- Fits if you rent your own servers for PHP and WordPress sites
- Works for small setups that need one server on the cheapest plan
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there's only a 7-day trial
- Watch out: servers are billed by your cloud provider
- Tight if you need more than one server: Professional starts at 50
- Watch out: the API, zero-downtime deploys and WAF are Business and above
- Watch out: only monthly prices could be read
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and agencies who rent their own servers for PHP and WordPress sites
- Small setups that need only one server on the cheapest plan
- Teams that want role-based access and an API on the Business plan
Worth knowing
- Servers are paid separately to your cloud provider.
- Essentials covers a single server; Professional starts at 50 servers.
- The RunCloud API, zero-downtime deployments and the web application firewall are limited to Business and above.
- The pricing page has a Monthly and an Annually toggle; only monthly figures could be read. It states a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$9
A month to start
RunCloud is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $9 per month (Essentials, billed monthly).
Essentials
$9
per month, billed monthly
1 server, unlimited web applications, 2 GB of backup storage, Git deployment, server-side caching and 1 staging environment.
Professional
$19
per month, billed monthly
50 servers, 10 GB of backup storage, 10 staging environments, application cloning, custom NGINX configuration and 6G, 7G and 8G firewall.
Business
$49
per month, billed monthly
100 servers, 30 GB of backup storage, 10 team seats, zero-downtime deployments, the RunCloud API and a WAF with the OWASP core rule set.
Enterprise
$399
per month, billed monthly
500 servers, 100 GB of backup storage, up to 5 workspaces, 50 team seats and a higher API rate limit.
Trying it first
7-day free trial.
Read from runcloud.io on Nov 12, 2026.
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
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, page speed.
Unlimited apps, caching, backups, staging, Git deploys and a firewall.
- Server and app management
- Plans list unlimited web applications, domain management and one-click SSL certificates, with server counts from 1 to 500.
- Caching
- Server-side caching with NGINX FastCGI and Redis full-page and object cache is listed on every plan.
- Backups
- Full and incremental backups come with 2 to 100 GB of free storage by plan, with external backups to providers that widen on higher plans.
- Staging and Git deployment
- Essentials has 1 staging environment, Professional has 10 and Business is unlimited; Git deployment is on all plans.
- Security
- A 6G, 7G and 8G firewall starts on Professional, and Business adds ModSecurity with the OWASP Core Rule Set.
- Team and API
- Business adds roles, 10 team seats and the RunCloud API, at 120 requests a minute and 10,000 a month on monthly billing.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Vultr
- Linode
- UpCloud
- Hetzner
- AWS
- Google Cloud
- DigitalOcean
- Cloudflare
RunCloud is made by RunCloud.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/54
Other web hosts it is graded above
RunCloud's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 24 of 54) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 36).
Its paid plans start at $9 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 25 of the 52 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 55 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. RunCloud’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 54
- DFree plan and trialAbove 36 of 54
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 54
- CEase of useAbove 9 of 54
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 24 of 54
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. RunCloud 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.
Your call
RunCloud sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $108 a year.
What you could make
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- Speed tests run from real browsers on a schedule.
- It plugs into other products, Vultr, Linode and UpCloud among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. RunCloud’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
GridPane, SpinupWP, Ploi, Laravel Forge and Cloudways
The 5 tools RunCloud is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
GridPane
Free plan · from $19/mo
WordPress server control panel with a free core plan.
- GridPane has a free plan. RunCloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- GridPane also covers managed WordPress.
- 2.2GPA
SpinupWP
Free trial · from $12/mo
- 2.2GPA
Ploi
Free plan · from $10/mo
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps.
- Ploi has a free plan. RunCloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- 1.8GPA
Laravel Forge
From $12/mo
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Cloudways
Free trial · from $11/mo
Managed cloud hosting on DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- Cloudways also covers malware protection.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 RunCloud free?
No, RunCloud is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial.
How much does RunCloud cost?
RunCloud lists 4 plans. Essentials: $9 per month, billed monthly.
What platforms does RunCloud work on?
RunCloud is available on Web.
Does RunCloud have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. RunCloud is listed for Web.
Does RunCloud have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. RunCloud is listed for Web.
Is RunCloud open source?
RunCloud is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does RunCloud have an API?
Yes. RunCloud offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does RunCloud integrate with?
RunCloud's listing names Vultr, Linode, UpCloud, Hetzner, AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean and Cloudflare.
Who makes RunCloud?
RunCloud is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to RunCloud?
The closest alternatives to RunCloud in our directory are GridPane, SpinupWP, Ploi, Laravel Forge and Cloudways.
How does RunCloud compare with other web hosts?
RunCloud's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
Is RunCloud good value for money?
ToolGPA grades RunCloud C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $9 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 25 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of RunCloud?
RunCloud sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from RunCloud’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from RunCloud's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. The pricing page showed no figures to our page reader, so the prices stand on the listing.
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 RunCloud. Prices change, so check runcloud.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- RunCloud, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/runcloud
- 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, "RunCloud: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/runcloud
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/runcloud/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after RunCloud, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 55 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
- Northflank Insider's GuideContainer platform for services, jobs, databases and GPUs2.6 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 RunCloud’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. RunCloud is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by RunCloud. Prices and plans change: check runcloud.io before you buy.