Web hosting is sold on a bait price. That $1.99/month you see everywhere is a first-term promotion — when it renews, the standard rate is often three to six times higher. So the host that looks cheapest on day one can quietly become the most expensive over the years you actually keep the site. Move the slider to how long you plan to stay and see what each host truly costs.
Total = year 1 at the intro price + later years at the renewal price.
Over 3 years, DreamHost is cheapest at $227 total ($6.31/mo average). Figures use each host's entry shared plan: year 1 at the promotional rate, later years at the standard renewal rate. Prices verified July 2026 — confirm current rates with each host.
How this calculator works
Each host's total is calculated as year 1 at the promotional price + later years at the standard renewal price, using each provider's entry shared-hosting plan:
- Bluehost — intro $1.99/mo, renews ~$8.99/mo.
- DreamHost — intro ~$2.95/mo, renews $7.99/mo on a long term (the lowest renewal here).
- Hostinger — intro ~$2.99/mo, renews ~$10.99/mo.
- SiteGround — intro $2.99/mo, renews $17.99/mo (the steepest jump of the four).
The lesson the calculator makes obvious: the renewal rate matters far more than the intro price once you pass the first year. A host with a slightly higher promo but a low renewal (DreamHost) beats one with a rock-bottom promo and a high renewal (SiteGround) over any real timeframe.
Which web host is cheapest long-term?
For a single year, the lowest intro price wins — usually Bluehost. But over three years or more, the low renewal rate takes over and DreamHosttends to come out cheapest, while SiteGround's $17.99 renewal makes it the priciest despite a near-identical starting price. For what you actually get at each tier — speed, support, and features, not just price — read our best web hosting for 2026 guide.
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Related reading
- Best Web Hosting for 2026 — the full comparison behind this calculator.
- Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress — if you're choosing a platform, not just a host.
- Shopify vs WooCommerce — for an online store specifically.