Web Hosting Price Comparison: Intro, Renewal and Upfront Cost
Compare shared hosting plans using the promotional rate, renewal rate, prepaid term and cash due upfront. Hosting totals exclude domain renewals and paid extras unless stated.
| Host | Intro /mo | Renewal /mo | 3-year total | Due upfront | Storage | Free domain | Backups |
|---|
Prices verified October 2026. Prices in USD before tax. “3-year total” is the hosting cost allocated to 36 months. “Due upfront” is what you actually pay on day one: the intro rate times the full prepaid term. Totals exclude domain renewals and paid extras. Intro prices apply to the first term only; renewal prices are what you pay after. A2 Hosting is mid-rebrand to Hosting.com and its renewal price varies by source. DreamHost’s site count follows its official comparison page. Always confirm the current price on the host’s own site before buying.
How to compare hosting prices fairly
A hosting price comparison is useful only when the billing terms are visible. A low advertised monthly rate may require several years of prepayment, while the renewal rate applies after that introductory term. Compare the plan, term and included services before deciding which offer fits your budget.
Start with the website you need to run. A small blog and an online store can have different backup, support and resource requirements. Our guide to choosing web hosting explains the checks to make alongside the price. If you are comparing different hosting categories, read shared vs VPS vs cloud hosting first.
Intro price, renewal price and due upfront
The intro price is the monthly equivalent offered for the first term. The renewal price applies when that term ends, under the provider’s applicable billing conditions. Due upfront is the hosting payment needed to start the selected prepaid term.
For example, an illustrative offer at $2 per month for a mandatory 48-month term requires a $96 hosting payment upfront. Its hosting cost allocated to the first 36 months is $72. Both numbers are useful, but they answer different questions: the first describes the payment commitment; the second describes the portion of the prepaid service used in the comparison period. Taxes and additional purchases can change the checkout payment.
How the three-year hosting comparison works
For a 36-month comparison, the allocated hosting cost is:
An illustrative $3 introductory rate for 12 months followed by a $10 renewal rate produces $36 + $240 = $276 of allocated hosting cost over three years. This assumes the stated renewal rate remains unchanged. Required renewal prepayments may extend beyond the comparison period, so allocated cost is not always identical to cash paid within it.
For a broader budget that includes domain renewals, email and subscriptions, use the website running cost calculator. Our web hosting cost guide explains which charges to look for.
What the lowest-price label does, and does not, mean
A lowest-price label identifies the lowest value for the selected price metric within the displayed plans. It does not establish which host has the best support, uptime, performance or migration process. Check storage limits, backup and restore access, cancellation terms and the price shown at checkout. A free first-year domain may still have renewal charges later.
If you decide to switch, use our WordPress migration guide to plan the move before ending the old service.
Common questions
Does the comparison include domain renewals?
Hosting-only totals do not. Add domain charges and paid extras separately, unless the table explicitly includes them.
Should I choose the longest prepaid term?
Compare the savings with the upfront commitment and your expected use. A cheaper monthly equivalent is not automatically the right cash-flow decision.
Are renewal rates guaranteed?
Treat the displayed rate as a checked planning input, not a promise about future invoices. Review the provider’s current terms and renewal notice.
Where do the prices come from?
Each plan links to its official pricing page. Prices were verified in October 2026. Confirm the final offer in the provider’s checkout, including currency, region and tax.
Prices verified October 2026. See the methodology note above the table for term and exclusion details.