Shared hosting renewal prices: the intro price vs what you really pay
Quick answer
That $2.99 hosting deal is real, but it's only the first chapter. Every big shared host sells its first term at $2.89–$3.99 a month and then renews at 2.5× to 6× that price. Here's how the entry plans looked, checked Oct 2026:
Hostinger Premium goes from $2.99 to $10.99 a month (+268%)[1]. Bluehost Starter goes from $3.99 to $9.99 (+150%)[2]. DreamHost Launch goes from $2.89 to $10.99 (+280%)[4]. And SiteGround StartUp jumps from $2.99 to $17.99 (+502%)[3].
Over five years, Hostinger comes out cheapest (about $275) because its intro price covers 48 months. SiteGround costs the most (about $899) because its intro covers only 12. Same headline price, roughly $624 apart.
This is a researched price tracker, not a hands-on review or speed test. Prices come from each host's official US plan page, linked and dated. CostOak earns no commission on any link on this page. It covers hosting as a product you buy; it doesn't cover building or running a site.
Shared hosting intro vs renewal prices
Shared hosting puts many customers on one server, and that's why it's the cheapest kind of hosting you can buy. It's also where advertised prices mislead the most. The headline monthly price usually applies only if you prepay a long first term, and the renewal rate sits in smaller print underneath. This tracker puts both numbers side by side for the entry plans of four of the biggest hosts.
| Tool | Starting price | Renewal price | Free plan / trial | Key limits | Best for | Our verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | Premium $2.99/mo (48-month prepay, $143.52) | $10.99/mo | 30-day money-back | Premium: 3 sites, 20 GB; Business $3.99 → $16.99 | Lowest 5-year total if you prepay 4 years | Cheapest over 5 years, but long lock-in | Visit Hostinger |
| Bluehost | Starter $3.99/mo (36-month term) | $9.99/mo | 30-day money-back | Starter: 10 sites, 10 GB, no phone support; Business $6.99 → $13.99 | Lowest renewal rate of the four | Smallest renewal jump | Visit Bluehost |
| SiteGround | StartUp $2.99/mo (12 months prepaid) | $17.99/mo | 30-day money-back | StartUp: 1 site, 10 GB; GrowBig $4.99 → $29.99 | Short commitment, premium support | Biggest renewal jump (6×) | Visit SiteGround |
| DreamHost | Launch $2.89/mo first year | $10.99/mo | Money-back guarantee (see host) | Launch: 25 sites, 25 GB, ~40k visits/mo | Cheap first year, moderate renewal | Solid middle option | Visit DreamHost |
What you really pay over five years
So what does a plan actually cost if you keep it? We added up five years on each entry plan, assuming you take the advertised intro term and then renew at the published renewal rate[1][2][3][4]:
| Option | Typical one-time | Yearly running cost | Best for | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Premium | $143.52 for 48 months | $131.88/yr from year 5 ($10.99/mo) | Long prepay | hostinger.com/web-hosting, checked Oct 2026 |
| Bluehost Starter | $143.64 for 36 months | $119.88/yr from year 4 ($9.99/mo) | Low renewal | bluehost.com/hosting/shared, checked Oct 2026 |
| DreamHost Launch | $34.68 for year 1 | $131.88/yr from year 2 ($10.99/mo) | Short first term | dreamhost.com/hosting/shared, checked Oct 2026 |
| SiteGround StartUp | $35.88 for 12 months | $215.88/yr from year 2 ($17.99/mo) | 1 site, premium support | siteground.com/web-hosting.htm, checked Oct 2026 |
Hostinger Premium is $143.52 for 48 months plus 12 × $10.99, for a total of $275.40. Bluehost Starter is $143.64 for 36 months plus 24 × $9.99, or $383.40. DreamHost Launch is $34.68 for 12 months plus 48 × $10.99, which comes to $562.20. SiteGround StartUp is $35.88 for 12 months plus 48 × $17.99, a hefty $899.40.
Two honest caveats. Hosts usually charge different renewal rates for different renewal lengths, and we used the single renewal rate each plan card showed. And the long-prepay advantage only holds if you stay. Bluehost's guarantee, for example, refunds hosting only within 30 days, and its terms say no refunds after that[2]. If hosting is one line in your wider software budget, put both numbers into the software-stack cost calculator.
Host by host
Hostinger
Premium is $2.99 a month when you take 48 months for $143.52 (regular price $575.52) and renews at $10.99 a month. You get 3 sites, 20 GB SSD storage, weekly backups and a domain free for 1 year. Business is $3.99 a month for 48 months ($191.52) and renews at $16.99, with 50 GB NVMe storage[1]. Hostinger notes that all plans are paid upfront and the monthly rate is just the total divided by the months[1].
Watch out for: the 48-month prepay is what makes $2.99 possible. Four years is a long time to commit to anything, so be fairly sure before you hand over $143.52.
Bluehost
Starter is $3.99 a month for a 36-month term and renews at $9.99 a month. It includes 10 sites, 10 GB NVMe storage, weekly backups, and chat support but no phone support. Business is $6.99, renewing at $13.99, with 50 sites, phone support and domain privacy for the first year[2]. Bluehost's page shows a Trustpilot badge of 4.5 from 31,950 reviews. That's the host's own display, and we haven't verified it on Trustpilot[2].
Bluehost has the smallest renewal jump of the four, which makes it the least painful in year four. Watch out for: if you cancel within 30 days on a plan with a free domain, Bluehost deducts a non-refundable domain fee from your refund[2].
SiteGround
StartUp is $2.99 a month prepaid for 12 months and renews at $17.99 a month, with 1 site, 10 GB storage and daily backups. GrowBig is $4.99 renewing at $29.99, and GoGeek $7.99 renewing at $44.99[3]. SiteGround cites a 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating on its own page[3].
Watch out for: the largest renewal jump in this tracker. StartUp's renewal is six times its intro price, so your bill goes from $35.88 in year one to $215.88 in year two. If you pick SiteGround, pick it for reasons other than price.
DreamHost
Web Hosting Launch is $2.89 a month for the first year and auto-renews at $10.99 a month after 1 year. It includes 25 sites, 25 GB NVMe storage and unmetered bandwidth, and it's sized for about 40k monthly visits. DreamHost's FAQ says each plan card shows the renewal rate next to the promo price, and annual and multi-year plans include a free first-year domain with privacy[4].
A short first term and a middling renewal make it a sensible middle option. Watch out for: the full term plus taxes is charged at checkout[4].
Renewal traps beyond the plan price
The plan price isn't the only thing that renews. "Free" domains are free for the first year only. Bluehost's terms say the domain then renews automatically at the then-current rate[2].
Email trials work the same way. Bluehost's Pro Email trial renews at $2.50 a month unless you cancel it[2], and DreamHost includes a 3-month Professional Email trial[4]. Domain privacy is free for the first year only on Bluehost Business[2]. None of these is huge on its own. Together, they're how a $9.99 renewal ends up bigger than you planned.
How to pay less at renewal
Choose your term on purpose. If you're confident you'll stay, a longer intro term locks in the low rate for longer. If you're not, a 12-month term caps your risk, even though it costs more over five years.
Set a calendar reminder 30 days before renewal and check the current renewal price for 1-, 2- and 3-year terms. Then compare that against moving. A new host's intro price minus the effort of migrating is your benchmark. Sometimes staying wins and sometimes moving does, so do the math before your card gets charged.
And keep an eye on the rest of your costs. Browse more software comparisons, including our CRM price guide, and small-business cost guides.
Frequently asked questions
Why does shared hosting cost so much more at renewal?
Hosts discount the first term heavily to win customers, then renew at their regular rate. On the entry plans we checked, renewals were 2.5× to 6× the intro price: Bluehost $3.99 → $9.99, Hostinger $2.99 → $10.99, DreamHost $2.89 → $10.99, SiteGround $2.99 → $17.99 a month (checked Oct 2026).
Which shared host has the lowest renewal price?
Of the four we checked, Bluehost Starter renews lowest at $9.99 a month. Hostinger Premium and DreamHost Launch renew at $10.99, and SiteGround StartUp at $17.99 (checked Oct 2026).
Is it cheaper to prepay hosting for several years?
Usually, if you stay. Hostinger's $2.99 rate needs a 48-month prepay ($143.52), which makes it the cheapest five-year total in our tracker (about $275). But refunds generally apply only in the first 30 days.
Is the free domain with hosting really free?
Only for the first year. After that it renews at the registrar's regular rate. Bluehost also deducts a domain fee if you cancel hosting within the 30-day refund window.
How much should a small business budget for shared hosting?
For an entry plan, roughly $35–$145 for the first term and $120–$216 a year after renewal, based on the four hosts we checked (checked Oct 2026). Add domain renewal and any email add-on.
Sources
All prices are in US dollars, before tax, from each host's official US plan page, checked Oct 2026. Hosting prices and promotions change often; confirm on the host's page before you buy. See our editorial policy, methodology and affiliate disclosure.
- [1] Hostinger web hosting plans: https://www.hostinger.com/web-hosting (checked Oct 2026)
- [2] Bluehost shared hosting plans (incl. offer terms): https://www.bluehost.com/hosting/shared (checked Oct 2026)
- [3] SiteGround web hosting plans: https://www.siteground.com/web-hosting.htm (checked Oct 2026)
- [4] DreamHost shared hosting plans: https://www.dreamhost.com/hosting/shared/ (checked Oct 2026)