Independent · No host pays us to rank them

Cheap web hosting isn't cheap. It's a renewal trap.

That $2.95/mo promo? It quietly renews at 3–6× the price. We did the math on the popular hosts — the IONOS entry plan jumps +700% at renewal. Pick your host and see the real 5-year cost.

over 5 years
That $2.95/mo plan really costs
$393.96over 5 years

The price jumps to $11.99/mo at renewal — a +306%increase you don't see at checkout.

First 36 months (promo)$106.20
Next 24 months (renewal)$287.76

If you assumed the $2.95/moprice held, you'd expect to pay $177. The hidden surcharge is

+$216.96

CorroboratedLowest intro needs a 36-month term billed upfront. Free domain first year only.Source

Paying renewal prices already? See what's actually worth switching to.

Find a better host →

The renewal-trap leaderboard

  1. 1
    IONOSEssential
    $1/mo → $8/mo · 5-yr cost $396
    +700%
  2. 2
    SiteGroundStartUp
    $2.99/mo → $17.99/mo · 5-yr cost $899.40
    +502%
  3. 3
    HostingerPremium
    $1.99/mo → $10.99/mo · 5-yr cost $227.40
    +452%
  4. 4
    BluehostBasic
    $2.95/mo → $11.99/mo · 5-yr cost $393.96
    +306%
  5. 5
    DreamHostShared Starter
    $2.59/mo → $7.99/mo · 5-yr cost $285
    +208%
  6. 6
    HostGatorHatchling
    $3.75/mo → $9.99/mo · 5-yr cost $374.76
    +166%
  7. 7
    GoDaddyEconomy
    $5.99/mo → $11.99/mo · 5-yr cost $647.40
    +100%
  8. 8
    NamecheapStellar
    $1.98/mo → $3.74/mo · 5-yr cost $203.28
    +89%

Why you've never seen these numbers

Most “best web hosting” sites earn a commission from the same hosts they review — so they lead with the $2.95 promo and bury the renewal price. We flipped it: the calculator above carries zero affiliate links. It just shows the real number. We only suggest a paid host on the find-a-host page, and always next to a free or cheaper alternative.

How we calculate thisCompare two hosts