Bluehost vs DreamHost: the real 5-year cost
Over 5 years, DreamHost works out about $108.96 cheaper than Bluehostonce renewal prices are counted. Here's the breakdown.
| Bluehost | DreamHost | |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $2.95/mo | $2.59/mo |
| Renews at | $11.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Renewal markup | +306% | +208% |
| True 5-year cost | $393.96 | $285 |
| Effective monthly | $6.57/mo | $4.75/mo |
Both are shared hosts with renewal jumps — whichever you pick, switch before renewal or you'll pay the higher rate.
The honest take
Headline promo prices make hosts look interchangeable. They're not — the gap shows up at renewal. Bluehost's Basic starts at $2.95/mo and renews at $11.99/mo; DreamHost's Shared Starter starts at $2.59/mo and renews at $7.99/mo.
Prices are 2026 figures synthesized from public sources and change often. Confirm on each host's official page before buying. See our methodology.
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