Four tools, one set of numbers
All four run on the same sourced and dated figures as the rankings — the renewal price, the term length, and the published sub-scores. None of them hides how it reached an answer, and none of them ranks by what a provider pays us.
- $25.92 cheapest three years — MilesWeb
- $1,260 dearest over the same term
- 49× between them — which is what these tools exist to expose
- 2 of 16 hosts never raise the price
Start from what you are trying to decide
- If you already know roughly what you want and need the real number True cost calculator
- If you are starting from scratch and do not know the shortlist yet Guided finder
- If you have narrowed it to two and want the differences laid out Head to head
- If shared hosting is no longer enough and you are pricing the next tier VPS compared
What each one does
What will this actually cost me?
True cost calculatorPick how long you plan to stay and every host is priced over that term — using the renewal rate, and honouring how long each intro price is really locked for.
Which host suits what I am building?
Guided finderFive questions, then three hosts — each with the reason it was picked and the reason it might not suit you. Nothing is hidden behind a score.
Which of these two should I pick?
Head to headPut any two hosts side by side on the three-year cost, the renewal rate, plan limits, refund windows and every sub-score — with the winner marked on each row.
What does a VPS actually cost me?
VPS comparedEntry VPS plans with the renewal price beside the intro price and the two-year cost worked out. Figures only — no scores, because we have assessed these hosts on shared hosting, not on VPS.
Where the numbers come from
- 1 Read from the host's own page Every intro price, renewal price and term length is taken from the provider's pricing page, not from another comparison site.
- 2 Dated where you can see it Each figure carries the date it was last read, on the host page and in every table.
- 3 Re-read every night A job checks all 105 tracked hosts and flags anything that moved, so a stale price is caught rather than quietly aging.
- 4 Left blank when unknown Where a host publishes no renewal rate we record none, rather than assuming the intro price continues. That assumption is the most expensive one a reader could make.
Questions these tools answer
Why does web hosting get more expensive after the first year?
Because the advertised price is an introductory rate for your first term only. Across the hosts on this site the renewal price averages about 3.5 times the intro rate, and reaches 8 times at IONOS. It is disclosed in the provider's terms, just rarely next to the number in the large font. Full explanation here.
How much should web hosting actually cost?
For a small site, $3 to $6 a month is normal once the introductory period ends — not the $1 to $3 you see advertised. Over three years the hosts we track range from about $29 to $1,260 depending on the tier and how long the intro rate is locked. Use the true cost calculator to price your own term rather than guessing from a monthly figure.
Is cheap web hosting any good?
Often yes, for the first term. The question is what happens after it. A host at $2.89 that holds the rate for 36 months is genuinely cheap; one at $2.99 that holds it for 12 and renews at $17.99 is not. Cheap is a property of the whole term, not the first month.