Web Hosting Cost Calculator: What You Will Really Pay
Hosting companies advertise a low monthly price, but it usually requires paying for years upfront and then renews at two to four times as much. This calculator shows what each plan actually costs for as long as you plan to keep your site: the prepaid first term, the renewals after it, and domain renewals.
Prices checked on September 30, 2026. A badge marks a plan priced at a limited-time sale. Hostinger and Cloudways links are affiliate links (see our affiliate disclaimer); they don't change the numbers.
Want more hosting picks and plan comparisons? Visit our sister site wphostprice.com.
Web hosting (shared / WordPress)
| Plan | Advertised | Best term | Renews at | Paid upfront | Total over 4 years | Real cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger PremiumBlack FridayFree domain, 1st year | $2.49/mo | 4 yr | $12.19/mo | $120 | $165 | $3.43 |
| Hostinger UnlimitedBlack Friday | $3.49/mo | 4 yr | $18.99/mo | $168 | $228 | $4.74 |
| FastComet Starter | $3.29/mo | 3 yr | $9.95/mo | $118 | $298 | $6.20 |
| Bluehost StarterFree domain, 1st year | $3.99/mo | 3 yr | $9.99/mo | $144 | $309 | $6.43 |
| IONOS EssentialFree domain, 1st year | $4.00/mo | 1 yr | $8.00/mo | $48 | $381 | $7.94 |
| DreamHost Web Hosting LaunchFree domain, 1st year | $2.89/mo | 1 yr | $10.99/mo | $35 | $475 | $9.90 |
| Liquid Web Essentials WordPress | $8.10/mo | 1 yr | $9.00/mo | $97 | $481 | $10.03 |
| SiteGround StartUpFree domain, 1st year | $2.99/mo | 1 yr | $17.99/mo | $36 | $729 | $15.18 |
| WP Engine Essential 1 Site | $28.00/mo | 1 yr | $35.00/mo | $336 | $1,656 | $34.50 |
VPS and cloud
| Plan | Advertised | Best term | Renews at | Paid upfront | Total over 4 years | Real cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger KVM 1 (4GB RAM) | $6.49/mo | 2 yr | $11.99/mo | $156 | $504 | $10.49 |
| Vultr Cloud Compute (2GB RAM) | $10.00/mo | Monthly | $10.00/mo | $10 | $540 | $11.25 |
| Hostinger KVM 2 (8GB RAM) | $8.99/mo | 2 yr | $14.99/mo | $216 | $636 | $13.24 |
| DigitalOcean Basic Droplet (2GB RAM) | $12.00/mo | Monthly | $12.00/mo | $12 | $636 | $13.25 |
| Cloudways Micro | $14.00/mo | Monthly | $14.00/mo | $14 | $732 | $15.25 |
| Vultr Cloud Compute (4GB RAM) | $20.00/mo | Monthly | $20.00/mo | $20 | $1,020 | $21.25 |
| DigitalOcean Basic Droplet (4GB RAM) | $24.00/mo | Monthly | $24.00/mo | $24 | $1,212 | $25.25 |
Add a plan to compare
Copy the numbers from any host's checkout page. The plan is added to the table you choose.
How the Calculation Works
- Best term is the billing term with the lowest total for the number of years you pick. Many hosts sell the same plan for 1, 12, 24 or 48 months, with a lower monthly price on longer terms. The cheapest term changes as you move the slider, and plans we only list one term for show that term.
- Paid upfront is the advertised monthly price times the months of that term. That's what you pay at checkout.
- Total adds the renewal price for every month after the first term, plus a domain renewal for every year (the first year is free on plans with a free domain, when you prepay 12 months or more). If you keep the site for less than the chosen term, you still pay for the whole term: after the money-back period, unused months are usually not refunded.
- Real cost per month spreads the total over the months you actually use the site.
- Renewals are counted at the listed monthly renewal price. Hosts usually renew for the same term length, and longer renewal terms can be a little cheaper. Taxes and add-ons are not included.
How to Pay Less for Hosting
- Match the term to your plans. A 4-year deal is only cheap if you keep the site for 4 years. Set the slider to how long you realistically expect to run the site.
- Check the renewal price before you buy. It's usually in the small print or on the checkout page.
- Set a reminder before the first term ends. Many hosts offer a discount if you contact them or start to cancel, and switching to another host's new-customer deal is often cheaper than renewing.
- Don't pay for what free hosting does. A plain static site can be hosted for free; see our list of free static website hosting services.