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How Much Does Web Hosting Cost in 2026?
The honest answer: $3-$500/month depending on your site. Use our free calculator to get an accurate estimate for your exact situation.
Shared hosting runs $3-$15/month once the intro period ends, managed WordPress $15-$40, and a VPS $5-$80 depending on size. The number most people miss is the renewal, not the headline.
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What each hosting type actually costs
Typical ranges once any promotion ends. Figures verified in the August 2026 pricing sweep against provider pricing pages and public pricing APIs. Prices change — the VPS calculator and hosting comparison hold the current numbers.
| Type | Intro | Renews at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | $2-$4/mo | $8-$16/mo | Brochure sites, small blogs |
| Managed WordPress | $14-$30/mo | $19-$35/mo | WordPress without running a server |
| VPS (unmanaged) | $4-$25/mo | flat | Control, if you'll maintain it |
| Cloud / high-traffic | $40+/mo | flat | Stores, busy publications |
The renewal column is the one to plan around — budget shared hosting commonly renews at 3-5x the intro rate. The hosting calculator works out the multi-year total.
Where the money actually goes
- The renewal, not the intro. A $2.99/mo plan that renews at $10.99 costs more over three years than a flat $6 plan. Always compare renewals.
- Email. Bundled email fails silently and ties your inbox to hosting outages. A dedicated mailbox is a few dollars well spent.
- Backups. Free on some hosts, a paid add-on on others (Cloudways, entry Bluehost). Factor it in.
- The domain. A "free" first-year domain renews at the registrar's standard rate. Separate the initial price from the renewal.
Hosting cost questions
Can I host a real site for under $5/month?
Yes — see cheapest web hosting that still works. Just plan for the renewal, which is usually higher than the first-year price.
Why is my renewal so much more than I paid?
Budget hosts sell the first term at a heavy discount and recover it at renewal. It's disclosed in the small print. Diarise the renewal date when you sign up.
Is cheap hosting why my site is slow?
Sometimes, but often not — images, plugins and scripts are more common causes. Find out what's actually slow before paying for more hosting.
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