We rank by 2-year true cost — not the intro rate. Because the cheapest advertised plan is often not the cheapest plan you'll actually pay.
Sorted by 2-year total (12 months intro + 12 months renewal). The column that actually matters.
| Provider | Intro /mo | Renewal /mo | 2yr cost | Jump | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namecheap | $1.98 | $4.48 | ~$78 | +126% | SSL, email, cPanel |
| Hostinger | $2.99 | $8.99 | ~$144 | +200% | SSL, email, domain yr1 |
| Bluehost | $2.95 | $10.99 | ~$168 | +273% | SSL, email, domain yr1 |
| SiteGround | $3.99 | $13.99 | ~$216 | +251% | SSL, backups, CDN |
| DigitalOcean | $4 | $4 | ~$96 | None | VPS — developer setup needed |
ⓘ Based on 1yr intro + 1yr renewal on entry plan. Prices vary by region and promotion.
Lock in the intro rate for 2-3 years. Most hosts apply the promotional rate to the full initial term. You pay less per month and delay renewal shock.
Many hosts offer free migrations. Switching to a new intro deal every 1-2 years keeps costs low. Set a calendar reminder 60 days before your term ends.
Cloudways, Kinsta, DigitalOcean, and Hetzner have consistent pricing month-to-month with no intro/renewal gap. Higher upfront, but predictable long-term.