How Much Does Web Hosting Cost? Real Prices by Type

Web hosting costs from about $2 a month for introductory shared hosting to well over $150 a month for a managed dedicated server. For a small business site or blog, $3 to $15 a month after renewal is a realistic shared hosting budget, and a growing WordPress site should plan for roughly $10 to $50 for a VPS, managed cloud server or managed WordPress plan.

The advertised monthly price is rarely what you pay over time, though. This guide breaks the cost down by hosting type, shows what renewal and extras add, and works out real totals.

Web Hosting Cost by Type

Shared Hosting: Cheap to Start, Higher to Renew

Shared hosting puts many sites on one server, which keeps the price low. It suits new sites, blogs and small business sites. The catch is the renewal. On 10 November 2026, Hostinger’s Premium plan cost $95.52 for 48 months, about $1.99 a month, and its page said it renews at $10.99 a month for the same term. Business cost $133.92 for 48 months and renews at $16.99.

That pattern is normal across the industry. The guide to hosting renewal prices compared six hosts in October 2026 and found entry plans renewing at about $4.66 to $17.99 a month, two to four and a half times their introductory price.

Over eight years at those rates, Hostinger Premium would cost $95.52 for the first term and $527.52 for the second, $623.04 in total, or about $6.49 a month on average. That is still cheap, but it is more than three times the headline figure.

VPS and Cloud Hosting: More Power, More Choice

A VPS gives you a guaranteed slice of a server. Unmanaged, it is cheap for the resources: DigitalOcean’s 1 GB Droplet was $6 a month, and Hostinger’s KVM 2 VPS with 8 GB of memory was $8.79 a month on a 24-month term, renewing at $14.99. You then handle the operating system, security and backups yourself.

A managed cloud service such as Cloudways runs that kind of server for you. For the same 1 GB DigitalOcean server it charged $11 a month, so the management costs a few dollars more. Cloudways vs DigitalOcean breaks down exactly what that buys, and VPS vs dedicated server explains when to step up again.

Managed WordPress and Dedicated Servers

Managed WordPress hosting charges more because the host handles performance, security, updates and support around WordPress specifically. Kinsta’s single-site plan was $35 a month and WP Engine’s Essential plan was from $28 a month on annual billing. Kinsta vs WP Engine compares the two in detail.

Dedicated servers sit at the top. Liquid Web’s fully managed servers started at $163.25 a month on a two-year term, with cPanel and backup storage included. Few websites need one.

Extra Costs to Budget For

Free extras usually last for the first year only. A free domain or mailbox will appear on your second-year invoice, so add them to your long-term budget.

How to Work Out What You Will Really Pay

1. Decide how long you will keep the site, and note the term the advertised price requires. Low prices usually need a long term paid up front.
2. Add the renewal price for every year after the first term.
3. Add the extras: domain renewal, email, backups and anything else you will need.
4. Add tax for your country, then divide by the number of months for a real monthly figure.

Compare hosts on that total, not on the headline. A slightly higher introductory price with a lower renewal can be cheaper over four years.

How Much Should You Spend?

If shared hosting fits your site, you can see Hostinger’s current plans. Affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. For more options, the best web hosting services comparison covers other hosts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does web hosting cost per month?

Shared hosting starts around $2 a month on a long introductory term and usually renews at $5 to $18. VPS and managed cloud servers run from about $6 to $90, managed WordPress from about $28, and dedicated servers from about $150.

How much does web hosting cost per year?

At the prices checked on 10 November 2026, about $24 a year for introductory shared hosting, $72 for a small unmanaged VPS, $132 for a small managed cloud server, $336 to $420 for entry managed WordPress, and about $1,959 for a managed dedicated server.

Why is hosting so cheap at first?

Hosts use a low first-term price, usually on a long prepaid term, to win customers. The plan then renews at a higher regular price.

Is free web hosting worth it?

Rarely for a real business. Free plans usually limit storage, custom domains, support or performance. Low-cost shared hosting is a safer starting point.

Does a domain come with hosting?

Often for the first year. After that you pay the domain’s renewal price, so include it in your budget.

About the author

Harshil Barot

Digital Marketing Strategist & SEO Specialist

Harshil Barot is a digital marketing strategist focused on SEO, website growth and lead generation. He has built websites since 2012 and provided digital marketing services since 2016. His reviews of web hosting, WordPress, SEO and AI tools state whether they draw on personal use, hands-on testing or editorial research.

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