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Quick Answer
Across five popular shared hosts we checked on 2026-10-07, the renewal rate on the entry plan is between 2.5 and 4.7 times the advertised rate. Renewal rates range from $7.00 per month (InterServer) to $13.95 per month (GreenGeeks), so a year of hosting after the first term costs between $84.00 and $167.40. Always compare the renewal rate and the term you must prepay, not only the headline price.
Key Takeaways
- GreenGeeks Lite renews at $13.95 per month, 4.7 times its advertised $2.95, the largest jump in our sample.
- Bluehost Starter has the smallest jump: $3.99 per month on a 36-month term, renewing at $9.99 (2.5 times).
- InterServer has the lowest renewal rate: $2.50 for the first month, then $7.00 per month.
- Hostinger and Bluehost advertise their lowest rates on 48-month and 36-month terms, so the first payment is $143.52 and $143.64.
- After the first term, one year on these entry plans costs between $84.00 and $167.40.
Renewal Price Table (Entry Shared Plans)
| Host and plan | Advertised rate | Term behind that rate | First payment | Renews at | One year at renewal | Renewal vs advertised |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GreenGeeks Lite | $2.95 per month | 12-month prepay | $35.40 | $13.95 per month | $167.40 | 4.7 times |
| DreamHost Web Hosting Launch | $2.89 per month | First year | $34.68 plus taxes | $10.99 per month | $131.88 | 3.8 times |
| Hostinger Premium | $2.99 per month | 48-month prepay | $143.52 | $10.99 per month | $131.88 | 3.7 times |
| InterServer Standard | $2.50 first month | Monthly billing | $2.50 | $7.00 per month | $84.00 | 2.8 times |
| Bluehost Starter | $3.99 per month | 36-month term | $143.64 | $9.99 per month | $119.88 | 2.5 times |
How we calculated the derived columns: first payment is the advertised monthly rate multiplied by the required term (Hostinger publishes its $143.52 total directly); one year at renewal is the renewal rate multiplied by 12; the last column is the renewal rate divided by the advertised rate, rounded to one decimal. DreamHost states that the full term plus taxes is charged at checkout.
How Much Does Web Hosting Cost per Year?
It depends on which year you mean.
- In the first year, the entry plans above are cheap: from $34.68 (DreamHost) and $35.40 (GreenGeeks) for a year on a yearly term. InterServer’s monthly plan costs $79.50 for the first 12 months ($2.50 for the first month, then $7.00 per month).
- After the first term, the same plans cost between $84.00 (InterServer) and $167.40 (GreenGeeks) per year.
- On multi-year prepays, Hostinger and Bluehost charge the whole term at the start ($143.52 and $143.64), then renew at $10.99 and $9.99 per month.
If you plan to keep a website for several years, the renewal rate matters more than the advertised rate.
Why the Headline Price Is Not What You Pay
Hosting prices are usually advertised as a monthly rate, but three details change what you actually pay:
- The term behind the rate. Hostinger states that all plans are paid up front and that the monthly rate is the total divided by the months in the plan. Bluehost’s Starter rate applies to a 36-month term, and GreenGeeks’ Lite rate is pre-paid for 12 months.
- The renewal rate. Every host in our table shows a higher renewal rate than its advertised rate.
- Taxes and add-ons. DreamHost notes that the full term plus taxes is charged at checkout.
Hosts We Could Not Put in the Table
- Hostwinds lists shared plans starting at $6.99 per month, but its shared hosting page does not show the billing term or renewal price next to the plans.
- Hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting) loads prices dynamically, and they were not shown in the page text we reviewed.
- Cloudways prices cloud servers by provider and size rather than shared plans; its managed cloud servers start at $11 per month.
We will add them when the official pages publish comparable renewal figures.
How to Keep Renewal Costs Down
- Compare renewal rates first. On our data, InterServer ($7.00) and Bluehost ($9.99) have the lowest entry-plan renewal rates.
- Prefer monthly billing if you are unsure. InterServer bills monthly, and DreamHost states that every web hosting plan offers monthly billing.
- Watch cancellation deadlines. InterServer requires cancellation at least three days before the automatic renewal date.
- Use the refund window. InterServer, Hostinger, GreenGeeks and Bluehost all list a 30-day refund or money-back window, so test the host in the first month.
Read our full reviews for details: InterServer, GreenGeeks, Hostinger, Bluehost and DreamHost.
Prepaying vs Monthly Billing: Pros and Cons
Prepaying a long term
Pros
- Locks the advertised rate for the whole term, for example $2.99 per month for 48 months on Hostinger Premium
- No renewal surprise until the term ends
Cons
- A large first payment ($143.52 on Hostinger Premium, $143.64 on Bluehost Starter)
- You still face the renewal rate when the term ends
Monthly billing
Pros
- Small first payment, for example $2.50 for InterServer’s first month
- You can leave without losing a long prepayment
Cons
- You pay the regular monthly rate sooner ($7.00 per month on InterServer after month one)
- Not every host offers it: Hostinger states that all of its plans are paid up front
Which Host Should You Choose on Price?
- Lowest long-term cost: InterServer, with a $7.00 renewal rate and monthly billing.
- Longest coverage from one payment: Hostinger Premium covers 48 months for $143.52; Bluehost Starter covers 36 months for $143.64, then renews at $9.99 per month.
- Lowest first year on a yearly term: DreamHost ($34.68 plus taxes) or GreenGeeks ($35.40), but plan for renewals of $10.99 and $13.95 per month.
- Green hosting: GreenGeeks, if its 300% energy match matters to you more than the renewal rate.
How We Evaluated These Prices
- We opened each provider’s official pricing page on 2026-10-07 and recorded the advertised rate, the required term and the renewal rate exactly as published, keeping a saved copy of each page.
- We compared entry shared plans, because they are where most new site owners start.
- Derived figures (first payment, one year at renewal and the renewal multiple) are calculated from those published numbers with the formulas above.
- We re-check these prices every three months and update the “Prices checked” date when they change.
FAQ
Why do web hosting prices go up at renewal?
Every host in our sample advertises a lower rate for the first term than it charges at renewal. In our 2026-10-07 check of five entry shared plans, renewal rates were 2.5 to 4.7 times the advertised rate. The advertised rate often also requires prepaying a long term, so check both the term and the renewal rate before buying.
How much does web hosting cost per year after the first term?
For the five entry shared plans we checked on 2026-10-07, one year at the renewal rate costs between $84.00 (InterServer, $7.00 per month) and $167.40 (GreenGeeks, $13.95 per month). Hostinger and DreamHost both cost $131.88 per year at renewal, and Bluehost costs $119.88 per year at renewal.
Which web host has the cheapest renewal price?
In our sample, InterServer’s standard plan has the lowest renewal rate at $7.00 per month on monthly billing, after a first month at $2.50. Bluehost Starter follows at $9.99 per month, then Hostinger Premium and DreamHost Web Hosting Launch at $10.99 per month. Prices were checked on 2026-10-07.
Is it worth prepaying several years of hosting?
Prepaying locks the advertised rate for that term, but you pay the whole amount up front, for example $143.52 for Hostinger Premium’s 48 months. If you are not sure the site will last that long, monthly or yearly billing limits your risk, and a 30-day refund window lets you test first.