7 Best cheap web hosting providers 2023
-
Miglė Šeikytė
Content Manager
There are many misconceptions about hosting out there. But, perhaps, the most damning one is about its pricing. Many people tend to believe that the more expensive, the better, and that cheap services must be of low quality.
Sure, premium-priced hosting usually includes premium features. However, many users, beginners especially, will not make use of said features. So why pay for them?
That being said, cheap can be very good when you know what you’re looking for. For example, Hostinger comes with all the necessary features like a domain, an SSL, generous storage, and good speeds for a well-functioning site.
So in this best cheap web hosting post, not only will I go through the tested providers listing their pros and cons, but I’ll also talk about what's important when picking a cheap host.
7 best cheap web hosting options: ranked
- Hostinger – best overall cheap hosting plans
- DreamHost – best cheap WordPress hosting for business
- Bluehost – functional and budget-friendly host for WordPress
- A2 Hosting – affordable performance-focused hosting
- HostGator – beginner-friendly affordable hosting
- HostPapa – best cheap provider with generous features
- InterServer – budget month-to-month hosting
📢 LIMITED OFFER: Get 75% OFF Hostinger!
Choosing the best cheap web host service
If you’re unfamiliar with the hosting world, it’s very easy to be tricked into opting for an unnecessarily expensive plan with features you might never even use. To avoid that, we have identified the top factors to bear in mind when shopping for cheap website hosting:
- Fine prints matter: Many web hosts will come across as cheap at first glance. However, before taking your pick consider a few things: How long is the billing term to get the lowest price? Can you pay the full sum upfront? Are there any features/tools automatically added to your cart that you don’t really need? How high are the renewal rates?
- Resources and features: Make sure that your chosen plan includes the resources that you truly need and will use. If you’re planning a single smaller website, your project won’t need more than 10GB storage and 50GB bandwidth. As for the features, this will entirely depend on your personal needs. However, make sure that at least basics like a custom domain, an SSL certificate, and business email accounts are included. Inclusive security packages and automated backups are a nice bonus too.
- Good performance: A speedy website has a better chance of ranking higher on the search engine result page. Additionally, bounce-off rates also tend to be lower. If you want reliable performance, there are 4 factors to consider: response time (should remain under 600ms for best results), uptime (should be as close to 100% as possible), site loading time (keep this under 3s for best results), and ability to handle increased traffic on the site (should be as close to 50VUs as possible).
7 Best cheap web hosting providers – our detailed list:
To find a cheap yet high-quality web hosting provider might seem time-consuming and complicated. That’s why we have done the evaluation and testing for you, so you can take your pick from the 7 best affordable hosting solutions.
1. Hostinger – the overall best affordable hosting solution
| Features: | Free SSL, weekly backups, SSD storage, LiteSpeed web server |
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Avg. response time: | 511ms |
| Best for: | Small business websites |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Get Hostinger with 75% OFF 🔥 |
Hostinger tops the list of the best cheap web hosts not only because of its budget prices but also because of what it brings to the table. For just $2.99/mo, the provider offers speedy performance with all the latest technology, as well as easy to use interface. Hostinger is ideal for those building small to medium-sized websites.
Price: The provider offers 2 shared and 1 cloud hosting plan with prices starting as low as $2.99/mo. To secure the lowest price you will need to pick the longest billing term, which is 4 years. Full prepayment will be needed.
Features: The cheapest Hostinger shared plan comes with a free custom domain, the ability to host up to 100 websites, 100GB, unlimited bandwidth, and up to 100 business email accounts. Plus, free SSL and weekly backups are also included.
Performance: Hostinger offers top-class tech like a fast LiteSpeed Web Server with caching and the latest PHP versions for that speedy performance. Throughout our testing the uptime was at a perfect 100%, server responsiveness averaged at 511ms, the site loading time took only 0.9s, and the host was able to deal with 50 simultaneous visitors on the site. Plus, you can also choose your data center either in the US, Europe, or Asia.
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Average response time: | 511ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 0.9s |
| On-site traffic: | 50VUs |
Customer support: Hostinger offers customer support 24/7 via live chat, a ticketing system, and email. Based on our experience, the agents are well-trained and quick to help. However, the initial connecting time might take a few minutes.
All things considered, Hostinger is too cheap for its own good. It’s surprising to see generously equipped plans and very reliable performance for such a low rate.
Visit our Hostinger review to learn more about the service.
- Cheapest web hosting starting at $2.99/month
- Free domain, SSL, and weekly backups included
- Top-tier performance results
- You have to pre-pay and renewals are a bit higher
- Customer support team takes a while to connect
2. DreamHost – affordable WordPress-oriented hosting provider
| Features: | Free SSL, domain name, daily backups, domain privacy |
| Uptime: | >99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 231ms |
| Best for: | Reliability and security |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get DreamHost with 79% OFF🔥 |
A WordPress-centred host, DreamHost is also one of the cheaper web hosting providers, with prices starting at $2.59/month. The provider is well known for its generous WordPress features and a very special 100% uptime guarantee. This makes DreamHost perfect for those looking for reliable hosting for WordPress.
Price: The provider offers 2 shared hosting plans, with prices starting at just $2.59/mo. While the lowest rates can be secured by opting for a 3-year billing period, the provider also offers very affordable month-to-month billing too. Plus, there’s a very generous 97-day money-back guarantee if you pay by credit card.
Features: DreamHost’s shared hosting entry plan allows hosting 1 website and comes with a free custom domain, an SSL certificate, unlimited bandwidth, 50GB storage, automated daily backups, domain privacy, and a WP Website Builder. A business email comes at an extra cost.
Performance: DreamHost comes with an impressive 100% uptime guarantee. And our testing proved that the host is truly reliable and fast. With just a minute of downtime, the uptime came up to >99.99%, the avg. response time was at a very speedy 231ms, loading time took 1.6s, and lastly, the host managed to handle 50 simultaneous visitors on the site too. However, be mindful that all DreamHost’s servers are located in the US alone.
| Uptime: | >99.99% |
| Average response time: | 231ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 1.6s |
| On-site traffic: | 50VUs |
Customer support: DreamHost offers customer support via live chat (5:30 AM - 9:30 PM PT), phone, and 24/7 email tickets. Based on our experience, the agents were very skilled and speedy, even when contacting via a ticketing system.
Overall, DreamHost is not just cheap but it also offers resource and feature-rich plans. It’s great for both beginner users and businesses that wish to get high-quality and speedy performance.
Check out our DreamHost review to learn more about the provider.
- Free domain, SSL, and domain privacy
- WordPress website builder included
- Reliable and fast server performance
- Email costs extra with the entry plan
- Support is not 24/7
3. Bluehost – budget and beginner-friendly hosting for WordPress
| Features: | Free SSL, domain name, staging, CDN |
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 361ms |
| Best for: | Small business websites |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get Bluehost with 75% OFF🔥 |
Making its way into this list is one of the most popular providers around, Bluehost. It offers inexpensive web hosting with shared plans’ prices starting at $2.95/month. The host has one of the most impressive dashboards with tools like staging and two-click Cloudflare CDN integration. Plus, cPanel is there if needed.
Price: Bluehost comes with 4 shared hosting plans that range from $2.95/mo to $13.95/mo in terms of price. The lowest monthly rate is available with a 12-month billing term, plus there’s also a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
Features: Bluehost’s cheapest shared plan comes with the ability to host 1 website and includes a free domain name, an SSL certificate, a CDN, 10GB storage, unmetered bandwidth, 5 email accounts, and a staging environment.
Performance: Throughout our testing, the host kept a 99.99% uptime, even while lacking an official uptime guarantee. The avg. response time was just as impressive at just 361ms and the fully loaded time was good too – 1.8s. Yet, its ability to handle intense traffic was a bit low, at just 15VUs. Lastly, the host offers servers in the US alone, yet a free CDN is available.
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Average response time: | 361ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 1.8s |
| On-site traffic: | 15VUs |
Customer support: Bluehost’s support can be reached via live chat and phone 24/7. Based on our experience, the communication was fast and very helpful. Yet if you want a more attentive approach, you can purchase Bluehost’s premium support package – Blue Sky.
All things considered, Bluehost is quite a unique provider on this list. Only one plan can be considered cheap, but the functionalities included make it very attractive. Especially for beginners and small business owners.
Visit our Bluehost review to learn more about the host.
- Free domain, SSL, and staging included
- Reliable and speedy performance
- Fast and helpful customer support
- Servers are only in the US
- Relatively small storage
4. A2 Hosting – performance-focused hosting for affordable pricing
| Features: | Free SSL, caching, DDoS protection, cPanel |
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 597ms |
| Best for: | Speed-focused hosting |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get A2 Hosting with 72% OFF🔥 |
A2 Hosting is mainly known for its performance-driven features like its A2 Optimized software. This makes it the ideal provider for those looking for affordable plans that offer plenty of speed-boosting features. Its shared hosting starts from $2.99/month.
Once again, long billing terms are unavoidable, and renewals are higher.
Price: A2 Hosting offers 4 affordable and feature-rich shared plans. And with 36-month billing option prices start at just $2.99/mo. Best of all, A2 Hosting not only gives you a standard 30-day money-back guarantee, but also an anytime money-back policy for unused services.
Features: The cheapest provider's plan enables you to host a single site and includes 100GB storage, unlimited email accounts, bandwidth, DNS, and subdomains. Plus free SSL, DDoS protection, automated backups, server-level firewall, and many more. However, a custom domain is not included.
Performance: A2 Hosting is known for its many performance-optimizing features on its pricier plans. However, even the cheaper options with less managed to show good results. The host kept a reliable 99.99% uptime, a very speedy site loading time of 1.4s, and even managed to handle the simultaneous 50VUs on the site. Lastly, the host allows you to choose a server either in Michigan (US), Arizona (US), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Singapore (Singapore).
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Average response time: | 597ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 1.4s |
| On-site traffic: | 50VUs |
Customer support: A2 Hosting offers support via 24/7 ticketing system, phone, and live chat. Since we contacted the support via live chat, our experience was very smooth and speedy with the issue being resolved in a few minutes.
All in all, A2 Hosting is a great option for small business websites. Generous storage, performance-focused features, and strong security make it a good work-horse for some of the least expensive web hosting prices.
Check out our A2 Hosting review to learn more about the provider.
- Performance and security-focused platform
- Impressive server resources
- Server location choice in the US, Europe, and Asia
- A free custom domain is not included
- Majority of performance optimizations available only with pricier plans
5. HostGator – inexpensive and all-inclusive hosting for beginners
| Features: | Free SSL, domain name, website builder |
| Uptime: | >99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 525ms |
| Best for: | Beginners and small websites |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get HostGator with 65% OFF🔥 |
HostGator is another very popular provider that focuses on both personal and small business users. With its cheapest plan costing just $2.75/month, the host is the perfect entry into the hosting world for newbies. Plus, the provider also makes itself an attractive option with its easy-to-use interface and other beginner-friendly features.
Price: HostGator offers 3 affordable shared hosting plans with prices starting at just $2.75/mo. To get this price, however, you need to pick the 36-mo billing cycle. Yet if you change your mind, there’s a standard 30-day money-back guarantee to make use of.
Features: HostGator’s cheapest entry plan comes with very generous server resources. While you’re only allowed to host a single site, storage, bandwidth, and email accounts are unlimited. Plus, necessities like a free domain, an SSL, and free website builder for up to 6 pages, and a server-level firewall are also included.
Performance: To test HostGator’s performance we ran a few tests and the results were pretty impressive. The host kept the site up >99.99% of the time, its avg. response time rounded up to 525ms, and the site loaded in just 1.2s. Additionally, HostGator handled the full 50VUs on the website too. However, note that all provider’s servers are based in the US solely.
| Uptime: | >99.99% |
| Average response time: | 525ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 1.2s |
| On-site traffic: | 50VUs |
Customer support: You can reach HostGator’s support agents via 24/7 live chat and phone. To test the agent’s competence we contacted them via live chat and received the help we needed instantaneously.
As a whole, HostGator is among the best cheap website hosting providers. For a very low price, it manages to deliver in terms of ease of use, performance, and even features offered. It’s an all-inclusive option for beginners.
Visit our HostGator review to learn more about the host.
- Free domain, SSL, and email accounts
- cPanel hosting management
- Excellent performance results
- Servers are only in the US
- Not clear what amount of resources you get with plans
6. HostPapa – affordable, reliable, and resource-rich hosting solution
| Features: | Free domain, free SSL, cPanel, Cloudflare CDN, server firewall |
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 1.19s |
| Best for: | Generous beginner-friendly hosting |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get HostPapa with 73% OFF🔥 |
HostPapa is not the cheapest entry on the list but it sure has a lot to offer. It makes it here by including very generous server resources even with its cheapest plan. Plus, the rest is covered – you get a domain, SSL, email accounts, and cPanel control panel. All that for 2.36.
Price: HostPapa comes forward with 4 shared hosting plan options. And the cheapest one retails for just $2.36/mo with a 36-month billing period. Additionally, if you wish to, you can make use of its 30-day money-back guarantee too.
Features: The cheapest HostPapa plan allows hosting 1 website and includes 100GB storage, unlimited bandwidth, Cloudflare CDN, server firewall and monitoring, DDoS attack prevention, an SSL certificate, free domain registration, and 10 email accounts.
Performance: In terms of performance HostPapa is highly reliable, yet the speed department could use a bit of help. The provider demonstrated a perfect 100% uptime, while its avg. response time took 1.19s. More so, the handled traffic was on the lower end. Despite that, the site’s loading time was at a very speedy 1.5s. Lastly, HostPapa allows you to pick a server either in the US, Canada, and Europe.
| Uptime: | 100% |
| Average response time: | 1.19ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 1.5s |
| On-site traffic: | 15VUs |
Customer support: HostPapa has many support channels available: live chat, phone, ticketing system, and fax. Despite which one you opt for, you can expect polite and knowledgeable agents at your service. Best of all, support is available in English, Spanish, and French.
Altogether, HostPapa is an excellent affordable web hosting provider for users that need some guidance in the beginning. That's covered with one-on-one training. HostPapa also includes a bunch of generous features that can cover quite big websites.
Visit our HostPapa review to learn more about the host.
- Free domain and SSL in the entry plan
- Generous server resources
- Server location choice in the US, Canada, and Europe
- Server response times are quite slow
- Entry plan handles low to low-average traffic
7. InterServer – budget-friendly month-to-month hosting
| Features: | Free SSL, unlimited sites, cPanel |
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Avg. response time: | 662ms |
| Best for: | Month-to-month hosting |
| Current deal: | 🔥Get InterServer with 65% OFF🔥 |
InterServer has made a name for itself by offering affordable high-quality hosting. The provider has only one shared hosting plan, which price can get as low as $2.50/month. Both businesses and personal projects would work well with the provider. But, I’d mostly recommend it for smaller projects.
Price: InterServer has 3 shared hosting plans to offer. And they come for very reasonable prices, starting at $2.50/mo. To secure this rate for longer, it is advised to pick the 36-month billing cycle. However, even if you wish to purchase a single month, the rate will remain the same. Plus, you also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Features: All InterServer plans come with unlimited websites, storage, bandwidth, and email accounts. Plus, a free SSL, weekly backups, and a Cloudflare CDN are included too. However, a custom domain comes for an additional price.
Performance: InterServer’s performance is a little unpredictable. While the host is very reliable in terms of uptime, its server responsiveness and site loading time could be much better. Despite that, InterServer is capable of handling quite an intense traffic on the website. However, note that all provider’s servers are based in the US solely.
| Uptime: | 99.99% |
| Average response time: | 662ms |
| Fully built site loading time: | 2.3s |
| On-site traffic: | 35VUs |
Customer support: InterServer’s customer support can be reached around the clock via live chat, phone, email, and even Messenger. Based on our experience, the waiting times were very short and the agents proved to be knowledgeable and friendly.
All in all, InterServer is a very universal host. The fact that you’re not limited by the number of sites you can create is brilliant, and month-to-month hosting can become a life-saver for tight budgets.
Visit our InterServer review to learn more about the host.
- Affordable long-term and month-to-month billing
- Unlimited number of websites is allowed
- cPanel control panel
- Performance needs improving
- Servers only in the US
Best cheapest web hosting platforms
| Hostinger | DreamHost | Bluehost | A2 Hosting | HostGator | HostPapa | InterServer | |
| Brand |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Rating | |||||||
| Price | From $2.99/mo | From $2.59/mo | From $2.95/mo | From $2.99/mo | From $2.75/mo | From $2.36/mo | From $2.50/mo |
| Interface | hPanel | Native interface | Native interface +cPanel | Native interface +cPanel | Native interface +cPanel | Native interface +cPanel | Native interface +cPanel |
| Free domain | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Free SSL | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Uptime | 100% | >99.99% | 99.99% | 99.99% | >99.99% | 100% | 99.99% |
| Average response time | 511ms | 231ms | 361ms | 597ms | 525ms | 1.19s | 662ms |
| Data centers | The US, Europe, and Asia | The US | The US | The US, Europe, and Asia | The US | The US, Canada, and Europe | The US |
Cheap web hosting: final recommendations
No doubt it’s obvious now that there are many good quality providers out there that offer cheap web hosting solutions. But, in this article, I’ve shortlisted the top 7 cheap web hosting options.
To make things easier for you, here’s a little reminder of how they stack up:
- Hostinger offers the cheapest web hosting plan that delivers great performance for global audiences.
- DreamHost comes with plenty of features, great reliability, and security. It’s best for WordPress sites.
- Bluehost has the most functional interface. It’s easy to use and excellent for beginners.
- A2 Hosting offers affordable hosting with many performance-focused tools. Security is good too.
- HostGator delivers beginner-friendly hosting at competitive prices.
- HostPapa is generous and very beginner-friendly. You get more server resources than with any other host.
- InterServer is a very universal host with a cheap month-to-month billing option.
And, there you go! You’d do well with any of these providers. But, I do recommend going through this article thoroughly. Each has its pros and cons and, ultimately, the right provider will depend on your needs, wants, and preferences.
Other cheap hosting solutions
Cheap web hosting FAQs
What is cheap web hosting?
Web hosting costs differ greatly from one provider to another. However, for a web hosting solution to be considered cheap, the monthly rate should be no higher than $5 and the plan should include all the necessities like a domain name, an SSL, and additional security features.
What is the cheapest domain host?
You can get a cheap domain name from a registrar or even from your web hosting provider like Hostinger. The host not only offers a free domain name for the first year but also offers very reasonable prices for purchase.
Can I host my website for free?
Yes, you can host your website for free with certain providers. But, bear in mind that most free providers restrict their features and resources to a bare minimum. Besides that, you likely will also see a less-than-optimum performance. So it's best to stick to low-cost web hosting options.
Which type of hosting is best?
There’s no one-fits-all hosting solution, meaning the best hosting type for you will depend on your personal needs entirely. However, the most popular option remains shared hosting. It’s easy to use and is well-suited for both beginners and advanced users.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked