Website hosting cost 2025: how much should you pay?
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Determining website hosting can be confusing. Each provider offers different hosting bundles, and if you don't have much experience with hosting, you may have trouble understanding what each entails. In this article, I will look through hosting offers, and show you how to get the best deal possible.
To navigate various web hosting deals, packages, and discounts, you need to understand how website hosting cost is determined. In this article, I compare different host prices, explain different hosting types, and help you pick the best web hosting plan for your needs.
Web hosting cost 2025: overview
The first thing you must remember while selecting your web hosting is the goal of your project. The plans you need will differ for a portfolio website, an eCommerce website, and a passion project requiring computing power. So, let’s analyze how much it costs to host a website and the best providers for each hosting type.
Shared web hosting cost
Shared web hosting is the simplest and cheapest option for putting your website on the internet. It’s named that way because one server hosts multiple websites on one IP. This is cost-effective for users who don’t need dedicated solutions. Shared hosting is best if you just need to host a simple website, like a portfolio or company website, and don’t need too much processing power or drive space. Shared web hosting servers start at as low as $1.00/month.
Hostinger | IONOS | Bluehost | DreamHost | SiteGround | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $2.78/month | $1.00/month | $1.99/month | $2.59/month | $2.99/month |
Highest monthly price | $13.99/month | $17.00/month | $34.99/month | $13.99/month | $49.99/month |
Free extras | Unlimited SSLs, email, domain (12-month plans and above), AI Website Builder, CDN (Business plan and above) | Wildcard SSL, email, domain (12-month plans and above), 1-click installation | SSL, CDN, Pro Email trial, DDoS protection, AI Site Creation Tools, domain (12-month plans and above) | AI Website Builder, AI Business Advisor, SSL, daily backups, domain (12-month plans and above) | SSL, email, CDN, template gallery, AI content generation, domain (12-month plans and above) |
WordPress hosting cost
WordPress is the world's most popular CMS (content management system), which is why many hosting providers have created unique plans dedicated to hosting the software. WordPress allows you to create everything from simple blogs to advanced portfolios and eCommerce websites. The prices are similar to shared hosting plans, as WordPress plans are essentially shared hosting plans with additional features, and nothing stops you from installing a WordPress website on your shared hosting server. Prices span from $1.00/month to $79.95/month, depending on provider and plan.
Hostinger | IONOS | Bluehost | DreamHost | SiteGround | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $2.78/month | $1.00/month | $1.99/month | $2.59/month | $2.99/month |
Highest monthly price | $13.99/month | $17.00/month | $34.99/month | $79.95/month | $49.99/month |
Free extras | AI WordPress designer, WordPress auto-updates, WordPress vulnerability scanner, WordPress acceleration, WordPress staging tool (Business plan and above) | WordPress assistant, AI WordPress tools, SiteAnalytics, AI Chatbot | AI Site Creation Tools, Yoast SEO, WordPress Migration, WordPress Staging Site | WordPress basic: AI Website Builder, Wordpress Installer; DreamPress plans: 24/7 WordPress support, Jetpack, 1-Click Staging | WordPress Auto-Install, WordPress Auto-Migrator, WP Speed Optimizer, WP Security Optimizer, WooCommerce enabled |
Cloud hosting cost
Cloud hosting creates a shared platform from multiple computers connected with each other to use their resources. This means users get higher performance, security, and reliability. It’s considerably more expensive than shared hosting and is most useful for SaaS applications, large eCommerce solutions, and other resource-heavy uses. Since cloud hosting has a wide array of uses and scales, prices range from $4.00/month to $400.00/month, depending on the provider and resources needed.
Hostinger | Liquid Web | SiteGround | Kamatera | ScalaHosting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $7.43/month | $5.00/month | $100.00/month | $4.00/month | $14.95/month |
Highest monthly price | $64.99/month | $82.50/month | $400.00/month | $12.00/month | $239.95/month |
Free extras | SSL, email, CDN, dedicated IP, domain (12-month plans and longer) | SSL, DDoS protection, robust API, fast provisioning | SSL, CDN, email, White-Label Reselling, collaboration tools | Flexible pricing, customizable resource usage, pre-configured apps | Virtual Server Applications, daily backups, CloudFlare integration |
VPS hosting cost
VPS (virtual private server) hosting is similar to shared hosting in that hosting providers give you a part of a larger hosting machine to house your website or application. The difference is that, unlike shared hosting, you get a dedicated pool of resources, simulating hosting on a separate computer. VPS hosting is an excellent choice for medium-sized businesses seeking a stable hosting solution. VPS hosting can get expensive, ranging from $2.00/month to $169.99/month, depending on the provider and specs.
Hostinger | Liquid Web | Kamatera | ScalaHosting | InMotion Hosting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $4.64/month | $5.00/month | $4.00/month | $14.95/month | $5.99/month |
Highest monthly price | $59.99/month | $82.50/month | $12.00/month | $239.95/month | $49.99/month |
Free extras | Backups and snapshots, AI assistant, firewall and DDoS protection, 1-click install | Migration, 24/7 support, custom spec VPS | Flexible pricing, customizable resource usage, pre-configured apps | Virtual Server Applications, daily backups, CloudFlare integration | Website transfer, dedicated IPs, SSL, DDoS protection |
Game server hosting cost
Game server hosting is a particular type of VPS or dedicated server for multiplayer video games like Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, or Valheim. These servers are usually more resource-intensive than other applications, so many hosting companies offer special gaming services. Some hosts, like IONOS, offer gaming support in various setups, from VPS to dedicated servers. They range from $4.99/month to as much as $269.99/month.
Hostinger | InMotion Hosting | IONOS | |
---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $4.99/month | $5.99/month | $2.00/month |
Highest monthly price | $99.99/month | $269.99/month | $50.00/month |
Free extras | Full root access, AMD EPYC processors and NVME storage, data recovery | Popular game support, OS choice, server snapshots, expert support | 24/7 expert support, SSL, firewall, Plesk Obsidian |
Dedicated hosting cost
Dedicated servers are relatively simple. When you pay for dedicated server hosting, you get a dedicated computer connected to the internet to run your software as you please. This means you get maximum security and performance but without the scalability of a cloud server. Dedicated servers are great for hosting game servers, databases, and streaming. However, due to their architecture, they’re also the most expensive, starting at as low as $23.70/month and ending at as high as $599.00/month.
Bluehost | IONOS | DreamHost | LiquidWeb | InterServer | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cheapest monthly price | $141.19/month | $75.00/month | $165.00/month | $50.00/month | $99.00/month |
Highest monthly price | $156.63/month | $170.00/month | $749.00/month | $647.00/month | $599.00/month |
Free extras | Free migration, dedicated IP, cPanel | Monitoring center, 24/7 support, Rest API, dedicated IP | 24/7 DDoS protection, 24/7 support 2N+2 power redundancy, 100% uptime guarantee, dedicated IP | DDoS protection, advanced security, API, no virtualization layer | CPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin, 24/7 uptime monitoring, floating IPs |
How to get the best web hosting prices
Finding the best web hosting price can be quite a challenge. Luckily, there are a few ways to find the best deal. Here’s what you should do:
- Sign up for the longest offer – hosting companies offer the best deals to customers who commit to their longest bundle.
- Look up promo codes and coupons – sometimes, a quick Google search will help you save a lot of money.
- Use seasonal offers – Black Friday, Cyber Monday, holidays, and special occasions usually see hosting companies prepare promotional bundles.
- Change hosting providers instead of renewing – hosting providers often place a premium on renewals and offer free migration. You can use that to your advantage.
Sign up for the longest offer
If you look at any hosting provider’s website, you will see attractive offers for as little as $1.00/month. The trick is that these offers calculate your monthly rate by dividing the multi-year total by the number of months. That means you won’t be paying $1.00 every month, but rather, for example, you will make a one-time $36.00 payment for a three-year plan.
Pay for the longest plan available to get the most out of your hosting. They’re usually not prohibitively expensive and will ensure you’re set for a while.
Look for promo codes and coupons
Many hosting websites offer fantastic deals when using a promo code. You can often find these deals online through Google or other search engines. What’s more, you can always check our exclusive Cybernews deals. We have a dedicated web hosting promo codes page, which we regularly update.
Use seasonal offers
Many hosting companies also offer special deals for seasonal events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, as well as the winter and summer holidays or other occasions. If you’re patient enough, a big sale will eventually come up. I suggest following your favorite hosting providers’ social media to stay current.
Change hosting providers instead of renewing
While it may be daunting to change hosting providers every two to three years, the fact of the matter is that hosting companies offer better prices to new customers. That’s why you should look through their competitors' offers instead of waiting for a renewal with your current provider. Most companies offer free migration to help you in this process and ensure your website stays up while changing hosts.
Other web hosting features that may cost extra
While web hosting providers are usually robust in their base versions, often featuring additional freebies like free domains, SSL, and CDN, some hosting providers will require you to pay extra for certain features. This will depend on the type of hosting you’re looking for – a cloud server will have different extras than a shared web hosting server. However, for servers, the following features are usually paid extra:
- Email inboxes – while many providers offer basic email functionalities, additional inboxes and advanced email software often cost extra.
- Domain privacy – free domains are often offered bundled with servers; however, if you want to hide your information from the WHOIS registry, you will usually have to pay an extra fee.
- Dedicated IP addresses – dedicated IP addresses are useful when you’re having DNS trouble, ensuring you will always have access to your server. Another use is when you want to maintain a high email sender reputation, and ensure other users don’t impact your deliverability.
Website hosting cost FAQs
Can I host my website for free?
Yes, free website hosting exists. However, websites like Google Sites or WordPress.com offer limited functionalities and will limit you if you want to use your website for anything other than personal blogging.
Do I have to pay to host my website?
No, you do not necessarily have to pay for hosting. However, paid hosting allows you to create low-cost professional websites, while complimentary services like Google Sites or WordPress.com cannot compete with premium options.
What is the average cost to pay someone to build a website?
The cost of building a website depends on the sort of website you want to develop. Prices can vary from paying a freelancer less than a hundred dollars for a simple portfolio website to paying an agency hundreds of thousands for an advanced eCommerce site. Most web dev agencies do not name their price outright but consult their clients to determine the scope and needs.
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