DreamHost

Shared hostingManaged serverNorth America

DreamHost offers shared hosting for small sites and first websites, with the server run for you, priced in the middle for its type.

From $2.89/mo on a 12-month term, renews at $10.99/mo. Checked on dreamhost.com, 13 Oct 2026

Visit DreamHost Compare

Three years on the entry plan

$298

First 12 months$2.89/mo

After that$10.99/mo

+280% at renewal

Web Hosting Launch (formerly Shared Starter), 12-month term

Where its servers are

DreamHost has data centres in 1 region. The shaded areas are regions, not exact cities.

North America

We can only time hosts that publish speed-test addresses. The latency chart measures five clouds; a city close to you there is a good sign for any host in that city.

Plans and prices

The plans we checked on the host's own page on 13 Oct 2026. The host sells more sizes; these are the ones that set the entry price.

Web Hosting Launch

formerly Shared Starter , 12-month term

$2.89/mo

For 12 months, then $10.99/mo

25 GB NVMe SSD
25 sites
~40k visits/mo
unmetered traffic

Checked 13 Oct 2026 on dreamhost.com

Fine print we read

Page: 'First year at $2.89/mo ... Auto-renews at $10.99/mo after 1 year.' Full term plus taxes charged upfront. The page's embedded pricing data (active promo code WH-BF2025) lists these terms: 1 month $4.99 then $11.99; 12 months $2.89 then $10.99; 24 months $2.49 then $8.99; 48 months $1.99 then $7.99 (the /wordpress/ page shows 'First 4 years at $1.99/mo', $95.52 upfront). There is no 36-month term for Launch. For a 3-year horizon: 12-mo term = 2.89x12 + 10.99x24 = $298.44; 24-mo term = 2.49x24 + 8.99x12 = $167.64; the 48-mo term costs $95.52 upfront but runs 4 years. Free domain for the first year on annual and multi-year plans (not monthly). Email is a 3-month trial, then billed separately. DreamHost renamed Shared Starter to 'Launch'. The intro rate is now available on 12, 24 and 48-month terms; it no longer needs 36 months. The active promo code is named WH-BF2025, so the rates may change after the promo.

DreamPress 1

36-month term

$11.99/mo

For 36 months, then $16.99/mo

15 GB NVMe SSD
1 site
~40k visits/mo
unmetered traffic

Checked 13 Oct 2026 on dreamhost.com

Fine print we read

base price on the 36-month term is $16.99/mo; 12-month term: $14.99 first year, then 'Auto-renews at $19.99/mo after 1 year'; monthly: $19.99 promo, $24.99 base Annual and multi-year plans are paid upfront. Over 3 years: 36-mo term = 11.99x36 = $431.64; 12-mo term = 14.99x12 + 19.99x24 = $659.64. Free domain for the first year on annual DreamPress plans. Includes email, 14-day backup retention, unmetered bandwidth. The 12-month figures ($14.99 then $19.99) appear as visible page text. The 36-month and monthly figures come from the pricing data embedded in the same page (promo code DP-BF2025).

Work out the 3-year cost

Our test of DreamHost

Tested by Hosting Compass, April 2026

4.2/5

Performance4.1/5
Ease of use4.3/5
Support4.1/5
Features4.2/5
Value4.4/5

DreamHost is the thinking person's hosting provider. Its independent ownership, privacy-first approach, generous money-back guarantee, and solid WordPress integration make it a principled choice without compromising on quality.

Overview

Founded in 1996 by four Harvey Mudd College students, DreamHost is one of the oldest and most respected names in web hosting. They remain independently owned, a rarity in an industry dominated by conglomerates. DreamHost hosts over 1.5 million sites and manages 750,000+ WordPress installations.

Performance

DreamHost delivers solid performance with average load times of 380ms and TTFB around 240ms. Their SSD servers and built-in caching provide reliable performance, though they don't quite match the speed leaders. Uptime was excellent at 99.96%.

Support

24/7 live chat and ticket support are available. Phone support is offered as a callback option. DreamHost's support team is technically strong, particularly for WordPress-related issues. Their knowledge base is one of the most comprehensive in the industry.

Pricing & Value

Shared Starter plans begin at $2.59/month with a free domain. DreamHost uniquely offers true month-to-month billing without dramatic price increases. Their 97-day money-back guarantee is the most generous in the industry, more than triple the standard 30-day window.

All plans include free domain privacy (WHOIS protection), which most competitors charge $10-15/year for.

Who Should Choose DreamHost?

DreamHost is perfect for users who value independence, privacy, and ethical business practices, as well as WordPress users wanting a reliable, no-nonsense hosting experience.

Prices mentioned in these notes are from the time of the test. Current prices are in the plans above.

DreamHost at a glance

The dials are our editorial estimates on a 1 to 5 scale, not test results. How we estimate

4/5Ease of use

3/5Performance

3/5Support

3/5Room to grow

Management: Managed server
cPanel: No
Email included: Yes
Headquarters: Brea, California
Support: live chat and ticket

Best for

WordPress sites
Dedicated servers
Business websites
Blogs and content sites

Fit by project

WordPress siteStrong fit
Online storePossible fit
Business websiteStrong fit
Web app or SaaSWeak fit
Portfolio or static siteStrong fit
Blog or content siteStrong fit
Agency with client sitesPossible fit

From the type of hosting, the same rule the finder uses.

Strengths and trade-offs

In its favour

Email included with hosting

Watch for

Renews 280% higher after the first term ($2.89 to $10.99/mo)
Data centres in North America only
No cPanel; it uses its own dashboard

The first points come straight from the price and plan data.

Similar hosts

Questions about DreamHost

How much does DreamHost cost after the first term?

DreamHost's entry plan (Web Hosting Launch (formerly Shared Starter), 12-month term) costs $2.89 per month on a 12-month term and renews at $10.99 per month, as checked on the host's own page on 13 Oct 2026. Over three years that is about $298 in total.

Does DreamHost include email?

Yes. Our data shows email accounts included with DreamHost's hosting plans.

Where are DreamHost's data centres?

In North America. We list regions, not exact cities, for DreamHost.

Does DreamHost offer cPanel?

No. DreamHost uses its own dashboard or none at all, not cPanel.