Best Cheap Web Hosting 2026: 12 Hosts Under $5 (1 Winner)

You want a website, but every hosting comparison seems designed to confuse you into overspending. The truth is that most small websites, personal blogs, and portfolios do not need $20/month managed hosting. A $3/month shared hosting plan can run your site just fine.

We tested 12 budget hosting providers over four months, measuring real uptime, speed performance, and support quality. We also tracked the costs that hosting companies bury in fine print: renewal pricing, add-on fees, and required upsells. Here is what actually delivers value under $5/month and what to avoid.

Quick Comparison: Best Cheap Hosting Providers

What Cheap Hosting Can (and Cannot) Do

Before diving into specific providers, understand what budget hosting delivers and where it falls short.

What cheap hosting handles well:

• Personal blogs and portfolios - Sites under 10,000 monthly visitors run smoothly
• Small business websites - Brochure-style sites with contact forms work perfectly
• WordPress sites - All major budget hosts support one-click WordPress installation
• Email hosting - Most plans include basic email accounts
• SSL certificates - Free SSL (via Let’s Encrypt) is now standard

Where cheap hosting struggles:

• High-traffic sites - Shared server resources get strained above 25,000 monthly visitors
• E-commerce stores - Transaction-heavy sites need more reliable infrastructure
• Resource-intensive applications - Database-heavy sites or custom applications suffer
• International audiences - Limited data center options hurt global performance
• Peak traffic handling - Promotional campaigns or viral content can crash your site

If your needs exceed these limits, skip to our When to Upgrade section.

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Detailed Reviews: Best Budget Hosting Providers

Hostinger

Hostinger has built a reputation as the budget leader, and our testing confirms the value proposition holds up. The Premium Web Hosting plan at $2.49/month (with 48-month commitment) includes NVMe storage, a free domain, SSL certificate, and weekly backups.

Performance: We recorded 99.9% uptime during our four-month test. Speed averaged 491ms TTFB, which places Hostinger in the acceptable range for budget hosting. LiteSpeed web servers provide measurable performance advantages over Apache-based competitors.

The renewal reality: That $2.49/month price requires a 48-month upfront payment of $143.52. When you renew, pricing jumps to $7.99/month on the 48-month term, or $10.99/month for 12-month renewals. Still reasonable, but plan your budget accordingly.

Pricing breakdown:

• Premium plan: $2.49/mo promo, renews at $7.99/mo (48-month term)
• Business plan: $3.29/mo promo, renews at $10.99/mo (48-month term)
• Cloud Startup: $7.99/mo promo, renews at $25.99/mo (48-month term)

Best for: First-time website owners, bloggers, and small portfolios that prioritize value without sacrificing reliability.

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Bluehost

Bluehost has partnered with WordPress.org since 2005, making it the go-to recommendation for WordPress beginners. The platform prioritizes ease of use over raw performance, which works well for users who want minimal technical involvement.

Performance: Our testing showed 99.98% uptime - reliable and consistent. Speed averaged 450ms TTFB for US visitors, acceptable but not exceptional. European and Asian visitors experienced longer load times around 1.6 seconds due to US-only data center locations.

The renewal reality: The Basic plan at $2.95/month requires a 36-month commitment ($106.20 upfront). Renewals jump to $9.99/month. The Choice Plus plan ($5.45/month promo) renews at $14.99/month but includes automatic backups and domain privacy.

Pricing breakdown:

• Basic: $2.95/mo promo, renews at $9.99/mo
• Plus: $5.45/mo promo, renews at $10.99/mo
• Choice Plus: $5.45/mo promo, renews at $14.99/mo
• Pro: $13.95/mo promo, renews at $23.99/mo

Best for: WordPress users in the US who prioritize ease of use and want phone support available.

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HostGator

HostGator appeals to users who want straightforward unlimited resources without worrying about storage limits. The Baby and Business plans allow unlimited websites, making HostGator a practical choice for users managing multiple small sites.

Performance: Uptime held steady at 99.9% during testing. Speed performance was adequate at 520ms TTFB average, though we noticed more variability during peak traffic hours compared to Hostinger and Bluehost.

The renewal reality: The Hatchling plan advertises $3.75/month but requires a 36-month term. Renewals jump to $9.99/month - a 167% increase. The Baby plan ($4.50/month promo) allows unlimited websites and renews at $12.95/month.

Pricing breakdown:

• Hatchling: $3.75/mo promo, renews at $9.99/mo (1 website)
• Baby: $4.50/mo promo, renews at $12.95/mo (unlimited websites)
• Business: $6.25/mo promo, renews at $16.95/mo (dedicated IP, SSL)

Best for: Users hosting multiple small sites who want straightforward unlimited resources without tracking usage limits.

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DreamHost

DreamHost differentiates itself with the industry’s most generous money-back guarantee: 97 days to decide if shared hosting meets your needs. The company also maintains consistent pricing without dramatic renewal increases on shared plans.

Performance: We recorded 99.95% uptime - solid performance for the price tier. Speed averaged 440ms TTFB, placing DreamHost in the middle of our budget hosting rankings.

The renewal reality: DreamHost’s shared hosting maintains promotional rates longer than competitors. The Shared Starter at $2.95/month renews at $10.99/month after the first year. The Shared Unlimited plan at $4.95/month renews at $12.99/month. While renewals do increase, the jump is less dramatic than SiteGround or Bluehost.

Pricing breakdown:

• Shared Starter: $2.95/mo first year, $10.99/mo renewal (1 website)
• Shared Unlimited: $4.95/mo first year, $12.99/mo renewal (unlimited websites)
• DreamPress: $16.95/mo for managed WordPress

Best for: Users who want extra time to evaluate hosting before committing, or those who prefer predictable pricing without dramatic renewal increases.

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A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting built its reputation on speed, particularly through its Turbo server offerings. The company was acquired by World Host Group in January 2025 and operates under the hosting.com brand, though A2 Hosting branding continues for existing products.

Performance: The Turbo plans deliver genuine speed advantages - we recorded 130ms TTFB average on Turbo servers versus 288ms on standard plans. That difference matters for user experience and SEO. Uptime held at 99.9% during our testing period.

The renewal reality: A2’s promotional pricing requires careful attention. The Startup plan at $2.99/month renews at $10.99/month - triple the promotional rate. Turbo Boost at $6.99/month renews at $20.99/month. If speed is your priority, factor in the true long-term cost.

Pricing breakdown:

• Startup: $2.99/mo promo, renews at $10.99/mo
• Drive: $5.99/mo promo, renews at $12.99/mo
• Turbo Boost: $6.99/mo promo, renews at $20.99/mo
• Turbo Max: $12.99/mo promo, renews at $25.99/mo

Best for: Users who prioritize speed and are willing to pay premium pricing for Turbo plans, or developers who want SSH access and staging environments.

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SiteGround

SiteGround occupies a unique position: budget promotional pricing with premium service quality. The company runs on Google Cloud infrastructure and delivers the fastest shared hosting we tested. However, the renewal pricing places it firmly in the premium category after your first term.

Performance: SiteGround recorded the fastest speeds in our budget hosting tests - 417ms TTFB average. Uptime held at 99.92%. The SuperCacher technology and Cloudflare CDN integration create noticeable performance advantages.

The renewal reality: This is where SiteGround hurts. The StartUp plan at $2.99/month renews at $17.99/month - a 6x increase. GrowBig ($5.49/month promo) renews at $29.99/month. GoGeek ($8.49/month promo) renews at $44.99/month. Lock in longer terms upfront to delay the renewal shock.

Pricing breakdown:

• StartUp: $2.99/mo promo, renews at $17.99/mo (1 website, 10GB)
• GrowBig: $5.49/mo promo, renews at $29.99/mo (unlimited websites, 20GB)
• GoGeek: $8.49/mo promo, renews at $44.99/mo (unlimited websites, 40GB)

Best for: Users who value expert WordPress support and are willing to pay premium renewal rates, or those who plan to migrate before renewal.

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Hidden Costs to Watch For

Budget hosting advertises low prices, but several costs hide in the fine print. Here is what to watch:

Domain renewal pricing

Most hosts offer a free domain for year one, but renewal prices vary dramatically:

• Bluehost: $21.99/year domain renewal
• Hostinger: $15.99/year domain renewal
• DreamHost: $15.99/year domain renewal
• HostGator: $17.99/year domain renewal

Tip: Consider registering your domain separately through Cloudflare Registrar ($10-12/year for .com) or Porkbun ($9.73/year) to avoid inflated renewal costs.

SSL certificate upsells

All budget hosts now include free SSL via Let’s Encrypt. However, many upsell “premium” SSL certificates for $50-100/year. Unless you run an e-commerce store requiring Extended Validation, the free SSL provides identical encryption.

Backup add-ons

Some hosts charge extra for automated backups:

• Bluehost Basic: No automated backups (upgrade to Choice Plus required)
• HostGator: CodeGuard backup add-on costs $2.99/month
• Hostinger: Weekly backups included, daily backups on Business tier

Email hosting limits

Check email account limits before signing up:

• Hostinger Premium: 100 email accounts
• Bluehost Basic: 5 email accounts
• SiteGround StartUp: Unlimited email accounts

Site migration fees

Most budget hosts offer free migration, but some charge for additional sites:

• Hostinger: Free migration for 1 website
• SiteGround: Free professional migration for 1 website
• A2 Hosting: Free migration for all websites
• Bluehost: $149.99 for professional migration (free with plugins)

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When to Upgrade from Cheap Hosting

Budget hosting works until it does not. Here are the signals that indicate you have outgrown shared hosting:

Traffic growth

If your site consistently exceeds 25,000 monthly visitors, shared server resources will strain. Signs include:

• Page load times increasing during peak hours
• Occasional 503 errors during traffic spikes
• Resource limit warnings from your host

Upgrade path: Move to VPS hosting ($20-40/month) or managed cloud hosting like Cloudways ($11/month).

E-commerce requirements

Running an online store demands more reliability than shared hosting provides. If your WooCommerce site processes more than 50 orders/month, consider upgrading for:

• Guaranteed resources during checkout
• Enhanced security for payment processing
• Better database performance for inventory management

Upgrade path: WooCommerce-optimized hosting or platforms like Shopify.

Performance requirements

If your Core Web Vitals scores consistently lag or page speed impacts your business:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) exceeding 2.5 seconds
• Customer complaints about slow loading
• Bounce rates increasing due to performance

Upgrade path: A2 Hosting Turbo plans, Cloudways, or SiteGround GrowBig.

Multiple high-traffic sites

Managing 5+ websites with combined traffic over 50,000 monthly visits strains shared resources. Signs include inconsistent performance across sites and one site’s traffic affecting others.

Upgrade path: VPS hosting or reseller hosting with dedicated resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is $3/month hosting really reliable?

Yes, for the right use cases. Modern budget hosting delivers 99.9%+ uptime for small sites under 10,000 monthly visitors. The major providers (Hostinger, Bluehost, SiteGround) invest in infrastructure that handles typical personal and small business sites without issues. Problems emerge when sites outgrow shared resources or experience traffic spikes.

Why do hosting prices jump so much at renewal?

Promotional pricing is customer acquisition cost - hosts lose money or break even on year one to win your business. Renewal pricing reflects actual operating costs plus profit margins. Budget accordingly: if $7.99/month after renewal strains your budget, factor that into your initial decision.

Should I choose the cheapest option available?

Not necessarily. The cheapest promotional rate matters less than the three-year total cost. Hostinger at $2.49/month renewing at $7.99/month costs less over three years than SiteGround at $2.99/month renewing at $17.99/month. Calculate your expected hosting duration and compare total costs.

Can I actually run a WordPress site on cheap hosting?

Absolutely. WordPress was designed to run on modest hosting, and all major budget providers optimize for WordPress specifically. Bluehost and SiteGround are officially recommended by WordPress.org. For sites under 10,000 monthly visitors, budget hosting handles WordPress without issues.

What is the difference between shared and managed hosting?

Shared hosting places your site on a server with hundreds of other sites, sharing resources. You handle updates, security, and optimization. Cost: $3-10/month.

Managed hosting provides dedicated resources and handles WordPress updates, security patches, and performance optimization for you. Cost: $20-50/month.

Most beginners do fine with shared hosting. Managed hosting makes sense for businesses where downtime costs money or when you want to eliminate technical maintenance.

How long should I commit to get the best price?

The sweet spot is usually 24-36 months. This locks in promotional pricing for two to three years while not overcommitting if you need to switch providers. Avoid monthly billing (dramatically higher rates) unless you are testing a provider. Also avoid 48-month terms unless you are highly confident in the provider.

What happens if I outgrow my hosting plan?

All major hosts offer upgrade paths within their platforms. Moving from shared to VPS hosting typically takes less than an hour with minimal downtime. If you want to switch providers entirely, most hosts offer free migration assistance for new customers. The process involves backing up your site, signing up with the new host, transferring files and database, and updating DNS. Expect 24-48 hours for DNS propagation.

Is free hosting ever worth it?

No, not for any site you care about. Free hosting comes with forced ads, severe performance limits, no custom domain support, and questionable data practices. The few dollars monthly for legitimate hosting is worth the investment for any professional web presence. Free tiers from Cloudflare Pages or Netlify work for static sites but lack the WordPress support and databases that content sites require.

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Final Verdict: Best Cheap Hosting by Use Case

Best overall value: Hostinger delivers the best balance of price, performance, and features. The $2.49/month promotional rate combined with $7.99/month renewals keeps long-term costs manageable while providing reliable 99.9% uptime and LiteSpeed performance.

Best for WordPress beginners: Bluehost offers the gentlest learning curve with official WordPress.org endorsement. The $2.95/month entry point and phone support availability make it approachable for first-time site owners, despite modest speed performance.

Best money-back guarantee: DreamHost gives you 97 days to evaluate - triple the industry standard. If you are uncertain about hosting or want extra time to build your site before committing, DreamHost reduces the risk.

Best speed on a budget: A2 Hosting Turbo plans deliver measurably faster load times than standard shared hosting. If performance directly impacts your business (e-commerce, lead generation), the premium for Turbo servers pays dividends.

Best support quality: SiteGround provides the fastest shared hosting we tested with genuinely expert support. The renewal pricing stings at $17.99/month, but users who value premium service find the cost justified.

Best for multiple sites: HostGator Baby plan offers unlimited websites with straightforward unlimited resources at $4.50/month promotional ($12.95/month renewal). Practical for freelancers or agencies managing several small client sites.

The Bottom Line

Cheap hosting works. For personal blogs, portfolios, and small business sites under 10,000 monthly visitors, budget hosting from any major provider delivers reliable performance. The differences between providers matter less than matching your specific needs to the right plan.

Start with Hostinger if value is your priority. Choose Bluehost if you want the easiest WordPress setup. Pick SiteGround if support quality matters more than cost. And always calculate total three-year costs - not just promotional rates - before committing.