5 Best Cheap Web Hosting Services

There's often a lot to budget for when you need an online space for your content, but managing a website doesn't have to break the bank. This guide offers a selection of the best and cheapest web hosting services available in 2023. We outlined each service’s features, prices and customer support options to help you choose the ideal website hosting service.

Our Top Picks for Best Cheap Web Hosting

• Hostinger - Best for website building
• DreamHost - Best for unlimited storage
• Bluehost - Best for WordPress hosting
• HostGator - Best for transferring existing sites
• Namecheap - Best for multiple websites

Best Cheap Web Hosting Reviews

Why we chose it: Hostinger has a wide range of easy-to-use features and website templates, as well as a 99.9% uptime guarantee, full SSD storage, and 24/7/365 chat support.

Hostinger is an ideal choice for people seeking reliable, low-cost web hosting and who don’t require ample storage or bandwidth. This affordable web hosting service includes a free website and online store builder on all of its plans. To build your site, you can choose from Hostinger's template library or create a custom page using a drag-and-drop interface.

Hostinger has three shared hosting plans: Single, Premium and Business. The Single plan is a strong option for anyone seeking an affordable entry point, though it doesn't guarantee a free domain name or unlimited storage and bandwidth. The Premium plan includes unlimited bandwidth, while the Business plan includes both unlimited bandwidth and storage.

All hosting plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The Simple plan starts at $1.99 per month with a 48-month upfront commitment. The Premium and Business plans start at $2.99 per month and $3.99 per month with the same upfront investment, respectively.

All Hostinger plans comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, meaning if the company doesn't fulfill its promise of 99.9% guaranteed uptime in any given month, you're entitled to request a credit of 5% of your hosting fee for that month. Hosting also offers 24/7/365 chat support, and has impressive customer review scores across third-party rating platforms.

Why we chose it: DreamHost is a web hosting provider with competitively priced shared hosting plans that stand out for their ample storage, data transfer allotments and highly rated security features.

DreamHost offers 50GB of storage on its cheapest plan, which costs $2.95 monthly when billed every three years. Email costs an extra $1.67 per month, but for unlimited storage and emails, you can instead upgrade to the Shared Unlimited plan, which costs $3.95 per month. While the domain name with DreamHost is free for the first year, a “.com” address will later cost $15.95 annually.

All DreamHost plans include a 100% uptime guarantee, unlimited bandwidth and automatic daily backups, making it perfect for small business owners and bloggers. They also come with a customizable domain. Moreover, the company offers a 97-day money back guarantee on its shared hosting services, one of the longest in the industry.

DreamHost’s customer service is available 24/7/365 via email and live chat. It’s worth considering that there isn’t a phone option. Nonetheless, the company has very high ratings for its service across trusted online review platforms.

Why we chose it: Bluehost may not be the least expensive option available, but its well-rounded platform has all the tools necessary for businesses to efficiently create and manage a WordPress website.

Bluehost cater to every budget with a selection of four shared hosting packages that range from $2.95 per month for the Basic plan to $13.95 per month for the Pro plan. Users who want to try out one of its plans can benefit from the company’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

While Bluehost doesn't offer an official uptime guarantee, it boasts a track record of resolving most issues within 15 minutes. Its plans come with a free domain name and SSL certificate, one-click WordPress installation, unmetered bandwidth, up to five email accounts and a staging environment that allows you to test new changes and plugins before making them live. These features make it an ideal choice for creating an optimized WordPress site on a budget.

Its plans offer the following:

• Basic: 10GB of SSD storage space and one website
• Choice Plus and Online Store: 40GB of SSD storage and three websites
• Pro: 100GB of SSD storage and five websites.

Bluehost's customer support team is available 24/7 for phone, online chat and email support. The company’s website provides users with educational resources, including FAQs, online articles and detailed setup information. Bluehost also boasts above-average reviews across trusted third-party platforms.

Why we chose it: HostGator offers free, one-click WordPress transfers so you can easily get your updated site running without losing key information.

HostGator’s shared hosting plans start at just $2.75 per month with a 36-month upfront commitment, and the company has a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind. Plans offer unlimited storage, bandwidth and domains, making it an ideal cheap web hosting service for small businesses, though extras can increase your monthly cost significantly.

With a guarantee of 99.9% uptime, you can rest assured that your website will run smoothly around the clock. Moreover, HostGator's customer support team is available 24/7. You can contact the customer service team directly via live chat, email or phone call to receive support quickly.

In addition to its support team, HostGator features an online portal with personalized documentation, step-by-step video tutorials and a community forum that can answer user questions. This cheap web hosting service has received fairly good ratings by reviewers on a range of third-party sites.

Why we chose it: Namecheap specializes in domain name registration and web hosting services. It offers affordable plans for those who need to host multiple sites, such as businesses with multiple locations or brands.

If you need to host multiple sites on a budget, Namecheap is a strong web hosting alternative to consider. You can host up to three sites simultaneously even on its cheapest plan, although unlimited websites are available only on its other two shared hosting plans.

The plan costs are as follows (when billed annually):

• Stellar - $1.98 per month for 20GB SSD storage
• Stellar Plus - $2.98 per month for unmetered SSD storage
• Stellar Business - $4.98 per month for 50GB SSD storage

Each package comes with unlimited bandwidth and free SSL certificates. You can also get a free domain name with each plan, but you’ll have to pay extra for .com, .biz and .co domains.

The company’s support team is on-call 24/7 for technical assistance, and if you're new to web hosting, the beginner-friendly website builder should help you get started. Namecheap has positive ratings across multiple online review platforms.

Other cheap web hosting we considered

MochaHost

MochaHost makes it easy to get your business online with numerous features, including unlimited storage and bandwidth. It also caters to the needs of seasoned web designers thanks to its range of sophisticated features. Plus, the free SSL certificate included ensures your website can securely accept payments.

Why it didn’t make the cut: Most MochaHost plans have limited free hosting features — you’ll have to pay extra for added features like email hosting. You also need to pay for domain privacy protection on any plan that you choose.

GreenGeeks

GreenGeeks offers affordable and comprehensive affordable web hosting plans that cater to the needs of businesses and individuals alike. Its plans come with a number of features, including a free SSL certificate, unlimited databases and free nightly backups. It also offers 50GB of storage, a free CDN and up to 50 free email accounts.

Why it didn’t make the cut: GreenGeeks’ initial pricing may seem attractive, but the costs of its plans skyrocket come renewal time. The lack of free .com domains and a website builder is another notable downside.

IONOS

IONOS web hosting is an affordable and reliable option for anyone wanting to start a website. Customers get unlimited storage and speed on low-priced plans, making it good for media-heavy websites or high-traffic pages. IONOS also includes a free SSL certificate, email and domain registration, which often cost extra with other providers.

Why it didn’t make the cut: While its initial pricing may seem reasonable, it's important to note that the monthly cost jumps significantly after the first year. The company’s cheapest plan, for instance, goes from $1 to $10 per month. Additionally, its domain renewal fee is a bit steep at $17. One final drawback we observed is that the entry-level plan only offers storage of up to 10GB.

Cheap Web Hosting Guide

This in-depth guide answers questions related to website hosting, how it works and the various factors to consider before choosing your website host company. We also cover the different types of website hosting to help you choose the best cheap web hosting platform.

What is web hosting?

Web hosting is what makes your website accessible on the internet. Web hosting providers provide storage space, keeping your website’s files and making them available to visitors on the web. Finding a reliable cheap web hosting provider is essential for businesses and individuals who want to establish an online presence, whether it's marketing their content or building an e-commerce website.

Hosting services vary and can include features such as domain registration, website creation tools, online store builders and email hosting. Essentially, web hosting is a fundamental element of building and maintaining an online presence via a website.

How does web hosting work?

When a user navigates to a website, their browser sends a request to a server located in a data center for the necessary files. The server then sends these files back to the user's computer, allowing them to view the website.

Web hosting companies provide the servers and associated technologies that make this back and forth possible, allowing you to manage your servers and hosted services via a user-friendly control panel such as cPanel or Plesk. They also offer various features and services to improve website performance, security and accessibility. For instance, website caching stores a copy of the data on your site, which can help decrease load and response times.

How much does web hosting cost?

The cost of web hosting can vary widely depending on the user's specific needs and preferences. Very basic shared hosting plans can start as low as $1 per month, while more advanced options such as Virtual Private Server (VPS) or dedicated hosting can cost upwards of $100 per month.

Many companies offer promotional deals and discounts for new customers, so it can be worthwhile to research and shop around before making a decision. Investing in a good web hosting provider can significantly enhance the performance and security of your website, making it well worth the cost.

Important factors to consider when choosing a cheap web hosting provider

When selecting a web hosting provider, it’s crucial to consider various factors that will impact the performance and cost of your website. Researching and comparing several web hosting providers and reading reviews is recommended to find the one that best caters to your needs.

Plan pricing

Higher amounts of storage space, bandwidth and guarantees of uptime mean typically more expensive web hosting costs. You'll also tend to pay more to host more websites and access add-on features such as email hosting, backup services or website builders.

It's also important to consider how your website will grow and whether the plan you choose can accommodate that growth without incurring additional fees. Taking the time to research and compare plans thoroughly can ultimately save you both time and money in the long run.

Consider whether you can pay for a month-to-month plan, and what renewal rates look like. Many web hosts may offer a low price for one year, but later increase their rates significantly.

Server location

Choosing a provider whose data centers are too far away from your target audience — for example, using web servers located in China when your audience is in the U.S. — can result in slower load times and a worsened user experience. The larger the geographical distance, the longer the distance that the data needs to travel. Another factor is the technical infrastructure in the server’s location.

Additionally, choosing a provider whose servers are located in a country with lax data protection laws can put your website and its visitors at greater risk of security breaches. By taking the time to research and consider server location, you can ensure that your website runs smoothly and securely while still getting the most affordable hosting option for your needs.

Uptime guarantees

Uptime refers to the amount of time a website is accessible and functioning properly. This is crucial, as downtime can lead to lost traffic and revenue. By choosing a hosting provider with a high uptime guarantee, you can ensure that your website remains online, even during peak traffic times.

Storage and bandwidth limits

Storage limits refer to the amount of space allocated to store website files, such as images, videos and data. Bandwidth limits dictate the amount of data that can be transferred between the website and its users. If a website exceeds its storage or bandwidth limit, it may be subject to additional charges or it may have website performance issues, such as slow loading times.

Carefully evaluating a provider's storage and bandwidth limits is essential to ensure smooth website operation and avoid unnecessary expenses.

Security features

A lack of security leaves your website vulnerable to hacking, malware and data breaches, all of which can seriously damage both your reputation — and your bottom line.

It's important to choose a web hosting provider that prioritizes security to ensure the safety of your website and its users. Look for hosts that offer features such as SSL certificates, firewalls, DDoS protection and regular backups to guarantee that your website is well-protected from potential threats.

The different types of web hosting

Web hosting services are essential for any website to function on the internet. But with so many different types of web hosting available, choosing the right one for your website can take time and effort. Shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), dedicated hosting and cloud hosting — each type offers unique features and benefits that cater to different website needs.

VPS hosting

VPS hosting, which stands for Virtual Private Server hosting, is a hosting solution in which a physical server is divided into multiple virtual servers. Each virtual server operates independently and has its own operating system, storage and resources. This gives users more control and flexibility over their hosting environment, as they can customize their server settings and install software as they see fit.

VPS hosting is ideal for businesses with high-traffic websites, as it offers greater scalability and reliability than shared hosting.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting utilizes multiple virtual servers to provide a scalable, secure and highly available infrastructure for hosting websites, applications and other online services. Unlike traditional hosting methods, where a single server is responsible for hosting multiple websites or applications, cloud hosting distributes the load across multiple servers, ensuring that resources can be managed more efficiently while reducing downtime and improving performance.

Shared hosting

Shared hosting is when multiple websites are hosted on a single physical server. This means that resources such as CPU, RAM and disk space are shared among all the websites hosted on the server.

All of the options on our list offer shared plans. It’s often the most cost-effective option because the cost is shared among all the websites hosted on the server. The downside is that any issues or traffic spikes on one website can affect the performance of the other sites on the server.

Dedicated hosting

Dedicated hosting provides clients with an exclusive dedicated server for their website. This type of hosting is ideal for companies with high-traffic websites, as it provides them with the necessary resources to handle large amounts of traffic and maintain optimal website performance.

Unlike shared hosting, dedicated hosting allows for greater customization and control over the server, enabling businesses to tailor their website to their specific needs. It also offers enhanced security features and support services, ensuring companies can confidently run their websites while minimizing the risk of downtime or interruption.

How We Chose the Best Cheap Web Hosting

We identified the most important factors to consider when choosing the best cheap web hosting to help you narrow down your choices and find the perfect match for your site. From cost and speed to customer support, we've got you covered with all the essential information you need to make an informed decision.

Our methodology for this review included the following factors:

• Accompanying features and tools: We looked at the variety of services, features and tools offered by web hosts, such as free or unlimited email addresses, SSL certification and domain registration.

• Storage and bandwidth: We considered each provider's file storage and bandwidth options at different price tiers.

• Pricing: We looked at web hosting options that offered an extensive range of offers at an affordable price.

• Security: We analyzed each company's approach to security. We put any company that charges extra for basic security features or harbors negative reviews regarding security at a disadvantage.

• Customer support and experience: We evaluated at customer review ratings across multiple online review platforms. We also considered each service's customer support availability, including what support channels it provides (for example, phone support, live chat and email).

Summary of Money’s Best Cheap Web Hosting

• Hostinger - Best for website building
• DreamHost - Best for unlimited storage
• Bluehost - Best for WordPress hosting
• HostGator - Best for transferring existing sites
• Namecheap - Best for multiple websites