United States · 1 year
Lowest shared hosting service cost in the United States over 1 year, renewals included
Ranked by the service cost allocated to 1 year, the lowest we can compute from published prices is IONOS Plus at $12, which is $1.00 a month averaged across the whole period.
The cash actually charged by the end of 1 year on that plan is $12, because the host bills a whole term at a time.
The ordering is that service cost and nothing else. It is not a quality ranking and no host pays to appear here or to be placed higher.
| Host | Plan and its published condition | Advertised | Renewal | 1 year service cost | Cash paid through 1 year | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IONOS | Plus 12-month prepaid term. $1/month with a 1-year term, then $14/month — a 14x increase, as published. Renewal billing term not stated. | $1.00 | $14.00 14.0x | $12 $1.00/month | $12 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| Namecheap | Stellar 12-month prepaid term. Advertised price fell from $2.28 to $1.91/mo billed yearly since 2026-08-20; the host states $22.92 is charged | $1.91 | $4.66 2.4x | $23 $1.91/month | $23 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| ChemiCloud | Starter 36-month prepaid term. Advertised price rose from $1.49 to $1.95/mo between 2026-08-20 and 2026-09-06. Shown on the triennial tab aga | $1.95 | $11.95 6.1x | $23 $1.95/month | $70 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| DreamHost | Web Hosting Launch 12-month prepaid term. First year at $2.89/mo, auto-renews at $10.99/mo after 1 year. The host states the full term plus taxes is cha | $2.89 | $10.99 3.8x | $35 $2.89/month | $35 | Figures checked 2026-09-07 |
| GreenGeeks | Lite 12-month prepaid term. Named 'Lite' on the live page. Pre-paid for 12 months, renews at $13.95/month. Renewal billing term not stated | $2.95 | $13.95 4.7x | $35 $2.95/month | $35 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| ScalaHosting | Mini 36-month prepaid term. The 36-month tab shows $2.95/mo renewing at $11.95/mo. A 12-month and a 1-month option exist on the page but t | $2.95 | $11.95 4.1x | $35 $2.95/month | $106 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| Hostinger | Premium 48-month prepaid term. Advertised price requires a 48-month prepay; the host states the total charged today as $143.52. The renewal b | $2.99 | $10.99 3.7x | $36 $2.99/month | $144 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| SiteGround | StartUp 12-month prepaid term. Prepaid for 12 months, renews at $17.99/mo. Renewal billing term not stated. No upfront total published and no | $2.99 | $17.99 6.0x | $36 $2.99/month | $36 | Figures checked 2026-09-06 |
| None of these yet | you are not sure how long you will keep the site, or you have not checked whether your plan's limits fit | — | — | — | — | Run your own period |
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Why this order is not the order you see elsewhere
On this particular list the cheapest advertised price and the cheapest 1 year total happen to be the same host. That is not usually the case — it is worth checking rather than assuming.
Where the ordering changes
- If you will move again within the first term, IONOS is the cheapest way in at $1.00 a month.
- If you expect to stay past the introductory term, Namecheap carries the lowest renewal rate at $4.66 a month equivalent, and after that term the renewal rate and its billing period are the main cost inputs.
- If none of that applies cleanly, do not pick from this page. Put your own period into the calculator and read the two closest hosts' own pages before deciding.
Service cost and cash paid are not the same number. A 48-month offer compared over three years has 36 months of service cost but a four-year invoice already paid. We show both and never call either one the total. No domain renewal, migration or overage charge is added to either. The full method is at Method.
What is not on this page
Domain renewal after the free first year, migration fees, overage charges, and anything a host quotes only on request. It is also not a judgment of quality — we have not run a site on any of these.
Related
- IONOS in full
- IONOS against Namecheap
- The calculator, with your own period
- Where the rest of the money goes
Written by Kaz, independent publisher. No commercial relationship with the companies named unless it is listed on the disclosure page.
Sources: hosts' own pricing and renewal pages only. Figures last verified 2026-09-06. I have not used these products. Nothing here is a personal test result.
Ranking method and formulas: Method. Listing position on this site is not for sale.
Corrections: contact form.