Web Hosting Renewal Rates: We Checked 20 Hosts So You Don’t Get Surprised

Most people pick a hosting plan based on the advertised price. That’s the number on the sales page, the number in the comparison table, the number that makes shared hosting look like an obvious deal.

What almost nobody checks — until it’s too late — is the renewal rate. The price you pay after your first contract ends.

We checked it for 20 popular shared hosting providers on October 31, 2026. All of them sell their entry-level plan on a 12-month term, so they can be compared like for like.

The Data: 20 Hosts, Intro vs. Renewal

We checked the entry-level shared hosting plan for each provider on its own website, recording the 12-month introductory price and the renewal price for the same plan and term. All prices are per month in US dollars on annual billing, before tax.

Prices checked October 31, 2026 on each provider’s website. 3-Year Cost = 12 months at the intro rate plus 24 months at the renewal rate (months 13–36). Multiplier = renewal price ÷ intro price. Sorted by multiplier, highest to lowest.

Largest and Smallest Renewal Gaps

What This Means in Real Money

The multiplier alone doesn’t tell the full story. Here’s what the 3-year cost looks like for some of the most advertised hosts — comparing what you might expect to pay based on the headline price versus what you actually pay once renewal kicks in after month 12.

SiteGround — advertised at $1.99/month. Expected 3-year cost at that rate: around $71.64. Actual 3-year cost including renewal at $17.99/month: $455.64. That is $384.00 more than the advertised rate implied.

Hostinger — one of the most heavily advertised budget hosts. $1.99/month on a 12-month plan, $10.99/month at renewal. Renewal cost for months 13–36: $263.76, for a 3-year total of $287.64.

Bluehost — $4.24/month on a 12-month plan, $11.99/month at renewal. Renewal cost for months 13–36: $287.76, for a 3-year total of $338.64.

Namecheap — a comparatively modest renewal increase. $2.28/month on a yearly plan, renewing at $55.88 a year (about $4.66/month). Renewal cost for months 13–36: $111.76. The gap is real but manageable.

Why This Happens

Hosting companies operate in an extremely competitive market where the first-click price is the primary purchase driver. Lower intro rates win the comparison table, win the Google search, and win the sale.

Once you’re set up — your domain is pointed, your site is live, your email is configured — switching hosts requires time and carries risk. The hosting company knows this. The renewal rate reflects the cost of that switching friction, not the cost of the service.

This isn’t illegal or even unusual across subscription industries. But it is rarely disclosed prominently, and most customers discover it for the first time when the renewal invoice hits their card.

How to Use This Data Before You Buy

Step 1: Find the renewal rate before you sign up. It is usually on the pricing page, in the checkout page fine print, or in the terms of service. If you cannot find it easily, ask their live chat directly. Reputable hosts will tell you.

Step 2: Check the contract length behind the advertised price. Many hosts advertise their lowest price for a 3- or 4-year prepayment; the 12-month price is often higher.

Step 3: Calculate the true 3-year cost. Use the intro rate for months 1–12, then the renewal rate for months 13–36. That is your real budget number.

Step 4: Run the numbers in our free calculator before you commit. Enter the advertised price, set the renewal multiplier from this table, and see the real 3-year total before you sign up.