Web hosting renewal prices, explained
Almost every web host advertises a monthly price that only exists for new customers who pay several years upfront. When that term ends, your plan renews at a "regular" price that is often three to five times higher. It's legal, it's disclosed (usually in a footnote) and it's the single biggest reason people overpay for hosting.
How intro pricing works
Take Hostinger's Premium plan as we found it in October 2026: $2.99 a month, but only on a 48-month term, so you pay about $143.52 at checkout. After four years it renews at $10.99 a month. SiteGround's StartUp is $2.99 a month on a 12-month prepay and renews at $17.99. Bluehost's Starter is $3.99 on a 36-month term and renews at $9.99.
Three things decide what you really pay:
- The term required for the intro price. Shorter terms usually have higher intro prices.
- The renewal price. Sometimes in the footnotes, sometimes only in the cart or the control panel.
- How long you stay. The longer you stay after renewal, the less the intro price matters.
How to calculate the real cost
Multiply the intro price by the months in the intro term, then add the renewal price for every month after that. For three years on a 12-month intro term: intro × 12 + renewal × 24. Our true cost calculator does this for every plan we track, and the price tracker shows the 3-year totals side by side.
Renewal jumps we track
| Host & plan | Type | Intro | Term for intro | Renews at | Jump | 3-year cost | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChemiCloud Starter | Shared hosting | $1.95 | 3-year term | $11.95 est. | +513% | $70 | 1 |
| ChemiCloud Pro | Shared hosting | $2.95 | 3-year term | $17.95 est. | +508% | $106 | Unlimited |
| Hostinger Premium | Shared hosting | $2.99 | 4-year term | $10.99 | +268% | $108 | 3 |
| HostGator Hatchling | Shared hosting | $3.75 | 3-year term | $17.59 | +369% | $135 | 10 |
| ChemiCloud Turbo | Shared hosting | $3.95 | 3-year term | $21.95 est. | +456% | $142 | Unlimited |
| Bluehost Starter | Shared hosting | $3.99 | 3-year term | $9.99 | +150% | $144 | 10 |
| Hostinger Business (Unlimited) | Shared hosting | $3.99 | 4-year term | $16.99 | +326% | $144 | Unlimited |
| HostGator Baby | Shared hosting | $4.50 | 3-year term | $18.69 | +315% | $162 | 20 |
| InMotion Hosting Launch | Shared hosting | $4.99 | 3-year term | $13.99 | +180% | $180 | 2 |
| GoDaddy Economy | Shared hosting | $5.99 | 3-year term | $11.99 est. | +100% | $216 | 1 |
| InMotion Hosting Power | Shared hosting | $5.99 | 3-year term | $17.99 | +200% | $216 | 10 |
| HostGator Business | Shared hosting | $6.25 | 3-year term | $24.19 | +287% | $225 | 50 |
| IONOS Essential | Shared hosting | $4 | 1-year term | $8 | +100% | $240 | Unlimited |
| Bluehost Business | Shared hosting | $6.99 | 3-year term | $13.99 | +100% | $252 | 50 |
| GoDaddy Deluxe | Shared hosting | $7.99 | 3-year term | not published | - | $288 | 10 |
| DreamHost Web Hosting Launch | Shared hosting | $2.89 | 1-year term | $10.99 | +280% | $298 | 25 |
| IONOS Starter | Shared hosting | $6 | 1-year term | $10 | +67% | $312 | Unlimited |
| GreenGeeks Lite | Shared hosting | $2.95 | term not stated | $13.95 | +373% | $370 | 1 |
| InMotion Hosting Pro | Shared hosting | $10.99 | 3-year term | $24.99 | +127% | $396 | 40 |
| GoDaddy Ultimate | Shared hosting | $12.99 | 3-year term | not published | - | $468 | 25 |
| SiteGround StartUp | Shared hosting | $2.99 | 1-year term | $17.99 | +502% | $468 | 1 |
| GreenGeeks Pro | Shared hosting | $4.95 | term not stated | $18.95 | +283% | $514 | Unlimited |
| Bluehost eCommerce Essentials | Shared hosting | $14.99 | 3-year term | $21.99 | +47% | $540 | 100 |
| IONOS Ultimate | Shared hosting | $10 | 1-year term | $18 | +80% | $552 | Unlimited |
| SiteGround GrowBig | Shared hosting | $4.99 | 1-year term | $29.99 | +501% | $780 | Unlimited |
| GreenGeeks Premium | Shared hosting | $8.95 | term not stated | $30.95 | +246% | $850 | Unlimited |
| SiteGround GoGeek | Shared hosting | $7.99 | 1-year term | $44.99 | +463% | $1,176 | Unlimited |
| Namecheap Stellar | Shared hosting | $4.66 | 1-year term | not published | - | - | 3 |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Shared hosting | $7.12 | 1-year term | not published | - | - | Unlimited |
| Namecheap Stellar Business | Shared hosting | $10.74 | 1-year term | not published | - | - | Unlimited |
Prices in USD as shown on each host’s official pricing page on Oct 8, 2026. “3-year cost” = intro price for the required term, then the renewal price. “est.” uses the host’s listed regular price where no renewal price is published. Click a column to sort.
Five ways to pay less at renewal
- Choose a host with a small jump. IONOS and Bluehost have some of the gentlest increases among big shared hosts; cloud and managed hosts like DigitalOcean, Kinsta and Rocket.net don't jump at all.
- Ask for a retention discount a few weeks before renewal. Support teams often have discretion.
- Renew early during a sale if the host allows existing customers to do so.
- Don't let add-ons renew. Turn off auto-renew on anything you don't use.
- Be ready to move. Migration is often free, and a site can usually be moved in an afternoon: see how to switch web hosts.
Is a long prepay ever worth it?
Yes, if you're confident you'll stay. Four years at $2.99 is a genuinely good deal for a stable site. It's a poor deal for a new project you might abandon, because refunds usually end after 30 days. If you're unsure, a one-year term (or a month-to-month plan) costs more per month but keeps you flexible.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my hosting renewal so expensive?
Your first term was discounted to win you as a customer. At renewal, the plan reverts to the host's regular price, which is often 3-5× the intro price.
Can I renew at the promotional price?
Sometimes. Some hosts offer existing customers promotional renewals during sales, and support may offer a retention discount if you ask before your renewal date.
Where do I find a host's renewal price?
Check the footnotes on the pricing page, the cart before you pay, and the terms of service. We list it for every plan we track and flag hosts that don't publish it.