True Hosting Cost Calculator
Pick a host and a plan to see what it really costs over 1, 3 or 5 years, including the renewal price.
How many years?
Prices checked 8 November 2026; promos change – confirm at checkout.
How to use this true hosting cost calculator
A hosting plan that costs $3.75 a month can cost almost $400 over five years. The headline price is only the intro price. This true hosting cost calculator adds the intro period and the renewal period together, so you see the real total before you buy.
- Pick a host, then pick a plan. The plan list changes for each host.
- Choose the renewal term (12, 24 or 36 months) and how many years to look at (1, 3 or 5 years).
- Read the true total, the effective monthly cost and the renewal shock. The renewal shock tells you how many times the monthly price jumps when the intro period ends.
Worked example: HostGator Hatchling over 5 years
HostGator Hatchling costs $3.75 a month for the first 36 months, then $10.99 a month when it renews on a 36-month term. Here is the maths, step by step. First, the intro period: 36 months times $3.75 equals $135.00. Then, the renewal period: the remaining 24 months times $10.99 equals $263.76. Add them together: $135.00 plus $263.76 equals $398.76. That is the true total over five years.
The effective cost is $398.76 divided by 60 months, which is $6.65 a month. That is almost double the $3.75 headline price. The renewal shock is $10.99 divided by $3.75, which is 2.9. So the monthly price almost triples when the intro period ends. One more thing to note: the $3.75 a month price requires 36 months paid upfront, which is $135.00 in one payment before you start.
Bluehost Starter works the same way. It costs $3.99 a month for the first 36 months, then $9.99 a month at renewal. Over five years that is 36 months times $3.99, which is $143.64, plus 24 months times $9.99, which is $239.76, for a true total of $383.40. Bluehost Starter is a little cheaper than HostGator Hatchling over five years, even though its intro price is a little higher.
How renewal pricing works
Hosting companies sell the first term cheap so that you sign up. The real price is the renewal rate, which is what you pay for every term after the first one. The longer the intro term, the longer you keep the cheap price, but you pay for all of it upfront. A 36-month intro at $3.75 a month means $135.00 in one payment. A 12-month intro is a smaller upfront payment, but the renewal rate starts a year sooner.
SiteGround StartUp is the sharpest example in this calculator. It costs $1.99 a month for the first 12 months, then $17.99 a month at renewal. That is about 9 times more, the biggest jump of the five hosts here. Over five years StartUp costs $887.40, even though the headline price is under $2 a month. The cheap first year hides a very expensive renewal.
The renewal rate can also depend on the term you pick. HostGator Hatchling renews at $13.19 a month if you renew for 12 months, but $10.99 a month if you renew for 36 months. A longer renewal term usually means a lower monthly rate, but you pay more in one go. Hostinger Premium is the opposite shape: a very long intro term of 48 months at $1.99 a month, then $10.99 a month. Because the cheap period lasts four years, it is the cheapest option in this calculator over five years, at $227.40. Always read the renewal rate before you buy, and compare hosts on the same horizon, not on their headline prices.
Frequently asked questions
Why is hosting so cheap at first? The low price is an intro offer for new customers. Hosts use it to win your business, and they count on the renewal rate later. The intro price only lasts for the first term, which you pay for upfront. After that term, you pay the renewal rate, which is the real long-term price.
What is renewal shock? Renewal shock is the jump from the intro monthly price to the renewal monthly price. For example, SiteGround StartUp goes from $1.99 a month to $17.99 a month, which is about 9 times more. This calculator shows the shock as a simple number, so you can see which hosts stay cheap and which ones jump the most.
Which host is cheapest over 5 years? With the prices checked on 8 November 2026, Hostinger Premium is the cheapest over five years at $227.40. Bluehost Starter is next at $383.40, then HostGator Hatchling at $398.76. SiteGround StartUp is the most expensive over five years at $887.40, because of its $17.99 renewal rate. The cheapest price is not always the best choice, so check what each plan includes before you decide.
Does the price include tax or a domain? The totals in this calculator are the hosting plan prices only, before tax. Most of these plans include a free domain for the first year, but the domain renews separately after that. Storage, the number of websites and other plan limits are not part of the price, so check those too.
Are these prices current? These prices were checked on 8 November 2026. Hosts run promos, including Black Friday deals, and change prices often, so confirm the price at checkout before you buy.