HostMonster vs DreamHost Shared Starter
A detailed comparison to help you choose between HostMonster and DreamHost Shared Starter.
HostMonster Bluehost sibling with unlimited features claimed | DreamHost Shared Starter Cheapest DreamHost plan — 1 site, WordPress optimised | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.5 (169 reviews) | 4.5 (237 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Best for | Budget US users wanting free domain and cPanel from a recognised brand | Privacy-conscious beginners wanting the longest refund policy and free domain privacy from day one |
| Pricing transparency | ||
| Intro price | $2.75/mo | $2.59/mo✓ |
| Renewal price | $9.49/mo | $7.99/mo✓ |
| Renewal hike | +245% | +209%✓ |
| Renewal transparency | moderate | good |
| Money-back days | 30 days | 97 days✓ |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Hosting amenities | ||
| cPanel included | ✓ | |
| WordPress 1-click | ||
| Staging environment | ||
| Daily backups | ||
| Free SSL | ||
| Free domain | ||
| Free migration | ||
| Phone support | ✓ | |
| Live chat | ||
| LiteSpeed server | ||
| Green hosting | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | United States | United States |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free domainfree sslcpanelphone support24 7 support1 click installer | free domainfree sslgreen hostingwordpress optimised1 click installer |
| Visit HostMonster → | Visit DreamHost Shared Starter → | |
HostMonster
Pros
- + Free domain on annual plans
- + cPanel control panel included
- + 24/7 phone support available
Cons
- - 245% renewal price increase
- - Newfold Digital brand — shared infrastructure concerns
DreamHost Shared Starter
Pros
- + 97-day money-back guarantee — longest in industry
- + Free domain privacy included
- + Transparent renewal — 208% is bad but they show it clearly
Cons
- - 208% renewal price increase
- - Single website only on Starter plan
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