Tested by Cheap hosting gets a site online for a few dollars a month, with the shared resources, cPanel and free SSL most small sites need. The thing to watch is not just the sign-up price but the renewal price, because many hosts advertise a low intro rate and then raise it sharply at the first renewal, so this type suits bloggers, small businesses, side projects and anyone on a tight budget who wants to know the real long-term cost.
Below are the 4 cheap hosts I recommend, in order, with what each one is best at, its starting price and what it renews at. My overall pick for most people is Black.host, the cheapest here and the only one whose renewal matches its sign-up rate; RackNerd is the runner-up, with the same no-intro-markup pricing on a cPanel plan.
Some links below are affiliate links: if you buy through them I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the order or the scores, which come from the same tests I run on every host.
- 1
Black.hostUnmetered trafficUnmetered traffic, same low renewal.
Unmetered trafficVisit Black.host$1.95/mofrom - 2
HostingerSmall budgetsCheapest entry with LiteSpeed cache.
Small budgetsVisit Hostinger$2.49/mofrom - 3
BluehostWordPress partnerBeginner-friendly with a free domain.
WordPress partnerVisit Bluehost$3.99/mofrom - 4
RackNerdNo contractUltra-cheap, no intro-price markup.
No contractVisit RackNerd$5.59/mofrom
Contents
The numbers that matter
A quick, scannable comparison of the four. Speed grade and server time come from my own k6 benchmarks of real customer sites on each host, measured from Ashburn, USA in November 2026 (server time strips out the network distance, so it's the closest read on the server itself). Lower server time is faster.
| Host | Best for | Starting price | Renewal | Speed grade | Server time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black.host | Unmetered traffic | $1.95/mo | $1.95/mo | C | 309 ms |
| Hostinger | Small budgets | $2.49/mo | $10.99/mo | C | 633 ms |
| Bluehost | WordPress | $3.99/mo | $9.99/mo | A | 301 ms |
| RackNerd | No-contract value | $5.59/mo | $5.59/mo | C | 363 ms |
Speed grades: A under 0.5 s, B under 1 s, C under 2 s, D under 4 s, E 4 s or more, at 40 to 50 visitors. A dash means that host isn't separately benchmarked yet. Full method and the whole field are on my web hosting benchmarks page.
Full reviews, in ranking order
- Price
- $1.95/mo
- Traffic
- unmetered
- Backups
- free daily
- Panel
- cPanel and free SSL
- Renewal
- $1.95/mo
Black.host is a Swiss, privacy-leaning host whose shared plan starts at $1.95 a month and, unusually, renews at the same $1.95 a month with no intro discount to expire. You get unmetered traffic, free daily backups, and cPanel with free SSL, the toolkit most small sites expect.
The draw is a price that stays flat for the life of the account, so the number you sign up at is the number you keep paying. There is no standard money-back guarantee, with refunds handled case by case, so treat the low rate rather than a trial as the reason to try it. For the full rundown, see my Black.host review.
Pros
- Cheapest here, with a renewal that matches the sign-up price.
- Unmetered traffic and free daily backups.
- cPanel and free SSL on a privacy-leaning Swiss host.
Cons
- No standard money-back guarantee, refunds are case by case.
- Smaller provider than the mainstream brands.
- Fewer extras than the bigger budget hosts.
- Price
- $2.49/mo
- Bandwidth
- unlimited
- Cache
- LiteSpeed
- Data centers
- US, EU, Asia
- Renewal
- $10.99/mo
Hostinger's shared plan starts at $2.49 a month and comes with unlimited bandwidth, built-in LiteSpeed cache and data centers in the US, Europe and Asia, so you can place the site near your audience. A 30-day money-back guarantee covers the first month.
The catch is the renewal: the plan renews at $10.99 a month, so the low intro rate is a first-term price rather than a long-term one. It fits a small budget best when you lock in a longer term up front, before the renewal rate kicks in.
Pros
- Low entry price with unlimited bandwidth and LiteSpeed cache.
- Data centers across three continents.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- Renews at $10.99/mo, well above the intro rate.
- Best value needs a longer term paid up front.
- Upsells during checkout.
- Price
- $3.99/mo
- WordPress
- officially recommended
- Domain
- free
- SSL
- free
- Renewal
- $9.99/mo
Bluehost is an official WordPress.org recommendation, which makes it an easy starting point for a WordPress site. The shared plan starts at $3.99 a month and includes a free domain, free SSL and weekly backups, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
As with most budget brands, the sign-up rate is an introductory one: the plan renews at $9.99 a month. It suits a WordPress beginner who wants the official recommendation and a free domain, as long as you plan for the higher renewal.
Pros
- Official WordPress recommendation, beginner-friendly.
- Free domain and free SSL included.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- Renews at $9.99/mo after the intro term.
- Only weekly backups on the entry plan.
- Higher entry price than the cheapest options here.
- Price
- $5.59/mo
- Stack
- LiteSpeed and cPanel
- Backups
- free off-site daily
- Locations
- US, EU, Asia
- Renewal
- $5.59/mo
RackNerd's shared hosting starts at $5.59 a month and, like Black.host, renews at the same $5.59 a month with no intro markup. You get a LiteSpeed and cPanel stack, free off-site daily backups, and a choice of US, EU and Asia locations.
The appeal is predictable pricing you can keep without a long contract. There are no default refunds, with cancellations handled case by case, so the flat rate rather than a guarantee is the reason to choose it.
Pros
- Renewal matches the sign-up price, no intro markup.
- LiteSpeed and cPanel with free off-site daily backups.
- Locations in the US, Europe and Asia.
Cons
- Highest entry price of the four.
- No default refund policy, handled case by case.
- Smaller provider than the mainstream brands.
How to choose cheap hosting
Check the renewal price, not just the sign-up rate
The single biggest trap in budget hosting is the renewal price. Many hosts advertise a low first-term rate, then raise it sharply when the plan renews, as Hostinger ($2.49 to $10.99) and Bluehost ($3.99 to $9.99) both do. Black.host and RackNerd keep the same price at renewal, so compare the long-term cost, not just the headline.
Match the plan to your site
A cheap plan still needs the right specs for what you run. For a WordPress site, favor a host with LiteSpeed cache and free SSL; for a growing blog, look at unmetered or unlimited bandwidth and daily backups. Pick a data center near your audience so the site stays responsive.
Weigh the refund policy
Budget hosts handle refunds differently. Hostinger and Bluehost both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, while Black.host and RackNerd have no standard refund policy and review cancellations case by case. If a trial window matters to you, factor that in alongside the price.
Frequently asked questions
What is cheap web hosting?
Cheap web hosting is shared hosting priced at a few dollars a month, where many sites share one server's resources to keep the cost low. It typically includes cPanel, free SSL and backups, enough for a blog, small business site or side project.
Why is the renewal price higher than the sign-up price?
Most budget hosts use an introductory rate to win new sign-ups, then charge the standard rate when the term renews. That is why Hostinger and Bluehost renew above their intro price, while Black.host and RackNerd keep the same rate, so always check both numbers before you buy.
Is cheap hosting good enough for WordPress?
Yes, for most small WordPress sites. Look for a host with LiteSpeed cache and free SSL, like Hostinger or RackNerd, or the official WordPress recommendation that Bluehost carries. A busy or growing site may later want VPS hosting instead.
Do cheap hosts include backups?
It varies by host. Black.host and RackNerd include free daily backups, Bluehost offers weekly backups on its entry plan, and you should always confirm the backup schedule before relying on it. Keeping your own copy is still good practice.
How I ranked these
The order reflects overall value for a typical budget buyer: entry price, renewal price, specs, ease of use and my own speed tests of real customer sites. Hosts that keep the same rate at renewal score well on long-term cost, which is the point of this page. The full field and the method are on my web hosting benchmarks page.
