March 2026 · 8 min read
Web Hosting Renewal Prices Compared: What You're Actually Paying in 2026
Every major shared hosting provider uses the same playbook: charge close to nothing for the first year, then charge full price at renewal — knowing you probably won't switch.
We went through the actual renewal pricing for the four most commonly recommended shared hosting providers. Not the marketing page. The renewal page — or the fine print footnote.
The numbers
| Provider | Intro | Renewal | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| BurroHost | $5/mo | $5/mo | 0% |
| Bluehost | $1.99/mo | $9.99–11.99/mo | ~250% |
| SiteGround | $1.99/mo | $17.99–44.99/mo | 800% |
| Hostinger | $1.79/mo | $7.99–16.99/mo | ~450% |
SiteGround is the most extreme example. The $1.99/mo intro price renews as high as $44.99/mo — a 2,157% increase. For a shared hosting plan.
Bluehost, owned by EIG (now Newfold Digital), uses the same approach. Sign up for $1.99/mo, renew at $9.99–11.99/mo. The fine print is there if you read it. Most people don't — until the charge shows up.
Why does this keep happening?
Because it works. Switching hosting providers is a pain — you have to migrate files, update DNS, hope nothing breaks. Most small business owners would rather pay the higher renewal than go through that.
The hosting companies know this. The introductory pricing isn't a deal — it's a trap with a one-year delay.
What we do differently
BurroHost charges $5/mo. Next year: $5/mo. We don't have a different intro price. We don't have a renewal price. We just have a price.
We also include SSL, daily backups, and migration in every plan — not as add-ons.
Ready to stop worrying about next year's renewal?
See founding member pricing →