Head to head · Shared hosting
Bluehost vs DreamHost
Three-year true cost on identical terms, shared hosting.
Similar promo rates, different renewal rates. The second and third year carry the whole difference.
Bluehost
Basic, 3-year term
3-year total
$106.20
An average of $2.95 a month
Promo price
$2.95/mo
Renewal price
$11.99/mo
Checked Oct 9, 2026UnverifiedVisit Bluehostaffiliate link
DreamHost
Shared Starter, 3-year term
3-year total
$106.20
An average of $2.95 a month
Promo price
$2.95/mo
Renewal price
$7.99/mo
Checked Oct 9, 2026UnverifiedVisit DreamHostaffiliate link
Verdict on cost
Over three years, Bluehost Basic costs $106.20 against DreamHost Shared Starter at $106.20: the same. Each bought on its 3-year term and kept for three years, hosting only.
Entry plans, three years
Each host’s cheapest shared hosting plan over 36 months. Promo and renewal are shown at the same size on purpose.
| Plan | Term bought | Promo / mo | Renewal / mo | First invoice | 3-year true cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost Basic Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $11.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| DreamHost Shared Starter Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $7.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| Keep it for | Bluehost Basic | DreamHost Shared Starter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $35.40 | $35.40 |
| 2 years | $70.80 | $70.80 |
| 3 years | $106.20 | $106.20 |
What the entry plans include
| Feature | Bluehost Basic | DreamHost Shared Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Websites | 10 | 1 |
| Storage | 10 GB | 50 GB |
| Bandwidth / visits | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Free domain | First 12 months | First 12 months |
| Email hosting | Not included | Not included |
| Backups | Not included | Included |
| CDN | Included | Not included |
| Staging | Included | Not included |
| SSL | Included | Included |
Every plan, three years
All current plans from both hosts, cheapest first.
| Plan | Term bought | Promo / mo | Renewal / mo | First invoice | 3-year true cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost Basic Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $11.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| DreamHost Shared Starter Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $7.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| DreamHost Shared Unlimited Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $3.95 | $13.99 | $142.20 | $142.20 $3.95/mo effective |
| Bluehost Choice Plus Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $5.45 | $19.99 | $196.20 | $196.20 $5.45/mo effective |
| Bluehost Online Store Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $9.95 | $24.95 | $358.20 | $358.20 $9.95/mo effective |
| DreamHost DreamPress Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 1 year | $16.95 | $16.95 from month 13 | $203.40 | $610.20 $16.95/mo effective |
Canonical URL: bluehost-vs-dreamhost. Totals are accrual-based over the horizon. Links marked “affiliate link” may earn a commission; it does not affect the arithmetic. Methodology.