Head to head · Shared hosting
DreamHost vs GoDaddy
Three-year true cost on identical terms, shared hosting.
Two long-running US hosts with moderate renewal rates and different add-on policies, especially around email.
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
GoDaddy
Economy, 3-year term
3-year total
$215.64
An average of $5.99 a month
Promo price
$5.99/mo
Renewal price
$9.99/mo
Checked Oct 9, 2026UnverifiedVisit GoDaddyaffiliate link
Verdict on cost
Over three years, DreamHost Shared Starter costs $106.20 against GoDaddy Economy at $215.64: $109.44 less (51%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| GoDaddy Economy Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $5.99 | $9.99 | $215.64 | $215.64 $5.99/mo effective |
| Keep it for | DreamHost Shared Starter | GoDaddy Economy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $35.40 | $71.88 |
| 2 years | $70.80 | $143.76 |
| 3 years | $106.20 | $215.64 |
What the entry plans include
| Feature | DreamHost Shared Starter | GoDaddy Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Websites | 1 | 1 |
| Storage | 50 GB | 25 GB |
| Bandwidth / visits | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Free domain | First 12 months | First 12 months |
| Email hosting | Not included | Not included |
| Backups | Included | Not included |
| CDN | Not included | Not included |
| Staging | Not 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| GoDaddy Economy Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $5.99 | $9.99 | $215.64 | $215.64 $5.99/mo effective |
| GoDaddy Deluxe Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $7.99 | $14.99 | $287.64 | $287.64 $7.99/mo effective |
| GoDaddy Ultimate Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $12.99 | $19.99 | $467.64 | $467.64 $12.99/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: dreamhost-vs-godaddy. Totals are accrual-based over the horizon. Links marked “affiliate link” may earn a commission; it does not affect the arithmetic. Methodology.