Most budget hosts reserve their lowest price for customers who prepay three or four years. DreamHost takes a simpler approach: one shared plan, Web Hosting Launch, with its discount available on a one-year term. If you dislike long commitments, that alone sets it apart.
DreamHost Launch plan details
- Price: $2.89/mo for the first year, then $10.99/mo.
- Websites: up to 25, with unmetered bandwidth.
- Storage: 25 GB NVMe SSD, suited to around 40,000 visits a month.
- Backups: daily and automated.
- Extras: a free domain for one year, unlimited free SSL certificates, on-demand performance scans and 20 mailboxes free for three months.
- Guarantee: 30-day money-back guarantee.
What we like
Getting a fair intro price without locking in for years keeps your options open. Daily automated backups are included as standard, which several cheaper rivals reserve for higher tiers. Room for 25 websites makes Launch a practical home for a few small projects at once, and a single plan means no agonising over tiers.
What to watch for
Email is only free for the first three months, after which you pay for mailboxes or connect another provider. There is only one shared tier, so if you outgrow it the next step is DreamPress managed WordPress or a VPS, which are significantly more expensive.
Who should choose DreamHost
DreamHost is a good fit for bloggers, hobbyists and freelancers running a handful of small sites who want daily backups and a short commitment. Plan your email setup before the free period ends so nothing breaks.
How it compares
Against Hostinger and Bluehost, DreamHost’s Launch plan renews at a similar level but does not require a multi-year term for its intro rate, and it includes daily backups from day one. Against Namecheap, DreamHost allows more websites per plan, while Namecheap includes email at no extra charge. If you value flexibility and plan to revisit your hosting choice within a year or two, DreamHost is one of the least restrictive budget options available, and its renewal rate stays close to the budget leaders.
The verdict
Simple, flexible and backed by daily backups. DreamHost is one of the easiest hosts to recommend for small sites that may change direction.
Prices are in US dollars, exclude tax and were taken from the provider’s official pricing page. Hosting promotions change often, so confirm the current price at checkout. See every host side by side in our hosting comparison table.