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Choosing the right web hosting service for your company’s needs is critical. DreamHost is a top web hosting option for many new websites, but it won’t always meet your needs. This is why you may want to look for DreamHost alternatives.
Searching for DreamHost alternatives and then comparing their individual reviews is time-consuming and exhausting. To help you out, we’re giving you a detailed, side-by-side comparison of the best DreamHost alternatives in one convenient place.
What are the Best DreamHost Alternatives?
- DreamHost – Best Overall for Price, Flexibility, Uptime, and Website Security
- Bluehost – Best DreamHost Alternative for Beginners
- SiteGround – Best Alternative for Customer Service
- HostGator – Best Alternative for Scalability
- Namecheap – Cheap DreamHost Alternative
- Weebly – Best Alternative for Combo Services
- WP Engine – Best Alternative for WordPress Hosting
1. DreamHost – Best Overall for Price, Flexibility, Uptime, and Website Security
Pros:
- Month-to-month plans as low as $1.99
- Unmetered bandwidth with no usage caps
- Pre-installation of WordPress
- Consistent reliability with uptimes near 100%
- Free domain included
Cons:
- Email hosting is not included in the base price
- Customer support is limited outside of business hours
DreamHost offers an impressive list of features and a high level of flexibility in its web hosting menu of services. DreamHost is an excellent choice for your web hosting needs with unbeatable pricing, unheard-of guarantees, and seamless WordPress integration.
Price: Rating 5/5
With month-to-month introductory rates starting at just $1.99 and yearly contracts starting at only $2.95, alternatives to DreamHost simply can’t compete. Additionally, DreamHost offers a money-back guarantee that is unparalleled in web hosting services. You can receive a full refund for any services 97 days after purchase.
Uptime: 5/5
DreamHost advertises an impressive 100% uptime rate on their site. Some reviewers have found slight variances, but never for more than a few seconds. If your site ever goes down, DreamHost will give you a refund for that period.
Ease of Use: 4.5/5
Users give glowing reports about DreamHost’s dashboard, saying it is easy to access the needed features. Whereas most web hosts use a cPanel interface, DreamHost offers a customized control panel that works seamlessly with all site components.
On the other hand, users often complain that the account setup at DreamHost is far from intuitive and offers vague instructions on the next steps.
Customer Service: 4/5
DreamHost offers 24/7 customer support through email, which is knowledgable and responsive. They lose points because live chat is not available outside of business hours, and phone support is only available for an extra fee. Many alternatives to DreamHost offer these services without additional costs.
CMS Integration: 5/5
DreamHost is one of a small handful of sites that have received a direct recommendation from WordPress. It offers pre-installation of WordPress, a WordPress website builder, and you can add WordPress-optimized hosting for an additional fee.
2. Bluehost – Best Dreamhost Alternative for Beginners
Pros:
- Extremely intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 24/7 live customer support
- Simple WordPress installation and drag-and-drop website builder
- Convenient e-commerce hosting plans for online stores
Cons:
- Does not offer an uptime guarantee
- High site migration costs
- Aggressive and intrusive upselling efforts
Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosting alternatives to DreamHost. It is especially popular with inexperienced users due to an excellent setup wizard, a clean and precise control panel and one-click WordPress integration.
Price: 3.5/5
Bluehost’s pricing for shared hosting is standard for the industry, at $4.95 a month for a basic plan. Users must be willing to enter into lengthy 36-month agreements to access better prices, cutting the cost by almost half.
Unlike most top-tier web hosting services, Bluehost doesn’t offer free site migration. If that service is needed, it comes with a hefty price tag of $149.99.
Uptime: 4/5
Bluehost’s uptime percentage is higher than average, at 99.95%. Their score is hurt by the fact that they do not offer any kind of an uptime guarantee, which is standard for other web hosting services. Since uptime is crucial to any website, users appreciate the assurance a guarantee offers.
Ease of Use: 5/5
One feature that makes Bluehost a popular choice with new users is the intuitive control panel that makes using the service easily comprehensible. Bluehost is known to have one of the simplest onboarding processes of all the premium web hosting services.
However, the many upselling prompts during the onboarding process can confuse some.
Customer Service: 4.5/5
Bluehost users have access to live customer support 24/7. Users are generally satisfied with the service they receive but mention that the aggressive upselling from live agents can be a bit overwhelming.
CMS Integration: 4.5/5
Bluehost is another hosting service that has gotten official approval from WordPress. Bluehost also works well with other content management systems. You can migrate one existing WordPress site to Bluehost for free, but if you need to transfer more than one, you will be subject to the paid migration fees.
If you think Bluehost doesn’t offer what you’re looking for, you can always check out Bluehost alternatives.
3. SiteGround – Best Alternative for Customer Service
Pros:
- WordPress recommended web host
- Limited and transparent upselling
- Works well with multiple web builders and CMS providers
Cons:
- They do not offer a free domain, and their domain prices are higher than standard
- Their prices are significantly higher than similar web hosting services
- Customer service can be difficult to reach
SiteGround can be found on many top 10 lists for web hosting services. Their popularity has taken a hit recently due to multiple changes in their services. Their impressive uptime and excellent customer service have helped them maintain a loyal customer base.
Price: 4/5
SiteGround’s startup plan is $3.99 during its introductory period. A SiteGround vs. DreamHost comparison shows that it is twice the cost of other respected web hosting services. When it’s time to renew, you will multiply the initial cost of all plans by three.
Uptime: 4.5/5
With guaranteed uptimes of 99.9%, SiteGround ranks with some of the most reliable web hosts today.
Ease of Use: 4/5
SiteGround is easy to use and has a fluid onboarding process. Their usage score is lowered by the limitations in hosting plans. SiteGround no longer offers VPS or dedicated hosting, so if you wish to upgrade to these services, you will need to move to their cloud hosting services instead.
Customer Service: 4.5/5
Users report that customer service is excellent and have a high level of satisfaction with agents’ knowledge base and demeanor. SiteGround handily beats all other alternatives to DreamHost in this area.
CMS Integration: 4.5/5
SiteGround is another web host that WordPress actively promotes. Their system allows easy integration with WordPress, Weebly, and many other web builders and content management systems.
4. HostGator – Best Alternative for Scalability
Pros:
- Tailored onboarding
- A large variety of hosting plans
- Helpful WordPress walkthrough
Cons:
- Confusing sign-up process
- Customer support is dismissive
- Complicated domain name set-up
HostGator makes the top 10 in several web hosting reviews. It is a solid company that excels in offering multiple ways to grow your hosting as your business expands.
Price: 4/5
HostGator’s $3.95 starter price is on par with several other major web hosting services. They offer a free domain name and email for the first year; however, they will charge $14.95 for domain privacy.
Uptime: 4.5/5
HostGator offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, slightly lower than the best guarantees on this list, but you can get an entire month’s credit should uptime dip below the guarantee.
Ease of Use: 4/5
HostGator asks many questions up front to tailor your onboarding experience to your level of expertise. That is great, but the rest of the process is unclear. Users report difficulty understanding the domain name process and don’t appreciate having non-essential add-on services pre-checked.
Customer Service: 4/5
HostGator offers 24/7 live support, and customers say that wait times are average. Many have expressed discomfort over the amount of aggressive upselling from HostGator support agents, however.
Additionally, customers state that queries are frequently handled by the disbursement of standard help articles rather than being individualized.
CMS Integration: 4.5/5
In addition to offering easy WordPress integration, HostGator goes the extra mile to provide videos on how to set up your WordPress site. Users appreciate the help and say it makes the process fast and simple.
5. WP Engine – Best Alternative for WordPress Hosting
Pros:
- Complete WordPress optimization
- Extensive suite of WordPress-specific resources
Cons:
- Only hosts WordPress sites
- No domain name services
- No email services
- Strict site visitor limits
- Prices are significantly higher than competitors
WP Engine is the first-ever WordPress-specific web hosting service. None of the other alternatives to DreamHost can claim this level of specialization. Their focus on a single CMS allows them to offer services and features not available with more diverse web hosting services.
Price: 4/5
WP Engine only provides managed web hosting for WordPress sites. This means their lowest price of $20 a month is still significantly higher than any other web host in this review. Many of those seeking web hosting services may find the cost of WP Engine excessive.
Uptime: 4.5/5
WP Engine guarantees an uptime of 99.95%, and it delivers on that promise. You can add enhanced SLA for an additional fee, and the guarantee rises to 99.99%.
Ease of Use: 4/5
WP Engine has developed a high level of proficiency in guiding users through all aspects of WordPress usage. Experienced WordPress users will likely find the interface with this web host to be smooth and intuitive. Those new to WordPress and seeking a more elementary interaction could find the array of options somewhat overwhelming.
Customer Service: 5/5
WP Engine specializes in WordPress, and so do their customer care agents. Users would be hard-pressed to come up with a question about WP Engine or WordPress that customer service personnel could not answer. WP Engine customers report an impressive 97% satisfaction rate.
CMS Integration: 4/5
WP Engine integrates with one CMS only. For all of its excellence with WordPress, it has nothing to offer to customers using any other content management system. All other alternatives to DreamHost can boast greater diversity in CMS integration.
6. Namecheap – Cheap Dreamhost Alternative
Pros:
- Free domain and site migration
- Robust minimum plan
Cons:
- Slow customer support response
- Control panel is too basic
Namecheap is best known as a domain registrar. Many consumers are unaware that they offer hosting services as well. Not usually presented in a DreamHost alternatives review as an equal competitor, Namecheap has a lot to offer those seeking a low-cost, basic plan.
Price: 4/5
Namecheap is the only web host on the list to offer real competition to DreamHost in this category. The caveat is that after the first year, prices increase substantially.
Uptime: 4.8/5
Namecheap provides a 100% uptime guarantee. They also offer refunds if that guarantee is not met.
Ease of Use: 4/5
Reviewers feel that Namecheap’s console is too simple for its own good, leaving new users unclear on how to navigate at times.
Customer Service: 2.5/5
Namecheap does not offer customer service via phone. They do offer 24/7 live chat. Users say that response times are often excruciatingly slow and that agents do not have the high level of understanding they need.
CMS Integration: 4.5/5
Like many others on this list, Namecheap offers easy integration with WordPress.
Overall Score: 4
7. Weebly – Best Alternative for Combo Services
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Weebly site builder
- Beginner-friendly site-building and hosting
Cons:
- Limited CMS integration
- No VPS or dedicated hosting services are available
Weebly is best known as a website builder. Versions of their site builder are offered through many of the most popular web hosting services. Many consumers don’t know that you can also host your Weebly site through the builder itself.
Full disclosure: it is challenging to compare Weebly to other hosting services since its services are a combination of building and hosting.
Price: 4/5
If you build your site on Weebly, you’ll have access to limited free hosting. If you want to access better features, you’ll need to upgrade to a basic plan that begins at $8 a month, which is higher than most other web hosts on this list. Bear in mind that you are paying for hosting and building, however.
Uptime: N/A
Proof that Weebly is primarily a builder, we could not find a reliable reporting of uptime for their hosting services.
Ease of Use: 4.5/5
As a site builder, Weebly is known for being simple and easy to use, even for a novice. Their hosting services share those qualities.
Customer Service: 4/5
Weebly offers 24/7 email support. Live support is limited to business hours, making it potentially inconvenient, especially for Weebly users living in different time zones.
CMS Integration: 4/5
Integration between Weebly-built sites and their hosting services is excellent. That integration does not extend to sites from other CMS providers. Weebly is an excellent basic host for Weebly sites.
Methodology for Best Dreamhost Alternatives
A web hosting service provides more than a home for your website. The best web host needs to be reliable and secure. In the digital world, when customers lose access to your website, it’s equivalent to closing a shop in the real world.
Many factors were taken into consideration to complete this guide to DreamHost alternatives:
- Pricing
- Customer satisfaction
- Quality of support
- Level of security
- Reliability factors
- Customer service avenues
- Speed
- CMS integration
- Email hosting options
- Ease of use
Buying Guide for Dreamhost Alternatives
If you plan on publishing a website or blog, you need to have a working understanding of how web hosting functions. These FAQs are some of the most commonly asked regarding web hosting services.
What Is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting is just what it sounds like. Your website will share a server with several other websites. This is always the least expensive option with any web host, but it may have limitations on some features such as bandwidth or storage space. Shared hosting is a good starting level for small businesses and individuals.
What Is VPS Hosting?
VPS stands for virtual private server. This is a step up from shared hosting in both services and costs. You will still share a physical server with others, but you can access private resources, such as dedicated bandwidth and increased storage availability.
Additionally, you’ll have more freedom in the configuration of your site as well. VPS hosting is a good choice for medium-sized businesses, popular blogs, or websites that host a lot of media and graphics.
What Is Dedicated Hosting?
With this level of hosting, you have a server dedicated only to you. As you no longer share a server, dedicated hosting will give you the highest bandwidth and storage levels for your site.
Dedicated hosting is significantly more expensive than shared or VPS hosting and is best used by established websites with high traffic records. Dedicated hosting comes with heightened security, making it the best choice for sites dealing with sensitive data or e-commerce sites collecting payment information.
What Is a Good Uptime Percentage?
Ideally, you want 100% uptime because that means your site is always up and running. Some of the best web hosts run very near 100%, but only a few web hosts will guarantee that.
Never go with a web hosting service with an uptime of less than 99%. DreamHost and all the alternatives to DreamHost mentioned in this article run at 99.95% or higher. DreamHost, SiteGround, and WP Engine all offer uptime guarantees.
How Do I Know a Web Hosting Service Is Secure?
When you are checking out potential web hosts, check what types of security they offer. At a minimum, you want your web host to have either an SSL certificate or a TLS certificate, which provides industry-standard data encryption.
You’ll also want to determine how often they back up your information. Beyond the basics, different web hosts may offer extra layers of security, including built-in firewalls, malware detection, or CDN support. More security is always better.
How Do I Choose the Best Web Hosting Service for My Needs?
When choosing a web hosting service, start with the basics. Any host you select needs to have an uptime higher than 99%, SSL or TLS certificates, and offer the ability to integrate with the CMS of your choice.
Most people just starting with web hosting don’t have a clear idea of what they might need in the future. Choosing a web host that scores well in several categories will likely be their best option.
DreamHost earned the “Best Overall” title in this guide because it does a great job with all the basics and offers a good selection of more advanced options that users can add on as their site grows.
Top Dreamhost Alternatives Services Comparison
| Web Host | Price(lowest plan monthly fee) | Uptime Guarantee | Security Certificate | Speed | Customer Support |
| DreamHost | $1.99 | Yes | SSL | 813 ms | 24/7 email support |
| Bluehost | $4.95 | No | SSL | 1107 ms | 24/7 live support |
| SiteGround | $3.99 | Yes | SSL | 616 ms | 24/7 live support |
| WP Engine | $20.00 | Yes | SSL | 428 ms | 24/7 livesupport |
| HostGator | $3.95 | Yes | SSL | 661 ms | 24/7 live support |
| Namecheap | $1.58 | Yes | SSL | 458 ms | 24/7 live chat |
| Weebly | $8 | Unknown | SSL | 1460 ms | 24/7 email support |
Best DreamHost Alternatives Comparison – Final Thoughts
Our guide to DreamHost alternatives shows that this experienced web hosting service is likely to fill the needs of the majority of users. It has excellent pricing and provides great service in a variety of functions. This is not to say that the many alternatives to DreamHost won’t be the best pick for some individuals.
What a blogger or business needs from its web host can be very specific. If tech is foreign to you, a host like Bluehost with a user-friendly dashboard and onboarding process might be best.
In case you have little capital to allocate to web hosting, a web host like Namecheap might meet your basic needs. If your web builder of choice is WordPress and you want to maximize its potential, WP Engine could be just what you’re looking for. Likewise, those who love the Weebly site builder may wish to keep all their services with that provider.
Do your research into the many excellent web hosting services, consider your individual needs and make the best choice to support your goals.
