Founded in 1997, DreamHost is headquartered in California and is owned by New Dream Network, LLC. DreamHost offers web hosting for individuals, small businesses, and developers, and is one of only four web hosts recommended[1] specifically by WordPress. It has 4.7 out of 5 stars and more than 6,000 reviews on Trustpilot.
It also has one of the longest money-back guarantees we’ve seen at 97 days. Below, we’ll get into everything you need to know about DreamHost and its plans.
DreamHost
| Introductory price: | Starting at $4.95 per month (for three months) |
| Renewal price for same plan: | $$7.99 per month |
| Discounted rates for longer terms? | Yes |
DreamHost pricing & plan overview
DreamHost’s Shared Starter plan is ideal for brand-new websites without the need for high-traffic resources. It includes standard support, up to five subdomains, automatic WordPress updates, automated daily backups, and more. Its Shared Unlimited plan comes with a preinstalled secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate, email accounts at your own domain, unlimited site storage, unlimited domains, and more. Both come with an AI Business Advisor, which helps with business advice, insights, and problem-solving. Learn more about how plans, prices, and fees work in our web hosting costs guide[2].
| Plans | Introductory rate | Renewal rate | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Starter | $4.95 | $7.99 | AI Business Advisor Daily automated backups WordPress website builder 1 WordPress site 50GB site storage |
| Shared Unlimited | $8.95 | $13.99 | AI Business Advisor Daily automated backups Unlimited WordPress sites Unlimited site storage Free, preinstalled SSL certificate |
| Shared Starter | |
|---|---|
| $4.95 | |
| $7.99 | |
| AI Business Advisor Daily automated backups WordPress website builder 1 WordPress site 50GB site storage |
|
| Shared Unlimited | |
| $8.95 | |
| $13.99 | |
| AI Business Advisor Daily automated backups Unlimited WordPress sites Unlimited site storage Free, preinstalled SSL certificate |
Best DreamHost plan for small businesses: Shared Unlimited
For users managing multiple websites, or who have a single website with more resource requirements, DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan is ideal. You can set up an unlimited number of websites, have unlimited traffic, and email hosting at your own domain. With this plan, you’ll also get an AI Business Advisor, 24/7 support, unlimited subdomains, MySQL databases, and file transfer protocol (FTP)/secure FTP (SFTP)/Shell users.
Pros
- Unlimited traffic
- AI Business Advisor
- Unlimited websites
- 97-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- You can’t use cPanel
- Doesn’t include on-demand backups
- No 1-click restore
- Doesn’t have 1-click staging
Other services DreamHost offers
- Free domains: When paying for a year or more at a time, you get a free domain.
- Free SSL certificates: All shared hosting accounts come with a free SSL certificate.
- Free email: Shared Unlimited plans allow for unlimited email addresses at your own domain while its Shared Starter plan lets you purchase an email for as little as $1.67 per month.
- Free domain name privacy: All plans come with domain privacy.
- Automatic backups: Each plan comes with automated daily backups.
- Website builder: With templates and a drag-and-drop interface, building your website is easy with DreamHost.
The DreamHost platform and customer support
DreamHost’s platform is clean and easy to navigate, with a full menu to the left of your dashboard. From the home page, you can see recommendations at a glance, or navigate to the left panel menu to access support, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, pro services, billing, your website, and more.
DreamHost offers 24/7 ticket support and live chat as well as callbacks via phone with some plans. Support is offered in both English and Spanish.
Is DreamHost secure?
In May 2021, 815 million database records were exposed for approximately 12 hours. DreamHost was notified of this breach when one cybersecurity researcher scanned its internet protocol (IP) and found the data. While DreamHost says it didn’t contain any personally identifying information (PII) and was limited in scope, other experts disagree.
DreamHost user reviews
Of the 6,178 Trustpilot reviews, 87% of them are five stars. These overwhelmingly positive reviews praise DreamHost’s ease of use, great customer support, and reliability. Negative feedback is less common but points to specific incidents vs. general dissatisfaction.
Compare DreamHost alternatives
DreamHost vs. SiteGround
Compared to SiteGround’s GoGeek plan, DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan offers significantly more value. With Shared Unlimited, users get unlimited storage and bandwidth for $8.95 per month, while SiteGround charges $44.99 per month for 40GB of storage. While free trials aren’t common with hosting plans, DreamHost’s 97-day money-back guarantee is hard to beat. SiteGround’s money-back guarantee is only 14 to 30 days, depending on the plan type.
DreamHost vs. TMD Hosting
When you compare DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan to TMD Hosting’s Enterprise plan, DreamHost is the more budget-friendly option. Both offer unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth, but DreamHost is half the cost. Neither offers a free trial, but that’s standard for hosting plans.
Is DreamHost right for you?
DreamHost is ideal for individuals, developers, and small businesses who want a reliable, feature-rich web hosting service for an attractive price. With its industry-first 97-day money-back guarantee, 24/7 customer support, and easy-to-use platform, DreamHost is difficult to beat. Plus, it’s one of only four web hosts recommended specifically by WordPress to its users. However, it’s not for everyone. If you’re dead set on cPanel, that’s not even an option with DreamHost, so seek an alternative option.
Frequently asked questions
What are the disadvantages of DreamHost?
DreamHost has its own custom panel, so if you require cPanel, you’ll need to seek an alternative web host. Additionally, it doesn’t offer call-in support. Instead, some plans offer callbacks, although live chat and ticketed support are available 24/7.
Is DreamHost a good company?
Yes, DreamHost has a strong track record and is one of four web hosts recommended by WordPress. With over 6,000 Trustpilot reviews, it has a score of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Is DreamHost safe to use?
Each DreamHost plan comes with a free SSL certificate, which encrypts the data to and from your website. With 24/7 support, should anything break on your site, help is available to get you back up and running right away.
References
- ^ web hosts recommended (fortune.com)
- ^ web hosting costs guide (fortune.com)