Web hosting and domain deals

How hosting and domain pricing works

Hosting and domains have one of the biggest gaps between intro price and renewal price of any online purchase. Providers compete for new customers with low first-term prices, then renew at the standard rate. That's normal for the category, but it means the advertised price is rarely the price you'll pay over the life of a website.

This hub covers four providers: Liquid Web for hosting, Network Solutions for domains and hosting, and Domain.com and EuroDNS for domain names. The deals grid above shows only offers each brand has published through its affiliate program, with the end date it set.

Choosing a hosting plan

Hosting ranges from shared plans for small sites to managed and dedicated servers for busy ones. The right deal is the plan that fits your site today with room to grow, not the cheapest plan on the page.

• Type of hosting. Shared hosting is cheapest. Managed, VPS and dedicated hosting cost more and give you more resources and support.
• Term length. Low monthly prices usually need a one-, two- or three-year term paid up front.
• Renewal price. Check it on the checkout or pricing page before you buy.
• What's included. SSL certificates, backups, email accounts and a free domain for the first year vary by plan.
• Support. For a business site, how quickly you can reach support can matter more than a small price difference.

Buying a domain name

Domain prices depend heavily on the ending, like .com, .net or a country ending, and promotional first-year prices are common. As with hosting, look at the renewal price, because you'll renew a domain you care about every year.

Check whether privacy protection for your contact details is included or costs extra, and whether there's a fee to transfer the domain to another registrar later. Registering for several years at once can protect you from a price rise, but compare the multi-year total against renewing yearly.

Watch the checkout add-ons

Hosting and domain checkouts are known for add-ons: site builders, extra security, backups, email, SEO tools and more. Some are useful, some duplicate what the plan already includes, and some are pre-selected. Read every line of the cart before you pay, and untick what you don't need. You can usually add something later if you find you need it.

Planning for renewal or a move

Put both the hosting and domain renewal dates in your calendar. A few weeks before each, compare your renewal price with what other providers charge, and check whether your provider offers a renewal discount. Moving a site takes some work, but for a simple site the savings can be worth it.

Keeping your domain and hosting with different providers can make a future move easier, since you can switch hosts without touching your domain.

When to buy

These are patterns across the category, not promises from any one store. The end date on each offer is the one to trust.