Prices › Guide
How to choose a web host
Hosting providers advertise a headline "from $X/month" price, but the conditions behind that number differ from provider to provider. Here is what to check.
0. Start from what you need
Shared hosting plans differ in how many websites, how much storage and how many mailboxes they include. Entry plans are usually enough for one or a few small sites; check the plan's limits on the official page before comparing prices.
1. The headline price is usually for the longest term
The lowest monthly price is typically the monthly equivalent of the longest contract term. Shorter terms cost more per month.
2. The whole term is often paid up front
"Monthly" prices are frequently the total for the term divided by the number of months, and the whole term is paid in advance. Check the refund policy before choosing a long term.
3. Separate first-term discounts from renewal prices
Many promotions apply only to the first term; renewals are charged at the regular price. Where the official page shows a renewal price, we list it as the regular price.
4. Prices are often shown before tax
US-based hosts usually show prices excluding tax; sales tax or VAT may be added at checkout depending on where you live. Our international prices are in USD, excl. tax, as shown on the official page.
5. Check the conditions of free domains
Free domain offers may depend on the plan, the contract term or auto-renewal, and the available domain extensions differ.
6. Trial periods and setup fees
Free trials, money-back guarantees and setup fees differ by provider and plan.
7. Registering a domain separately (e.g. Cloudflare Registrar)
You can also register a domain with a registrar instead of your host. Cloudflare Registrar says it charges registration, transfer and renewal at the registry and ICANN price without markup. We do not track its prices, so check its official domain extension price list (the response examples in its official API docs show USD). Per the official FAQ, domains on Cloudflare Registrar use Cloudflare nameservers and cannot be switched freely to another provider's nameservers, and supported extensions are listed in its TLD policies. Our Japanese edition compares three Japanese registrars in JPY: domain prices (Japanese).
About our prices
Our prices are read automatically from the official pricing pages and are a guide only. See About for how we collect them, and always check the official page for the latest prices and terms.
Last reviewed: 2026-11-13