// hosting explained
Intro vs renewal prices: how web hosting discounts really work
Most shared hosts advertise a first-term price. What you pay for years afterwards is the renewal price, and the gap is often 2-4x. Here's how to read both.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The headline price usually needs the longest term, paid upfront.
- Renewal prices often differ by term too: shorter terms renew higher.
- Compare hosts by 3-year or 6-year total cost, not the monthly headline.
- Some hosts (Pressable, for example) renew at the same price as your first bill.
A real example: HostGator Business
Same plan, three terms, three intro prices and three renewal prices. My own HostGator account is on this plan.
HostGator cart, November 2026.
Do the 6-year math
On a 3-year term, HostGator Business costs $225 for the first three years, then $21.99/mo: about $1,017 over six years, or $14.12/mo on average. The headline says $6.25.
Our true cost tracker does this for every plan we track, and the Hosting Matcher ranks plans by 3-year cost, renewals included.
Hosts that don't raise prices
Some hosts price the first bill and the renewal the same. Pressable is one: my invoices showed $90 a month in April 2025 and still $90 in October 2026. They look expensive next to a $3.75 headline, but compare the 6-year totals before deciding.