What it costs to run a website: domain, hosting and email
For a personal site or blog (one .com domain and a shared hosting plan; email as a separate line for 1 mailbox), the cheapest domain and hosting we can price cost $102.84 over 3 years ($81.08 in the first year; the 5-year total needs a renewal price that is not recorded): Dynadot .com + ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter. We have not recorded whether the hosting plan includes a mailbox, so the total does not cover email; the email line shows its cost. A standalone mailbox is a separate line: the cheapest we track, Proton Mail Plus, adds $143.64 over 3 years for 1 mailbox. Design, development, plugins, store software and payment fees are not part of it. The median of the 72 bundles we can price over 3 years is $331.38. Prices as shown in the United States on , in US dollars. Methodology · Source: domain prices · hosting prices · email plans.
Only choosing a hosting plan? Compare hosting totals over 1–5 years.
Three scenarios
| Scenario | What is included | Bundles | Lowest total: 1 / 3 / 5 years (can be different bundles) | Median: 1 / 3 / 5 years | Standalone email: 1 / 3 / 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal site or blog | one .com domain and a shared hosting plan; email as a separate line for 1 mailbox | 72 | $21.20 / $102.84 / $329.80 | $117.24 / $331.38 / $702.30 | $47.88 / $143.64 / $239.40 |
| Small business site | one .com domain and a managed WordPress or cloud hosting plan; email as a separate line for 3 mailboxes | 16 | $176.72 / $200.16 / $329.80 | $291.84 / $421.23 / $750.30 | $252.00 / $756.00 / $1,260.00 |
| Small shop site (domain and hosting) | one .com domain and any measured web hosting plan (shared, managed WordPress, cloud or managed VPS); email as a separate line for 5 mailboxes | 96 | $21.20 / $102.84 / $329.80 | $165.66 / $383.72 / $737.96 | $420.00 / $1,260.00 / $2,100.00 |
What this total includes
a .com domain + hosting; standalone email as a separate line
Each bundle is one .com domain and one hosting plan: the domain registration and renewals and the hosting payments. Email adds nothing only when the hosting plan’s pricing page lists enough mailboxes with no time limit stated. Some plans include mailboxes free for a first period only: DreamHost Shared Web Hosting Launch (“All of DreamHost's web hosting plans include a free 3-month trial of Professional Email @yourdomain, with the number of mailboxes varying by plan.”); Hostinger Cloud Startup (“Unlimited mailboxes per website - free for 1 year”); Hostinger Premium Web Hosting (“2 mailboxes per website - free for 1 year”); Hostinger Unlimited Web Hosting (“Unlimited mailboxes per website - free for 1 year”); after that period a mailbox is a separate cost, shown in the email line. Where we have not recorded what a plan includes, the total does not cover email. A standalone mailbox is shown as a separate line: the annual-billing price per mailbox, times the number of mailboxes of the scenario. Not included: design and development, themes and plugins, paid SSL certificates, setup fees, add-ons, domain privacy and transfer fees, store software and payment fees; we do not add taxes.
What the total is made of
hosting is 68% of the cheapest personal site or blog bundle
- Personal site or blog: in the cheapest 3-year bundle, hosting is 68% of the total and the domain 32%; standalone email for 1 mailbox adds $143.64 over 3 years.
- Small business site: in the cheapest 3-year bundle, hosting is 84% of the total and the domain 16%; standalone email for 3 mailboxes adds $756.00 over 3 years.
- Small shop site (domain and hosting): in the cheapest 3-year bundle, hosting is 68% of the total and the domain 32%; standalone email for 5 mailboxes adds $1,260.00 over 3 years.
The first-year amount includes the whole prepaid first term of the hosting plan. A plan sold for 36 or 48 months and billed at once is paid in full at sign-up. Its first-year amount is that full payment, and nothing more is paid until the term ends. A plan the provider bills monthly is counted month by month.
Personal site or blog
4 .com offers × 18 hosting plans = 72 bundles. Email is a separate line: the cheapest standalone plan we track, Proton Mail Plus, costs $47.88 per mailbox per year with annual billing (5 email plans tracked).
| Paid within | Cheapest domain + hosting | Total | Median of 72 | Standalone email (1 mailbox) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | OVHcloud .com + IONOS Web Hosting Plus | $21.20 | $117.24 | + $47.88 |
| 3 years | Dynadot .com + ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $102.84 | $331.38 | + $143.64 |
| 5 years | Dynadot .com + Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $329.80 | $702.30 | + $239.40 |
The 10 cheapest domain and hosting bundles by 3-year total
from $102.84 within 3 years
| # | Domain | Hosting | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynadot .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.08 | $102.84 | Unknown |
| 2 | Porkbun .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.28 | $103.44 | Unknown |
| 3 | OVHcloud .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $79.40 | $112.38 | Unknown |
| 4 | Dynadot .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $117.08 | $138.84 | $447.40 |
| 5 | Porkbun .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $117.28 | $139.44 | $448.40 |
| 6 | OVHcloud .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $115.40 | $148.38 | $468.16 |
| 7 | Gandi .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.20 | $157.96 | Unknown |
| 8 | Dynadot .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $154.40 | $176.16 | $329.80 |
| 9 | Porkbun .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $154.60 | $176.76 | $330.80 |
| 10 | OVHcloud .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $152.72 | $185.70 | $350.56 |
Small business site
4 .com offers × 4 hosting plans = 16 bundles. Email is a separate line: the cheapest standalone plan we track, Google Workspace Starter, costs $84.00 per mailbox per year with annual billing (3 email plans (per-mailbox plans only) tracked).
| Paid within | Cheapest domain + hosting | Total | Median of 16 | Standalone email (3 mailboxes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | OVHcloud .com + DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $176.72 | $291.84 | + $252.00 |
| 3 years | Dynadot .com + DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $200.16 | $421.23 | + $756.00 |
| 5 years | Dynadot .com + DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $329.80 | $750.30 | + $1,260.00 |
The 10 cheapest domain and hosting bundles by 3-year total
from $200.16 within 3 years
| # | Domain | Hosting | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynadot .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $178.40 | $200.16 | $329.80 |
| 2 | Porkbun .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $178.60 | $200.76 | $330.80 |
| 3 | OVHcloud .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $176.72 | $209.70 | $350.56 |
| 4 | Gandi .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $178.52 | $255.28 | $439.92 |
| 5 | Dynadot .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Scale | $394.40 | $416.16 | $677.80 |
| 6 | Dynadot .com | Hostinger Cloud Startup | $394.40 | $416.16 | $749.80 |
| 7 | Porkbun .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Scale | $394.60 | $416.76 | $678.80 |
| 8 | Porkbun .com | Hostinger Cloud Startup | $394.60 | $416.76 | $750.80 |
| 9 | OVHcloud .com | DreamHost WordPress Hosting Scale | $392.72 | $425.70 | $698.56 |
| 10 | OVHcloud .com | Hostinger Cloud Startup | $392.72 | $425.70 | $770.56 |
Small shop site (domain and hosting)
4 .com offers × 24 hosting plans = 96 bundles. Email is a separate line: the cheapest standalone plan we track, Google Workspace Starter, costs $84.00 per mailbox per year with annual billing (3 email plans (per-mailbox plans only) tracked).
| Paid within | Cheapest domain + hosting | Total | Median of 96 | Standalone email (5 mailboxes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | OVHcloud .com + IONOS Web Hosting Plus | $21.20 | $165.66 | + $420.00 |
| 3 years | Dynadot .com + ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $102.84 | $383.72 | + $1,260.00 |
| 5 years | Dynadot .com + DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | $329.80 | $737.96 | + $2,100.00 |
The 10 cheapest domain and hosting bundles by 3-year total
from $102.84 within 3 years
| # | Domain | Hosting | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynadot .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.08 | $102.84 | Unknown |
| 2 | Porkbun .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.28 | $103.44 | Unknown |
| 3 | OVHcloud .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $79.40 | $112.38 | Unknown |
| 4 | Dynadot .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $117.08 | $138.84 | $447.40 |
| 5 | Porkbun .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $117.28 | $139.44 | $448.40 |
| 6 | OVHcloud .com | ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | $115.40 | $148.38 | $468.16 |
| 7 | Gandi .com | ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | $81.20 | $157.96 | Unknown |
| 8 | Dynadot .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $154.40 | $176.16 | $329.80 |
| 9 | Porkbun .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $154.60 | $176.76 | $330.80 |
| 10 | OVHcloud .com | Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | $152.72 | $185.70 | $350.56 |
Currency
All totals are in US dollars. Every price used was shown in US dollars on its source page. Prices are the ones shown in the United States; visitors elsewhere may see other prices.
Prices used 4 .com offers, 24 hosting plans, 5 standalone email plans
.com domains
| Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Page currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynadot .com | $10.88 | $10.88/year | USD |
| Porkbun .com | $11.08 | $11.08/year | USD |
| OVHcloud .com | $9.20 | $16.49/year | USD |
| Gandi .com | $11.00 | $38.38/year | USD |
Hosting plans
| Plan | Type | Paid at purchase | Renewal | Page currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Cloud Startup | Cloud hosting | $383.52 (48 × $7.99/month) | $25.99/month | USD |
| InMotion Hosting VPS 4 vCPU | Managed VPS | $335.76 (24 × $13.99/month) | $26.99/month | USD |
| ScalaHosting Managed Cloud VPS Build #1 | Managed VPS | $359.40 (12 × $29.95/month) | $54.95/month | USD |
| DreamHost DreamPress 1 Managed WordPress | Managed WordPress | Not stated¹ | $19.99/month | USD |
| DreamHost WordPress Hosting Growth | Managed WordPress | $167.52 (48 × $3.49/month) | $8.99/month | USD |
| DreamHost WordPress Hosting Scale | Managed WordPress | $383.52 (48 × $7.99/month) | $19.99/month | USD |
| ChemiCloud Web Hosting Starter | Shared hosting | $70.20 (36 × $1.95/month) | Unknown² | USD |
| DreamHost Shared Web Hosting Launch | Shared hosting | Not stated¹ | $10.99/month | USD |
| GreenGeeks Shared Hosting Lite | Shared hosting | $35.40 (12 × $2.95/month) | $13.95/month | USD |
| GreenGeeks Shared Hosting Premium | Shared hosting | $107.40 (12 × $8.95/month) | $30.95/month | USD |
| GreenGeeks Shared Hosting Pro | Shared hosting | $59.40 (12 × $4.95/month) | $18.95/month | USD |
| Hostinger Premium Web Hosting | Shared hosting | $143.52 (48 × $2.99/month) | $10.99/month | USD |
| Hostinger Unlimited Web Hosting | Shared hosting | $191.52 (48 × $3.99/month) | $16.99/month | USD |
| InMotion Hosting Shared Launch | Shared hosting | $179.64 (36 × $4.99/month) | $13.99/month | USD |
| InMotion Hosting Shared Power | Shared hosting | $215.64 (36 × $5.99/month) | $17.99/month | USD |
| InMotion Hosting Shared Pro | Shared hosting | $395.64 (36 × $10.99/month) | $24.99/month | USD |
| InterServer Standard Web Hosting (last confirmed Oct 17, 2026) | Shared hosting | $2.50 (first month; billed monthly) | $7.00/month | USD |
| IONOS Web Hosting Essential | Shared hosting | $4.00 (first month; billed monthly, 12-month minimum term) | $8.00/month | USD |
| IONOS Web Hosting Plus | Shared hosting | $1.00 (first month; billed monthly, 12-month minimum term) | $14.00/month | USD |
| IONOS Web Hosting Starter | Shared hosting | $6.00 (first month; billed monthly, 12-month minimum term) | $10.00/month | USD |
| IONOS Web Hosting Ultimate | Shared hosting | $10.00 (first month; billed monthly, 12-month minimum term) | $18.00/month | USD |
| ScalaHosting Web Hosting Advanced | Shared hosting | $358.20 (36 × $9.95/month) | $19.95/month | USD |
| ScalaHosting Web Hosting Mini | Shared hosting | $106.20 (36 × $2.95/month) | $11.95/month | USD |
| ScalaHosting Web Hosting Start | Shared hosting | $214.20 (36 × $5.95/month) | $14.95/month | USD |
¹ Billing not stated on the page.
² Renewal price not recorded.
Standalone email plans
| Plan | Per mailbox per year | Billing | Page currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton Mail Plus | $47.88 | annual, one user only | USD |
| Fastmail Individual | $60.00 | annual, one user only | USD |
| Google Workspace Starter | $84.00 | annual, per user | USD |
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic (last confirmed Oct 17, 2026) | $84.00 | annual, per user | USD |
| Google Workspace Standard | $168.00 | annual, per user | USD |
Zoho Mail is not in our measured set.
3 plans not included — why
| Name | Reason |
|---|---|
| GoDaddy .com (last confirmed Oct 17, 2026) | Price not recorded on Oct 18, 2026. |
| GoDaddy Web Hosting Economy (entry cPanel plan) | Price not recorded on Oct 18, 2026. |
| Hostinger .com | Sold only for a longer minimum term, so there is no price for this term. |
How we calculate domain + hosting, payments due within the period
Total paid within N years = domain + hosting. Domain = the registration price for the first year + the renewal price for each following year. For hosting, we count the whole first term at the first-term monthly price. This is paid at sign-up when the provider page says the term is billed at once (for example 48 × the monthly price for a 48-month term), or month by month when the page says the plan is billed monthly. After the first term ends, we add the renewal monthly price for every month. A plan with one flat monthly price is counted month by month. Where the page does not say how the first term is billed, no amount due at purchase is shown and the term is counted at its monthly price. Standalone email is a separate line, not part of the total: the annual-billing price per mailbox × years × mailboxes, for a site whose hosting plan does not include a mailbox with no time limit (a mailbox free for a first period only becomes a separate cost after it).
Like every money page on this site, this page counts the payments due within the period (one payment calendar for all pages), because that is what a new site is charged. The renewal term of a hosting plan is not stated on the pages we check, so renewal is counted month by month; this is our assumption, and if a provider bills renewal for a longer term in advance, the amount paid is higher.
A bundle is one .com offer and one hosting plan of the scenario type. Every combination of measured components is counted; the median is the middle total of all bundles of a scenario (the mean of the two middle values for an even count). For the email line, per-user plans are multiplied by the number of mailboxes; single-user plans (one person only) appear only in the one-mailbox scenario, and the line shows the cheapest plan.
A hosting plan whose renewal price is not recorded is counted for the years its prepaid first term covers; a period that needs the renewal price shows Unknown for that bundle. Prices come from the latest check of each component. No currency conversion was needed. Money is calculated with exact decimals and rounded to cents only for display. The order is by our totals only.
How to cite this
Caliper Press, “What it costs to run a website: domain, hosting and email”, median 3-year total for a personal site or blog, domain and hosting: $331.38, based on 72 bundles, as of Oct 18, 2026; methodology; licence CC BY 4.0.
See also: Domain totals by zone · Hosting totals by plan · Annual vs monthly billing · Keeping a domain for 10 years · Is a long first term worth it?