Promo vs renewal: working out what hosting really costs over three years

The promo price is an introduction

Most shared hosts discount the first term, often only if you pay for 12, 24, 36 or 48 months upfront. When that term ends, the renewal price applies, and it is commonly several times higher than the headline price.

The headline is not wrong. It just describes the first bill, not the ones after it. So before comparing hosts, find two numbers on each pricing page: the promo price with the term it needs, and the renewal (or “regular”) price.

A simple way to compare

Multiply the promo price by the promo term, add the renewal price for the remaining months, and compare totals over the same period. We use three years, because that’s long enough for most promo terms to run out.

Here is that sum for SiteGround’s StartUp plan, using the prices on its own page on 28 Oct 2026:

That works out at about US$12.99 a month over three years, more than four times the US$2.99 on the front page.

Long terms change the maths

Some promos need a longer commitment. Hostinger’s Premium plan was US$2.49 a month on 28 Oct 2026, but only on a 48-month term paid upfront (US$119.52), renewing at US$10.99 a month. Over four years it is the cheaper of the two. But you pay four years at once, and if you leave early you are relying on the refund policy.

So compare totals over the period you actually expect to stay, and note how much you pay on day one.

What else to check

• Billing term. Monthly billing usually costs more than the promo rate, if it is offered at all.
• Refund window. How long you have to cancel for a refund, and whether setup or domain fees are refunded.
• Singapore servers. Whether a Singapore data centre is the default, a free choice at checkout, or a paid add-on.
• Tax. Whether the price includes 9% GST or it is added at checkout.
• Currency. Many hosts bill in US dollars, so the Singapore-dollar cost moves with the exchange rate.

Each provider page in our directory lists the promo price, its term and the renewal price separately, with a link to the source and the date we checked it.