Shared hosting · 6 tools compared
What is the best shared web host in 2026?
Short answer
Namecheap Stellar Hosting ranks first on published facts: a 30-day free trial, paid plans from $2.28 / mo. The cheapest paid option in the first year is IONOS Web Hosting ($12). 0 of 6 have a free plan.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Namecheap Stellar Hosting | Low-cost shared hosting with 30-day trial | No | $2.28 / mo | $27.36 |
| 2. IONOS Web Hosting | Large-storage entry hosting | No | $1 / mo | $12 |
| 3. Hostinger Web Hosting | Cheap shared hosting on long terms | No | $2.49 / mo | $29.88 |
| 4. HostGator Web Hosting | Beginner shared hosting on 3-year term | No | $3.75 / mo | $45 |
| 5. Bluehost Shared Hosting | WordPress-focused beginners | No | $3.99 / mo | $47.88 |
| 6. InMotion Shared Hosting | NVMe shared hosting with phone support | No | $4.79 / mo | $57.48 |
From = cheapest paid plan, billed yearly where offered. 1st year = that plan for 12 months.
How did we rank these 6 shared web hosts?
On published facts only, scored out of 7: free plan (2, or 1 for a trial), first-year cost against the others (up to 3), three or more paid plans (1), mobile apps (1). We do not test tools hands-on.
| Tool | Score / 7 |
|---|---|
| Namecheap Stellar Hosting | 4.4 |
| IONOS Web Hosting | 4 |
| Hostinger Web Hosting | 2.8 |
| HostGator Web Hosting | 2.2 |
| Bluehost Shared Hosting | 1.6 |
| InMotion Shared Hosting | 1 |
The 6 best shared web hosts, ranked
Namecheap Stellar Hosting
Best for: low-cost shared hosting with 30-day trial
- Free plan
- No, 30-day trial
- From
- $2.28 / mo
- 1st year
- $27.36
IONOS Web Hosting
Best for: large-storage entry hosting
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $1 / mo
- 1st year
- $12
Hostinger Web Hosting
Best for: cheap shared hosting on long terms
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $29.88
HostGator Web Hosting
Best for: beginner shared hosting on 3-year term
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $3.75 / mo
- 1st year
- $45
Bluehost Shared Hosting
Best for: WordPress-focused beginners
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $3.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $47.88
InMotion Shared Hosting
Best for: NVMe shared hosting with phone support
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $4.79 / mo
- 1st year
- $57.48
Which shared web host is cheapest?
IONOS Web Hosting, at $12 for the first year, then Namecheap Stellar Hosting at $27.36.
| Tool | Cheapest plan | 1st year |
|---|---|---|
| IONOS Web Hosting | Essential | $12 |
| Namecheap Stellar Hosting | Stellar | $27.36 |
| Hostinger Web Hosting | Premium | $29.88 |
| HostGator Web Hosting | Hatchling | $45 |
| Bluehost Shared Hosting | Starter | $47.88 |
| InMotion Shared Hosting | Launch | $57.48 |
Which shared web hosts have a free plan?
None of the 6.
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Namecheap Stellar Hosting pricing | namecheap.com/hosting/shared/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| IONOS Web Hosting pricing | ionos.com/hosting/web-hosting | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Hostinger Web Hosting pricing | hostinger.com/web-hosting | 27 Oct 2026 |
| HostGator Web Hosting pricing | hostgator.com/web-hosting | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Bluehost Shared Hosting pricing | bluehost.com/hosting/shared | 27 Oct 2026 |
| InMotion Shared Hosting pricing | inmotionhosting.com/shared-hosting | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare