When choosing between web hosting providers DreamHost vs SiteGround, there are several considerations that may make one a better fit for your small business website than the other. Both offer basic web hosting at a reasonable price, but DreamHost includes features like unlimited storage, a drag-and-drop website editor, and robust email, which helps set it apart from SiteGround. Here’s how things shake out:
Here’s a quick take on when to choose DreamHost and when to use SiteGround:
- DreamHost: You want to build a WordPress site but think you’ll need a website builder
- SiteGround: You’re anticipating your website growing quickly and need to be ready to scale without breaking the bank
DreamHost vs SiteGround at a Glance
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
Expert Score | 4.9 out of 5 | 3.8 out of 5 |
Cost per Month* | From $2.95 | From $2.99 |
Ecommerce From* | From $2.95 (requires plugin) | From $2.99 (requires plugin) |
Storage | Unlimited | 10GB |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Website Builder | BoldGrid drag-and-drop builder | ✕ |
Automatic Updates | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Themes | ✓ | ✕ |
Daily Backups | ✓ | ✓ |
Basic Email | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Support | 24/7 ticket, chat, and phone support (callback) | 24/7 ticket, chat, and phone support |
*With annual billing; renews at higher rate
When to Use DreamHost
DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan starts at $2.95 per month for the first year and includes a number of features that make it a great choice for many small businesses. Here’s when to consider using DreamHost:
- You’re a new WordPress user: WordPress is a great content management system (CMS), but it’s not the easiest to build with. DreamHost includes BoldGrid, a drag-and-drop editor that makes it a bit easier to create your website.
- You plan on hosting a lot of products or images: DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan includes unlimited storage and bandwidth, meaning you’ll never outgrow your hosting plan.
When to Use SiteGround
SiteGround has built a formidable product in its various plans. In particular, all plans include a free content delivery network (CDN), which can speed the delivery of your website around the world. Here’s when to use SiteGround:
- You’re running a global website: Because SiteGround caches copies of your website on multiple servers across the globe, visitors are closer to the server—which can mean much faster load times and better search engine rankings.
- You are concerned about security and maintenance: All SiteGround plans include a managed WordPress installation, which means its servers will automatically update WordPress core and security functions, as well as many plugins. This means you won’t have to manually update the software powering your website every time there’s a new version out.
Best Alternatives to SiteGround & DreamHost
Both DreamHost and SiteGround’s web hosting solutions are great for most small businesses and may have the features to support your small business website. However, both providers rely heavily on WordPress, which might not be the best fit for your site.
Here are the best alternatives to DreamHost and SiteGround:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost/Month* | $16 | $2.99 | $16 |
Ecommerce Plans Monthly* | $27 | $2.99 | $33 |
Websites | 1 | Up to 100 with Hostinger Site Builder or WordPress | 1 |
Storage | 2GB plus page-count limits | 100GB with unlimited page counts | Unlimited, but page-count limits apply |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Website Builder | AI builder or template-based, plus drag-and-drop editing | AI-driven with section-based editing | Block-based templates with drag-and-drop editing |
Templates | ~900 | ~60 | 110 |
1-click Add-ons | 300+ | ~12 | ~36 |
Learn More | |||
*With annual billing; Hostinger renews at a higher rate ($8.99)
SiteGround vs DreamHost Pricing
| |
|---|---|
Starting Cost per Month: $2.95* Renews at: $19.99/month* Includes: One website Free domain Free SSL Unlimited storage Unlimited traffic WordPress pre-installed BoldGrid WordPress website builder Unlimited email addresses | Starting Cost per Month: $2.99* Renews at: $17.99/month* Includes: One (1) website Free SSL 10GB storage Unlimited traffic Managed WordPress Unlimited email addresses |
*Billed annually
DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan is one of the most affordable web hosting solutions we’ve reviewed. While most business owners concern themselves with the base packages only, this second tier of service offers much more robust web hosting solutions, and the first year will cost you exactly the same as its lower-tier service.
That being said, SiteGround’s StartUp is similarly priced and lacks a free domain name—which will set you back another $17.99. The StartUp plan renews at a slightly lower rate, but this may not offset the value of a free domain and unlimited storage for most users.
Most Affordable: DreamHost
When it comes to pricing, DreamHost is the clear winner. It provides a free domain name and unlimited storage—something that’s absent on all SiteGround plans. This allows room for your site to grow without breaking the bank. Learn more about it and what it offers in our in-depth DreamHost review.
DreamHost vs SiteGround Products & Services
| |
|---|---|
Shared web or WordPress hosting from $2.95/month | Shared web or WordPress hosting from $2.99/month |
WooCommerce hosting from $16.99/month | WordPress ecommerce hosting from $2.99/month |
Managed WordPress hosting from $16.95/month | Managed WordPress hosting from $13.95/month* |
Virtual Private Server (VPS) starting at $10.00/month* | Virtual Private Server starting at $10.00/month* |
Dedicated servers from $249/month | Dedicated servers from $100/month* |
Domain registration ($8.99-19.99/year for .com) | Domain registration ($17.99/year for .com) |
Google Workspace from $7.20/user/month | Not offered; must purchase directly from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 |
Custom website design from $1,499; SEO, social media marketing, and more from $399/month | No services offered |
*Billed annually; may renew at a higher rate
Products and services are where DreamHost truly shines. It offers many of the same basic services as SiteGround, including virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and WordPress management. However, it provides some standout services as well.
Specifically, you can get custom website design services from $1,499 with DreamHost. It also offers search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and other professional services starting at just $399 per month. You can even purchase Google Workspace right from its dashboard, which makes adding premium email to your hosting service easy and fast.
SiteGround offers none of these services—and to get premium email, you have to make your purchase directly from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. This lack of products and add-ons is a serious detriment for users hoping to find a one-stop solution for their digital marketing needs (find out more in our Google Workspace review). Because of this, DreamHost easily comes out on top of the products and services race.
Best Web Hosting: DreamHost
| | |
|---|---|---|
Storage | Unlimited | 10GB |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Free Domain & SSL | ✓ | SSL only |
Email | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Content Delivery Network (CND) | Add-on, 12 cents per GB | ✓ |
When it comes to a straight-up comparison between hosting packages, DreamHost easily tops SiteGround’s hosting plans. This is due to offering unlimited storage space and bandwidth, as well as a free domain name and SSL certificate.
For its part, SiteGround offers 10GB of storage, which is a paltry amount by most standards. While it gives you a free SSL certificate, you will have to buy your domain. That being said, SiteGround hosting includes a CDN, which can speed up your website and improve your SEO rankings. Although DreamHost offers an optional CDN, it charges per GB of transfer, and you can rack up significant charges quickly.
An included CDN notwithstanding, the lack of a free domain and underwhelming storage set SiteGround back. A free domain for the first year has become a near-standard part of hosting plans from major providers. So has even slightly more storage space, whether it’s 20GB or 50GB. For these reasons, DreamHost comes out on top for web hosting.
Best WordPress Hosting: DreamHost
| | |
|---|---|---|
WordPress Pre-installed | ✓ | ✕ |
WordPress Page Builder | ✓ | ✕ |
Daily Backups | ✓ | ✓ |
Automated WordPress Migration | ✓ | ✓ |
Automatic WordPress Updates | ✓ | ✓ |
WooCommerce-ready Plans | $16.99/month | $2.99 (user must purchase and install WooCommerce) |
WordPress is a powerful CMS, but it’s not the easiest to use. DreamHost is designed to make your WordPress experience as painless and simple as possible. It includes several features to reduce complexity and ease you into building with WordPress. That’s one of the major reasons DreamHost nabbed the top spot on our list of the best cheap WordPress hosting providers for small businesses.
Every DreamHost tier includes a pre-installed instance of WordPress. This alleviates the need to install and configure the CMS yourself. Also, all tiers include BoldGrid for WordPress, a drag-and-drop editor that allows you to build pages more easily without having to learn to code. Together, these features dramatically increase ease-of-use. DreamHost even offers a $16.99 Commerce tier, which includes a preconfigured instance of WooCommerce for shopping carts.
SiteGround does not pre-install WordPress, nor does it include a website editor of any kind. You can install WordPress with any hosting plan—but you’re on your own. You can also install BoldGrid, but you’ll have to buy it and install it yourself, which will cost you $60 per year or more, depending on the options you choose. You can even install WooCommerce, but again, you’ll be on your own for the installation and configuration; plus, it will cost you from $20 to $100 each year.
The one major selling point that sets SiteGround apart is that all of its plans include fully managed WordPress. That means WordPress core and security updates are rolled out automatically, and some plugins are updated without the need to go in and update them. Your WordPress installation is regularly backed up, as are your database and all files. Also, improvements for site speed and security are included as well.
DreamHost includes many of these features, such as automatic core and security updates and daily backups. But, it lacks speed and performance enhancements and site scanning technology, which means it is not a fully managed service. Still, this is a relatively minor difference that simply doesn’t overcome the plethora of benefits of choosing this provider. Once again, DreamHost comes out on top.
Best Place to Buy Domains: DreamHost
| | |
|---|---|---|
.com Introductory Price | $8.99 | $12.99 + hosting plan |
Renews At | $19.99 | $17.99 + hosting plan |
Domain Privacy | Included | Included |
You may need to purchase a domain without building a website or using it for business email. Reasons include protecting domains that are similar to your business name, registering domains that include the name of trademarked products or services, or future business growth plans. A domain-only purchase is known as “parking” a domain—and between DreamHost vs SiteGround, there is no competition.
Only DreamHost will allow you to park a domain on their servers. Buying a domain with SiteGround means purchasing an annual hosting plan, whether you use it or not. Purchasing a domain through DreamHost is inexpensive and easy. It charges just $8.99 for the first year, and your domain automatically renews every year for $19.99. Since you don’t have to purchase a hosting package, DreamHost is more affordable and wins the domain hosting category.
Best Business Email Provider: DreamHost (Barely)
| | |
|---|---|---|
Standalone Email Hosting | $1.67/month per address | Not offered |
Storage | 25GB | ✕ |
Email Aliases | Yes | Yes |
Productivity Suite (Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations) | Add-on | No |
Anti-phishing & Virus Protection | Yes | No |
Mobile & Desktop Apps | Yes | Yes |
Add to Email Clients | Yes | Yes |
Google Workspace Add-on | $7.20/user/month* | Must purchase directly from Google |
Standalone email hosting can be an important tool for businesses that don’t need a website. Like web hosting above, only DreamHost offers a true standalone email plan. With DreamHost, you can purchase individual email addresses for $1.67 per month. This is a great value if you only need a few email addresses. It’s also why DreamHost lands a spot on our list of best email hosting providers.
While you can get unlimited email addresses when you purchase a SiteGround hosting plan, this is identical to the offering from DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plan. Yes, both plans are identically priced—but that doesn’t necessarily save you money. Say you need five email addresses. With DreamHost, you’ll pay just under $9 for the first year. SiteGround will cost you almost $36 for the same year. When you renew next year, SiteGround will run you $17.99 each month, while DreamHost remains the same $9—for the year.
Another key difference between DreamHost and SiteGround is how each provider handles connecting your email to an online productivity suite. To use Google Workspace to manage your email accounts via Gmail, or if you need access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, you can add that service directly from your DreamHost dashboard, no configuration required. With SiteGround, you’ll have to purchase directly from Google and configure it yourself.
When it comes to business email purchases, DreamHost trounces SiteGround. There’s simply no comparison between the cost and features you get with DreamHost.
Best Professional Services: DreamHost
| | |
|---|---|---|
Website Design | From $1,499 | ✕ |
Social Media Marketing | From $399 | ✕ |
SEO | From $399 | ✕ |
Website Management | From $59 | ✕ |
Custom Web Development | From $89/hour | ✕ |
DreamHost offers a number of professional services to get your website up and running and to improve overall brand presence online. These services include website design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), and website management. You can even use DreamHost to manage your social media accounts and advertising.
With these professional services, DreamHost becomes a one-stop source for virtually all of your online marketing needs (you’ll still need to run your own Google Ads campaigns). Most professional services from DreamHost start at $399, with website design prices starting at an affordable $1,499.
Unfortunately, SiteGround offers no professional services. You’ll be on your own for managing social media, building and managing your website, and ensuring your search engine performance is on track.
Best Customer Support: It’s a Tie
| | |
|---|---|---|
24/7 Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Chat Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Email/Ticket Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Phone Support | Via callback | ✓ |
Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✓ |
Tutorials | ✓ | ✕ |
When trouble strikes, you need to be able to get in touch with someone and fast. Both DreamHost and SiteGround offer 24/7 customer support via email, chat, and telephone—you can schedule a callback with DreamHost or dial direct with SiteGround. Additionally, both providers give you access to extensive knowledge bases. But there is one area that sets them apart: tutorials.
DreamHost Academy is a compendium of text and video tutorials that walk you through virtually every aspect of building and maintaining a website. These tutorials include email management instructions as well as more technical functions of administering a website. The academy is an invaluable resource for those just getting started. DreamHost Academy is offered for free, in addition to an extensive knowledge base and how-to guides.
SiteGround provides users with a knowledge base, how-to guides, and a number of tutorials. However, the tutorials it provides are somewhat scant, and they lack the depth of DreamHost Academy. This gives DreamHost a slight edge on customer support, but it is essentially a tie.
Customer Reviews of SiteGround vs DreamHost
DreamHost users writing on customer review site G2 give the hosting provider relatively glowing marks, with DreamHost earning 3.7 out of 5 stars. Customers like DreamHost’s knowledgeable and capable customer support. They also appreciate the skill and affordability exhibited through DreamHost’s professional services. Not all users report smooth sailing, though, as some found onboarding difficult and others were shocked at hidden fees when trying to leave DreamHost for another provider.
For its part, SiteGround scores a little higher on G2, with users awarding 4.2 out of 5 stars to the hosting service. Customer support is prompt and responsive. Users also noted a great value with advanced plans, like cloud-based hosting plans. But even the most glowing users reported complaints and pains. Some felt the servers were ill-equipped to support their websites as their sites grew in size and complexity. More than a few were disappointed at the dramatic price increase between the introductory year and subsequent years of service.
Overall, both DreamHost and SiteGround received mostly favorable reviews. Very little jumps out as a point of major concern. On customer reviews, it’s a tie.
Expert Opinion & Scoring
To assess SiteGround vs DreamHost, we tapped into decades of web design and development experience to assess each provider’s core features. We also looked at the niche features both providers offer, and we weighed that against what each provider charges for their services. Here’s how things shook out:
20% of Overall Score
Price is the single most important factor for most small businesses, especially startups. We awarded a higher score to the provider that will save you the most money in the long run.
30% of Overall Score
In many ways, web hosting is web hosting, no matter where you go. But there can be some major differences in general features. These features include free domains and SSL certificates, storage space, bandwidth, email, and more. We considered each of these to arrive at our best-for determination.
15% of Overall Score
A niche feature is something unique or rare that a provider offers, such as a particular website builder or a service that sets them apart. We took a look at niche features offered by both providers and listed the pros and cons to determine how well these features serve the user.
10% of Overall Score
If you’re new to the website-building game, you’ll probably need at least some customer support. We gave an edge to the provider that offers the most in the way of support and guidance.
25% of Overall Score
You can’t substitute experience. Our expert score is based solely on our own knowledge and history with building websites. We have more than 20 years of design and development experience to back up our assessment of both providers, and then we checked our opinions against what customers have to say.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Both SiteGround and DreamHost offer basic web hosting services as well as email accounts and WordPress support. However, DreamHost offers much more bang for your buck, with more robust storage, included site-building tools, and a bevy of professional services to help you manage your online presence.
DreamHost is one of the top-rated web hosting providers in the market today. Their servers are incredibly fast and stable, customer support is above par, and building a WordPress website with DreamHost is easier than any other provider we’ve reviewed. DreamHost frequently ranks highly in our buyer’s guides for these reasons and many, many more.
The biggest drawback to SiteGround is the lack of features to make using WordPress easier. You have to install your own instance of WordPress. SiteGround does not offer a website builder of any kind, nor does it provide any value-added features such as premium WordPress themes or preconfigured ecommerce solutions. While it offers a stable and fast hosting plan at an affordable price, this lack of features may mean it’s not a good choice for novice site designers.
Bottom Line
When it comes to SiteGround vs DreamHost, there’s no doubt. DreamHost is the better choice for your web hosting and email needs. It offers more features in its plans, provides more value for the money, and delivers exceptional customer support when you need it. With its Shared Unlimited plan priced at just $2.99 per month for the first year, you can’t beat the value.
