Free domain registration must be used within the first 3 months.
In order to qualify for one free domain registration credit for the first full year, you must sign up for a 1-year or 3-year annual plan on Shared Starter, Shared Unlimited, or any annual DreamPress plan (monthly Shared or monthly DreamPress plans do not apply). This free credit is NOT available under any other hosting plan. You must also use the free registration within the first 3 months of your annual Shared/DreamPress plan. If you do not use the free registration within the first 3 months, then it's no longer available to use.
Free domain registration credit is only valid on the following extensions: .BLOG, .CLUB, .CO, .COM, .DESIGN, .GAY, .INFO, .INK, .IO, .ME, .NET, .ONLINE, .ORG, .SHOP, .SITE, .STORE, .TATTOO, .TECH, .TV, .US, .WIKI, .XYZ
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Looking for a place to house your site? As an industry leader (1.5 million websites have already chosen DreamHost), we're ready to be your website's Shared Hosting provider and power your success. Because you need top-of-the-line tech, made-for-you options, and experts who really know their stuff, we make it possible for you to get online, own your virtual presence, and reach your website dreams. It's not only in our name — it's our creed.
Not totally satisfied with DreamHost services? While we believe you’ll fall in love with what we do, we understand that sometimes things just don’t work out. Whatever the reason*, shared hosting customers can receive a prompt refund if they cancel within the first 97 days after signing up, and DreamPress customers can cancel within 30 days — no need to jump through hoops or dig through obscure fine print. That’s our money-back guarantee policy.
*Aside from disablement for Terms of Service or Spam Policy violations.
Being employee-owned keeps us focused on the unique needs of our users, and we wouldn't have it any other way. We're committed to helping everyone find success online.
We mean it when we say there are no dumb questions. No matter what you want to know or what you need help with, our in-house geek squad gives you the support you need. Burning the midnight oil and hit a roadblock? We'll work through it with you. Want to know your upgrade options? Chat with us. Our in-house, friendly hosting gurus are always available to offer you — our DreamHost family — solutions based on pro-level knowledge. No matter the problem or hour, we're here for you.
Aren't convinced of the merits of DreamHost's Shared Hosting services yet? We think we've got it going on, but don't just take our word for it. We've earned a top-level seal of approval from WordPress — the powerhouse CMS that fuels a whopping 30% percent of the internet. Because WordPress trusts DreamHost's hosting services, you can too.
We believe in collaboration. In fact, we're obsessed with it. We enthusiastically cheerlead the open-source movement. Because we believe in providing open-source solutions to our customers whenever possible, we actively champion WordPress (and have for more than a decade) by contributing to the platform's code, sponsoring WordCamp events, and creating helpful resources for the WordPress community. We’ve even built an optimized hosting environment and software specific to the platform. Open source is in our DNA — and always will be.
Totally. We know your ultimate goal is probably to grow your website over time. We want that for you! When your site's traffic reaches rush-hour levels, is overflowing with content, or simply needs more high-powered tech and features, you can upgrade to a plan with extra bells, whistles, and performance power. While Shared Hosting is a smart, budget-friendly option when you're a beginner, a content-rich and heavily-trafficked site may demand a larger-scale plan, meaning additional server space, specially-dedicated resources, advanced security, and accelerated speeds.
Wondering when to upgrade? If you notice diminished site performance or lack necessary space or resources, it's time to consider bumping your site to the next level and choosing a better-fit hosting package. No matter the current size of your website, DreamHost offers a perfectly-matched plan. We adapt to match your needs, making upgrading easy.
Stack the deck in your favor by combining WordPress, the world’s most popular website platform, with DreamHost’s optimized web hosting.
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Get StartedYou truly can’t go wrong with WordPress, the Content Management System that powers more than 30% of all sites. That’s because WordPress is easy to learn (even for newbies). To prove it, we created DreamHost Academy, a collection of in-depth tutorials that’ll help you build your very first WordPress site — no experience required.
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Brace yourself — we’re about to talk nerdy to you. Websites are a collection of web pages that are governed by code. The code can be filed and uploaded to a web server so that any computer in the world with access to the internet and web browser can locate the stored data. The server is an internet-connected computer that receives requests for web pages from visitors' browsers. The browser then connects the computer to the server via an IP address. As you click, you probably don't even realize all this sending and translating and receiving is happening!
To display a website on the internet, you will need three things: a domain name, a website, and a server.
A domain name, the unique-to-you web address where your site can be found (identified by the .com, .blog, or .whatever at the end of the URL) catalyzes the pull of information from web server to web browser by interpreting the code and displaying your page. Custom domain names aren't free, but many web hosts (including us!) offer free domains with the purchase of an annual hosting plan.
Once you have a domain name and a website (either one you’ve built yourself or with the help of a CMS or site builder), you’ll need server space. That’s where hosting companies come in.
When you purchase a hosting plan, you’re really renting space on a web server for your site’s files to live. Your hosting provider functions as a digital landlord, taking care of the server resources and, depending on your plan, many of the technical to-dos required to maintain your site.
To sum up the process from the first click to the final page, a user opens their laptop and types in a URL. Let's use www.DreamHost.com, for example. When they type in the web address (the domain name) into the web browser, the browser conducts a series of inquiries — including locating the IP address of the domain name, finding the server that hosts the web pages of that domain name, submitting a request to that server for a copy of the web pages, receiving them, and finally, using the web browser to translate the code on the page into something the user can see, understand, and even engage with.
In order to get a website up and running on the web, you'll need to purchase server space through a web hosting provider. There are a lot of different hosting options out there, so the type of hosting plan you choose will depend on the size, needs, and goals of your website.
So think: what do you ultimately want to accomplish with your website? What are your current content demands and traffic levels? What resources do you need? What features do you want? The answers to these questions can help guide your decision.
Shared Hosting plans at DreamHost are designed to be beginner friendly and are ideal for users who are launching a new website or running several simple websites that don’t generate a lot of traffic. But don’t misunderstand us: these plans are anything but basic. Our Shared Hosting packages offer everything you need to create a powerful online presence — right from the start.
We provide advanced security, next-level support, top-level tech, optimized WordPress capabilities, and even advanced features, like unlimited MySQL databases, reseller and sub accounts, and a dedicated DreamHost control panel. We keep things running safely and quickly at all times.
No matter your website or level of developer expertise, Shared Hosting is a great place to start.
Shared Hosting is a solid starting place for any website, providing all you need to get up and running quickly. Plus, it’s easy to upgrade to other web hosting plans as your site grows. So why is Shared Hosting the most budget-friendly choice? It all comes down to the setup.
A shared server is a bit like a large apartment building — with individual website owners renting the apartments. Everybody needs a place to live, of course, but buying a private home is expensive when you’re just starting out. Sharing common areas and utilities with your neighbors in an apartment block keeps costs down. The same is true for Shared Hosting.
Shared Hosting gives your website’s files a comfortable home on the web while you divide resources and space with other website owners. The upside: much lower monthly costs. Unlike a user who is paying for exclusive access to a dedicated server, Shared Hosting customers are sharing the server maintenance costs across multiple sites — saving a lot of money in the process.
If you're cash conscious, Shared Hosting is a fantastic entry-level plan with several great benefits at a can’t-beat-it price.