DreamHost Web Hosting Review

DreamHost is one of the more established names in the web hosting industry, founded in 1996. It has grown significantly over the years and now hosts over 1.5 million websites, blogs, and apps. DreamHost is known for its commitment to open-source technology, customer-friendly policies, and a strong emphasis on privacy.

Shared Hosting

DreamHost’s most basic offering is shared hosting, where multiple websites share the same server resources. The shared hosting plans are ideal for individuals or small businesses starting their online journey. Notable features include:

  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Free domain registration (for the first year)
  • SSL certificates
  • Automated backups
  • 1-click installs for WordPress and other applications
  • Free domain privacy (a standout feature not offered by many competitors)

Pricing starts at $2.59/month for a 3-year plan, making it quite competitive in terms of long-term commitments.

WordPress Hosting

DreamHost has dedicated hosting solutions for WordPress, including:

  • Shared WordPress Hosting: Affordable and beginner-friendly, it includes pre-installed WordPress, automated updates, and built-in caching.
  • DreamPress: DreamHost’s managed WordPress hosting solution, designed for users looking for better performance and scalability. It includes:
    • Optimized servers
    • Built-in caching with Varnish
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • On-demand backups
    • Automatic updates for WordPress core and plugins
    • Starting price of $16.95/month

This makes DreamHost an appealing option for WordPress users, especially with their custom-built DreamPress plans that are optimized for performance.

VPS Hosting

DreamHost’s Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting offers a more scalable and customizable environment for businesses with higher traffic or more resource-intensive websites. Key features include:

  • Scalable RAM (up to 8GB)
  • SSD storage (up to 240GB)
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Full root access
  • Automated backups
  • Pricing starts at $10/month for a basic VPS plan.

Dedicated Hosting

For those who need an entire server to themselves, DreamHost’s dedicated hosting provides more power and control. It’s ideal for large businesses or websites with high traffic. Features include:

  • Full root access
  • RAID 1 storage
  • DDOS protection
  • 24/7 server monitoring
  • Starting at $149/month.

Cloud Hosting

DreamHost also offers DreamCompute, their cloud hosting service, which is based on OpenStack. It provides scalable cloud solutions ideal for developers looking for a highly flexible hosting environment.

  • Pay-per-use pricing structure
  • Scalable resources
  • Full root access

It’s ideal for those needing flexible development environments.

Domain Registration & Email Hosting

DreamHost provides standalone domain registration and email hosting. With over 400 TLDs to choose from, DreamHost’s domain registration service also includes free domain privacy, making it a competitive offering.

Performance and Reliability

DreamHost’s uptime is solid, with an uptime guarantee of 100% backed by a compensation policy in case of downtime. Most users experience 99.95% uptime, which is on par with other premium providers.

DreamHost uses SSD storage on most of its plans, ensuring faster read/write speeds and better performance compared to older HDD storage. The inclusion of Cloudflare integration and built-in caching tools for WordPress also enhance performance.

Customer Support

DreamHost offers 24/7 ticket-based support, live chat support during business hours, and extensive knowledgebase articles. However, they lack phone support unless you pay extra for callbacks, which may be a downside for users who prefer speaking to a representative over the phone.

DreamHost vs. Other Providers

DreamHost vs. Bluehost

While both DreamHost and Bluehost are strong contenders in the shared and WordPress hosting markets, DreamHost distinguishes itself by offering free domain privacy and more robust storage options with SSDs even on lower-tier plans. Bluehost, on the other hand, has a broader range of customer support options, including phone support.

Performance-wise, both providers offer solid uptime and speeds, but DreamHost may edge out Bluehost with more customer-friendly features and no upsells during checkout.

DreamHost vs. SiteGround

SiteGround is often lauded for its top-tier customer support and performance optimizations, especially with its managed WordPress hosting. However, DreamHost comes out ahead in pricing, especially when factoring in its free domain privacy and lower-cost shared hosting plans. SiteGround may appeal more to users who prioritize top-notch customer support, whereas DreamHost offers a more budget-friendly and feature-rich experience.

DreamHost vs. Kinsta

When comparing DreamHost to premium managed WordPress hosts like Kinsta, DreamHost’s DreamPress offering provides a more affordable entry point to managed WordPress hosting. However, Kinsta is a more specialized WordPress host, offering superior scaling capabilities and Google Cloud-based architecture, albeit at a much higher price. DreamHost is the more cost-effective option for most WordPress users who don’t need the advanced features of Kinsta.

DreamHost vs. Liquid Web

In terms of VPS and dedicated hosting, Liquid Web is a top-tier provider with unparalleled support and enterprise-level features. However, DreamHost’s VPS plans are much more affordable, making them a better fit for smaller businesses or websites that don’t require the full power and customization options offered by Liquid Web.

Pros of DreamHost 👍

  • Free domain privacy with all plans
  • Affordable pricing (especially with long-term commitments)
  • Unlimited bandwidth and SSD storage
  • 100% uptime guarantee
  • Environmentally conscious (carbon-neutral operations)
  • Commitment to privacy (supports user data privacy and transparency)
  • Solid WordPress support with DreamPress

Cons of DreamHost 👎

  • Limited customer support options (no free phone support)
  • Slower onboarding process compared to some competitors
  • No Windows-based hosting (Linux-only environment)

Conclusion

DreamHost stands out as a solid choice for a wide range of users, from small personal websites to larger businesses requiring VPS or cloud hosting. It shines in offering affordable, privacy-focused, and performance-oriented hosting, particularly with WordPress hosting.

While DreamHost may not have the level of hands-on support that some premium providers offer, its feature set and competitive pricing make it a worthwhile option, especially for users seeking transparent and customer-friendly policies.