Best Web Hosting With a Free Domain

What separates the best web hosting with free domain picks?

Price is not the split here. Four of the five sit between $2.59 and $2.99, so the real differences are what you get on the entry plan and what you pay later.

Hostinger scores 8.6 and costs $107.64 for three years on the 48-month term, with a free domain for the first year, free SSL, and 25 websites and 25 GB on the entry plan. Its weak spots: chat support took 11 minutes to reach a human, and backups are weekly only on Premium.

ScalaHosting scores 8.5 at $2.95 and renews at $6.95. Daily backups are on the cheapest plan, and SPanel replaces cPanel at no licence cost. The Mini plan gives you one website and 10 GB, and speeds drop from US-West.

InMotion Hosting scores 8.4 at $2.99. Phone, chat and ticket support reached US staff in 3 minutes, the money-back window runs 90 days, and the entry plan carries 100 GB storage and 2 sites. Backups cost extra on Core, and there are only two data-center regions.

DreamHost scores 8.1 at $2.59, renews at $5.99, and offers a 97-day money-back guarantee with daily automated backups on the entry plan. Email hosting costs extra on Starter, and support is ticket-first with limited live chat hours.

Bluehost scores 7.9 at $2.95, with a free domain and SSL for the first year and a guided first-site setup. It renews at $11.99 after 12 months, and backups and domain privacy cost extra.

What should you check before buying web hosting with a free domain?

We score on speed (30), reliability (20), support (15), features (15) and value (20). Match those weights to your own site.

• Renewal price. DreamHost renews at $5.99, ScalaHosting at $6.95, Bluehost at $11.99.
• Backups. Daily on ScalaHosting and DreamHost entry plans; weekly on Hostinger Premium; extra on InMotion Core and Bluehost.
• Site and storage limits. One website and 10 GB on ScalaHosting Mini; 2 sites and 100 GB on InMotion; 25 websites and 25 GB on Hostinger.
• Support channel. US phone support in 3 minutes at InMotion; ticket-first at DreamHost; 11 minutes to a human on Hostinger chat.
• Refund window. 97 days at DreamHost, 90 days at InMotion.

Hostinger

For anyone running several sites on a tight three-year budget who wants a free domain and SSL included.

ScalaHosting

For a single site that needs daily backups and a low renewal, and where SPanel is fine instead of cPanel.

InMotion Hosting

For a US-based site that wants phone support answered in 3 minutes and room for 2 sites and 100 GB.

DreamHost

For buyers who want the lowest renewal at $5.99, daily backups, and 97 days to change their mind.

Bluehost

For a first WordPress site that benefits from a guided setup and WooCommerce store tools.

Hostinger suits multi-site owners on a three-year budget, while ScalaHosting fits a single site that needs daily backups and a $6.95 renewal. InMotion Hosting is the pick when you want US phone support in 3 minutes and a 90-day guarantee, and DreamHost wins on the $5.99 renewal and 97-day refund window. Bluehost is the one for a first WordPress site with a guided setup.