Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team
DreamHost vs ScalaHosting
DreamHost
Higher score in this comparison
ScalaHosting
What sets them apart
| Compare | DreamHostReviewVisitVisit | ScalaHostingReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | €2.89 | $2.95 |
| Renewal price | €10.99 | $11.95 |
| Hosting types | Shared hosting, Managed WordPress hosting, Managed VPS, VPS, Dedicated servers, Cloud storage (DreamObjects), Compute (DreamCompute), Email hosting, AI website builder (Remixer), App hosting (n8n, OpenClaw, Hermes) | Shared web hosting, Managed cloud hosting, Unmanaged cloud VPS hosting, Cluster hosting, Reseller hosting, Business email hosting, WordPress hosting |
| Websites allowed | 25 websites on Web Hosting Launch; unlimited on Managed VPS; 1 website on DreamPress 1 | 1 on Mini, unlimited on Start, Advanced and Entry Cloud |
| Uptime guarantee | 100%Higher | 99.9% |
| Data centres | Ashburn, VA (US East), Hillsboro, OR (US West), Amsterdam, Netherlands (EU), Singapore (Asia Pacific) | Dallas, USA, New York, USA, Seattle, USA, Ohio, USA, Virginia, USA, Oregon, USA, Montreal, Canada, Sofia, Bulgaria, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Helsinki, Finland, Madrid, Spain, Stockholm, Sweden, Copenhagen, Denmark, Stavanger, Norway, Warsaw, Poland, Dublin, Ireland, Paris, France, London, UK, Frankfurt, Germany, Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, Mumbai, India, Singapore, Sydney, Australia |
| Intro price term (months) | 12 months | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days), Features (Free SSL, Backups, Staging, CDN, Email).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- DreamHost scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Hosting types: only DreamHost offers Shared hosting, Managed WordPress hosting, Managed VPS.
- Hosting types: only ScalaHosting offers Shared web hosting, Managed cloud hosting, Unmanaged cloud VPS hosting.
- Data centres: only DreamHost offers Ashburn, VA (US East), Hillsboro, OR (US West), Amsterdam, Netherlands (EU).
- Data centres: only ScalaHosting offers Dallas, USA, New York, USA, Seattle, USA.
- Support channels: only DreamHost offers Community.
- Support channels: only ScalaHosting offers Phone.
- Uptime guarantee is higher at DreamHost: 100% vs 99.9%.
- Founded is lower at DreamHost: 1997 vs 2007.
- Audience: only ScalaHosting offers Enterprise.
Our verdict on each
DreamHost
DreamHost suits beginners and small businesses who want hosting, domains, email and a site builder in one account. Its entry hosting price of €2.89 is the cheapest point in the relationship, and renewals rise to €10.99, so the second year is the real test.
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting suits small businesses and beginners who want one provider for sites and stores, and the range runs from shared web hosting to managed and unmanaged cloud VPS. Entry pricing is $2.95 and renewal is $11.95, so the second bill is the one to plan for.
Score breakdown
| Area | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8Cost part 4 against trust part 7.7, with domains at $9.99 and a 30 day window. | 8.8Entry pricing of $2.95 is low next to €2.99, though e-commerce hosting costs $14.95 and renewals rise. |
| Offer | 9.6 | 9.6 |
| Trust | 9.7HigherRun by DreamHost, LLC, founded 1997 and based in US, with uptime guaranteed at 100%. | 8.9An uptime guarantee of 99.9%, support over email, chat and phone, and a provider founded in 2007. |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
How they place
| Ranking | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Web hosting | 17 of 530 | 2 of 530 |
| Domain registrars | 15 of 501 | 2 of 501 |
| Website builders | 25 of 370 | 3 of 370 |
| Ecommerce platforms | 19 of 190 | 3 of 190 |
| Business email hosting | 17 of 425 | 1 of 425 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Beginners, Small business | Beginners, Small business, EnterpriseCovers more |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | DreamHost, LLC | Scala Hosting LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 1997Lower | 2007 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Website builders
| Fact | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €9.99 | $2.95 |
| Free plan | No | No |
| E-commerce plan price | €9.99 | $14.95 |
| Free trial length | 30 days | Not confirmed |
| Builder type | Site, Store, LandingCovers more | Site, Store |
Domain registrars
| Fact | DreamHost | ScalaHosting |
|---|---|---|
| .com first year | $9.99 | Not confirmed |
| .com transfer | $9.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free WHOIS privacy | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Domain endings | Not confirmed | 17 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | DreamHost | ScalaHosting | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Uptime guarantee | 100%highest quarter | 99.9%at the median | 99.9% |
| Intro price term (months) | 12 monthsat the median | Not confirmed | 12 months |
Median across 380 listed software products.
Pros and cons
DreamHost
Pros
- Breadth of shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting and managed VPS, so a site can move up tiers inside the same account
- Included extras: free ssl, backups and staging, so certificates, backups and email are not separate line items
- Data centres spread across the US, Europe and Asia Pacific: Ashburn, VA (US East), Hillsboro, OR (US West) and Amsterdam, Netherlands (EU)
Cons
- Renewal at €10.99 sits well above the €2.89 entry price
- The website builder has no free plan, only a 30 day trial
- Website counts follow the plan, and the WordPress plan holds a single site
ScalaHosting
Pros
- The shared web hosting, managed cloud hosting and unmanaged cloud VPS hosting range covers shared web hosting, managed and unmanaged cloud, cluster, reseller, WordPress and business email hosting.
- Included features list free SSL, backups, staging, a CDN and email under free ssl, backups and staging, and the builder covers sites and stores.
- A 30 day money-back period leaves room to change direction.
Cons
- Renewal of $11.95 is several times the $2.95 entry price and above the site median of €5.99.
- There is no free plan, so a first test runs on a paid plan starting at $2.95.
- Website counts differ by plan: 1 on Mini, unlimited on Start, Advanced and Entry Cloud, so a single site on Mini can be a tight fit.
Who each suits
DreamHost
Who it suits
- Beginners putting a first site online with hosting, email and a builder in one place
- Small businesses that want a .com next to their hosting, at $9.99 for the first year
- Readers who put weight on a 30 day money back period before deciding
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers in Chile who would rather see local pricing: Hosting.cl lists CLP 159,900
- Developers after usage based cloud compute, where Render lists an entry price of $0
- Readers shopping in South Africa, where Afrihost quotes ZAR 84
ScalaHosting
Who it suits
- Small business owners and first site builders, since beginners, small business and enterprise names beginners, small business and enterprise buyers.
- Teams that want hosting and a business mailbox on one account, since shared web hosting, managed cloud hosting and unmanaged cloud VPS hosting includes business email hosting.
- Buyers who want a broad server network, with data centres across Dallas, USA, New York, USA and Seattle, USA.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a free first site: Render lists a free entry tier at $0.
- Visitors comparing prices in Chilean pesos: Hosting.cl quotes CLP 159,900.
- Buyers shopping in rand: Afrihost lists ZAR 84.
Current offers
DreamHost
Current offer
First period offer
Web Hosting Launch On Sale: First year at EUR 2.89/mo, SAVE 75%
Web Hosting Launch plan, first year; price then auto-renews
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Remixer free trial: Free for 30 days, no credit card required
Remixer AI website builder
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
.COM Domains Limited-Time Offer: EUR 9.99 for 1st year
COM domains, limited-time offer; includes free private registration
Source, checked September 26, 2026
ScalaHosting
Current offer
First period offer
Mini shared hosting intro offer: $2.95/mo for the first term instead of $11.95/mo (save 75%)
Introductory rate; renewal billed at $11.95/mo
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Start and Advanced plan intro offers: Start $5.95/mo (save 60%), Advanced $9.95/mo (save 50%)
Introductory rate; renews at $14.95/mo and $19.95/mo respectively
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Free domain name for the first year: Free .com, .net, .org or .eu domain for one year
Included with Start, Advanced, Entry Cloud and Managed Cloud packages; minimum initial service period of 1 year; using the 30-day money-back guarantee makes the domain chargeable at its normal price
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
$100 Speed Guarantee on Managed VPS: Full refund of the VPS purchase plus $100 compensation
Managed VPS bought after September 1st 2025 with a minimum 12-month term, deployed in Dallas, Seattle, New York or Sofia, for clients migrating an existing website; claim within 7 days of migration
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
DreamHost
How much is DreamHost hosting to begin with?+
Hosting starts at €2.89 for a first term of 12 months, billed across that period. The entry figure is the cheapest point in the relationship, so budget on the assumption that renewals run at €10.99 from then on.
What does the same plan cost at renewal?+
Renewal is €10.99 for the same plan that starts at €2.89. Most of the cost sits in that gap, so it is worth checking what you pay after the first term ends rather than judging the provider on the headline entry price alone.
ScalaHosting
What does ScalaHosting cost for the first term and at renewal?+
Entry pricing is $2.95 and the same range renews at $11.95, so the second bill is the one to plan for. Renewal sits against a site median of €5.99, which is worth checking against cheaper entry offers.
Is there a free plan to try ScalaHosting on?+
The answer is no, so every account begins on a paid plan and the cheapest way in is $2.95. Support is reachable over email, chat and phone, so a trial means paying first and leaning on chat, phone, email or the help centre.
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