DreamHost Web Hosting Review

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DreamHost has become famous for its generous and industry-leading 97-day money-back guarantee, no-lock-in contract, cheap pay-per-month pricing, performance, speed, and security, making DreamHost a web host you should consider using. Find out why in this 2024 DreamHost review.

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Key Takeaways:

DreamHost has a lot of pros, including fast website speeds, a DIY Remixer website builder, and a dedication to the environment.

DreamHost’s cons include the lack of cPanel and phone support, and limited options for shared hosting.

Overall, DreamHost is a great hosting company to consider, especially if you value website speed and eco-friendliness. However, it may not be the best choice if you need extensive customer support or shared hosting options.

DreamHost Review Summary (TL;DR)
Rating
Rated 4.0 out of 5
(38)
Pricing
From $2.59 per month
Hosting Types
Shared, WordPress, Cloud, VPS, Dedicated
Speed & Performance
HTTP/2, SSD, latest PHP and propriety built-in server caching
WordPress
Managed WordPress hosting. Easy WordPress comes pre-installed. Free site migration. Officially recommended by WordPress.org
Servers
Fast loading SSD drives
Security
Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt). Customized firewall against DDoS attacks. Automated daily backups
Control Panel
DreamHost panel (proprietary)
Extras
Free domain name for 1 year, incl. WHOIS privacy
Refund Policy
97-day money-back guarantee
Owner
Privately-owned (Los Angeles, California)
Current Deal
Get started with DreamHost now! Save up to 79%

As one of the longest-reigning web hosting providers in the market today, powering 1.5 million websites, DreamHost knows a thing or two about hosting features, affordability, and customer service.

One thing that makes DreamHost stand out from the rest is that they offer you the option to pay monthly instead of yearly. DreamHost also doesn’t increase the price when it’s time to renew. Plus, their 97-day money return guarantee gives you complete peace of mind.

If you don’t have time to read this DreamHost review, watch this short video I put together for you:

Reddit is a great place to learn more about DreamHost. Here are a few Reddit posts that I think you’ll find interesting. Check them out and join the discussion!

Pros and Cons

DreamHost Pros

  • No-lock-in contracts, pay-every-month pricing
  • Generous 97-day money-return guarantee
  • Free Domain and Privacy (on an unlimited plan)
  • Unlimited disk space & data transfer
  • Generous SSD storage capacity
  • Fast servers (PHP7, SSD & built-in caching)
  • Free SSL & Cloudflare CDN
  • DreamPress high-performance WP hosting option

DreamHost Cons

  • Don’t offer cPanel control panel
  • There’s no phone support
  • No email account included in the starter plan
  • US-only server locations

However, we want to guide you through everything they have to offer, so if they come up on your list of “maybes,” you can better determine whether DreamHost is the website host you want to trust your site’s data to.

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So, let’s get into this DreamHost review (2024 update):

Features (The Good)

DreamHost is an independently owned and operated hosting company that has withheld the test of time, despite Endurance International seemingly taking over some of the biggest names in hosting history (e.g. iPage, Hostgator, and Bluehost).

In order for DreamHost to have done this, and remain successful, it has had to work hard to satisfy customers looking for reliable hosting that comes with everything needed to run a profitable website.

So, let’s take a look and see just what this web hosting service has to offer that’s so great.

1. Speed

Fast servers are a very important factor when choosing a web host. Because research has shown that most site visitors will leave your website (and never come back) if it fails to load within 2 seconds or less.

The faster your website loads the better!

Site owners need fast loading sites, what is DreamHosts’ speed “stack”?

It really depends on the services you’ve got with us, but we’ve spent a lot of time building our managed WordPress offering, DreamPress, to deliver one of the most responsive WordPress experiences on the web!

DreamPress is cached at the server level with PHP OPcache and Memcached, runs on top of blazing-fast PHP7, and lives distributed across an Nginx web server and a WordPress-optimized MySQL database server. We’re very proud of DreamPress (review here) and we’ve worked hard to make it one of the web’s most powerful WordPress hosting options.

dreamhost logo
Brett Dunst – DreamHost VP of Corporate Communications

DreamHost offers some of the latest speed technology to ensure that your site loads fast:

  • Solid State Drives. Your site’s files and databases are stored on SSD, which are a lot faster than HDD (Hard Disk Drives).
  • Gzip Compression. It is enabled by default on all plans
  • OPcache Caching. OPcache is a caching engine built into PHP and is also enabled by default.
  • Content Delivery Network. Cloudflare is a CDN service that provides website protection and acceleration. DreamHost is an “Optimized Hosting Partner” of Cloudflare.
  • PHP7. This is the latest version of PHP and ensures faster performance and fewer resources.

Speed test – how fast is DreamHost?

Sites that load slowly aren’t likely to rise to the top in any niche. A study from Google found that a one-second delay in mobile page load times can impact conversion rates by up to 20%.

I decided to test the load time. I created a test WordPress website hosted (on the Shared Starter plan), and then I installed WordPress (using the Argent theme and dummy lorem ipsum content).

controlpanel

Out of the box, the test site loaded pretty fast, in 1.1 seconds, with a 210 kb page size, and 15 requests.

dreamhost speed

Not bad at all .. but it gets better.

DreamHost already comes with built-in caching and gzip compression that is enabled by default, so there are no settings to optimize here.

But to speed things up, even more, I went ahead and installed a free WordPress plugin called Autoptimize and I simply enabled the default settings.

autoptimize plugin

That improved the performance even more, as it shaved off 0.1 seconds, and it reduced the total page size to just 199 kb and reduced the number of requests down to 11.

dreamhost load time speed

WordPress sites hosted on DreamHost will load pretty fast, and here I’ve shown you a simple technique you can use to speed things up even more.

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dreamhost speed and uptime monitoring

I have created a test site hosted on DreamHost.com to monitor uptime and server response time. You can view historical uptime data and server response time on this uptime monitor page.

2. DIY Remixer Website Builder

The team at DreamHost knows how hard it can be to build a website from scratch, especially when you don’t know any code.

dreamhost website builder

That’s why they offer the Remixer website builder to all customers for making stand-out websites that are destined to drive traffic and convert visitors into customers.

Here are some of the features that come with your built-in website builder:

  • Unlimited website creation under one hosting plan
  • No page limits
  • Mobile-friendly themes
  • Custom colors and fonts
  • Domain name assignment to Remixer website (free of charge)
  • Access to free and professional-looking stock photography
  • Built-in SEO optimization
  • Individual media library so you can publish photos, videos, and audio on your site
dreamhost website builder theme

Building a website from the ground up is super simple when you use their exclusive website builder.

3. Domain Names and More

Not only does DreamHost offer free domain names with their plans (save for the starter shared hosting plan), they include a bunch of additional features too, making the deal a little sweeter.

To start, use their convenient domain name search bar to find the perfect URL for your growing website.

dreamhost domain name

Next, enjoy the following:

  • Auto-renewals. Set your own domain name auto-renewals so that each year you can make sure your domain name stays yours and no one capitalizes on your hard work.
  • DNS Management. Reference computers by names instead of IP addresses.
  • Receive as many subdomains as you need, for free.
  • Custom Nameservers. Create vanity nameservers branded with your domain to respond to DNS requests for your domain.
  • Domain Forwarding. Automatically redirect your site visitors to another URL or domain name for easier content management.
  • Optional Domain Locking. Lock your domain name for free for added security so no unauthorized changes can be made.

Registering your domain name with DreamHost is the simplest solution when you use them as your hosting provider too.

That said, if you have a domain name with another company, you can easily transfer it over to DreamHost when you’re ready.

4. Dedication to the Environment

DreamHost understands that running a hosting company takes its toll on the environment. For example, electricity to keep servers running, paper to run offices, and even the gas it takes to get employees to and from work each day affect the environment we all share.

There is also an understanding that over the years, and long into the future, DreamHost has grown and will continue to grow into a larger business that uses more of the earth’s precious resources.

In response, DreamHost does the following to reduce its own carbon footprint:

  • Their offices run with energy-efficient appliances and lighting and use motion-controlled, low-flow plumbing fixtures
  • Datacenters include high-efficiency cooling infrastructure, use of municipal and reclaimed water, power-efficient processors, and power from renewable resources such as wind farms, solar panels, and hydroelectric plants
  • Employees receive complimentary recycling bins in their offices, financial incentives to use public transportation, work-from-home opportunities, and access to e-filing and videoconferencing

If doing your part to save the environment is important, you can rest assured DreamHost is on your side and is doing its best to provide you with environmentally responsible hosting services.

5. 100% Uptime

It’s a rarity to find a hosting company that will provide a true 100% uptime guarantee. And yet, DreamHost does it somehow.

Using multiple data center locations to handle the load and any threats of downtime, redundant cooling, emergency generators, and constant server monitoring, DreamHost keeps your website up and running all of the time.

If at any time your site does experience downtime (which according to DreamHost it won’t), but just in case it does, and you’ll also be compensated.

guaranteed uptime

And, if you want to check out the current status of any critical issues, downtime, and system updates, check out the DreamHost Status Website anytime you want.

dreamhost current status

And to top it off, if you want to check out the history of any server issues that have happened with DreamHost, you can do that too:

server status issues

This transparency is a great feature that customers appreciate. The world is not perfect, and neither are any web hosting providers on the market.

Hiding the fact that things happen doesn’t tend to sit well with paying customers, so DreamHost makes an effort to show you when things happen and how they are handled, so you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth and your website is protected.

6. Impressive Money Back Guarantee

Again, DreamHost really outdoes itself when it comes to guaranteeing it has the hosting services you need to run a successful website.

All shared hosting plans come with a 97-Day Money-Back Guarantee and all DreamPress plans come with 30-Day Money-ReturnGuarantees.

This is extraordinary seeing as even InMotion’s 90-Day Money-Return Guarantee can’t even compete. And most other hosting providers only give you 30 or 45 days to cancel if not satisfied.

DreamHost wants you to make sure they are (or aren’t) the ones for you. And by having such a generous refund policy, all customers of DreamHost begin to build trust with them from the start, which can go a long way for business.

After all, many eCommerce shops claim that when they lengthen the refund time period, they actually see a decline in refunds and an increase in sales.

7. Great Customer Support

There will likely be times when you need to contact someone in support. That’s why knowing that there will be a knowledgeable team member to help you out at any time is crucial.

DreamHost has real-life human beings on standby to help you solve your every problem. They are experienced with web hosting and WordPress (if you choose the managed WP hosting plan) and can help you solve any issues you run into.

In addition, you can:

  • Get in touch with customer service via live chat 24/7/365
  • Access support staff, tech support, or the service team by email to get your questions answered
  • Start a thread in the community forum to see what other DreamHost customers think
  • Troubleshoot yourself using the extensive Knowledge Base that has articles related to accounting management/billing, SSL certificates, product support, and more

Features (The Not-So-Good)

In short, DreamHost is a simple hosting provider that offers its customers the features needed to run a successful website.

However, there are some things that aren’t that great that you should be aware of before deciding whether DreamHost is for you.

1. No cPanel

Traditionally, hosting providers give their customers access to things like account management and billing, email accounts, FTP information, and more in cPanel or Plesk, both of which are intuitive control panels with easy-to-use dashboards.

dreamhost control panel isn't cpanel

DreamHost doesn’t do that, which can make the learning curve a bit tough for those new to hosting or those familiar with cPanel.

dreamhost control panel

The problem with DreamHost’s proprietary control panel is that it can be tough to find the things you’re looking for, the dashboard can seem limiting, and customer service team requests increase because people find themselves having a lot of trouble completing even the simplest of tasks.

2. No Phone Support

Sure, you can access DreamHost support via email or live chat. But there is no phone number you can reach out to when you want to talk to a real live person.

Though you can request a call back from technical support, this is going to cost you extra as this support service does not come included with your hosting plan.

Instead, you can add three callbacks to your account for a monthly fee, or invest in a one-time callback for a set fee as well.

This does not bode well for many customers, seeing as most reliable hosting providers have email, support ticket systems, live chat, and phone service available for all customers free of charge.

Adding to that, live chat support is not available 24/7 like email support is. Instead, you can only access them every day from 5:30 AM – 9:30 PM Pacific Time.

While this isn’t normally a problem, we can all think of a time when we needed immediate support in the middle of the night. It also seems that the only way to access live chat support is through your control panel, which doesn’t help if you have pre-sale questions you want to be answered right away. Instead, you have to use the online contact form.

Plans & Pricing

DreamHost has many plans available including shared hosting, dedicated servers, virtual private servers (VPS), and WP hosting,

However, we’re just going to take a look at DreamHost pricing for the shared and WP hosting plans.

Shared Hosting

DreamHost’s shared hosting is very simple.

dreamhost shared hosting plans

There are only two plans to choose from:

  1. Shared Starter. This is great for those just starting out. It includes one website, a .com domain name for a low price, unlimited traffic, fast SSD storage, an SSL certificate, and the option to upgrade to add an email account. This plan starts at $2.59/month.
  1. Shared Unlimited. This plan is great for those with multiple websites. Enjoy unlimited websites, a free domain name, unlimited traffic and SSD storage, multiple SSL certificates, and email hosting. This plan starts at $3.95/month.

With shared hosting, you have access to the proprietary control panel, a 100% uptime guarantee, 24/7 support, and the impressive 97-Day Money-Return Guarantee.

Other features in the DreamHost Shared Unlimited plan include:

  • Unlimited MySQL databases
  • Server Side Includes (SSI)
  • IPv6 support
  • Full Unix shell
  • PHP 7.1 support
  • Rails, Python, and Perl support
  • Access to raw log files
  • Crontab access
  • Full CGI access
  • Canned CGI scripts

It’s important to note that DreamHost does not offer Windows operating systems including ASP.NET or Windows Server. Instead, they only offer Linux support.

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WordPress Hosting

Why is DreamHost, and your DreamPress, so committed to WordPress?

As a company that works hard to empower content creators by helping them achieve success online, we would be crazy to not be crazy about WordPress – it powers over a third of the web!

WordPress brings the creativity of people and the power of computers together in a way that few web platforms have been able to accomplish. The WordPress community is incredible and never ceases to amaze us!

It’s full of thousands of helpful people, all focused as much on improving the core platform as it is ensuring that anyone who wants their voice heard online gets that chance.

In fact, our Vision and Mission statements align very closely with an open web and democratized publishing:

“People have the freedom to choose how their digital content is shared” is our Vision statement. “Foster success by providing the open web platform of choice” is our Mission statement.

dreamhost logo
Brett Dunst – DreamHost VP of Corporate Communications

DreamHost’s WordPress hosting is also very simple.

dreamhost wordpress hosting

There are three plans to choose from:

  1. Shared Starter. This is good for small WordPress websites, those just starting out, and anyone on a strict budget. It comes with a shared hosting server, supports one website, and comes with unlimited traffic, fast storage (SSD), a 1-click SSL certificate, 24/7 support, and the chance to upgrade to add an email account. This plan starts at $2.59/month.
  2. DreamPress. This is powerful hosting for large websites and businesses that want seamless performance on their highly trafficked sites. It comes optimized for WordPress and with built-in tools. It comes with a fast cloud server, includes one website, 10K monthly site visitors, 30GB storage (SSD), a 1-click SSL certificate, email hosting, 24/7 support, and a free Jetpack pre-installation. This plan starts at $16.95/month.
  3. VPS WordPress. This plan is a great choice for those who want to have more control over their website. With VPS hosting, you get dedicated server resources without the high costs of a dedicated server. The VPS WP hosting plan also includes a custom control panel, unlimited bandwidth, and the ability to host multiple websites. Dreamhost’s VPS plans are scalable, so you can easily upgrade your resources as your website grows. Plus, with Dreamhost’s 24/7 customer support team, you can get assistance whenever you need it. This plan starts at $10.00/month.

With DreamHost WordPress hosting, you get lightning-fast speed, built-in security features, and WordPress Specialists trained to help you with your questions and concerns.

In addition, all WordPress hosting plans come with:

  • Automatic WordPress updates (WordPress core and security updates)
  • A WordPress install and popular plugins and themes to get you started
  • Domain Privacy
  • Unlimited email addresses
  • Custom DreamHost control panel
  • Built-in Web Application Firewall (WAF)
  • Complete domain management
  • SFTP and SSH access
  • WP-CLI

If you opt for the DreamPress hosting plan, you’ll also receive server-level caching, object caching, instant site launches, varnish caching, Brotli compression, instant upgrades, default HTTP status codes, and NGINX with HTTP2 enabled.

DreamHost also offers free WordPress migrations, which lets you simply and easily migrate WordPress sites into DreamHost. The free tool is designed to ease the burden of migrating data between WordPress providers.

Compare DreamHost Competitors

DreamHost faces stiff competition in the shared hosting world. Let’s compare it to Bluehost, SiteGround, A2 Hosting, Hostinger, HostGator, BigScoots, and GreenGeeks along key features and analyze their strengths for different users:

DreamHostBluehostSiteGroundA2 HostingHostingerHostGatorBigScootsGreenGeeks
PriceStarts at $2.59/monthStarts at $2.95/monthStarts at $2.99/monthStarts at $2.99/monthStarts at $2.99/monthStarts at $3.75/monthStarts at $6.95/monthStarts at $2.95/month
PerformanceGoodGoodExcellentVery fastGoodGoodExcellentGood
SecurityBasicBasicHighHighModerateModerateHighHigh
FeaturesFree domain, WordPress toolsFree domain, marketing toolsStaging sites, auto updatesUnlimited sites, server rewindFree website builder, CloudflareFree cPanel backup, SEO toolsExpert support, pay-as-you-goEco-friendly hosting, free CDN
Ease of UseEasyEasyEasyEasyVery easyEasyNot beginner-friendlyEasy
Support24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket24/7 live chat, phone, ticket

For beginners:

For performance:

For security:

  • BigScoots, GreenGeeks (see our review), and SiteGround prioritize advanced security features.

For budget:

  • DreamHost, Hostinger, and HostGator have the cheapest entry points.

For WordPress:

  • DreamHost, SiteGround, and A2 Hosting offer tailored WordPress features.

For eco-conscious users:

  • GreenGeeks is the only 100% renewable energy provider.

Questions & Answers

What is DreamHost?

DreamHost is a Los Angeles-based web hosting company. It was founded in 1996 by Dallas Bethune, Josh Jones, Michael Rodriguez, and Sage Weil. Their official website is www.dreamhost.com. Read more on their Wikipedia page.

What types of web hosting services does DreamHost offer and what are their features?

DreamHost offers a variety of web hosting services, including shared hosting, virtual private server (VPS) hosting, and dedicated hosting. In addition, they also offer cloud hosting packages, with options for scalable and flexible hosting.

Their plans come with features such as unlimited bandwidth, a custom control panel, and a free SSL certificate. DreamHost has a reputation for being an affordable web hosting provider, and their hosting reviews generally praise their web hosting experience. Their hosting plans come with different server resources, with options for different data centers and server locations.

DreamHost also has usage policies and security options in place to ensure a reliable hosting service. Customers with support issues can reach out to DreamHost’s callback service for assistance.

What are some DreamHost-specific features?

DreamHost offers affordable pricing plans, including their managed WordPress hosting solution DreamPress Pro. They also have an affiliate program that allows users to earn a commission for referring others to their services. Additionally, DreamHost’s Blue Line offers additional support and resources to their customers.

Can Dreamhost help with website building and management for business owners?

Yes, Dreamhost offers a variety of tools and resources to help website owners build and manage their online presence. Their website builder, powered by WordPress, makes it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking website without any coding or design skills.

They also provide content management systems, such as Contentful, to help businesses manage their website content efficiently. Additionally, Dreamhost offers features like contentful paint, which improves website loading speed, to ensure a positive user experience for visitors.

Whether you’re just starting with a simple business website or looking to grow and expand, Dreamhost has solutions to fit your needs.

What other business tools does Dreamhost offer?

In addition to web hosting services, Dreamhost also provides a range of other business tools to help website owners manage their online presence. These tools include domain name registration, website builders, email hosting, and various e-commerce solutions.

Dreamhost also offers a number of content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, which can be used to build and manage websites. With these business tools, Dreamhost makes it easy for website owners to take their online presence to the next level.

Does Dreamhost offer free domain name registration with their hosting plans?

Yes, Dreamhost offers free domain name registration with their plans. This means that when you sign up for a hosting plan, you can register a domain name for free. Dreamhost also offers domain name registration as a standalone service if you already have to host with another provider.

With Dreamhost’s domain registration service, you can easily search for and register a domain name of your choice, and manage it through their user-friendly control panel.

Does Dreamhost offer a free SSL certificate?

Yes, Dreamhost provides a free SSL certificate for its users. It includes an automatic installation of Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates that enable secure browsing for your website visitors. This free certificate can be installed on any Dreamhost web hosting plan. Having an SSL helps secure sensitive information that is being transmitted from your website, such as credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords.

What kind of control panel is used?

DreamHost’s custom-built control panel.

Can I host an email account?

Unless you invest in the Shared Started hosting plan, you’ll receive email hosting with unlimited email addresses.

Does DreamHost offer a website builder?

Yes, all plans come with Remixer, which is DreamHost’s click-to-edit website builder. In addition, you get pre-designed themes to choose from, built-in stock images, and color schemes to choose from. You can also create as many web pages as you want – all without needing to know any code.

Does Dreamhost offer good customer service for its clients?

Yes, Dreamhost has a dedicated customer service team to support its clients. Customers can contact the team via their ticket support system for assistance with any issues they encounter with their web hosting or domain services.

Dreamhost’s customer service is highly rated by users, with many reporting fast and helpful responses to their inquiries. You can access live chat support 7 days a week during extended business hours, 24/7 email support, and pay for premium phone call-back support. There is also a community forum available and an extensive Knowledge Base with plenty of articles about several topics.

What kind of guarantees are there?

DreamHost offers a 100% uptime guarantee (complete with compensation in the case your site does go down), as well as a 97-Day Money-Return Guarantee.

Our Verdict ⭐

Do we recommend DreamHost? Yes, we do!

DreamHost
From $2.59 per month

DreamHost: Dream Big, Host Easy

  • Affordable rocket rides: Plans for every budget, starting super low.
  • Beginner-friendly: Easy tools and control panel, no tech headaches.
  • WordPress whizzes: Optimized hosting for your favorite platform.
  • Green giant: 100% renewable energy powers your online world.
  • 24/7 support squad: Friendly humans always on call, day or night.
  • Free domain & goodies: Bonus with most plans, say goodbye to extras.

DreamHost is perfect for:

  • Newbies starting their online journey.
  • Budget-conscious individuals and hobbyists.
  • WordPress fans who want a fuss-free experience.
  • Eco-friendly folks who care about the planet.

Not the fanciest, but super reliable and easy to use. Dream big without breaking the bank!

With so much choice out there, what sets DreamHost apart from the rest?

We truly believe in an open web that respects the ownership rights of all users. Content creators shouldn’t be constrained by Terms of Service that takes away some ownership of their own digital media.

They shouldn’t look to tech companies to tell them what they can and can’t publish online. DreamHost delivers true data portability and respect for our users and their content, and we do it with the power of open-source software.

dreamhost logo
Brett Dunst – DreamHost VP of Corporate Communications

In the end, there’s a good reason why DreamHost has been around for so long and has held on to its success. It offers easy-to-understand hosting plans, affordable pricing, and more than enough features to run a decent size website without any problems.

That said, not having the cPanel or Plesk control panel to manage account information can be a turnoff for those that love the intuitive nature of more traditional control panels. Not to mention, having to pay for phone support is not going to sit well with a lot of potential customers.

For bloggers, small businesses, and those with WordPress websites, DreamHost is an adequate hosting provider. Though it is important to make sure their simplicity offers enough by way of features for you and your growing site.

That said, if you do decide to go with DreamHost hosting, you can at least rest on the fact that you have 97 days to decide whether they’re the right choice for you or not.

So, check DreamHost out and see for yourself. Their remixer website builder, non-existent traffic limits, dedication to the environment, and 24/7 email support may be just what you need to launch a successful website.

Recent Improvements & Updates

DreamHost constantly improves its hosting services with faster speeds, better security and infrastructure, and customer support. Here are just some of the recent improvements (last checked March 2024):

  • Award Recognition: DreamHost was named the Best Hosting Provider in the 2023 Monster’s Awards, acknowledging their excellence in WordPress solutions.
  • New Migration Dashboard: A migration dashboard was added to the “Manage Websites” feature, simplifying the process of moving a website to DreamHost.
  • DreamPress Performance Enhancements: Significant improvements were made to DreamPress, DreamHost’s managed WordPress hosting solution, including the integration of NGINX for all DreamPress customers to enhance site performance.
  • Business Name Generator Launch: DreamHost launched a new Business Name Generator tool to assist in choosing effective business names.
  • Email Management Update: An updated “Manage Email” experience was introduced to enhance business and online communication.
  • DreamPress Integrated into “Manage Websites”: DreamPress was incorporated into the “Manage Websites” feature, emphasizing its importance in DreamHost’s offerings.
  • Website Makeover Giveaways: DreamHost conducted extreme website makeover giveaways, benefiting businesses like Glenn McDaniel Arts and Alphabet Publishing.
  • Additional DreamPress Performance Improvements: Further enhancements for DreamPress users, including object caching for DreamPress Pro customers and the implementation of PHP OPcache.
  • Manage Websites Feature Enhancements: Significant updates were made to the “Manage Websites” experience, incorporating top-requested features.
  • FTP Users and File Management Updates: Improvements were made to FTP users and file management, enhancing user experience.
  • New VPS Plan Pricing: DreamHost announced new pricing for their VPS Hosting Plans.
  • DNS Control Panel Improvements: Upgrades were made to the DNS Control Panel to enhance the DNS configuration experience.

Reviewing DreamHost: Our Methodology

When we review web hosts like DreamHost, our evaluation is based on these criteria:

  1. Value for Money: What types of web hosting plans are on offer, and are they good value for money?
  2. User Friendliness: How user-friendly is the signup process, the onboarding, the dashboard? and so on.
  3. Customer Support: When we need help, how quickly can we get it, and is the support effective and helpful?
  4. Hosting Features: What unique features does the web host provide, and how do they stack up against competitors?
  5. Security: Are essential security measures like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, backup services, and malware/virus scans included?
  6. Speed and Uptime: Is the hosting service fast and reliable? What types of servers do they use, and how do they perform in tests?

For more details on our review process, click here.

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What

DreamHost

Customers Think

Poor Uptime and Customer Support

Rated 2.0 out of 5
April 28, 2023

I signed up for DreamHost’s hosting service six months ago, and it has been a terrible experience so far. My website experiences frequent downtime, and sometimes it takes hours to get it back up. Their customer support is also unresponsive and unhelpful. I had an issue with my website, and it took them over a week to resolve it. I would not recommend DreamHost to anyone, and I am currently looking for another hosting company.

Avatar for John Smith
John Smith

Great Hosting Company, but Could Improve on Customer Support

Rated 4.0 out of 5
March 28, 2023

I have been using DreamHost for a year now, and I must say that I am quite happy with their service. The uptime is great, and my website loads quickly. The pricing is also affordable, and I was able to find a plan that suited my needs. The only issue I have is with their customer support. Sometimes it takes a while to get a response, and I had to follow up a few times before getting a resolution to my issue. However, overall, I am satisfied with DreamHost’s service and would recommend them to others.

Avatar for Alex Brown
Alex Brown

DreamHost is the Best Hosting Company I’ve Used

Rated 5.0 out of 5
February 28, 2023

I’ve been a customer of DreamHost for over two years now, and I must say that they are the best hosting company I’ve used so far. Their customer support is amazing, and they are always ready to help with any issues I encounter. Their website building tools are also easy to use, and I was able to build a professional-looking website without any prior experience. The uptime is great, and my website loads quickly. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with DreamHost and would recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and affordable hosting company.

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Sarah Johnson

Value for money

Rated 4.0 out of 5
April 23, 2022

The starter plan doesn’t come with a free email address even when you pay annually. You have to pay an additional $2 a month to get email on the starter plan. All other web hosts offer email for free on all their plans. Dreamhost wants me to subscribe their unlimited plan which costs almost double just to get free email. Their web hosting is great except for this one issue.

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Miguel O

Friend suggested

Rated 5.0 out of 5
March 12, 2022

A friend of mine who also happens to be a developer recommended this host to me. Their WordPress unlimited plan is great if most of your clients’s sites don’t get much traffic. I have put 13 of my clients’s sites on this one plan. It makes everything much easier to manage and I get to make a lot more money. Highly recommended for web developers!

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Timmy

Highly recommended

Rated 4.0 out of 5
March 2, 2022

Dreamhost is great but it has a lot of room for improvement. They charge a lot more than their competitors. Their services are better than most of their competitors but it’s still a little expensive. The support team is better than the last web host I was hosting my site with but it still can be a little slow at times.

Avatar for Lord M
Lord M

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Mathias Ahlgren is the CEO and founder of Website Rating, steering a global team of editors and writers. He holds a master's in information science and management. His career pivoted to SEO after early web development experiences during university. With over 15 years in SEO, digital marketing, and web developmens. His focus also includes website security, evidenced by a certificate in Cyber Security. This diverse expertise underpins his leadership at Website Rating.

The "WSR Team" is the collective group of expert editors and writers specializing in technology, internet security, digital marketing, and web development. Passionate about the digital realm, they produce well-researched, insightful, and accessible content. Their commitment to accuracy and clarity makes Website Rating a trusted resource for staying informed in the dynamic digital world.

Ibad is a writer at Website Rating who specializes in the realm of web hosting and has previously worked at Cloudways and Convesio. His articles focus on educating readers about WordPress hosting and VPS, offering in-depth insights and analysis in these technical areas. His work is aimed at guiding users through the complexities of web hosting solutions.

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