DreamHost
WordPress.org officially recommends DreamHost alongside Bluehost and SiteGround. An independent, employee-owned company with 27+ years in hosting, DreamHost offers shared, VPS, and managed WordPress plans with strong privacy commitments and no upselling.
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Price/mo | CPU | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $7.99 | Shared | Shared | 50GB SSD | Unmetered | 25 websites, 40K monthly visits, free SSL, free domain |
| Growth | $8.99 | Shared | Shared | 100GB SSD | Unmetered | 50 websites, 200K monthly visits, free domain privacy |
| Scale | $13.99 | Shared (priority) | Shared | Unlimited SSD | Unmetered | 100 websites, 400K monthly visits, priority resources |
| DreamPress | $16.95 | Shared (managed) | 1GB | 30GB SSD | Unmetered | Managed WordPress, built-in Jetpack, staging, caching |
· Updated
DreamHost is one of the longest-running independent web hosts in the US, founded in 1996 and still employee-owned today. It holds official WordPress.org recommended status and is known for strong privacy practices, including fighting a 2017 DOJ warrant to protect customer data.
Managed WordPress (DreamPress)
DreamPress is DreamHost’s managed WordPress tier, built on isolated containers with server-side caching (BunnyCDN integration), automatic updates, and on-demand staging. It competes with WP Engine and Kinsta at a significantly lower price point.
Privacy & Independence
DreamHost has a public no-sell policy on customer data, supports Let’s Encrypt SSL universally, and has historically pushed back on government data requests. Free WHOIS privacy is included on all domains.
Custom Panel
DreamHost doesn’t use cPanel, it runs a proprietary panel that most users find cleaner but occasionally less familiar for those used to the standard cPanel layout.
Verdict
An excellent choice for WordPress users who value an independent, privacy-respecting host. DreamPress is compelling managed WordPress value. The base shared plans are priced higher than competitors but include more built-in privacy features.