Here we provide a complete Indepth Review of DreamHost, a web hosting service with lots to offer. Take a look at our DreamHost Indepth review and decide if it’s right for you.
Introduction
DreamHost is a web hosting service that provides WordPress and Web Hosting services. Using a web hosting service means that you can be given assurance by a third party that your website is secure, runs quickly and is always up and running.
For people who are new to running a website, there are numerous plans available that support you to design, build and run your website with ease.
For those of you who are already running a popular business website, a web hosting service like DreamHost allows you to feel confident that data belonging to you and your website visitors is secure, and that you are using the right server for your website’s needs, that allows it to run at a good speed and be able to handle the amount of traffic that comes to the site. Not only that, some of the services offered by DreamHost can increase the traffic to your site, such as SEO suggesters or, looking at their professional services, and their SEO marketing.
DreamHost is a completely employee-owned company that prides itself on providing excellent security, privacy and customer care service. The sheer volume of features they offer in these areas is impressive, and all of the information is laid out so clearly on their website that it is easy to understand even for total web novices.
In this article, we will cover the different packages offered by DreamHost, the costs, the pros and cons, and other important features offered by DreamHost, so as to provide you with a full Indepth review of what they offer, and then decide for yourself whether it’s a service you should consider to use.
1. Different Services Offered By DreamHost
There are many different services offered by DreamHost, which are then broken down into different plans to suit the needs of every customer, from the more basic plans to the more complex, depending on the type of website you have, the requirements of your website, and the purpose of your website.
Below is a list of the main hosting services offered by DreamHost, and some information about what each one means. Later in the article, we will break these down into more specific plans available, what they cost, and who they are best suited to.
a. Shared Hosting
Shared hosting means that the customer has a website that shares the server’s resources with other customers. This is a good option if you are looking for a more affordable plan, but may not be the best suited option if you are expecting high traffic on your site, as high traffic on sites that share your server could cause your website to run slower.
Shared hosting is a good choice for blogs or personal sites where you are not expecting high traffic, and you are on a small budget and looking for an affordable plan.
Please Click here to get an affordable Shared Hosting Plan from DreamHost
b. WordPress Hosting
DreamHost offers three different WordPress hosting plans. WordPress basic starts at $2.59 per month, DreamPress starts at $12.00 per month and VPS for WordPress starts at $10.00 per month. The most popular of these plans is DreamPress.
The concept behind WordPress hosting via DreamHost is to make it easy for you to create and manage your website. With these plans, you get access to a huge range of themes and plugins that will allow your blog or website to stand out and give you access to features that you would not get with a basic WordPress account.
Every WordPress hosting plan offered by DreamHost comes with a free domain name, privacy protection, email hosting, SSL certificates and 24/7 customer service support for when you need it. They offer support from a dedicated team of WordPress experts, and they are recommended by WordPress themselves.
If you’re new to WordPress, the basic plan is a good choice to get you started and get familiar with the site. The great thing about DreamHost is how easy it is to upgrade if and when you’re ready, so you can take the time you need to get familiar with WordPress before moving on to a more advanced package if you need it.
DreamHost also offers the DreamHost Academy, an assortment of tutorials on how to create a WordPress site. DreamHost has been supporting WordPress sites since the beginning of their journey and is fully endorsed by WordPress themselves. Many of their services are designed specifically with WordPress in mind, so if a WordPress site is what you want, DreamHost is essentially the expert.
Please click here to get an Affordable WordPress Hosting Plan from DreamHost
c. VPS Hosting
VPS hosting, otherwise known as Virtual Private Server Hosting, means your site will be hosted on a private server and the server will not be shared with other websites. This is great if your website is expecting high traffic or needs a more powerful server to run it, as the speed will not be slowed down by other websites and the server will be set up and dedicated just for you and your site. There are four different VPS plans available via DreamHost.
VPS Basic starts from just $10 a month. The DreamHost VPS hosting offers a wide range of features, such as unlimited 24/7 support, unlimited MySQL databases and email accounts, scalable RAM that can be increased as your website does, and unlimited bandwidth. All of the DreamHost VPS packages come with unlimited traffic, free SSL certificates and high-performance SSD (Solid State Drives) hard drives ranging from 30GB to 240GB.
From the range of plans available, you will find a plan that suits your business, and if you’re unsure which plan is best suited for you then you can take advantage of the excellent customer service support and reach out to DreamHost for their advice.
Please Click Here to get an Affordable VPS Hosting Plan from DreamHost
d. Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a package that allows you to store your data across many different servers. DreamHost cloud hosting is very quick and easy to set up, gives you a variety of choice over which operating system or software you would like, and your data can be transferred from a public cloud to a private cloud should the time come for you to want a private cloud in the future. The package offered by DreamHost for designing a server that meets your requirements is called DreamCompute.
DreamHost also offers a service called DreamObjects, which is a secure cloud hosting storage service. This plan is good for web app development, to back up your existing sites and storing files and media such as music, videos and images. You are given the opportunity to try it, completely free, for 30 days. If after the 30 days you’d like to continue using the DreamObjects service, there are several pre-paid plans offered on the website, rising in price depending on the amount of storage you need.
Both of the services are easy to set up and simple to understand.
Please Click Here to get an Affordable Cloud Hosting Plan from DreamHost
e. Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting means that a server is provided and dedicated only to you and your business website. This gives you the ability to control the server specifications, including security and performance. DreamHost offers many different options for dedicated hosting, with a variety of different specifications that can be viewed in further detail on their website.
All of their dedicated hosting plans come with a 100% uptime guarantee, and their 24/7 expert support, 365 days a year. The theme of consistent and reliable customer support is apparent through all of DreamHost’s packages, and the 100% uptime guarantee is an important feature for business websites that rely solely on their sites to develop business, as even small amounts of downtime can be detrimental to their successes.
Please Click Here to get an Affordable Dedicated Hosting Plan from DreamHost
f. WP Website Builder
The WP website builder is a tool that helps you to build your WordPress site efficiently, and it is an excellent tool for someone new to the world of website building. The package includes categories of designs suited to different business needs, a creation wizard with inspiring ideas and a real-time SEO suggester that helps you optimize your website for search engines to increase the traffic to your site and improve the rankings of your site in search engines.
The WP Website builder will allow you to create a website that stands out, rather than using a pre-existing template that you might find on several other websites. It helps you to create a unique web space for your blog or business, with simple drag and drop tools that help you bring your vision to life easily. It allows you to try different themes, layouts and styles with ease, review examples for inspiration, and helps you develop a site that looks good and will attract visitors.
Please Click Here to get an Affordable WP Website Builder from DreamHost
g. Professional Services
DreamHost offers a series of professional services including design, marketing, website management, customer web development, custom web design, SEO marketing and social media marketing.
If you are a large or growing business with limited knowledge on how to improve the customer experience on your website, these professional services may be very useful for you to get the most out of your site.
DreamHost offers a free consultation and it’s very easy to set up. All you need to do is select a date and time, enter your details and how you would like to be contacted, such as via phone call or video call. You can provide information on the type of services you’re looking for, and they will prepare for the meeting by reviewing your website, your requirements and how you might best benefit from the professional services they offer.
The professional services offered by DreamHost are cheaper than the services you might find elsewhere, and it can be reassuring to get all of your services in the same place, from hosting to social media marketing. It is also impressive to see how easy it is to set up a consultation with just a few clicks of a button, and it is a testament to their service delivery that the customer journey on their site is so easy to get along with.
2. A Breakdown of Plans and their Costs
The cost for DreamHost services depends largely upon the package that you need for your website. In this article, we will cover the majority of the services offered by DreamHost, their costs and a comparison of the different packages for the price you pay. Let’s start by looking at the costs for WordPress services.
a. WordPress Services
i. WordPress Basic
WordPress Basic Plan starts from $4.95 per month. This is the most affordable plan and comes with all of the basic features you need to get up and running on WordPress. This WordPress Basic Plan has other discounts which start from $2.59 per month - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost. This WordPress Basic Plan is an excellent choice for beginners and is cheaper than plans offered by competing sites such as Bluehost.
DreamHost has also another WordPress Basic Plan called WordPress Unlimited Plan which starts from $8.95 per month. This WordPress Unlimited Plan, has also other discounts which start from $2.95 per month - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
If you’re just starting and don’t need any of the more complicated features, and also do not want to commit too much of your budget, this is an excellent place to start from.
ii. DreamPress
DreamPress starts at $12.00 per month, rising to $24.00 per month for DreamPress Plus, and $71.95 per month for DreamPress Pro.
The plan you choose will depend on the number of monthly visitors you expect to see on your site, the amount of SSD storage you’d like, and the level of support you need. This DreamPress Plan, has also some good discounts - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
iii. WordPress VPS Hosting Plans
There are four VPS hosting plans available from DreamHost. The difference in cost corresponds to the amount of RAM provided with each plan as well as the amount of SSD storage. The prices are outlined below:
VPS Basic: Starts from $10.00 per month and includes 1GB of RAM and 30GB of SSD Storage.
VPS Business: Starts from $20.00 per month and includes 2GB of RAM and 60GB of SSD Storage.
VPS Professional: Starts from $40.00 per month and includes 4GB of RAM and 120GB of SSD Storage.
VPS Enterprise: Starts from $80.00 per month and includes 8GB of RAM and 240GB of SSD Storage.
VPS Basic is a great plan for small websites but ones that still expect a significant amount of traffic and therefore require the resources provided by a VPS plan.
VPS Business is suited for small businesses.
VPS Professional and VPS Enterprise packages are more suited for resource-intensive sites that require higher storage and memory.
The main differences between the packages are the amount of Ram and SSD Storage provided, and will most likely depend on the size of your business and the traffic you expect to see on your site.
WordPress VPS Hosting Plans has a number of good discounts on these plans - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
b. Shared Web Hosting
i. Shared Starter
Shared Starter Plan is the more basic plan available for shared web hosting services offered by DreamHost and starts at $2.59 per month. It includes one website, a free domain name, and you can add an email for an additional $1.67 per month. Shared Starter Plan has some good discounts - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
The Shared Starter Plan is a great plan if you are running one website only, and you are not expecting high traffic levels on your site.
ii. Shared Unlimited
The Shared Unlimited Plan offered by DreamHost starts at $2.95 per month. This Shared Unlimited Plan also offers some good discounts - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
The main advantages of the Shared Unlimited Plan over the Shared Starter Plan are that the Shared Unlimited plan comes with unlimited websites and unlimited email included with your domain.
Shared Unlimited Plan is more suited if you have more than one website and would like to have email hosting included in your domain.
Both of the packages come with the option to purchase as a monthly rolling fee with no contracts for a slightly higher price of $4.95 per month and $8.95 per month respectively.
c. Dedicated Server hosting
The two options for Dedicated Server Hosting offered by DreamHost are the Standard Plan, which starts at $149 per month, and the Enhanced Plan, which starts at $279 per month. The Standard Plan and the Enhanced Plan, both have some good discounts depending on whether you want to pay monthly or yearly - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
The Standard Plan has 4-core processors, and the Enhanced Plan has 12-core processors.
There are three Standard Plan packages available, and six Enhanced Plan packages available depending on the amount of RAM and the amount of storage you’d like for your website. The full list of prices for these packages with good discounts is available on the official Webssite of DreamHost - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost.
d. Professional Services
The costs for professional services are understandably higher due to the sheer amount of work and dedication that DreamHost put into delivering a service, such as providing a dedicated team and project manager to support the development of your project. For starters, let’s review the Custom Web Design service.
i. Custom Web Design
This service is split into three different packages: Starter package costs $1,499; Plus package costs $2,499; and Pro package costs $3,499.
The primary difference between them is that the Starter package offers 5 subpages, the Plus package offers 10 subpages, and the Pro package offers 15 Subpages.
If you purchase a custom web design package from DreamHost, you are given access to a full team of web developers and designers. With each of the packages, you receive a 1-on-1 call with the project manager who will review your requirements, define your project goals and collect the content you will want to see on your website.
This Project Manager is dedicated to managing your project, will be available to communicate with you and will direct the team to deliver your website.
The team will work with you on branding, building your subpages, designing a custom home page (instead of using a template that you might find on any other websites), and so many other features.
With the amount offered by these packages, you get what you pay for and if you’re a business looking for a website that is unique to you, this is definitely a service to consider.
Please Click Here to get your Custom Website Design from the Official Website of DreamHost
ii. SEO Marketing
SEO, for those who might not know, stands for Search Engine Optimization. To bring more traffic to your website, it is crucial to have the right SEO keywords in place so that your website can rank higher on search engines. Your SEO marketing team at DreamHost will create and publish content each month that optimizes your website and supports your keyword strategy.
They will provide you with a report every month to show you how your website ranks on search engines and how the traffic has increased, so you will physically be able to see the success.
The three plans offered are: the Startup plan at $399 per month; the Business plan at $599 per month; and the Enterprise plan at $1,199 per month.
The package you will need depends on the size of your business and the current requirements of your SEO strategy. Like the Custom Web design package, you’ll start with a 1-on-1 call with a dedicated SEO manager who will help define your SEO strategy, and they will take it from there.
Please Click Here to get your SEO Marketing Plan from the Official Website of DreamHost
iii. Site Management
DreamHost offers a number of different website management professional services, such as:
- DreamCare: Website management and monitoring (starting from $59 per month).
- Site Optimization: Improving the speed of your websites (starting from $399 per month).
- Website Transfer: Moving your website onto a new server without interrupting your current site (starting from $99).
- Site Updates: Upgrading your outdated software (starting from $299).
- Hacked Site Repair: Removing malware and fixing a broken website so it can get back up and running (starting from $199).
This wide range of site management services shows us one thing: DreamHost know what they’re doing. They know how to manage a site from the basic website management to the more complicated stuff, and their prices are affordable for what they offer.
If you’re running a business that keeps you busy and don’t have time to spare on website management, it might be a good idea to consider handing over the website management to a service like DreamHost so that you can focus on running the business, while they focus on their area of expertise.
Please Click Here to get your Site Management Plan from the Official Website of DreamHost
iv. Web Development
For web development, DreamHost offers On-Demand services by the hour, and Retainer services to support you and your business on an ongoing basis. These services are offered at a rate ranging from $89 per hour to $129 per hour. The team can work magic on many areas of your website from removing malware to changing the design of your website - they have also good discounts - Please click here to see these discounts on the official Website of DreamHost
Please Click Here to get your Web Development Plan from the Official Website of DreamHost
3. Security
DreamHost has a dedicated team of security engineers who are there to ensure your security is a priority. They pride themselves on the security they offer and as someone looking for a web hosting service, it is certainly comforting to see how much emphasis they put on security and the amount of dedication and time they focus on it, such as building and designing their own security tools. Below are the primary security features offered by DreamHost and a little explanation about what each one does and how it improves security for your site.
a. DreamShield
DreamHost offers a Malware Remover tool called DreamShield, built in-house and designed to scan for malware on a weekly basis and remove any malware that is found. The team at DreamHost continuously update this software to include new threats that are reported to their customers, so you can be rest assured that any new malware will be detected, removed and your website will be protected. With new threats always emerging on the web, it is crucial for hosting services like DreamHost to have software that can regularly be updated, so that new threats are not missed.
b. Domain Privacy
DreamHost also offers domain privacy, which means that your registration details assigned to your domain name are kept anonymous when registered in the database that is accessible to the general public. Essentially this means that your personal information is replaced with DreamHost’s information and you won’t be getting bothered by any unwanted contacts who have found your name, address and phone number. This is a big plus for big businesses with lots of customers who are at a higher risk of having their data searched for online.
c. SSL/TLS Certificates
Another security feature available from DreamHost includes free SSL/TLS certificates.
A TLS certificate is not mandatory for your website, but what it does, is to assure the visitors to your website that any details they provide through your website are kept secure. This is especially important if your website accepts payments from visitors. By offering the certificates for free, DreamHost gives you peace of mind that you and your visitors are protected on your website. If your website requires payments to be taken from customers, this is a great security feature for you to have.
d. HTTP/2
All of the DreamHost hosting servers include HTTP/2 support. This is the updated version of the network protocol HTTP, and by default it is encrypted, providing you with further security.
e. Firewalls
DreamHost offers two web application firewalls, lua-resty-waf and mod_security.
A firewall is essentially a security system that monitors traffic on a web network.
The firewall will take action to block traffic that violates the security rules set in place.
The firewall mod_security is a firewall designed specifically for apache. Apache is web server software and the most commonly used of the ones available.
A combination of all of these security services should give you confidence that DreamHost not only takes security seriously but they are leaders in this field when it comes to ensuring security on the sites they host and manage.
4. Customer Service
One of the most impressive features that stand out with DreamHost is its commitment to providing excellent customer service. They offer 24/7 in-house support. You can submit questions via the website, contact tech support for assistance with your website, participate in discussions in forums with other DreamHost users, and access support directly through your Control Panel once you are a DreamHost member. Reviews of DreamHost on Trustpilot and other review sites show how the customer service of DreamHost is well appreciated and how well it works.
There is also a ‘Help bot’ available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year that is acceptable through the chat widget on the site. It pops up as soon as you go onto the website and suggests a list of topics you may want help with. For example, if you go onto the website and click on the chat widget and select the option ‘I want to learn how to build a website', the chatbot will respond with three steps, linking you to guides and web pages that give you more information.
It then asks if you want to speak to somebody, and if you select yes, it will put you in touch with a customer service representative to answer any more specific questions you have. We tried this a couple of times to test the widget, and each time it put me in touch with a person within three minutes.
DreamHost boasts that their support team is made up of in-house experts and that no question is too complex, or too simple, for them to answer. It is refreshing to see a customer service team who are genuinely knowledgeable and passionate about providing advice, support and answers to your questions.
5. Pros and Cons
DreamHost is one of the leading web hosting providers on the web, and for good reason. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of the DreamHost services so that you can make an informed decision about whether DreamHost is suitable for you.
a. Pros
i. Excellent customer service
As we have discussed in this article, DreamHost offers 24/7, in-house support that is easy to access. This is excellent if you are not exceptionally tech-savvy and need advice on how to improve your website or resolve a technical issue. The online chat widget is easy to use and connects you to a real-life person, if you request it, within minutes. The level of support for their professional services, such as dedicated teams for your project, is outstanding.
ii. Easy to build a website for beginners
If you’re new to the world of website building, it can all seem incredibly overwhelming at the beginning. The services and plans offered by DreamHost to help you build your website are a great tool for newbies to get acquainted with website building, such as working out the templates and designs that work for them and their business or blog.
DreamHost has several basic packages that are well suited for a beginner, and they [DreamHost] don’t try to oversell features that wouldn’t be needed by somebody looking to start a blog or small website. There is the real sense that DreamHost genuinely wants to make sure that you get the package that’s right for you, not the package that will make them the most money.
iii. Refunds if you’re not happy
If you take one of the DreamHost plans for a spin and decide that it isn’t for you, DreamHost will offer you a full refund. There is always peace of mind that if the services they offer do not deliver what you need, then you can be refunded. Their refund policy extends for over three months, which is much longer than the 30-day guarantees offered by some of the main competitors.
iv. Security
DreamHost is big on security. The security features they offer we have already covered them in-depth in this article; they certainly give you peace of mind that your data, your website and the data of your website visitors is secure.
v. Guaranteed Uptime
DreamHost is very clear in its guarantee for 100% uptime on many of its plans. The guarantee gives you confidence that your website will always be up and running, and there’s no chance of people looking for your site and not being able to find it, which could, in turn, harm your business, your reputation and your ability to bring in new customers.
b. Cons
i. Confusing plans
For the less technical and experienced people, the number of different plans and packages can be confusing and a little overwhelming. The DreamHost website does a great job of breaking it down in the simplest terms, but there is still the risk that it can all be a little confusing especially for beginners. However, their customer support options mean that you can reach out to them and ask, and they will definitely deliver support.
ii. No phone support
The concept of providing such good web support that phone support isn’t required works well on paper, but sometimes you just want to speak to somebody on the phone to get to the bottom of your problem. DreamHost does not offer phone support at this time, meaning you have to rely on being able to get in touch with someone online to resolve your query. You can request a call back for technical help, but at a fee. However, each time we tried the Live Chat we had our query resolved and it is hard to imagine a situation where you would urgently need to speak to somebody over the phone that couldn’t be resolved online.
6. Dependability
DreamHost is a frontrunner in the web hosting game. With an average of 4.5 stars on Trustpilot, based on 1,736+ reviews, it is clear that the services they provide are dependable, reliable and trustworthy. With refunds available up to three months after you try their services, you know that you will be fully refunded if you aren’t happy with the services provided.
Their guarantee of 100% Uptime also shows that they are a dependable web server that will keep your site running at all times, and if anything goes wrong, they will be there to support you whilst they rectify the technical problems.
Reviews all around the web are singing DreamHost’s praises, and it’s easy to see why. They are trustworthy, reliable experts with a range of plans to suit everybody’s needs.
Conclusion
It is hard not to be impressed with the sheer variety of services and plans offered by DreamHost. They have everything covered for every customer, from a novice blogger who has no idea how to build a website to professional businesses who want to run dedicated servers. Whilst the number of different packages available and the technical terminology on the website can seem overwhelming, DreamHost’s dedication to online support means you can simply reach out to them, describe to them what your requirements are and listen to their suggestions and advice.
They appear to offer everything related to web hosting, particularly with their professional services such as SEO marketing, custom web design, and web development.
DreamHost offers so much more than just website hosting. It offers everything you could want when it comes to web hosting and other services to boost your online presence, all in one place, with expert support and knowledge from dedicated professionals, and a seamless customer journey from when you want to make a simple enquiry or have a consultation, to your website going live and being managed, improved and protected.
If you are unsure whether DreamHost offers a package that suits your needs, based on the number of packages they have available, the chances are they probably do offer something that suits you, and they will be able to explain to you the best package for your requirements after you speak to their friendly, helpful and experienced team.
When it comes to comparing DreamHost with other similar services like Bluehost, DreamHost appears to be the cheaper option, without having to give up on any of the features, the expertise or the dependability. DreamHost offers an all-inclusive experience from start to finish and this is evident in the positive reviews and popularity of their services.
Please Click Here to see what DreamHost offers YOU
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