Dreamhost is a unique web hosting service that has been around for a while. It is one of the few web hosting platforms which started before the advent of Google and has maintained a successful growth for the last 18 years. Currently, Dreamhost hosts around 1.5 million sites, blogs and other web applications.
Dreamhost Review: All You Need to Know
The Dreamhost web hosting platform is rated 4.7 out of 5.0 stars. This owes to the fact that they have a top-notch technology team ready to keep improving on their web services. Their official recommendation by sites like WordPress.org also puts them on the limelight.
Features
Dreamhost comes with features that let you host and build your websites in a fast and super-easy way. It allows one to choose and host a free domain name for the first year on a Dreamhost account. It also comes with a stunning offer of a website builder that allows you to build websites with a click to edit apps like Remixer. The presence of a free SSL certificate guarantees top-notch security for your website. As a comparative advantage, Dreamhost allows 97-days money-back guarantees if you are not satisfied with their services.
However, their starter plans are quite limited as you don’t get a professional e-mail set-up unless you opt for the unlimited plan. Their customer also gets a not too amazing rating as they don’t give phone support or offer a 24/7 live chat support.
Performance
The content of your website generally affects a web page loading time. Now, when it comes to performance, Dreamhost claims to offer an uptime of 99.96% and a page loading speed of 450ms. Analytics tools such as Bitcatcha, Pingdom were used to test the reliability of websites hosted on the platform. The performance grade average 88% with a load time of 445ms when tested from a location in New York City. From Bitcatcha, it was deduced that Dreamhost server time response average just under half a second. This makes Dreamhost the best take for fast loading websites.
Support
Just like other hosting plans, the Dreamhost offers user-based customer support services. This support comes in the likes of Knowledge-based, inquiries by email and live chat.
The knowledge-based customer support provides a glossary of previous recommendations and enquires. The Dreamhost support team also comes with a 24-hours based email support. Live chats are the best support, but it is restricted between the time frame of 5 am – 10 pm and seven days a week.
Ease of Use
Dreamhost comes with features for an easy, interactive, and amazing hosting experience. It includes features like;
- Web-Based Control Panel: Dreamhost comes with an interactive c-panel that doesn’t use a C-panel dashboard. It uses a web-based control panel that protects you from the intricacies of command-line tools.
- 1-click WordPress installer: Setting up a WordPress website on Dreamhost is quite fast and easy as it comes with a 1-click WordPress installer. The drag and drop feature helps in creating amazing web pages.
- Website Builder: Dreamhost comes with a website builder like Remixer that comes with in-built templates to help build your dream site. It provides access to a general offer of pictures from Pixabay.
Pricing
Dreamhost comes with different hosting plans along with stipulated prices. There is the Shared hosting plan, VPS plan, WPS hosting plan, and Dedicated plans. For a beginner who wants to host a small scale website, you will need a shared hosting plan. The shared hosting plan came with subcategories of shared starter ($2.59/ month) and shared unlimited ($4.95/month). Below is the basic pricing of each plan (3-year plan) and the resources they offer.
| Plan | Price for 3-year plan | Bandwidth | Disk space |
| Shared hosting | $2.59/month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| WordPress Hosting starter | $2.59/month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Basic VPS Hosting | $10/month | Unlimited | 30GB |
| Dedicated Hosting | $169/month | Unlimited | 1TB |
Frequently Asked Questions about Dreamhost
Which Dreamhost plan should I get?
Dreamhost hosting plan depends on your hosting needs. If you want to host a website as a beginner, you can opt for a shared hosting plan. Woo Commerce hosting plan will be your best take if you want to create an online eCommerce store.
Can Dreamhost handle high traffic?
Dreamhost can handle high traffic depending on your hosting plan. If you consume more resources than your current plan, then you will need an upgrade.
Can I upgrade my Dreamhost plan later?
As a beginner, you can opt for the basic plan under Dreamhost, which you can always upgrade later as your resources enlarge.
Does Dreamhost offer a month-to-month payment option?
Yes, Dreamhost offers a month-to-month subscription plan. However, it is better to go for long term deals as they come with significant discounts.
Can I create subdomains in Dreamhost?
Creating subdomains is possible in Dreamhost using their CPanel.
Do I have to register my domain name on Dreamhost?
With Dreamhost, you are not obliged to register a domain name. You can always select from GoDaddy, NameCheap or any other preferred register of the domain name.
Does Dreamhost offer a free SSL certificate?
Yes, Dreamhost offers free SSL certificates for all its plans.
Do I need to purchase the add-ons that Dreamhost offers me?
Purchasing add-ons isn’t necessary. However, you can always opt for one if you need them later.
Does Dreamhost offer unlimited disk space and bandwidth?
The Dreamhost offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth depending on the plan selected (especially for shared and WordPress hosting). However, Dreamhost defines unlimited because of the bundle of resources embedded to run any typical small website.
Can I create an eCommerce site on Dreamhost?
Creating an eCommerce website on Dreamhost is possible with its WooCommerce hosting plan. The WooCommerce hosting plan comes with features and configurations to help you start an online store.
Conclusion
You will find Dreamhost as a reliable web hosting platform for your site. None of its plans include any form of hidden charges, and it offers unlimited website and email hosting right from its basic plan. Quick support and intuitive custom control panel are among the benefits of using Dreamhost web hosting service.