DreamHost vs ScalaHosting: Complete 2026 Comparison
DreamHost and ScalaHosting are both shared hosting providers, but they suit different priorities. Across our 7-category breakdown, DreamHost comes out ahead, winning 4 of them — including Price, Value and Performance.
Data last updated June 2026
Overall Winner
DreamHost
- Wins in 4 of 7 categories
- Top in: Best Price, Best Value, Best Performance
- 3.8/5 overall rating
DreamHost vs ScalaHosting: Overview
On entry pricing, DreamHost is the cheaper option at $2.89/mo versus $2.95/mo for ScalaHosting. Renewal tells the real story: DreamHost marks prices up about 280% at renewal versus roughly 305% for ScalaHosting, making it the better long-term value.
DreamHost's standout is employee-owned privacy advocate with 100% uptime guarantee and full developer tools — a natural fit for privacy-conscious developer or WordPress enthusiast wanting ethical hosting. ScalaHosting, by contrast, leans on free SPanel control panel eliminating cPanel licensing costs plus SShield AI security, ideal for user wanting managed VPS performance without cPanel licensing costs and strong security.
Category Winners
DreamHost
$2.89/mo vs $2.95/mo
DreamHost
Lower renewal markup (280% vs 305%)
DreamHost
100% uptime, 3.8/5 rating
DreamHost
Live chat, Phone, 24/7
ScalaHosting
Optimized, Staging, WooCommerce, LiteSpeed
Tie
Similar developer features
ScalaHosting
Higher ease of use score (8.0/10)
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Essential Info | ||
| Hosting Type | Shared Hosting | Shared Hosting |
| Monthly Price | $2.89/mo | $2.95/mo |
| Renewal Price | $10.99 | $11.95 |
| Renewal Markup | 280% | 305% |
| Overall Rating | 3.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Uptime Guarantee | 100% | 99.9% |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.9/5 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 8,018 | 2,137 |
| Free SSL | ||
| Free Domain | ||
| Free Migration | ||
| Pricing Details | ||
| First Year Cost | $34.68 | $35.40 |
| Second Year Cost | $131.88 | $143.40 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Setup Fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly Billing | — | |
| Minimum Contract | — | 1 months |
| Technical Specs | ||
| Storage | 25 GB | 10 GB |
| Storage Type | NVME SSD | NVME SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered GB | Unmetered GB |
| Max Websites | 25 | 1 |
| Max Databases | — | Unlimited |
| PHP Versions | 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 | 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 |
| SSH Access | ||
| Git Deployment | ||
| Staging Environment | ||
| Cron Jobs | ||
| Redis Available | — | |
| Programming Languages | ||
| Node.js Support | ||
| Python Support | ||
| Ruby Support | ||
| WordPress Features | ||
| WordPress Optimized | ||
| WordPress Auto-Install | ||
| WordPress Auto-Updates | ||
| WordPress Staging | ||
| WooCommerce Optimized | ||
| LiteSpeed Cache | ||
| Object Caching | ||
| WP Multisite | — | |
| WP-CLI Access | ||
| Security | ||
| DDoS Protection | ||
| DDoS Protection Level | Basic | Advanced DDoS protection on all plans |
| Malware Scanning | ||
| Malware Removal | ||
| Firewall Included | ||
| Backup Frequency | Daily (automatic, not guaranteed accessible) | Daily (7-day retention on shared; 30-day on VPS) |
| Backup Retention | 30 days | 7 days |
| Backup Restore Fee | — | Free |
| On-Demand Backup | ||
| Two-Factor Auth | ||
| Wildcard SSL | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Support | ||
| Support Channels | Live Chat, Phone (callback), Email/Ticket, Knowledge Base | Live Chat, Ticket, Phone, Knowledge Base |
| Live Chat | ||
| Live Chat Hours | 24/7 | 24/7/365 |
| Phone Support | ||
| Phone Support Hours | Callback system (not 24/7 direct) | 24/7/365 |
| Ticket Support | ||
| Priority Support | ||
| Support Languages | English, Spanish | English |
| Knowledge Base Quality | 5.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Avg Support Wait | — | — |
| Email Accounts | ||
| Email Account Limit | — | Unlimited |
| Mailbox Size | — | — |
| Webmail Access | ||
| Spam Filter | ||
| Email Forwarding | ||
| Performance | ||
| CDN Included | ||
| CDN Provider | Cloudflare CDN | Free CDN included |
| Server Locations | Ashburn, VA (US), Hillsboro, OR (US), Netherlands (EU) | Dallas, TX (US), New York, NY (US), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bangalore (India), London (UK), Frankfurt (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Tokyo (Japan), Toronto (Canada), Sao Paulo (Brazil) |
| Server Location Count | 3 | 16 |
| Choose Server Location | ||
| HTTP/2 Support | — | |
| Brotli Compression | — | |
| Uptime SLA Credit | ||
| Platform Support | ||
| Drupal Support | ||
| Joomla Support | ||
| Magento Support | ||
| Laravel Support | ||
| Django Support | ||
| Next.js Support | ||
| Rails Support | ||
| Static Site Support | ||
| Control Panel | ||
| cPanel Included | ||
| Control Panel | DreamHost Panel | SPanel |
| Softaculous | ||
| Website Builder | ||
| Builder Name | DreamHost Website Builder | SiteBuilder |
| Migration | ||
| Migration Websites Limit | — | Unlimited |
| Migration Turnaround | 3 days | 2 days |
| Paid Migration Cost | $99.00 | Free |
| Migration Quality | 4.0/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| PCI Compliant | ||
| HIPAA Compliant | ||
| Data Center Certs | — | SOC 2 (via AWS) |
| Ratings | ||
| Value for Money | 4.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Performance Rating | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Support Quality | 3.5/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Security Rating | 3.5/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Features Rating | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Ease of Use | 3.5/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Transparency Rating | 4.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Suitability Scores | ||
| For Bloggers | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For E-commerce | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Agencies | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Developers | 5.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Beginners | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Enterprise | 2.0/10 | 3.0/10 |
| Policies | ||
| Bandwidth Overage | Unmetered; no overage charges | Unmetered within fair use; excessive use may require upgrade |
| Storage Overage | Must upgrade plan or purchase additional storage | Must upgrade plan |
| Adult Content Allowed | ||
| Gambling Sites Allowed | — | |
| Crypto Sites Allowed | ||
| Reseller Hosting | ||
| White Label | ||
| API Access | ||
| Company Info | ||
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Parent Company | New Dream Network, LLC (employee-owned) | Independent (privately held; founded in Bulgaria, HQ moved to Dallas, TX) |
| Green Hosting | — | — |
| Instant Activation | — | |
| Managed WordPress | ||
| Managed WP Available | ||
| Pricing Model | — | — |
| Monthly Visit Limit | — | — |
| Visit Overage Cost | — | — |
| PHP Workers | — | — |
| Plugin Restrictions | — | — |
| Dev Environment | — | — |
| Dev Env Name | — | — |
| Regional Info | ||
| Best Countries | United States, Canada, Netherlands | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, Bulgaria |
| Local Currencies | USD | USD, EUR, GBP |
| Support Languages | English, Spanish | English |
| Data Sovereignty | GDPR | GDPR |
| External Ratings | ||
| G2 Rating | 4.0/5 | 4.8/5 |
| BBB Rating | Not Accredited | NR (A+ claimed on third-party sites) |
| Advanced Technical | ||
| Inode Limit | — | — |
| Max DB Size | — | — |
| Max Upload Size | — | — |
| Database Type | — | MySQL/MariaDB |
| Elasticsearch | — | |
| Image Optimization | — | |
| PHP Switching | ||
| Subdomains | — | Unlimited |
| FTP Accounts | — | Unlimited |
| Additional Pricing | ||
| Free Domain Duration | 12 months | 12 months |
| Money Back Exclusions | Only applies to shared hosting with credit card payment; DreamPress has 30-day guarantee; Domain registrations non-refundable; SSL certificates non-refundable; Add-on services non-refundable; Updated to 30 days as of July 2025 | 30-day full refund; Domain fees non-refundable; VPS/cloud services eligible for prorated refund |
| Payment Methods | Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal, Check | Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal |
| Auto Renewal Default | ||
| Domain Privacy Included | — | |
| Domain Privacy Cost | — | — |
| SSL Provider | Let's Encrypt | Let's Encrypt (auto-renewed) |
| Dedicated IP Cost | — | $3/mo |
| Additional Support | ||
| Phone Support Countries | United States, Canada | United States |
| Priority Support Cost | — | — |
| Community Forum | ||
| Support Outsourced | — | |
| Object Cache Type | Built-in caching (DreamPress) | Memcached/OPcache |
| Business & Affiliate | ||
| Affiliate Program | ||
| Commission Type | Flat rate (tiered) | Per sale (tiered) |
| Commission Amount | Up to $300 per referral; 97-day holding period; monthly bank transfer payout; no earning limits; top earners made $20K+ last year | $50-$500 per sale based on performance; 60-day cookie; Monthly PayPal payments |
| Additional Policies | ||
| File Hosting Allowed | ||
| Proxy/VPN Allowed | ||
| Bandwidth Overage Cost | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Account Suspension Policy | AUP violations result in suspension or termination; content illegal in USA prohibited | Violation of ToS; non-payment; resource abuse |
| Malware Removal Cost | — | $0.00 |
| Downloadable Backups | ||
| Additional Platforms | ||
| PrestaShop | ||
| Ghost | ||
| Shopify Migration | ||
| Wix Migration | ||
| Squarespace Migration | ||
| Webflow Export | ||
| Editorial Info | ||
| Best For | Privacy-conscious users (employee-owned, privacy advocacy); WordPress users (DreamPress managed hosting); Users wanting long money-back period; Developers (SSH, Git, multiple languages); Users wanting 100% uptime guarantee; Open-source advocates; US-based websites (2 US + 1 EU data center) | Users wanting cPanel alternative without license fees; Managed VPS hosting at affordable prices; WordPress users needing staging and optimization; Small businesses wanting reliable support; Users who value security features (SShield) |
| Avoid If | Need cPanel; Need included email on basic plan; Need more global data center options; Prefer direct phone support; Need enterprise compliance (no SOC2/HIPAA); Budget-conscious long-term (VPS renewal 150% markup) | Need dedicated server hosting; Prefer traditional cPanel interface; Need HIPAA/PCI compliance; Want largest provider brand recognition; Need extensive data center choices |
| Known Issues | No cPanel (custom panel takes adjustment); Email not included on Shared Starter (only free 3 months); PHP Extended Support costs $5/mo extra; DreamShield security and hack recovery are paid extras; Money-back guarantee reduced from 97 to 30 days (July 2025); Phone support is callback only (not direct dial); Automatic backups exist but not guaranteed accessible; Only 3 data center locations | Smaller company compared to major hosts; SPanel learning curve for cPanel users; No dedicated servers offered; Some advanced features only on higher tiers; Limited phone support availability reported by some users |
| Unique Selling Point | Employee-owned privacy advocate with 100% uptime guarantee and full developer tools | Free SPanel control panel eliminating cPanel licensing costs plus SShield AI security |
| Ideal Customer | Privacy-conscious developer or WordPress enthusiast wanting ethical hosting | User wanting managed VPS performance without cPanel licensing costs and strong security |
| Best Alternative To | Bluehost | SiteGround |
| Primary Competitors | Bluehost, InMotion, A2 Hosting | SiteGround, A2 Hosting, InMotion Hosting |
We strive for accuracy, but pricing and features change frequently. Some data may be outdated. Report an error and we'll update it promptly.
Our Verdict
Choose DreamHost if you...
- Want to save money ($2.89/mo vs $2.95/mo)
- Prefer more predictable renewal pricing
- Require 24/7 live chat support
Choose ScalaHosting if you...
- Want higher-rated hosting (4.3/5)
- Want LiteSpeed caching for WordPress
- Are new to web hosting
- Need enterprise-grade features
- Want more server locations (16 available)
DreamHost vs ScalaHosting: Frequently Asked Questions
Is DreamHost cheaper than ScalaHosting?
Yes — DreamHost is cheaper, starting at $2.89/mo compared with $2.95/mo for ScalaHosting. Factor in renewals too: DreamHost marks up about 280% after the first term.
Which is better for WordPress, DreamHost or ScalaHosting?
ScalaHosting is the stronger WordPress host thanks to WordPress-optimized servers, LiteSpeed caching, staging and WooCommerce tuning. If WordPress or WooCommerce is your main workload, it's the safer pick.
Does DreamHost or ScalaHosting have better uptime?
DreamHost edges out ScalaHosting on performance with a 100% uptime guarantee and a 3.8/5 overall rating. For uptime-sensitive sites, it's the more dependable choice.
Which has better customer support, DreamHost or ScalaHosting?
DreamHost has the edge on support offering 24/7 live chat, phone support and ticket support.
Is DreamHost or ScalaHosting better for beginners?
ScalaHosting is friendlier for beginners, scoring higher on ease of use in our assessment. New users will generally find it quicker to get started.
Should I choose DreamHost or ScalaHosting?
For most users, DreamHost is the better overall choice, winning 4 of our 7 categories (notably Price, Value and Performance). That said, the right host depends on your specific needs — check the category breakdown above for the factors that matter to you.