But first, listen to this:

DreamHost is one of the big competitors in the world of web hosting:

It powers over 1.5 MILLION websites, and offers a broad range of hosting services—though shared web hosting is the main attraction.

It’s also one of just three hosting providers specifically recommended by WordPress.org as good for hosting WordPress sites.

On top of that, its pricing is low and has recently become more flexible.

Sounds great, right?

Well, it can be good for some people. But despite how it looks at first glance, DreamHost isn’t for everyone.

Why do people want DreamHost alternatives?

One reason some may want to find another hosting provider is performance. DreamHost’s performance has been sort of iffy for us over the last few years, according to our test site:

For a lot of 2017, 2018, and 2019, uptime was great. But for the last couple years, any given month has tended to either have perfect uptime OR poor uptime, and it’s quite a mix between the two.

Additionally, while speeds haven’t been that bad, they also haven’t been the fastest—response times hover between 700-850ms at best, whereas the best providers are often below 600ms.

Other reasons, aside from performance, people may want to seek alternatives to DreamHost include:

• Desire for specific features that DreamHost does not include by default
• Desire for better-guaranteed resources, even within a shared server environment (some shared servers are better than others)
• Desire for managed hosting products
• Desire for better overall value or more bang for the buck

Before we jump into the alternatives, let’s make sure we’re on the same page in terms of what DreamHost’s web hosting packages actually offer:

Keep in mind that the above plans are the promotional prices at the time of writing for a one-year term. Customers can also pay on a monthly basis, or buy three years in bulk—which usually has the best value of course.

Another point of clarification: unlimited traffic does not mean a customer can have as much traffic as they want on an entry-level plan.

Traffic and bandwidth are not metered, which means there are not specific overage fees—but if you use too much, it could affect other customers sharing the server, and you would be asked to upgrade.

As for storage, it’s similar, but the entry-level plan actually has 50GB of storage allowed, which is pretty good.

Most of the alternatives here are more or less the same in terms of resources, but it’s important to keep in mind as I describe the advantages.

Anyway, without further ado:

Best DreamHost Alternatives

1. Bluehost
2. GreenGeeks
3. LiquidWeb
4. InterServer
5. TMDHosting

Alternative No.1: Bluehost

In terms of resources, Bluehost is basically the same as DreamHost:

Entry-level plans start with 50GB of SSD storage, and bandwidth is unmetered.

In terms of price, Bluehost is actually a bit pricier than DreamHost—particularly where renewal prices are concerned.

So why is Bluehost the first alternate on this list? Both Bluehost and DreamHost are solid all-around hosts…

But Bluehost is just the better all-rounder.

And that’s also why we’ve named it as our top web hosting company—check out my full review to see more information on Bluehost. Or if you want a detailed comparison of Bluehost and DreamHost, I’ve also got just the article for you.

Otherwise, here’s a quick overview:

Advantages over DreamHost

• More web hosting plans to choose from, plus more hosting options overall outside of shared hosting
• Content delivery network (CDN) included for free on all shared plans
• Great marketing features included for all shared plans: $100 Google Ads credit plus the ability to list your local business with Google, so it surfaces earlier in local search results
• Un-managed WordPress plans are more robust (both DreamHost and Bluehost offer managed and un-managed WordPress plans)

Alternative No.2: GreenGeeks

As you probably can tell, GreenGeeks is a bit more unique as a hosting provider for its focus on eco-friendliness. Every amp that GreenGeeks’ data centers use, the company matches 300% in renewable energy through a nonprofit.

But aside from being great for your conscience, GreenGeeks is also great for your website!

One thing is worth acknowledging right off the bat: GreenGeeks is a bit pricey for web hosting, and pricier than DreamHost. It’s not that expensive in the scheme of things, but it’s not exactly a budget pick.

However, it’s well-worth the slightly increased cost, with a lot of great features and stellar performance.

That’s why GreenGeeks is right next to Bluehost as one of our top recommendations for web hosting—you can read more about why here.

But for now:

Advantages over DreamHost

• Generally better performance according to our test site, including consistently faster response times
• Shared web hosting plans have better features: email accounts are included, as is CDN, caching technology to boost performance, and a non-WordPress website builder option
• WordPress and WooCommerce hosting plans have better value than DreamHost’s (better features included)
• Customers on shared plans can easily add resources to their plan as needed without upgrading pricing tiers entirely
• More eco-friendly

Alternative No.3: LiquidWeb

Liquid Web is another unique alternative to DreamHost:

Liquid Web offers managed hosting products only. That means the company handles just about everything related to hosting, and leaves only website building/management to you.

This is particularly useful for WordPress websites, which require a lot of maintenance and moving parts.

Note that managed services basically always come at higher cost. If you’re seriously investing in your site, this is a great alternative. But it’s not better if you’re seeking a stronger budget pick.

DreamHost’s definitely one of the better hosts for WordPress, whether you use its managed or unmanaged WordPress plans. But Liquid Web just knocks the ball out of the park in quality of management.

If managed hosting is your thing, Liquid Web is one of the best hosts around for it. If that’s not why you want a DreamHost alternative though, this won’t be for you.

Advantages over DreamHost

• Excellent performance
• Quality managed hosting for a range of hosting types
• Managed WordPress plans have great bandwidth allocations, security, and features
• Generally very high levels of security

Alternative No.4: InterServer

InterServer has been around since 1999, and more than two decades after its founding, it’s still a popular web hosting option for many.

Here’s the gist:

If you’re primarily seeking an alternative to DreamHost because you want a stronger budget-focused host, InterServer is the one for you.

Its web hosting plans generally provide more bang for the buck, without costing more than what DreamHost offers. It’s one of the best budget hosts around in general!

Of course, it’s not perfect, and you can read more about the nuances in my full review. But the advantages it offers over DreamHost will be perfect for some readers.

Advantages over DreamHost

• Consistently superior speeds (in the 300ms range), according to our test site
• Shared hosting plans have similar starting prices as DreamHost, but far more features included for free: global caching, a website builder, unlimited email accounts, and more
• Shared servers are always 50% capacity, reducing constraints on your growth
• Inter-Insurance included for all plans: InterServer will clean up sites that have been hacked or infected with malware for free

DreamHost Alternatives No.5: TMDHosting

TMDHosting has been around since 2007, but it’s really done a great job the last couple years—so much so that we’ve acknowledged it as one of the best web hosting companies around.

You can read more about why that’s the case here, but for now, here’s the gist:

It’s like InterServer in that it offers better bang-for-the-buck with its web hosting plans, and it also has great speeds.

Advantages over DreamHost

• Consistently superior speeds (in the 300ms range) according to our test site
• Very wide range of hosting types offered, including a lot of hosting for popular content management systems (or CMS), and including both Windows and Linux shared hosting
• Generally better value in shared web hosting plans: prices are similar to DreamHost’s, but there are better features (Weebly website builder, unlimited email accounts, and more)
• Very strong security

So which is the best Dreamhost Alternatives?

So with all this said, what’s the best DreamHost alternatives?

There’s a simple answer, and a more complicated answer. Let’s go with the simple answer first:

Bluehost is the best overall alternative to DreamHost. That’s mostly because they are very similar in their price range, offering, and even the size of their customer bases.

Yet despite their similarities, Bluehost just edges out better. As all-rounder web hosts go, Bluehost and DreamHost are among the most popular, but Bluehost is the better.

And that’s why the simple answer is that OVERALL, Bluehost is the best alternative.

However, we all have different priorities, and some of the options here are better or worse alternatives to DreamHost depending on those priorities.

If you really want top-shelf hosting quality, Liquid Web is probably the best alternative. It’s also the best alternative if you want fantastic customer support guaranteed, or prioritize ease of use above all else.

If you’re looking for a better budget option–or just more bang for the buck–it’s a close call between InterServer and TMD.

And GreenGeeks is good for those who want something higher-end than DreamHost or Bluehost, but not as premium as Liquid Web.

And there you have it! DreamHost is good, but so are its best alternatives. And that’s good news!

Happy hosting!